Join One. and aromatherapy consultant, Elizabeth Fortunato, for a four-part series on How Aromatherapy Can Help You on Your Wellness Journey. Here is part one on the types of oils, next month, the topic is daily skincare.

Recently I was at a party and another guest and I was discussing essential oils and their uses. She asked me to explain how, on any given day, I use essential oils. I was struck by the question since my answer had no real beginning or endpoint. I use essential oils throughout the entire day. I started thinking about how I can break down my answer to provide others a better idea of how they can use essential oils in their skincare, haircare, cleansing (household and self), and scenting routines. Before we get into the specific uses, it is important to remind (or enlighten) everyone about the different types of essential oils and essential oil production by-products.

All essential oils are plant-based. They do not come from animals or animal by-products. They are extremely concentrated, powerful organic chemicals that can melt plastic, burn the skin, and cause nausea or illness if breathed in longer than recommended. Some essential oils should not be used on children, the elderly or pregnant women. Other essential oils are phototoxic and should not be used 12-24 hours prior to sun exposure. Still, other essential oils may interfere with medications or should be avoided when certain diseases are active in the body (i.e., undergoing certain types of cancer treatments). The bottom line is that essential oils are amazing phytochemicals that should be used with caution and ideally with the guidance of a registered aromatherapist.

Understanding how essential oils are manufactured and the resulting by-products of the process further help you understand how to use them in your daily activities.

Most essential oils are produced through a steam distillation process that uses water to extract the essential oil from the plant material. A wonderful by-product of this process is called hydrosol, floral water, or distillate. Hydrosols carry some of the smaller plant molecules and can be very fragrant. I often use hydrosols in my practice and formularies as a substitute for distilled water (more to come on this subject in future articles).

Citrus essential oils, which many are phototoxic, are expressed from the peel of the fruit. This process creates a very strong essential oil. There is a secondary process called folding where the phototoxic phytochemical, terpene, is removed. It is beneficial to use this form of essential oil if you do not want to worry about sun exposure. An example of this process is Bergamot Citrus aurantium var. bergamia essential oil which is from the peel of the bitter orange fruit. You can purchase it with the bergaptene removed which eliminates the phototoxic chemical.

Some essential oils come from very delicate flower materials such as roses and jasmine that cannot withstand the steam distillation process. To extract these essential oils, the flowers first undergo a solvent extraction process that produces a concrete substance. To extract the essential oil from the concrete, it goes through a secondary process which adds ethyl alcohol to extract the oil from the concrete. The remaining oil, after evaporation of the ethyl alcohol, is referred to as an absolute. Unfortunately, essential oils extracted this way are technically not considered essential oils since a small amount of the solvent remains in the oil.

The last way that essential oils are commonly extracted is through carbon dioxide (CO₂). This process involves chilling the CO₂ then pumping it through the plant material at 1000 pounds per square inch, resulting in a vapor that is captured. When the CO₂ is released, the remaining liquid is the essential oil. There are no usable by-products from this process; however, it produces very pure essential oils.

Next month, Elizabeth will discuss how she selects each essential oil that she uses in her daily skincare routine. Interested in learning more about

Elizabeth's Aromatherapy Services?

Join Sue Clements Sunday, 4/24 at 8 am for the return of her eagerly anticipated outdoor class at City Dock! This class is a mix of stretching and core strengthening designed to keep you feeling relaxed and injury-free! Be sure to bring your own yoga mat and padding, clients will still be spaced 6 feet apart to keep everyone safe! RSVP early as space is limited! Click here to register.

As we approach April we leave behind Winter (kidney season) and enter Spring which is the season of the liver, many changes occur during this season such as the onset of allergies from all the pollen returning with the wonderful flowers, the liver energy rising which can increase blood pressure and hypertension when out of balance or increase irritability or anger.  Another common change is the chances of many people falling sick from the inconsistency in the weather. If this sounds like you it would be a great time to schedule an appointment for acupuncture to help balance the body, there are also many herbal formulas that help with these changes.

Schedule with Jeff today to make a smooth transition into Spring. Jeff is offering $30 off acupuncture on all new clients for the month of April with mention of this offer. Click here to reserve your spot with Jeff.

Short on space but looking for a great, safe exercise program designed to keep you in tip-top shape with limited equipment? Jennifer will be demonstrating a simple home program to allow you to work on flexibility, strength, and balance that can be done anywhere, even in small spaces and with limited equipment. RSVP: aspsdinnerreservations@gmail.com.

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The New Yorker

By Lindsay Taylor, PhD

This is a great article on how to utilize mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation training as well as yoga, acupuncture, and exercise to minimize menopause symptoms. Read the full article.

One. hosts many great classes to help you in all of these areas. Join us virtually on Mondays and in-studio on Fridays at 10 am with Jeff Masenheimer. And as well as virtual yoga on Thursdays at 7:30 am and Fridays at 8 am. Click HERE to register for any of our classes.

Interesting Read: Can stress and mental health be the cause of the perception of increased pain?

“Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection,” claims that, in order to distract the sufferer from repressed anxiety, anger, or feelings of inferiority, the brain creates pain in the neck, shoulders, back, and butt by decreasing blood flow to the muscles and nerves. Click here to order.

This website is a public bulletin. We encourage everyone with spare space to post a listing and to mark their listing as filled once they have successfully taken in refugees. Click here for details

Click here for details and to donate your old devices.

SOFO will be hosting small groups along Forest drive from 9-noon on Saturday, April 23rd. Interested in learning more or helping out? Register to participate online, or learn more.

Click here for details.

Click here for details.

Annapolis Book Festival

The Annapolis Book Festival, one of the premier community events in the region, will take place on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Every year thousands of people enjoy this free community Festival that celebrates the beauty, power, passion, and excitement of the written word. The Festival is entering its nineteenth year, bringing nationally and internationally renowned authors to the community to discuss their books and the craft of writing. The Festival also features a day filled with children's activities, live music, food, and a huge used book sale. Click here for details.

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a model that is growing in popularity. It provides a direct connection between a customer and farmer, and it’s good for everyone involved. The Farmers (that’s us) get important cash flow at the beginning of the season, and the Shareholders (that’s you) get the best assortment of local produce, eggs, meat, and cheese available, a healthy diet, a great deal, and a community of like-minded Members. Most of these Shares are designed to supply a 3-5 person household or 1-2 avid cooks. Don’t think you can eat it all? Share it with a friend or order a half share. Click here to register.

The Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Annapolis City Dock.

The show runs from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $12; children under 12 are free.

Click here for details.

Wildberry Farm is hosting a special event for the community and local businesses to connect. See what is to come at Wildberry in 2022! Sample Farm to Table style appetizers, made by our Farm to Table Series partner, Chef Adrienne Shoots of Graze Gourmet, see the new additions to the Field Market field, and mingle with your favorite Wildberry vendors and regulars in the Field Market field before our Opening Day on 5/7! Who: Everyone 21+! Click here for details.

Sunchoke. A sunchoke is part of the sunflower family, and though they are also called Jerusalem Artichokes, they are nothing like the artichokes we know. Sunchokes look a lot like a ginger root with a starchy consistency (like a potato) but when they are cooked, they taste much like chestnuts. Take a look:

Rich in vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C, iron, and potassium

Sunchokes are great for gut health. They are rich in inuline fiber which feeds your gut good bacteria and keeps your gut in balance.

Their high potassium levels help with heart health and may help to reduce blood pressure.

The richness in iron in sunchokes help increase energy as well as immunity.