Sick Air Syndrome - The air in your office is probably making you sick.

Isn’t it ironic that as air quality outside is stabilising, due to government agency regulation, the air quality inside our offices is probably getting worse? The irony continues. According to Environmental Protection Agency’s  (US) 2015 report, newer, more energy efficent buildings are more likely to have poorer air quality than older buildings. It is estimated that a quarter of buildings in the US that are new or have been newly renovated suffer from poor internal air quality, making them ‘Sick Buildings”. Employees falling ill from building-related illnesses cost companies billions annually from lost productivity, resulting in them looking for solutions to this very expensive problem.

The Problem. The Reality

Certainly, in very polluted cities like Beijing and Mumbai, internal air quality by comparison is better. By in large, employees are working in a mild chemical stew due to urbanisation. 

Ways pollution enters our buildings

• If fresh-air-intake vents from the a/c are in the basement or loading docks, it carries carbon monoxide from the vehicles exhaust.

• If smokers are smoking next to the intake vents, offices become polluted with second hand smoke.

• Printers and fax machines still omit ozone depleting compounds

• Pesticides and other chemical cleaning sprays will linger for days on office carpets.

• Revolving doors suck in car and cigarette fumes from the outside.

Find your indoor air scenting / deodorising solution here

And guess what? You can’t escape because in high-rise and newer buildings, you can’t open the windows. You’re in a sealed building. Trapped with the air you’re in.

Even if your indoor air isn’t polluted, you simply may not be getting enough fresh air. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers recommends that ventilation systems pump in 20 cubic feet of fresh air per minute for every person in office spaces. In many cases, however, building operators pump in only 5 cubic feet. That’s like being in the air of a plane.

A long-distance flight, however only lasts a few hours. While you may spend up to 10 hours a day breathing bad indoor air. The result: headaches, nausea, dizziness, irritability, itchy eyes, and respiratory illnesses.

Building-Related Diseases vs Sick Building Syndrome

Building Related Diseases

Building-related diseases have a traceable cause such as colds that spread through an office or allergies and asthma brought on by dust or mold.  

If you suspect that something in your work environment may be to blame, ask your human resources representative to talk to the building manager about having the building inspected. If others in your work area are ill as well, document your symptoms, including when and where they occur. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Finding the root of the problem is to your employer’s benefit, too. 

Building-related asthma, for example, can cause permanent damage to your health and lost productivity and increased health costs for your employer. Investigators should check for water damage and humidifiers contaminated with microbes, which may contribute to work-related asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, according to work-health specialists Mark Cullen and Kathleen Kreiss, who discuss indoor air pollution in the textbook Occupational Health (Lippincott, 2000).

Cullen and Kreiss add that nausea and headaches suggest carbon monoxide may be sneaking into the building through the air-duct system. Mysterious itching may be caused by exposure to fibrous glass from an air-duct lining. And relentless coughing and throat irritation may be the end result of harsh or improperly used carpet cleaners.

Find the solution to your indoor scenting / deodorising problem here

Sick building syndrome

You’re sick ... simply unwell. You feel a constellation of symptoms, fatigue, headache, dry, itchy skin, and irritation of mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, and throat. These symptoms tend to disappear once you’re out of the suspect building.

People with sick building syndrome usually don’t have any disease that a doctor can detect, but their suffering is undeniable, says Richard Lockey, MD, director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the University of South Florida and an expert on indoor air quality. In some cases, the symptoms are so severe that a person can no longer work at the building in question.

Sick building syndrome has become more common than all building-related diseases combined. So far, Lockey says, familiarity hasn’t led to understanding. Nobody knows for sure why so many people are getting sick: Is it really the air or is it something else?

Could sick building syndrome be related to the energy crisis of the 1970s, which resulted in highly insulated “tight buildings” and a lowering of ventilation standards to 5 cubic feet of outdoor air per person per minute? Or perhaps small impurities in the air are adding up to something big. As explained in a 1997 article in The Lancet, a British medical journal, tiny amounts of chemicals escaping from paints, carpets, office supplies, photocopiers, and other sources may be combining to make the air hazardous.

