Natural Perfumery and Health

Safe, Organic Pet Food

Filed under: Pet Health — tigerflag @ 6:31 pm

With all the ruckus going on about pets dying of renal failure after eating contaminated pet foods, I’d like to encourage people to feed their cats and dogs a high-quality organic pet food that does not contain wheat, meat “by-products”, and non-nutritive fillers. I’m really glad that I’ve been feeding my cats Eagle Pack Pet Food.

It’s fantastic stuff! All of its ingredients are FDA certified for human consumption. Low in grains, they use organic meats with non-toxic preservatives. They manufacture all their food in their own plant. They don’t simply relabel food that’s been produced in some other plant.

If it does turn out to be the wheat gluten that caused the illness, I’m guessing that it contained some sort of fungus/mycotoxin. Cats and dogs don’t need wheat gluten in their diets. Wheat can cause allergies, itching, pad chewing, hot spots and behavioral problems. The only reason it’s included in these “Cuts and Gravy” style foods is to make the food look more palatable to the humans feeding it.

I used to feed the “Premium” pet foods such as IAMS, Eukanuba, and Science Diet. My pets are so much healthier on Eagle pack! Please, learn about what goes into your pet’s food, and feed your babies the best you can. It really does make a huge difference in their health and happiness.

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How to Help a Fat Cat Lose Weight

Filed under: Pet Health — tigerflag @ 1:15 pm

Do you have a multi-cat household where one cat needs to lose weight, but they all share the same food? I do. It’s tough to segregate cats to feed them different diets. It’s like… herding cats! A lot of households have the same problem. I’ve figured out a way to help one fat old cat lose weight under these conditions, and I thought I’d share my method with you.

My husband and I have a big, orange 14-year-old Maine Coon cross named William (of Orange). He’s more than a cat. He’s an elemental force of nature. In his youth he was an active, rugged outdoor cat, then we moved to a place where he couldn’t safely go outside anymore. We also got a succession of kittens and cat rescues who needed high-calorie food, which William always found a way to get into. So he went from a healthy 17 pounds to a very unhealthy 22 pounds.

William, Luciano and George

After several years of being quite obese, he became dull and listless, and we could tell that his shoulders and hips were hurting from the excess weight. We feed our cats natural Eagle Pack cat food. It’s the best cat food we’ve ever found. Everything in it is certified as “fit for human consumption”. Even with Eagle Pack’s “Less Active” Formula, William couldn’t lose any weight because he just wouldn’t move around. We feared he was becoming pre-diabetic. We didn’t want to put him on drugs, we needed to get him back to a healthful weight, naturally.

Since canned food contains a high percentage of water, a meal of wet food has less calories than a meal of dry kibble. I decided that we would feed him canned food for breakfast and supper, thus reducing his caloric intake without making him feel deprived. (He always considers wet food a treat!) He only gets a few tablespoons of wet food at a time- just enough to finish in one sitting. The other cats get some, too, and they love it! Eagle Pack “Lamb and Chicken” is their favorite.

Instead of keeping a free-feed bowl of dry food on the floor for all the cats, we started keeping it on top of the washing machine. The other cats are slender and fit, so they can jump up there to eat whenever they wish. William is too heavy to jump that high, so he can’t get to it. Now he can only eat what we give him, and we give him a lot less than he would eat if it were left up to him.

We keep an empty dish on the floor for William’s food. Every 3-4 hours, and just before bedtime, we give him “tiny” pinches of dry kibble. That, in addition to his wet-food meals, means he’s getting a lot less calories per day than he used to get.

William and George on their 'Frasier chair'

When he’s not sleeping he’s begging for food. William can be quite charming or pathetic, depending on what he thinks will work. Either way, we have to harden ourselves to his pleas. Glutton that he is he’s much more active now, following us everywhere in the hopes that we’ll feed him. Animals in the wild are usually hungry, usually moving around in the search for food. Nature intended cats to be a little hungry so this is good for him.

We’re careful not to make him fast completely because that can be harmful to his liver. He gets enough to keep him nourished and his blood sugar stable, but no more.

