Category Archives: Essential Oils

5 Tests Every Essential Oil Should Go Through

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Leaf Oil Bottle

Five tests every essential oil should go through for the highest quality. Ask your essential oil suppliers if they do these tests with their essential oils.

Test 1: Gas Chromatography
In gas chromatography, volatile essential oil compounds are vaporized and passed through a long column called a gas chromatograph. Each individual compound travels or “elutes” through the column at a different rate and is measured as it exits the column during the testing period. Using gas chromatography, quality control engineers can determine which compounds are present in a test sample and, as importantly, at what levels.

Test 2: Mass Spectrometry
In mass spectrometry, samples are vaporized and then ionized and each individual compound in a sample is measured by weight. Mass spectrometry provides additional insight to the purity of an essential oil by revealing the presence of non-aromatic compounds, such as heavy metals or other pollutants, which are too heavy to elute along a gas chromatograph. The combination of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry is sometimes referred to as a GC/MS test.

Test 3: FTIR Scan (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) In an FTIR Scan, a light is shown at the material sample and the amount of light absorbed by the chemical constituents of the sample is measured. Results are then compared against a historical database to ensure adherence to composition standards.

Test 4: Microbial Testing
In microbial testing, samples are drawn from each batch of essential oils and applied to growing mediums in dishes or “plates.” After an incubation period, each plate is analyzed for growth of microbes. This test is performed on all incoming material to the manufacturing facility, and also performed on finished product to ensure no harmful organisms have been introduced to the product during the filling and labeling process, and to ensure shelf-life stability.

Test 5: Organoleptic Testing
Organoleptics include those attributes of an essential oil that can be tested with taste, sight, touch, and smell. From growers, and harvesters to essential oil chemists; from manufacturing engineers to essential oil practitioners. The extraction of essential oils is very much an art form that can be enhanced by, but not replaced with, mechanical analytics. The wisdom and experience of essential oil experts are an indispensable part of a great quality control standard.

Good Health is Happiness

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Fruits and VegetablesWhen my Grandma  would come visit our family for a week my mom would say don’t sneeze or cough or you might get one of Grandma’s remedies. Sure enough my brother Wes coughed one to many times so he got one of her mustard plasters. This is when she would put the powdered mustard on your chest in a steamy bathroom. It can even cause a burn on your skin.

I have an uncle that I never met, because he died when he was seven from a drug over dose because a doctor gave him the wrong prescription. As a result of this experience, my Grandpa became a Pharmacist to help educate others on medications.

I remember being told the importance of moderation when medicine is needed. Even now when I have a headache I ask myself is that medicine really necessary. I will most often use essential oils first. Essential oils are the oils that come from herbs and plants that come in a very concentrated form. When used properly they are very effective with no harmful side effects.

We live in a time when everyone loves reaching for the medicine cabinet. We need to learn better self control. Take herbs and essential oils instead of medications when possible. Use both the knowledge of the past with herbs and essential oils and the present with prescription drugs. Too many people run to the medicine cabinet with minor aches and pains.

Use prescription drugs with the knowledge of their positive and negative side effects. Every medication has a side affect, remember less is best. Herbs have been around for thousands of years. Don’t think it is crazy to take herbs and essential oils and lots of them. I heard it is very beneficial to take cayenne pepper and raw garlic daily to boost your immune system. It really works.

When I was a small child I remember eating fast food was a huge treat because we only ate out about two times a year. Now people eat three meals a day of fast food and drink soda pop by the gallons, then wondering why they are sick all the time.

We need to start living again, by eating nutritious foods. How about making home made food for our children for breakfast before they go to school. I am amazed when I see the morning breakfast program provided for many of the children at school where someone gets paid to pour our children’s cereal in the mornings before school. I should know I clean up the mess everyday at the elementary school I work at. I was raised on hot cereal, muffins or pancakes for breakfast that did not come from a box or a mix. Many people have no idea how things are made from scratch anymore.

We need to start moving again we need to walk more. I like to park as far as I can when I go to the store, instead of looking for the closest parking space. Good health should be a priority in everyones life.

Fennel-Did You Know?

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Fennel.png
Did you know fennel essential oil is the oil of responsibility? Fennel supports the person who has a lack of self esteem. This person may feel overwhelmed with life and all the things they are accountable for, having little to zero desire to improve their situation. Fennel is especially important by supporting people to listen and reconnect to the natural messages of the body, where there has been a loss of connection due to emotional eating, severe dieting and even drug abuse.

Fennel can grow up to six feet in height and has delicate, feathery leaves. Most fennel originated in India, Egypt and China. It also dates back to Pliny the Roman author of Naturalis Historie written between 23-79 AD. He used fennel for 22 different ailments. Roman warriors were said to have consumed Fennel to make them strong and ready for battle.

We know King Edward I of England consumed large amounts of fennel because his account book listed a purchase of 8½ pounds. This seed was a one month supply. In the 1300s fennel was used as a condiment and an appetite suppressant. During medieval times, people thought evil spirits could freely move around as the sun moved south. It was thought when fennel was hung over doorways you were protected from the spirits. Fennel seeds inserted into keyholes were thought to protect homes from ghosts especially in the summer.

