beta-Phellandrene

beta-Phellandrene is extracted mainly from the essential oil of Water fennel and Canada balsam oil. It is also present in the essential oils of Angelica, Eucalyptus, Pinus species, Lavandula, Mentha, Curcuma Longa,Garlic (Allium Sativum), Ginger, etc.

Beta-phellandrene is a monocyclic monoterpene with the chemical formula C10H16. It is also identified by various other names such as cyclohexene, 2-p-Menthadiene, and beta-phellandren and so on.

Attributes of beta-Phellandrene:

It is a colourless to slightly yellow clear liquid with a pleasant aroma. It owns pepper-minty and slightly citrusy aroma. It possess burning taste. It is not soluble in water but it mixes well with ether.

Because of its minty aroma, it is used as a flavouring ingredient. It is also used as perfuming agents.

Antimicrobial and antifungal activities:

Beta-phellandrene is reported to exhibit antifungal and antibacterial activities. It is evident from thestudy“Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils Isolated from Aerial Parts of PrangosasperulaBoiss. (Apiaceae) Growing Wild in Lebanon”. In the study, it was stated that nerolidol, sabinene and beta-phellandrene was reported to possess antibacterial and antifungal activity.

In the study titled “Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil from Wedelia prostrata” it was stated that beta-phellandrene present in the essential oil of the flower buds of Wedelia trilobata is one of the constituent that contributes to the antimicrobial activity of the oil.

In the study “Chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of peels’ essential oils of different pomelo varieties in the south of Vietnam”it is stated that the higher amounts of alpha- pinene, gamma terpinene beta phellandrene and alpha phellandrene present in the essential oil of pomelo’s varieties, namely NamRoi in VinhLong and BuoiLong in DongThap contribute to the antibacterial activities of the essential oils.

Reference Links:

  1. Phellandrene by Wikipedia
  2. Beta-phellandrene by PubChem
  3. Chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of peels’ essential oils of different pomelo varieties in the south of Vietnam

Think Ayurveda To Think Better

Your thoughts decide your actions and your actions define ‘YOU’. There are myriad emotions that are exclusively indulged with humanity. Only you can smile, you can talk, you can discover and you can create. Thinking positive indicates that you are a proud owner of a healthy physique that keeps your thinking sound as well. Ayurveda talks about the constructive effects of positive thinking that helps you keep going on and on. Pessimism or negative thinking can even stop the functioning of your heart and collapse the brain’s functionality. Every human being has his own problems but just the severity of the problem differs. You can laugh at a person if he says he is free of troubles because in this materialistic world only a five-headed snake can be free of worries. It does not count whether you have problems or not but it matters how you deal with it and Ayurveda paves way for such an optimistic living.

Optimistic thinking: There’s a popular book named ‘You Can Win’ by Shiv Khera where the author beautifully lists the mentality of Pessimists’. 3 of my favorite lines in that excellent piece of writing are:

‘Pessimists don’t see the doughnut, only the hole,

Pessimists forget their blessings and count their troubles

Pessimists stop sleeping in bed when they hear that more people die in bed than anywhere else’

Yes my dear friends! This is the way that negative thinking affects your life and the best way to come out of this dark world is to think better with the natural and holistic healing of the ancient science named Ayurveda.

Ayurvedic treatment for optimism: According to Ayurveda, a healthy mind is the key to a healthy body and your attitude decides it. In this mechanical epoch that drains you, demands more than your potential with taut deadlines and cumbersome workload ends up in mental stress, difficulty in striking balance between your work and your family, anxiety, fear, fatigue and deep depression. When every single problem is placing you in the darker side of the world, let it know that you are strong with the real power granted by the natural Ayurvedic essential oils, meditation and yoga along with the robustness to turn the tide.

Ayurvedic essential oils for positive thinking: Essential oils of lavender, marjoram, grapefruit, thyme, sandalwood, jasmine, lemon, peppermint and ylang ylang possess an adorable fragrance in nature. These oils have soothing, calmative, stimulating, energizing and revitalizing properties that can enrich your spirits along with your mind and body. Using these essential oils either as a massage oil or to your bath tub or in your diffuser will calm your nerves, relax your muscles, alleviate stress, lighten your pressure, uplift your mood, kindle your thoughts, augment your mind power, improve your memory power, balance your emotions, fortify your immune system, strengthen your will power, encourage a peaceful sleep while invigorating your system for a replenished crack of dawn.

