Stroke

Strokes affect people both physically and mentally with a wide spectrum of symptoms. High blood pressure accounts for about half of strokes, which emphasizes the need to keep blood pressure under control.

Eat a well-balanced, fresh-food diet
Avoid sugar and processed foods
Exercise daily - keep weight in the right range for your height
Don't smoke and avoid alcohol

Choose essential oils to address the symptoms that are presenting. Essential oil massage is a wonderful addition to rehabilitation, which tends to be a slow process. Be sure to take into account any medications the patient is taking.

Top Essential Oils, Blends and Carriers for Muscles

Arnica infused Olive oil, can be used independently or as a carrier

Arnica homeopathic remedy

Basil ct linalool

Black Pepper

Cajeput

Catnip

Clary Sage

Clove Bud

Emu, can be used independently or as a carrier

Eucalyptus, citriodora, globulus, radiata, smithii

Fir

Ginger

Helichrysum

Marjoram, sweet

Muscle Relax blend: Basil ct linalool, Cypress, Sweet Marjoram, Lavender, Peppermint

Niaouli

Neuro-Function Spray, 20% dilution: Jojoba oil, Geranium, Helichrysum, Cypress, Juniperberry, Peppermint

Ortho Massage oil, can be used independently or as a carrier

Peppermint

Pine

Plai

Rosemary

Star Anise

Tension Rub blend: Eucalyptus radiata, Niaouli, Rosemary ct cineole, Tea Tree, Lavender, Silver Fir, Peppermint

Thyme ct linalool

Top Essential Oils, Blends, Carriers and Homeopathy for Inflammation

Aloe Vera Gel, can be used independently or as a carrier

Arnica Infused Olive oil, can be used independently or as a carrier

BruisEase: Cypress, Silver Fir, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Geranium, Helichrysum

Castor oil, can be used independently or as a carrier

Cajeput

Chamomile, German and Roman

Emu, can be used independently or as a carrier

Hamamelis Virginiana homeopathic remedy

Helichrysum

Lavender

Peppermint

Pomegranate seed oil, can be used independently or as a carrier

Revitalize: Cinnamon Bark, Clove Bud, Geranium, Lemon, Melissa, Rosemary, Ravintsara, Silver Fir, Tea tree, Oregano, Lavender

Top Essential Oils and Blends for Circulation

Black Pepper

Cedarwood Atlas

Circulation blend: Helichrysum, Dalmatian Sage, Cypress, Ylang Ylang, Sweet Marjoram

Cistus

Diabetes Massage blend: Cedarwood, Tea Tree, Lavender, Basil ct linalool, Sweet Orange, Helichrysum

Geranium

Ginger

Marjoram, sweet

Neuro-Function Spray, 20% dilution: Jojoba oil, Geranium, Helichrysum, Cypress, Juniperberry, Peppermint

Rose Otto

Rosemary

Spike Lavender

Thyme ct linalool

Top Essential Oils, Blends and Carriers for Emotional Support - also see oils for Anxiety in our Health Care Topics section

Cardamom

Grapefruit

Lavender

Lemon

Neroli

Rose

Sandalwood

Sunshine blend: Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Geranium, Ho Leaf, May Chang, Clove Stem, Eucalyptus globulus, Rose absolute, Osmanthus absolute, Rose Otto, Mandarin Red, Jasmine absolute, Lemon, Palmarosa, Roman Chamomile, Coriander Seed

Ylang Ylang

Top Essential Oils and Blends for Strength

Basil ct linalool

Black Pepper

Cardamom

Cedarwood Atlas

Helichrysum

Neuro-Function Spray, 20% dilution: Jojoba oil, Geranium, Helichrysum, Cypress, Juniperberry, Peppermint

Niaouli

Pine

Star Anise

Strength blend: Emu, Black Spruce, Rosewood, Frankincense, Blue Spruce

Essential Oils Which Potentially Influence the Limbic System (Brain)

Pituitary gland: Clary Sage, Jasmine, Patchouli, Ylang Ylang

Hypothalamus: Bergamot, Frankincense, Geranium, Rosewood

Thalamus: Clary Sage, Jasmine, Grapefruit, Rose

Amygdale/Hippocampus: Black Pepper, Peppermint, Rosemary, Lemon

(Donaldson 2004; Sorensen 2001; Tisserand 2001; Damian & Damian 1995)

Study Confirms Gingko Biloba Aids Stroke Recovery by Sayer Ji

Major DeJarnette wrote in Sacro Occipital Technic of Chiropractic (1952), page 21: "When man spends too much time in the vertical position and insufficient time in the recumbent position he becomes ill because he loses his normal ability to maintain respiratory effort and cerebro spinal fluid pressure. When the home discarded the rocking chair it discarded one of its best friends, because the rocking chair is the only method that will quickly equalize cerebro spinal fluid pressure. A good maxim would be ... HE WHO ROCKS MOST FEELS BEST. The cardiac patient never really recovers in the recumbent position but quickly mends in the rocking chair position. What may be said of the cardiac patient would apply to all non-febrile cases."

