Life Fit Chat with That's Fit Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis brings conversation provoking tidbits to your table, served up with a touch of spice! Byte-sized information that pack some punch, brought to you every Wednesday and Thursday!

As alternative healing modalities are becoming more and more popular, humans are taking a stronger interest in natural approaches to pet care. With animals varying in size and weight, please be sure to check with your veterinarian before implementing any of the following essential oil "therapies" with your furry family members.

Repel fleas on both cats and dogs by tucking sachets of Lavender, Pennyroyal and Rose Geranium essential oils into your pets bed or basket. Avoid using on animals who are very young, elderly or pregnant. You can also create a handmade, indoor flea collar by sewing a long cloth (long enough to wrap around your pet's neck) and filling the cloth with Pennyroyal leaves and/or Lavender flowers with two drops of Rose Geranium. Make an outdoor flea collar by mixing one teaspoon of cider vinegar with three drops of Lavender and one drop of Rose Geranium or Cedarwood essential oils. Place this mixture in a zip lock bag with the cloth flea collar and allow the mixture to infuse the collar for at least twenty-four hours.

Create a Pet Dip for your pet to rid her of any fleas that may currently be living on the animal. Fill a bowl with warm water and add the following essential oils (four drops for large dogs and two drops for small dogs): Lavender, Cedarwood or Pine. Dip a comb into the water mixture and comb through your pet's hair going with and against the direction of the coat. Repeat with water from a fresh bowl of warm water. Be careful to avoid applying the oil directly to your pet's coat so as to avoid ingesting the oils when your pet grooms herself. Depending upon the size of your dog, add one to two garlic capsules to your pet's food. This will make their blood unappetizing to fleas.

If you have recently moved or plan to move, treat your cat to a little catnip. Prior to moving keep your cats confined to a small space for a day or two before the move and then for four or five days after moving. Shower her with lots of love and attention and add a sachet of catnip to her bedding.

Keep your furniture safe from scratches by rubbing Catmint leaves or Valerian root on a scratching post. Your kitties will love it, and will lose interest in the furniture!

Source: Crabtree & Evelyn Fragrant Herbal

Life Fit Chat with That's Fit Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis brings conversation provoking tidbits to your table, served up with a touch of spice! Byte-sized information that pack some punch, brought to you every Wednesday and Thursday!

Keep the air in your home and office fresh and aromatically pleasing with the use of essential oils. A room spray of essential oils can perform four functions:

1. Oils can provide protection from bacteria and viruses.
2. Essential oils can deter insects.
3. Sprays made from essential oils can deodorize a room.
4. Essential oils can be used to enhance or minimize specific emotions or moods.

A combination of several essential oils will destroy almost any harmful bacteria. Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Tea Tree, and Juniper are powerful agents for destroying bacteria while working simultaneously to boost the body's immune functions.

Disinfectant Room Spray Recipe
Eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses, pesky insects and ants, as well as some common fungi with this room spray.

This recipe will make one and three-quarter ounces of spray.

• 60 drops of Bergamot
• 20 drops of Lavender
• 15 drops each of the following: Lemon, Rosemary, Thyme, Tea Tree and Lemon Eucalyptus
• 10 drops each of the following: Eucalyptus, Juniper and Mandarin
• 5 drops each of Clove, Sandalwood, and Peppermint

Drop each of the oils directly into a clean glass bottle and swirl the oils together. Leave for at least twenty-four hours to amalgamate. Add one ounce of isopropyl alcohol or vodka to the mixture of oils. Swirl the mixture together again and leave for another twenty-four hours. Add one ounce of distilled bottle and blend once again. Transfer the blend to an atomizing bottle and enjoy. This spray will remain fresh for many months in a cool, dark place. Use as needed.

Clean Air Spray
Our homes and offices are filled with nasty toxins such as cigarette smoke, cleaning solutions, fire retardants and furniture polish. The following recipe will help you detox the air in your home. And, your space will smell delicious!

Using the instructions above blend about 20 drops of the following oils using the isopropyl alcohol or vodka and distilled water process: Lavender, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Geranium, Clary sage, Grapefruit, Lemon, Rosemary and Tea Tree.

Add an additional layer of protection from the positively charged ions that are released from computer screens and various metals and fibers found in many building by adding the following oils to the mixture: Cypress, Citrus, Pine, Cedar, Sandalwood and Juniper.

Kitchen Spray
This wonderful combination of oils is an excellent way to cut the grease smell from your kitchen. Combine 5-6 drops of Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lavender, Lemon or Lime to one and three-quarter ounces of distilled water. Shake vigorously and use frequently.

Source: Fragrant Herbal: Enhancing Your Life with Aromatic Herbs and Essential Oils (Bulfrinch Press 1998)

Being Life Fit is about your total health, including the health of all of your relationships. Life Fit is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Check in each Tuesday to Life Fit with Laura Lewis, author of "52 Ways To A Healthy You," as we explore our total life fitness. Then, weigh in with your own thoughts over at Laura's "Life Fit Chat" each Wednesday and Thursday for further discussion on the week's topic. For more information visit Laura at www.LauraLewis.com.