Some reports of sick building syndrome have been linked to another great epidemic of our times - job stress. According to Cullen and Kreiss, repetitive tasks, poor work relationships, and feelings of helplessness can all sap workers’ health as well as their enthusiasm. Anybody who spends all day doing tedious work and sparring with bosses and coworkers is bound to feel terrible, fumes or no fumes. Whether the main problem is stress or bad air, employers have to realise their employees are suffering real symptoms. Sick employees are never good for business.

A natural way to detox the air with Singapore Scenting Systems™

Some Quick Fix Solutions

• Don’t obstruct air vents or grilles.
• Smokers must keep away from the fresh air intake ducts. 
• Take care of your office plants -- dusty, dying plants don’t do anything for the air quality in your office, and over-watered plants can develop mold.
• Get rid of garbage promptly to prevent odours and biological contamination.
• Store food properly. Keep perishable food in the refrigerator, and clean the refrigerator out frequently to prevent odours and mold.
• Keep eating areas clean to avoid attracting pests. (Cockroaches have been linked to respiratory problems -- according to the EPA, certain proteins in cockroach droppings and saliva can cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma symptoms.)
• If you or your coworkers are having health problems that you think may be related to your office environment, work with your HR representative and building personnel to find the cause of the problem.

A Long Term Solutions requiring no construction

Source for a natural solution that doesn’t mask the problem but neutralises it. Singapore Scenting Systems™ has developed a solution that’s better than opening the windows in your high-rise office - Let’s face it, there’s no fresh air out there either.

Singapore Scenting Systems™, detoxes, deodorises and ionises the air that’s already in your office. It literally kills everything that’s not suppose to be there making the air fresh and clean. And with the right choice of essential oils, it can also uplift the space with beneficial aromas. Want to find out more? Visit www.thelittleessentials.com or email dianne@thelittleessentials.com.

A natural way to detox the air by Singapore Scenting Systems™

References

Environmental Protection Agency. Air Trends. November 2008. http://www.epa.gov/airtrends

Environmental Protection Agency. Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for Health Professionals. August 2006. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/hpguide.html

Air Quality Continues to Improve: new report and data. Environmental Protection Agency. Sept. 15, 2003. http://www.epa.gov/newsroom/headline_091503.htm

Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/iaq.pdf

Routine Maintenance, Cleaning Key to Eliminating Deadly Bacteria, Occupational Hazards, May 1, 2001, Vol. 63, No. 5, Pg. 31

An Office Building Occupant’s Guide to Indoor Air Quality. Environmental Protection Agency.

Indoor Environmental Quality, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, June 1997, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ieqfs.html

Last Updated: Aug 11, 2015

5 Uses of Rosehip Seed Oil that don’t have to do with scars or stretch marks

Premium Australian Certified Organic Rosehip Seed Oil from Chile.
Cold-pressed, chemical and pesticide free.

1. Before a swim, lightly coat your hair with rosehip. It will seal the hair shafts and disallow chlorine and odour from penetrating your hair. The oil will not dissipate into the water.
2. Rosehip has strong anti-inflammatory qualities. Research has shown that rubbing it onto areas which suffer from arthritis actually reduce pain and swelling.
3. Rosehip has hormone-balancing qualities. It has similar qualities to Evening Primrose Oil in helping to reduce menstral cramps and regulating cycles.
4. Helps strengthen brittle nails.
5. Helps add shine to your hair. It’s an heavy oil so use it to finish a hair setting.

Physically, Spiritually & Emotionally Better With Frankincense Oil

The Little Essentials is in the spa and natural skin care business. When I added Frankincense Oil to my line-up of essential oils which are great for the skin while having a fabulously addictive aroma, I had no idea just how beneficial Frankincense Oil was to well- being. 

Queen Cleopatra of ancient Egypt
was famed to indulge in a bath
of goats milk, jasmine oil and
frankincense
oil. The milk was a skin exfoliant
which also served to break up the oil,
the jasmine deodorised the skin,
while the frankincense restored skin
and bone health. 

There is a lot of folk, cultural and historical knowledge about frankincense. For example, it was mentioned 52 times in the bible and Queen Cleopatra of Egypt's beauty secret was her milk baths which contained Jasmine and Frankincense Oil. It turns out that much of the folk science actually do have scientific backing. Basically, frankincense really does what it has traditionally been used for. I have broken down its benefits into 3 key areas : Health, Beauty, Spiritual.