In the last year William has dropped to a healthful weight. He has a waist again and we can slightly feel his ribs. He’s awakened from an obese stupor, and his eyes once again sparkle. His joints feel better so he moves with much more comfort. Instead of aging, he is “youthing”.

If you saw him he would tell you that he’s a starving cat who has never been fed in his whole life! But I am so happy that we have “Our William” back!

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Essential Oils & Absolutes in Natural Perfumes: How Are They Obtained?

Filed under: Perfumery — tigerflag @ 12:06 pm

I recently received the following question in my Inbox. Since many people have the same question, I decided to post my reply here:

“I am wondering if the oils you have are naturally extracted. I have read that many of the flower oils such as rose, lavender, etc. are extracted with solvents. “

It depends upon the oil in question. Essential oils are obtained through steam distillation or hydrodistillation. (A few essential oils, such as orange and grapefruit, are obtained by exerting pressure on the rinds.) Other perfume oils are called “absolutes”. Absolutes are obtained via solvent extraction.

Hydrodistillation is the gentler process for obtaining essential oils. Plant materials are boiled in water, the resulting steam is collected and condensed, and the fragrant oils are collected from that. It’s a fascinating process! I have an article about it here:

About Attars and Perfumes

Steam distillation occurs at a higher temperature, because steam is hotter than boiling water. Hot steam is forced into the plant material to separate the fragrant oils.

For medicinal use, steam distillation works fine. For perfumery, the high temperatures can destroy the most delicate fragrance molecules, so hydrodistillation is preferred, when you can get it. All of my Indian Attars are hydrodistilled.

Some flowers will not release their oils under either method. For them, solvent-extraction is used. The oils that result from solvent-extraction are called “absolutes” and are very concentrated. Because this process uses no heat, absolutes have a more complete aroma profile than do essential oils.

High quality absolutes use high-quality solvents such as food-grade hexane in one part of their process. By the end of the process, the solvent traces have evaporated and are no longer noticeable. Cheap, low-quality absolutes use low-quality solvents, and this is apparent in the finished product. You can smell the solvents in a poor-quality absolute. When this absolute is diluted for perfume, you can still smell solvents, and you will absorb them into your body.

Some flowers such as Lavender come in both essential oil and absolute form. Only perfumers tend to use Lavender Absolute. It really adds a sparkle from a perfumery standpoint.

Rose is another flower that is both distilled and solvent-extracted. Rose Absolute is more common, and truer in fragrance to a real rose. Rose Otto is hydrodistilled rose oil. It requires tons of rose petals to make a tiny amount of Rose Otto, so it is very expensive. Rose Otto is sometimes preferred for aromatherapy applications in lotions, but Rose Absolute is usually preferred for perfumery.

My Indian Attars are hydrodistilled. My Tiferet Aromatherapy Perfumes use a combination of essential oils (steam distilled) and absolutes. They are superb quality, with no solvent residue. Many people with moderate MCS enjoy them both.

There is now a fourth method of extraction, called CO2 extraction. A completely non-toxic process, it uses no heat or solvents. Instead, it uses pressure from carbon dioxide to extract the aromatic oils. The resulting products smell the closest to the original material of any essential oil or absolute.

CO2 extraction is environmentally friendly for many reasons:

Only a small amount of plant material is required to render a good quantity of oil. For example, dust and slivers left over from the carving of Agarwood can be used for CO2 extraction of Agarwood oil. These small particles would be useless for distillation. Thus precious resources are conserved, no toxic chemicals are used, and no fuel is burned for heating water. My Agarwood Attar uses a CO2 extract of Agarwood.

CO2 extracts work beautifully for aromatherapy and medicinal use. If ever you come across CO2 extracts of Basil, Oregano, etc, use them with no worries.

Remember this though: Always dilute essential oils and absolutes before using them!

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Iron-Free Patchouli

Filed under: Main,Perfumery — tigerflag @ 8:56 pm

I’ve just started stocking a beautiful new Patchouli oil – “Iron-Free” Patchouli. Most patchouli leaves are distilled in iron cauldrons. The iron definitely leaves its impression in the resulting essential oil, sometimes making it musty and bitter. This patchouli was distilled in stainless steel. The result is a very smooth, sweet Patchouli Essential Oil. It has none of the harshness that plagues so much Patchouli on the market.