Meditation: Ayurvedic way of treating humanity can never be fulfilled without meditation. Spend some quality time for yourself and let that time of eminence be your meditating time especially in the early hours of the day when your environment is calm and composed. Meditation with deep breathing exercises can empower your mind while promoting positive feelings and preparing your body to adapt to new challenges and your mind to learn luminously, think undeniably, regulate stressful situations, recall your past and retain your balanced system for the days of harmony ahead you.

Being an optimist is the best way to setting your life as a role model for your younger ones to lead their life with great trust as real optimists always see an opportunity in every threat:)

Reference Links:

  1. You Can Win by Shiv Khera
  2. The healing force is within ourselves by Ayurveda France
  3. Attract more positive energy by Rejuvenation Lounge

Ayurvedic oils for common cold

Catching up with common cold is as easy as falling off a log. Though it is not an acute problem, it has the worst power to completely spoil your routine activities. Common cold is often irritating, maddening, frustrating and disgusting. It changes your look and gives the impression of being completely sick. Over-the-counter drugs might often look attractive, appealing and seem to be the quickest way for treating your cold. Frequent intake of such medications might look like granting you instant relief but do not destroy the virus completely and have their own adverse side effects. This may be due to the excess intake of chemical formulas like acetaminophen, intranasal zinc, dextromethorphan (DXM), Tylenol etc.  All you need to take in at this time is a natural therapy like Ayurvedic oils that destroy the harmful virus from within, proffering you better health and a protective shield to prevent recurrent infections.

Causes and symptoms: This might occur due to seasonal changes, contagious virus spread through air, through minute air droplets from the affected person and much more during all times of the year. Each year billions of people in the world are affected by cold and a recent report says that it is over one billion people who are affected by cold in the United States every year. Little ones get cold often from their schools and day care centers when the other children next to them are affected by cold cough, sneezes or blow their nose.

Common cold lasts up to 7 days and the troubling symptoms are runny nose, itchy eyes, scratchy throat, nasal congestion, difficulty in breathing, headache, muscular pain, sore throat, cough, decreased appetite, sneezing and at times may lead to viral fevers also.

Ayurvedic essential oils for common cold: You will certainly feel great if you come to know that using Ayurvedic essential oils for your common cold can treat your illness without making you feel tired and drowsy like your cough syrups and other over-the-counter medicines. Few such energizing Ayurvedic oils are:

  1. Eucalyptus essential oil: This is a celebrated remedy for years together for common cold and its unfavorable symptoms. Eucalyptus essential oil helps in effectively fighting cold, cough, bronchitis, asthma, flu, sinusitis, fever and other such infections. You can use it as a vaporizer, rub or add few drops to your bath tub or to hot water for steam inhalation.
  2. Peppermint essential oil: Peppermint oil with its anti-viral properties is a proven remedy for respiratory illnesses like flu and cold. Peppermint essential oil blended with rosemary and lavender essential oil can be added to boiling water and this steam can be inhaled for getting complete relief from headache, cold, blocked nasal passage, congestion and mental fatigue inducing a peaceful sleep thereafter.
  3. Lavender essential oil: Lavender essential oil is always known for its therapeutic properties and is of great use in treating cold, influenza, cough, headache, insomnia, muscular pains and few other problems related to common cold. This efficacious oil inhibits germs and instantly kills viruses. It acts as a defensive mechanism and boosts your body’s immunity, helping you fight sturdily against cold. You can add it to your bath tub or use it as a room diffuser that will purify your environment by devastating the germs.

No more nervousness or uncomfortable feelings the next time when you get cold as these Ayurvedic essential oils will help you stay as cool as a cucumber and bid goodbye to your annoying cold.

Reference Links:

  1. Over-the-counter drug by Wikipedia
  2. Common Cold from A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia by PubMed Health
  3. Cough and Cold Medicine Abuse by Kids Health from Nemours