The sacred Frankincense tree grows in sub-sahara conditions. Our Frankincense oil is distilled from the Gum of the boswellia caterii from Somalia. 12ml 100% Pure Frankincense Oil, unadulterated, undiluted and chemical free retails at S$55.00. Our Australian Certified Organic Frankincense Oil retails at S$95.00. Click here to order. We deliver internationally.

Health Care Benefits
Increases immunity, dissolves phlegm, regenerates skin and bone, slows down the growth of cancerous cells, a strong anti-depressant and improves digestive health.

The science : Frankincense contains sesquiterpenes that stimulate the part of the brain that controls emotions. Frankincense contains 8% sesquiterpenes and is 78% monoterpenes. Monoterpenes are known to be calming and restorative.
Monoterpenes help prevent and discharge toxins from your liver and kidneys, and have antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating, analgesic (weak), and expectorant properties. Meanwhile, sesquiterpenes can go beyond the blood-brain barrier and simulate the limbic system of your brain, as well as your hypothalamus, and pineal and pituitary glands. 

Frankincense is also used extensively in Cancer therapy as research suggests it has the ability to turn off the DNA of cancer cells and return the DNA to its healthy state.  It has also been documented to regenerate disc, cartilage and bone making it an effective oil for use on physical repair as well as spiritual growth.  Other uses include blood, skin, stomach issues, infections, and eye problems. 

Beauty / Skin care  Benefits
Promotes healthy skin generation. This is why it is excellent for ageing skin. It not only repairs the skin but your bone and cartilage too. Overall, its a youth serum, inside out!

The science : see above

Spiritual / Meditation Benefits
Spiritually, Frankincense when inhaled during meditation, opens the heart, throat, crown and third-eye chakras. I can see why this may be the case when interpreted scientifically. 
The science : Let me begin by saying that frankincense oil and incense resonates at a higher frequency creating negative (-) ions in the air. Negative ions 'dissolve' odour and bacteria. Not only does this make air fresh, it also changes the milieu of a room, creating a soothing, calming yet uplifting effect when inhaled. From a spiritual sense, it centers the mind making it an excellent oil to diffuse when meditating or doing spiritual work. In addition, frankincense when inhaled, passes through the blood brain barrier and reaches the parts of your brain which control emotion. So, the calming and uplifting you get from inhaling frankincense is not probably not psychosomatic. 

The Little Essentials 100% Pure Frankincense Oil from Somalia is S$55.00 for 12ml (We also have an Australian Certified Organic oil also from Somalia for S$95.00) while Young Living's Sacred Frankincense distilled in Oman is about S$186.00 for 15ml. The Little Essentials' is more affordable not because of our quality but because we have lower overheads. We are a small family operated on-line business retailing directly to our customers. No multi-level marketing, stores, agents ...etc. Just pure essential oils sold directly to you.

Reverse Non-Genetic Hair Loss Naturally - Essential Oil Secrets

WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR COWN FROM BEING FAR FROM LUSHES? WHAT IF WE TOLD YOU WE CAN REVERSE SOME OF THE SIGNS OF HAIR LOSS? WOULDN'T YOU TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE?

LAVENDER OIL PROMOTES HAIR GROWTH. YLANG YLANG OIL REDUCES HAIR LOSS. 

Hair is dead!

A average person has about 120,000 strands of hair on his head and about 100 strands of that falls naturally everyday. It falls so that fresh strands can take it's place. Although the hair follicle is teaming with cells, a strand of hair are layers of dead cells joined together.

Hair grows about 6 inches a year. There is hair on every part of your body except our palms and the soles of our feet. Some are so fine, they are practically invisible to the naked eye. 

Hair Growth

Hair is made of a protein called keratin that is produced in hair follicles. As follicles produce new hair cells, old cells are being pushed out through the surface of the skin. 

At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing. Each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:

1. Anagen - active hair growth that lasts between two to six years
2. Catagen - transitional hair growth that lasts two to three weeks
3. Telogen - resting phase that lasts about two to three months. 