Too strong to wear straight, I’ve diluted it in organic jojoba oil to perfume strength. This helps bring out the nuances of the fragrance, and also makes it “skin-safe”. Feedback has been very positive. If you’re a Patchouli lover, give it a try. I think you’ll really enjoy it!

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Indian Attars for Meditation & Spiritual Growth

Filed under: Perfumery — tigerflag @ 2:04 pm

The history of Indian attars goes back for five-thousand years. During this time people have loved them both for their beautiful fragrances as well as for their aromatherapy properties: Gulab/Rose supports a woman’s feminity. Mitti is grounding and good for hysteria. Kewda is clarifying and useful for mental fatigue, etc.

But Attars have also been used to enhance meditation and spiritual growth. They still have value for these things to this day.

Known as the “Oil of Tranquility”, Vetiver is cooling and soothing. The pure hydrodistilled oil of Vetiver from India is called Ruh Khus. It is quite strong and may be better appreciated when diluted to 10-15% in jojoba oil. A rich emerald green, this beautiful oil can take your scattered mind and help pinpoint it to a calm, still center.

Genda Attar is made from humble marigolds of gold and orange, but its fragrance is gloriously “green”! Genda is used to make garlands and curtains that help to purify the air. When worn, you feel its purifying effect in the lungs and sinuses. When you wear Genda, you will find yourself taking long, deep breaths (inspiring) without effort. Thus, Genda Attar is a wonderful aid to pranayams, or breathing exercises – it helps us feel literally “inspired”!

You may be familiar with Nag Champa incense. This famous incense is made from golden flowers of the Michelia Champaka tree. A botanical “cousin” to the magnolia, golden champa flowers exude a sweet, etheric perfume. These generous, magnificent trees are so beautiful, so beloved, that they are often planted near temples to fragrance the air all around them.

When made into an attar, the sandalwood base gives Champa a balance and depth that is truly beautiful. For meditation, Champa Attar helps to reconnect us with Divine Love.

Another amazing attar for meditation is a fairly recent one: White Lotus Attar. Only in recent years have people been able to extract the elusive fragrant oils from the lotus flower. There are three kinds of lotus flowers that produce fragrant oils: pink, blue and white. I find the White Lotus to be most appealing, both as a perfume and as an aid to meditation.

Of the three lotus perfumes, White Lotus has the most etheric effect on the mind. It works directly on the Crown chakra. It opens the crown chakra and locks your attention there, so meditation at that level becomes effortless.

The aromatic balance of White Lotus with Sandalwood oil also provides an energetic balance of etheric and grounding energies. Thus, White Lotus Attar can be an excellent aid for astral projection and other psychic work.

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News from Tigerflag Natural Perfumery

Filed under: Main — tigerflag @ 12:39 pm

Well folks, I’m back after a loooooonnnnnng month. I’ve been working hard bringing new products into Tigerflag Natural Perfumery, and it took a good deal of time to write new pages for them. I’ve redesigned the site with an new layout and hopefully it will all be worth it in the long run.

We now carry Aromatherapy Jewelry

And:

Aromatherapy Diffusers

And:

Candle Holders

And some fun new:

Beeswax Candles

We now offer Gift Certificates, too!

I hope you’ll stop by the store and do a little Christmas shopping with us. The season can be stressful enough, so do some easy shopping at Tigerflag and everybody will be happy!

Best regards,

Siri Amrit

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Genda Attar: The Magnificent Humble Marigold

Filed under: Perfumery — tigerflag @ 10:42 am

I recently started stocking a new Attar, Genda Attar. It’s made from Marigold essential oil in Sandalwood oil. Most people discount Marigolds for perfumery because they are such common flowers, but they are missing out on an amazing perfume!

Genda Attar smells clean, herbaceous and “green”. It has great value in aromatherapy. The aroma of Genda makes the air feel somehow richer in oxygen. When I wear it, I find myself inhaling deep draughts of air because it smells so fresh. While I have no evidence to support this, I believe that Genda Attar could be useful for purifying the air when used in an aromatherapy diffuser.