Testimonies

1. I suffered a stroke at the age of 36. I was left with damage to the left side of my body including partial face paralysis, metal fog, extreme fatigue and weakness. Two years later, a friend of mine put the Raindrop oils on my neck because I’d complained of neck pain (the result of an accident when I was younger). In a matter of 25 minutes all the damage/symptoms from the stoke were gone. I had my mental clarity back, I had the strength in my body back and the pain in my neck was completely gone. We repeat the Raindrop oils once a month for the neck pain, but the stroke damage has never returned.

Oils typically used are:

Strength

Oregano

Thyme

Basil

Cypress

Birch

Marjoram, sweet

Muscle Relax

Peppermint
While it is likely most beneficial to apply these oils one at a time, HEO has all the oils in one Raindrop blend for convenience per a massage therapist's request.

2. My father had a stroke when he was near 90. He could not move his left side at all. Doctors expected recovery might take a year or more. I began applying Cedarwood, Strength and Frankincense to his left foot the next morning. By evening he was moving his left hand to his chest. The second day I continued with applying the oils to the Vita Flex points on his feet and dropped a couple of drops of the same oils, one at a time into his right hand. He began rubbing them together and smelling the oils. I continued to apply the oils to Dad's feet and hands before his PT & OT Therapy sessions. Less than 3 weeks after his stroke, Dad walked the entire hallway of the Rehabilitation Department with a walker under the guidance of a Physical Therapist. He was released to go home from the hospital just 3 weeks and one day after his stroke. We are so grateful!

3. Shirley Price, noted aromatologist from the United Kingdom, shared this testimony in a book she co-authored with her husband Len: Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, page 237.

When the author's (Price) mother-in-law suffered a severe stroke - fell downstairs - she was taken to hospital. After her return, it was decided to try to lift her mental state (she had been previously very active) and help improve the mobility of her affected limbs with essential oils. Mrs. Price also suffered from high blood pressure. Shirley Price visited every day, and the following essential oils were applied in a carrier oil:

Rosemary officinalis (Rosemary) - circulatory and mental stimulant, nerve tonic and hypotensor

Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) - circulatory stimulant and anti-depressive

Salvia officinalis (Sage) - circulatory stimulant and neurotonic

These were massaged in an upward direction only, on her arms and legs. Swiss reflex therapy (see Ch. 7) was carried out on the corresponding reflexes of both feet - plus the throat reflexes, as Mrs. Price was unable to talk coherently. She was soon back to her normal daily activities and her speech returned, her doctor remarking on her unusually rapid recovery.

4. My step mother uses Circulation on her leg since it doesn't work properly after a stroke she had last year. She said rubbing the oil directly on her leg helps a lot. - Stacy

5. When my dad had a stroke, everything happened very quickly, but God was there in the midst of it all. When my mother realized dad was having a stroke, she called an ambulance. In a matter of mere minutes after the stroke symptoms began he had no use of the entire right side of his body and he was barely breathing. She gave him CBD oil while they waited and prayed. A few moments later, she remembered the capsicum tincture she had! She gave him 2 droppers full. Within 30 seconds he began breathing strongly and deeply again. She gave him 2 more droppers full. After a couple more minutes he was able to form slurred words and began to regain use of his right arm. All this happened during a period of 5-10 minutes as they waited on the ambulance. The nurse at the hospital said he was a miracle. She couldn't understand why he continued to improve right before her eyes without her administering any drugs. He had another round of all the same stroke symptoms in the hospital a couple hours later and the staff administered TPA to dissolve the blood clot. Praise God! My daddy is walking, talking and ready to go for a jog today. He has made a miraculous recovery that has the hospital staff in awe. He mind is a bit rocky still, as he can't write words yet without a good deal of trouble (writing the last letter first and such) and is having trouble remembering the locations of some of his usual places (like a favorite Tex-Mex restaurant), but his conversation and speech are perfect! All in all, God has blessed us yet again, and we can only praise Him for His goodness to us. - Brittany

[HEO's Comment: Hopewell does not carry CBD oil or Capsicum tincture, but we wanted to share this encouraging testimony in hopes that it will help others.]

6. Brain damage has been reversed with progesterone. I have seen much relief from Clary Sage with seizures and muscle rigidity caused by neurological damage. I chose Clary Sage because it promotes progesterone. I used Clary Sage diluted at the base of the skull (top of the back of the neck where the skull meets the cervical spine or neck) and also on the bottoms of feet and palms of the hand or inner wrists. I have also seen tremendous relief with Clary Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme diluted in olive oil and applied to these areas and the temples and jaw areas. This article by Dr. Mercola may help: Can This Natural Hormone Actually Heal Brain Injuries and Strokes? by Dr. Mercola - Nora

Can This Natural Hormone Actually Heal Brain Injuries & Strokes?

Posted by: Dr. Mercola (http://articles.mercola.com/members/Dr.-Mercola/default.aspx)

Reposted here: https://www.omeonet.info/articles/natural_hormone.htm

December 26 2009 | 3,242 views

Why do some females recover from brain injury much faster and more completely than males?

The answer may have far-reaching implications for the treatment of traumatic brain injury, stroke, and other neurological disorders.