The hair strand falls out at the end of the resting phase but a new strand begins to grow.

Reasons For Hair Loss 

As people age, their rate of hair growth slows.

There are many types of hair loss (alopecia) :

• Involutional alopecia - hair gradually thins with age. More hair follicles go into the resting phase, and the remaining hairs become shorter and fewer in number.
• Androgenic alopecia - a genetic condition that can affect both men and women. Men with this condition, called male pattern baldness, can begin suffering hair loss as early as their teens or early 20s. It's characterized by a receding hairline and gradual disappearance of hair from the crown and frontal scalp. Women with this condition, called female pattern baldness, don't experience noticeable thinning until their 40s or later. Women experience a general thinning over the entire scalp, with the most extensive hair loss at the crown.
• Alopecia areata - causes patchy hair loss in children and young adults. This condition may result in complete baldness (alopecia totalis). In about 90% of people with the condition, the hair returns within a few years.
• Alopecia universalis - all body hair to fall out, including the eyebrows, eyelashes, and pubic hair.
• Trichotillomania - is a psychological disorder in which a person pulls out their own hair.
• Telogen effluvium - is temporary hair thinning over the scalp that occurs because of changes in the growth cycle of hair. A large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time, causing hair shedding and subsequent thinning.

Causes Of Hair Loss

Doctors don't know why certain hair follicles are programmed to have a shorter growth period than others. However, several factors may influence hair loss:

• Hormones, such as abnormal levels of androgens (male hormones normally produced by both men and women)
• Genes, from both male and female parents, may influence a person's predisposition to male or female pattern baldness.
• Stress, illness, and childbirth can cause temporary hair loss. 
• Ringworm caused by a fungal infection can also cause hair loss.
• Drugs, including chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment, blood thinners, beta-adrenergic blockers used to control blood pressure, and birth control pills, can cause temporary hair loss.
• Burns, injuries, and X-rays can cause temporary hair loss. In such cases, normal hair growth usually returns once the injury heals.
• Autoimmune disease may cause alopecia areata. In alopecia areata, the immune system revs up for unknown reasons and affects the hair follicles. In most people with alopecia areata, the hair grows back, although it may temporarily be very fine and possibly a lighter color before normal coloration and thickness return.
• Cosmetic procedures, such as shampooing too often, perms, bleaching, and dyeing hair can contribute to overall hair thinning by making hair weak and brittle. Tight braiding, using rollers or hot curlers, and running hair picks through tight curls can also damage and break hair. However, these procedures don't cause baldness. In most instances hair grows back normally if the source of the problem is removed. Still, severe damage to the hair or scalp sometimes causes permanent bald patches. 
• Medical conditions. Thyroid disease, lupus, diabetes, iron deficiency, and anemia can cause hair loss, but when the underlying condition is treated the hair will return.
• Diet. A low-protein diet or severely calorie-restricted diet can also cause temporary hair loss.

FIND OUT HOW ESSENTIALS OILS CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR HAIR LOSS HERE.

Can lemongrass oil reduce the appearance of cellulite?

Our Pure lemongrass oil
fromIndia. S$25
for 15ml.Suitable
for vaporiser and bath. 

Lemongrass contains citral and active ingredients like myrcene (an antibacterial and pain reliever ) citronella and geranilol. Click here to understand what these chemicals do that makes lemongrass effective against cellulite, acne and cold-sores.

How To Use Lemongrass Oil To Reduce The Appearance of Cellulite

• Add 1/2 a pump to the amount of moisturiser you would use on your whole body. 
• Add 2 pumps to a hot bath with bath salts. Just remember that the therapeutic effects of lemongrass oil when inhaled is up-lifting. So, not a good option if you are winding down for the day.

Prevention of Cellulite

Lemongrass oil cannot prevent cellulite. It may help reduce the appearance of it. 

Warning :

• Lemongrass if taken orally and in excess can be life threatening.
• Lemongrass is not recommended for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children.
• Lemongrass can sensitize the skin, particularly those who have allergic reactions.
• Talk with your doctor before using lemongrass for treating health or skin conditions. 
• Cellulite is an extremely stubborn skin condition. Lemongrass oil is one alternative to reduce cellulite. This essential oil cannot totally eliminate the unsightly skin appearance. You may have to opt for laser-type procedures for that.

