Follow ACHS Holistic Health News Blog for the latest wellness information, research, and tips for how to start living healthier today. Have your own wellness tips to share? We'd love to hear from you! ACHS is a nationally accredited and State Approved Institute of Higher Learning based in Portland, Oregon.
In response to your positive feedback, we're moving the graduation event from the Avalon Hotel to the American College campus in John's Landing, Portland, which will allow us to host more participants, family, and friends for a fun and relaxing celebration. ACHS Graduation will take place October 8, 2011, from 5-8 pm, PST, at the American College: 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland, OR 97239.
ACHS Graduation 2011 will be an open house-style event, free to attendees and open to all ACHS students, graduates, and the local community.
After busy summer days at work or at play, it's important to wind down. Stress comes in many forms, even fun. Support your body's optimal health and wellness and make daily relaxation a top priority.
Wondering how? Try an aromatherapy Relaxing Bedtime Blend with bergamot (Citrus aurantium var. bergamia) essential oil. The oil's fresh, citrus fragrance is a great mood support and can be soothing in a bath or massage blend.*
Relaxing Bedtime Blend
Clary sage Salvia sclarea: 3-drops
Bergamot Citrus aurantium var. bergamia: 10-drops
Benzoin resinoid Styrax benzoin: 2-drops
Chamomile Matricaria recutita (German) or Chamaemelum nobile (Roman): 2-drops
Use 2-3-drops in bath, or dilute with 1-oz massage oil and rub on the chest.
Give it a try and let us know how it works for you! Feel free to post your suggestions for relaxing aromatherapy blends, too!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with your primary care physician, naturopathic doctor, or Registered Aromatherapist (RA) before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine.
We thought you would find this herbal information interesting ... In a new study, researchers at Penn State have found that eating a diet rich in spices may reduce the body's negative response to high-fat meals.
Researchers added two tablespoons of the herbs rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, garlic powder, and paprika to meals given to men aged 30-65 who were overweight, but healthy. These spices reportedly increased antioxidant activity in the blood by 13% and decreased insulin response by 20%.
The two tablespoon of spices provides an equivalent amount of antioxidants to those contained in 5 ounces of red wine or 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate.
>>To read the full-text research review, click here.
Hey there! ACHS has a launched a new page, Urban Herb Botanical Teaching Garden, dedicated to ... you guessed it ... our campus herb garden! Visit us here.
And be sure to check back frequently for new photos, botanical events, and garden tips.
This summer, ACHS has partnered with the Beaverton Farmers Market to offer community education regarding holistic health and wellness.
At our booth this past weekend, we shared how easy it is to make a great-tasting and good-for-you herbal sun tea as a delicious alternative to sodas and other sugary drinks. The ACHS Herbal Sun Tea is also the perfect way to get your kids involved with organic gardening and cooking.
Here's a video of ACHS President Dorene Petersen demonstrating how to make herbal sun tea!
What's your favorite herbal tea blend? Please feel free to post your recipes and suggestions for fresh-from-the-garden summer tea. We look forward to hearing from you.
On July 20 we hosted our annual Lavender Open House community wellness event at the College campus. More than forty people attended the event to raise awareness about the benefits of growing and harvesting lavender for personal health and as a garden aid!!
Our ACHS Chief Institutional Officer and Master Gardener, Erika Yigzaw, led participants through a series of hands-on workshops highlighting the holistic health applications of lavender, including a lecture about the aromatherapeutic properties, a demonstration of how to use lavender in personal care items, and a demonstration of how to grow, harvest, and pot lavender and other herbs for culinary and herbal medicine use.
Free downloadable videos from the day’s events will be available through the ACHS YouTube channel, ACHStv (www.youtube.com/ACHStv), and photos and suggested uses for lavender are available on ACHS Facebook (www.facebook.com/ACHSedu).
The terms cananga and ylang ylang are sometimes used interchangeably but there are botanical and subsequently essential oil differences. Ylang ylang is Cananga odorata var. genuine while cananga is Cananga odorata var. macrophylla. Both are from the Anonaceae family.
The trees of C. odorata var. macrophylla are quite common in East Java. The oil is extracted from cananga flowers using the hydro distillation process. The oil content in the flower varies from 0.75% to 1%. Total annual production of cananga oil in Indonesia is approximately 30-35 tons.
The main distillation season for cananga oil is from July to October. Areas of concern for this industry are the lack of tree replanting, while the existing trees are getting old and being attacked by caterpillars, which eat up all the leaves. The trees are not managed and grow to heights of 40-50 feet, which makes it difficult and dangerous to harvest. Previously a harvester had fallen from a tree and died from the injuries.
There is potential for developing and encouraging awareness of environmental issues and sustainability practices. The market for cananga oil is small so the price paid to the flower harvesters is low - approximately $0.45 U.S. per kg. Its continued production is tentative given the areas of concern and the low market demand.
This is an oil that deserves a closer look at by aromatherapists, natural product manufacturers, and natural perfumers.
Do you use cananga oil as an alternative to ylang ylang? We'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to post your comments here or to ACHS Facebook at facebook.com/ACHSedu
The 1st Annual ACHS Graduation Ceremony is October 8, 2011 and you're invited!