Aromatic plants and essential oils are very beneficial for increasing concentration, as well as inducing a sense of calm and wellness in our deadline-driven lifestyle. Each herb has a slightly different affect on the mind, as well as the spirit. By experimenting with various plants and oils, you will be able to determine which ones most suit your needs.

Uses for Aromatic Plants
For a regenerating break, make up a vase of fresh herbs and place it in a close proximity to your work space. Throughout the day pinch and inhale various leaves and offer up a thought of thanksgiving for the refreshing and healing aromas. The following plants are especially rejuvenating:

• Alecost
• Angelica
• Basil
• Bay
• Calamint
• Catnip
• Cedar
• Citrus leaves
• Cyprus
• Fennel
• Germander
• Hyssop
• Lavender
• Lemon Balm
• Lemon Verbena
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Oregano
• Pine
• Rosemary
• Santolina
• Savory
• Thyme
• Wax Myrtle
• Wormwood

Our homes and offices are often far more toxic than even the busiest urban environment. Many plants actually work double duty by pulling toxins from the air while at the same time eliciting refreshing aromas. Plants from the Dieffenbachia species are particularly known to filter out building pollutants especially when they are grown in soil with plant-pot carbon.

The following plants will reduce formaldehyde from the environment:

• Spider Plant
• Heart Leaf Philodendron
• Azalea
• Mother-in-Law's Tongue
• Poinsettia
• Fig Tree

Use these plants to reduce benzene:

• English Ivy
• Marginata
• Golden Pothos

Reduce trichloroethylene with these plants:

• Peace Lily
• Dragon Tree

Rosemary, Thyme and Lavender all tolerate dry air and provide cleansing aromas to the environment. The Peruvian Cactus with scented white flowers can reduce electromagnetic pollution, which is offset by computers. This plant should be placed near the television, as well as computers.

Uses for Essential Oils
The highly concentrated aromas of essential oils is much more powerful than sniffing the scent of the actual plant. Enjoy the benefits of essential oils by placing five drops of oil into a handkerchief or cloth napkin. I like to keep a scent filled cloth in my car as well as well to bring a sense of calm while driving.

Rosemary oil is excellent for increasing concentration. The most invigorating scents to the brain are Rosemary, Basil, Peppermint, Black Pepper and Grapefruit. These oils are especially beneficial in reducing mental fatigue. Geranium, Thyme, Sweet Marjoram, Pine and Nutmeg are beneficial for physical fatigue.

You will need to alternate these oils with choices that are little less potent in order to not overstimulate your brain or create a tolerance to their effectiveness. Less potent scents are Eucalyptus, Lemon Eucalyptus, Thyme, Lemon, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Cypress, Juniper, Lemongrass, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove, Linden Blossom, Nutmeg,Cardamom, Coriander, Petitgrain, Lime and Orange.

Essential oils can also be used for memory retention while studying. Simply place drop of a different essential oil inside the book or document that you are reading to provide a memory link or memory association. Avoid using oils in which you already have a strong association. For example, if geranium reminds you of your grandmother's garden, you would not want to use that scent to develop a new association. By coupling specific scents to particular topics, you will have a recall on the information when you experience that scent. To reinforce the memory, dab the oil on your sleeve to sniff when needed. General memory enhancing oils are Basil, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Coriander, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lemon, Rosemary and Thyme.

Life is too short not to be fully "turned on." The Daily Turn On! energizes all aspects of "you." Every Monday The Daily Turn On! with That's Fit Life Fit expert Laura Lewis will provide you with ideas and tips to awaken your mind, your body and your life as you journey through each day of the week! Check in each Monday to get your tip for Turning On every day of your life.

Essential oils have long been used for medicinal purposes. Did you know it is speculated that Mary Magdalene used essential oils for natural healing? It is commonly known these types of oils have long been revered by many natural healers for their soothing and balancing properties. Essential oils may also be used for your mind and spirit, as well as your body. This week we will look at various ways to enhance our lives through the power of essential oils.

Scent is very powerful. The olfactory system has a unique and direct relationship with the brain. One end of the scent organ is in the nose and the other is in the brain. Messages from the other senses--sight, touch, taste and hearing--are all passed along nerves to the blood-brain barrier, a protective membrane around the brain, where they are transferred to a different set of nerves inside the brain. This allows for some degree of a weakened perception; however, this does not happen with the sense of smell, which is why aromas are so powerful.

Essential oils are derived from aromatic plants. Essential oils are incredibly concentrated: it takes 30,000 roses to make one-half ounce of essential oil, which is why even just a small amount can be quite pricey.

You can also create wonderfully refreshing bath products. Try out a few of the following recipes. They make wonderful gifts for your friends, family and of course yourself!

Bath & Shower Oils

• Add four to six drops of grapefruit, bergamot, lemon and eucalyptus to almond or grapeseed oil (1 drop per ml. of the vegetable oil).
• Add one teaspoon to a warm bath (after the water has stopped running) Or, massage the same ratio of essential oil to almond or grapeseed oil directly onto your skin for an extra moisturizing treatment. Never apply essential oils directly to your skin without diluting with other oils as they can really irritate or burn your skin.