About Hair Loss & Natural Hair Growth Solutions

WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR COWN FROM BEING FAR FROM LUSHES? WHAT IF WE TOLD YOU WE CAN REVERSE THE SIGNS OF HAIR LOSS? WOULDN'T YOU TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE?

LAVENDER OIL PROMOTES HAIR GROWTH. Ylang Ylang Oil REDUCES HAIR LOSS. 

Hair Facts

Add 2-3 drops of The Little Essentials
100% Pure French Lavender to your
shampoo to promote healthy hair growth.
It makesyour hair smell great too.

Hair is a string of dead cells

An adult looses about 100 stands a day. Buts its ok, we have about 120,000 strands.

Hair grows about 6 inches a year

There is hair on every part of your body except our palms and the soles of our feet. Some are so fine, they are practically invisible to the naked eye. 

Hair Growth

Hair is made of a protein called keratin that is produced in hair follicles. As follicles produce new hair cells, old cells are being pushed out through the surface of the skin. 

At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing. Each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:

Anagen - active hair growth that lasts between two to six years

Catagen - transitional hair growth that lasts two to three weeks

Telogen - resting phase that lasts about two to three months. The hair strand falls out at the end of the resting phase but a new strand begins to grow.

Reasons For Hair Loss 

As people age, their rate of hair growth slows.

There are many types of hair loss (alopecia) :

Involutional alopecia - hair gradually thins with age. More hair follicles go into the resting phase, and the remaining hairs become shorter and fewer in number.

Androgenic alopecia - a genetic condition that can affect both men and women. Men with this condition, called male pattern baldness, can begin suffering hair loss as early as their teens or early 20s. It's characterized by a receding hairline and gradual disappearance of hair from the crown and frontal scalp. Women with this condition, called female pattern baldness, don't experience noticeable thinning until their 40s or later. Women experience a general thinning over the entire scalp, with the most extensive hair loss at the crown.

Alopecia areata - causes patchy hair loss in children and young adults. This condition may result in complete baldness (alopecia totalis). In about 90% of people with the condition, the hair returns within a few years.

Alopecia universalis - all body hair to fall out, including the eyebrows, eyelashes, and pubic hair.

Trichotillomania - is a psychological disorder in which a person pulls out their own hair.

Telogen effluvium - is temporary hair thinning over the scalp that occurs because of changes in the growth cycle of hair. A large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time, causing hair shedding and subsequent thinning.

Causes Of Hair Loss

Doctors don't know why certain hair follicles are programmed to have a shorter growth period than others. However, several factors may influence hair loss:

• Hormones, such as abnormal levels of androgens (male hormones normally produced by both men and women)
• Genes, from both male and female parents, may influence a person's predisposition to male or female pattern baldness.
• Stress, illness, and childbirth can cause temporary hair loss. 
• Ringworm caused by a fungal infection can also cause hair loss.
• Drugs, including chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment, blood thinners, beta-adrenergic blockers used to control blood pressure, and birth control pills, can cause temporary hair loss.
• Burns, injuries, and X-rays can cause temporary hair loss. In such cases, normal hair growth usually returns once the injury heals.
• Autoimmune disease may cause alopecia areata. In alopecia areata, the immune system revs up for unknown reasons and affects the hair follicles. In most people with alopecia areata, the hair grows back, although it may temporarily be very fine and possibly a lighter color before normal coloration and thickness return.
• Cosmetic procedures, such as shampooing too often, perms, bleaching, and dyeing hair can contribute to overall hair thinning by making hair weak and brittle. Tight braiding, using rollers or hot curlers, and running hair picks through tight curls can also damage and break hair. However, these procedures don't cause baldness. In most instances hair grows back normally if the source of the problem is removed. Still, severe damage to the hair or scalp sometimes causes permanent bald patches. 
• Medical conditions. Thyroid disease, lupus, diabetes, iron deficiency, and anemia can cause hair loss, but when the underlying condition is treated the hair will return.
• Diet. A low-protein diet or severely calorie-restricted diet can also cause temporary hair loss.