Fennel is best known for its distinct licorice aroma and taste, yet its ability to ease digestive troubles, and monthly menstrual cycles are equally noteworthy. Fennel can be added to tea to calm the digestive system, as well as the mind and emotions. Fennel can be very soothing when applied to the abdomen during monthly menstrual cycles, and those same properties can lessen the discomfort associated with minor skin irritations. Fennel is also known to support a healthy lymphatic system.

Essential Oils for Bee and Wasp Stings

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Screen shot 2015-07-25 at 5.34.48 PM
Essential Oils that help with bee, and wasp stings.

Use Basil, Cinnamon, Clove, Lavender, Melaleuca,
Protective Blend and Cleansing Blend.

Dab oil topically- directly on area bitten as soon as
possible. Repeat if necessary every 1 to 2 hours. For
young children or very sensitive skin dilute oils with
carrier oil.

 

Homemade Sunscreen Recipe

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Sunburn Back
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 Tablespoons shea butter
1 Tablespoon jojoba oil
1 tbsp. beeswax granules
1 tbsp. zinc oxide powder (optional)
½ tsp. red raspberry seed oil
½ tsp. carrot seed oil
Add one drop of each essential oil of your choice. Geranium, lavender, rosemary, and or peppermint all work well.
Instructions
1. Using a double boiler (or a small pan over very low heat), melt your coconut oil, sesame or jojoba oil, beeswax, and shea butter together. The beeswax will be the last to melt.
2. When the beeswax is melted, remove the mixture from the heat and let cool to room temperature. If you’re using zinc oxide, whisk it in at this point, being careful not to create a lot of dust. If there are some lumps, that’s OK. They will break up when you whip the body butter in step 4.
3. Move the mixture to the fridge for 15-30 minutes. You want it to start to set up, but still be soft enough to whip.
4. Take the mixture out of the fridge and using a stand mixer or hand mixer, start to whip it. Slowly add in the red raspberry seed oil, the carrot seed oil, and any essential oils of your choice, and continue whipping until the mixture is light and fluffy.
5. Use as you would any regular sunscreen. Application rates will depend on your activity and exposure to water. Store in a glass container in the fridge between uses.

How essential oils can replace overused antibiotics and stop drug-resistant superbugs

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Herbal-Oils-Bottles (NaturalNews) Antibiotic resistance is rapidly reaching the scale of a global health crisis. More and more people are being treated with “last resort” antibiotics, and the head of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, recently warned that the explosion of increasingly virulent drug-resistant microbes may eventually mean the “end of modern medicine.”

“The rise of antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis,” Chan said. “More and more governments recognize (it is) one of the greatest threats to health today.”

One thing that ordinary consumers can do to stem this tide, is to avoid unnecessary antibiotic treatments by using natural alternatives.

Why antibiotics are bad for your health

One of the most common misuses of antibiotics is when doctors prescribe them for viral problems, such as a cold or the flu, or minor bacterial infections that might otherwise have cleared up on their own.

Essential oils provide numerous benefits over antibiotics. They do not contribute to the evolution of drug resistance, preserving antibiotics for truly serious or life-saving uses – particularly if you avoid always using the same essential oil for every infection. In addition, essential oils do not cause wholesale destruction of your body’s good microbes – “microbiome” – the way antibiotics do. Antibiotic use is increasingly being linked with a variety of systemic health problems, probably due to disruption of the many subtle processes that our microbiomes perform for our bodies. Even taking probiotics after antibiotics is not enough to undo this damage.

So, for your health and for the health of society as a whole, here are some of the top antimicrobial essential oils. Studies have shown many of these to be as effective as antibiotics, and in some cases more so.

The top antibacterial oils

Tea tree oil is one of the easiest essential oils for a beginner to use. Unlike most essential oils, it can safely be applied directly to the skin, without first being diluted with a carrier oil. It has shown potent activity against viruses, bacteria and other microbes.

Eucalyptus oil, in addition to its antimicrobial effects, has been shown to speed wound healing and to protect injuries from exposure to air (much like a bandage).

Does your natural toothpaste contain peppermint essential oil, and not just peppermint flavor? It should! Peppermint is a potent antimicrobial and antiviral agent.

Lavender oil has shown antibacterial and antiseptic properties. It is particularly effective in speeding the healing of minor skin injuries including cuts, wounds, burns and sunburns, and keeping them from scarring. It is also an effective treatment for inflammatory and bacterial skin conditions including acne and psoriasis.

The common kitchen herbs oregano and thyme, in their essential oil form, are potent antibacterials that have both shown effectiveness against staph bacteria, including the MRSA superbug. Oregano has also been found to be effective against E. coli and salmonella.

Lemon grass, perhaps best known for its role in Thai cooking, also contains a potent essential oil that inhibits bacterial growth. This oil can be used both externally (for body odor and bacterial skin infections), and internally (for urinary tract infections, food poisoning and even typhoid and malaria).

Bergamot was recognized long ago as a remedy for intestinal worms. Its essential oil is antibacterial as well, and can speed the healing of mouth-related conditions such as cold sores, mouth ulcers and even herpes. It is also an effective treatment for chicken pox and shingles.

Essential oils are potent biological agents that usually need to be diluted to appropriate concentrations, and show often surprising interaction effects with each other. For these reasons, essential oils should be taken under the supervision of a naturopath or other health provider.

Sources for this article include:

DailyHealthPost.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

 

http://www.naturalnews.com/053033_essential_oils_bacterial_infections_superbugs.html

I love this article on essential oil!