Neuroscientist Dr. Donald G. Stein and his colleagues have been investigating this question and have discovered something remarkable -- that the hormone progesterone confers profound neuroprotective effects that improve outcomes and reduce mortality following brain injuries.

Progesterone provides powerful neuroprotection to the fetus, particularly in late pregnancy, when it helps suppress neuronal excitation that can damage delicate new brain tissue. Dr. Stein and his colleagues have found that in addition to protecting the fetal brain, progesterone also protects and heals injured brain tissue.

Sources:

Life Extension Magazine November 2009

<http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2009/nov2009_Progesterone-May-Improve-Outcomes-From-Brain-Injury_01.htm>

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Dr. Mercola's Comments:

<http://www.facebook.com/doctor.health>

This is exciting news that could make a major difference in the lives of those who might otherwise be chronically disabled from traumatic brain injury, including stroke. As a natural therapy, it could prove to be both effective and safe.

After 25 years of investigation, neuroscientist Donald G. Stein, PhD and his colleagues have discovered that the female hormone progesterone offers profound neuroprotective effects that improve outcomes and reduce mortality following brain injuries. It may also help those suffering from central nervous system damage, strokes, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis.

The Remarkable Neuroprotective Effects of Progesterone

During pregnancy, a woman’s progesterone levels rise, which offers powerful neuroprotection to the fetus by suppressing neuronal excitation that might otherwise damage the baby’s developing brain tissue.

However, it appears progesterone can have a similar effect on injured brain tissue, and better yet, can help it heal.

The most obvious benefit is its ability to reduce cerebral edema (brain swelling). But progesterone also appears to help brain injuries by affecting a number of different injury mechanisms:

* In response to injury, glial cells, which are critical to normal brain function, release protein-like compounds known as inflammatory cytokines. This triggers inflammation, which leads to edema, which in turn causes the entire brain to swell and function abnormally. Progesterone dramatically reduces the expression of the genes that trigger cells to release these inflammatory cytokines

* Progesterone also relieves edema through its effects on water channel proteins called aquaporins. Progesterone decreases aquaporin activity in the injured brain tissue, while enhancing aquaporin activity in the walls of the cerebral ventricles. This may help drain excess fluid from the region of the injury

* It also upregulates the expression of genes that inhibit programmed cell death (apoptosis), which prevents the death of injured brain cells

* Progesterone may also have protective and regenerative effects on myelin, the protective coating along your nerve fibers, which may help treat diseases like multiple sclerosis

* It controls excitotoxicity in your brain, which can lessen the seizures that may accompany a brain injury

Another exciting benefit is that the progesterone injections appear effective in reducing brain swelling and functional impairment even if the treatment is delayed up to 24 hours after injury.

This is good news, considering the fact that many brain injuries may not receive treatment until several hours after it occurred, depending on the circumstances.

Dr. Stein says,

“There are now about 100 papers showing evidence of the efficacy of progesterone that I think even all those doubtful people are beginning to think that maybe we ought to give this treatment a try.”

Results from Human Trials

In a clinical trial known as ProTECT II, one hundred patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury were randomly assigned to receive standard treatment for head injury, or identical standard treatment plus three days of intravenous progesterone.

The levels of progesterone administered equated to about triple the natural levels seen at the end of pregnancy.

Normally, the average mortality rate for the types of severe brain injury seen in participants of this study is about 30-33 percent, with conventional treatment.

However, the group treated with progesterone had a mortality rate of only 13 percent – a more than 50 percent reduction in mortality rate compared to those receiving standard treatment!

A Note on Progesterone Delivery Methods

As for administering progesterone, you need to know that some delivery methods <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpQJ-FNlRyk> are clearly superior to others.

Oral supplementation is perhaps your worst option, as your liver processes everything in your digestive tract first, before it enters your blood stream.

Any method that bypasses the liver will therefore be more effective.

Progesterone cream is one common alternative that achieves this. However, since progesterone is fat soluble, it can build up in your fatty tissues and lead to having too much progesterone in your body. This in turn can disrupt other hormones such as DHEA, cortisol, and testosterone. It’s also near impossible to accurately determine the dose when using a cream.

What I have noticed is that many women do really well when they initially go on the progesterone cream but after a few months that start to deteriorate again. This is most likely related to the deposition in fat stores.

Sublingual drops offer the best of both worlds, as it enters your blood stream directly and will not build up in your tissues like the cream can. It’s also much easier to determine the dose you’re taking, as each drop is about one milligram.

So you know exactly how much you’re taking. The direct delivery system also means you can oftentimes take a lower dose than you would need if you were taking it in pill form.

Most any compounding pharmacist can readily make this for you.

Special Note

Severe brain injuries will of course need professional medical treatment, but the potential for using progesterone as a natural treatment for other health issues aside from menopausal problems is there. For example, progesterone has also been found to be beneficial for prostate cancer (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/02/natural-progest erone2.aspx).

I certainly cannot make any recommendations for these uses, however it is something you could discuss further with your physician.

References
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Worwood (2016): See Stroke information pages 337-341.
Price, Shirley and Len, Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2012 (Kindle version).

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From Isaiah 58:11 & Jeremiah 29:11