Indian temple festooned with Marigold garlands

Emotionally, Genda is both calming and fortifying. It gives the wearer the feeling that they can accomplish daunting tasks, and that helps one to relax and stop stressing over things.

In India, the Marigold symbolizes purification, loyalty in friendship and steadfastness in love. People string beautiful garlands of Marigolds to give as gifts, and make them into curtains to decorate their temples. The aroma of the garlands freshens the air in the temples and aids in meditation.

Recent scientific research is showing that Marigold oil has antibacterial properties. People have used Calendula (a variety of Marigold) ointment for generations, so it just goes to show that common folk remedies based upon observation can be more than “old wives tales.”

Genda is a really lovely fragrance for people who like clean, fresh, “green” scents. Intrigued? Order a sample of Genda Attar.

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Estrogen Disruptors and Lowered Testosterone

Filed under: Alternative Medicine — tigerflag @ 1:03 pm

I came across this article today:
Male testosterone levels are declining

I think it’s caused by estrogen-disruptor chemicals, AKA “xenoestrogens” in plastics and industrial pollution. We have rivers so polluted with xenoestrogens that the male fish are turning female.

Add to that 20 years of microwaving food in plastic + storing food in plastic + drinking out of plastic = 20 years of declining testosterone levels in men.

As long as people are yelling about xenoestrogens causing breast cancer, nothing is done because it would affect the economy.

But cynical me says that if it can be proven that xenoestrogens are affecting male virility, you can bet your bottom dollar that Congress will demand safer plastics!

In the meantime, don’t wait for the government to tell you plastics are dangerous. Stop microwaving your food in plastic. Better yet, get a glass convection oven and stop microwaving PERIOD. Glass convection ovens make your food taste SO much better than a microwave. (Did you know that microwave ovens destroy most of the cancer-fighting antioxidants in your food?)

Store your food and water in glass containers, not plastic. Food stored in glass keeps longer and tastes fresher than food stored in plastic.

When it comes to your food, pretend you live in a pre-WWII world when plastics and microwaves were not yet invented. You can do it. Really, you can!

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Natural Perfumes: Increasing a Short “Scent Life”

Filed under: Perfumery — tigerflag @ 12:17 pm

I’ve been playing with some of my Natural Attars and Tiferet Aromatherapy Perfumes, looking for ways to make the fragrances last longer. Two things that really work are:

Putting the perfume oil on fabric close to the skin.
Putting the perfume oil on the back of my arm.

Applying perfume to the inside of the collar or button placket works well. Just do it where a stain won’t show.

Instead of putting the perfume on my pulse points, I put a little Motia Attar on the back of my arm between wrist and elbow, and two days later I could still smell it. Try this yourself!

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A new cure for cancer?

Filed under: Alternative Medicine — tigerflag @ 11:24 am

I came across this article today about a possible new cure for cancer:
New Cancer Cure

Apparently it’s a genetically modified cold virus that can only attack cancer cells. It doesn’t harm normal cells. Injected into brain, liver, lung and uterine tumors in mice, it had killed over 90% of the cancer cells after 60 days.

I would think that a treatment like this that doesn’t harm the immune system could give people with aggressive cancers a fighting chance. They could then use non-toxic holistic therapies to help their immune systems do the mopping up.

Human trials are scheduled to begin early next year. Let’s hope it works, has no downsides, and is priced so that everybody can benefit from it. That last one is a fantasy, I know…

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Natural Perfumery and Health

March 21, 2007

Safe, Organic Pet Food

February 19, 2007

How to Help a Fat Cat Lose Weight

January 10, 2007

Essential Oils & Absolutes in Natural Perfumes: How Are They Obtained?

December 29, 2006

Iron-Free Patchouli

December 16, 2006

Indian Attars for Meditation & Spiritual Growth

December 6, 2006

News from Tigerflag Natural Perfumery

November 5, 2006

Genda Attar: The Magnificent Humble Marigold

November 1, 2006

Estrogen Disruptors and Lowered Testosterone

October 26, 2006

Natural Perfumes: Increasing a Short “Scent Life”

October 19, 2006

A new cure for cancer?

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