Colorful Description

On my friend’s farm in central Colorado grows rows of lavender, and by mid-summer its flowers fragrantly scent nearby fields. While working on the farm, I find my spirits lifted and happy despite the intense heat and my tiring muscles. It is no wonder that for much of history, lavender has been used in sachets and oils alike to bring pleasure as well s reduce stress and anxiety. Other traditional therapeutic uses include as a sleep-aid, relief from pain and headaches, an anti-inflammatory, treatment for cough and respiratory infection, and as an insect repellent as well as a perfume. Greeks, Romans and Egyptians alike have all recorded using lavender in various remedies. Today, lavender is mostly used in the same way - widely used to dress wounds, induce sleep, ease depression and reduce stress. It can also be found in ingredients of teas and culinary dishes and of course the delightful scent in perfume. Current research is investigating the antimicrobial as well as anti-cancer properties of lavender essential oil.

Although generally known as lavender, there are actually thirty-nine species of the genus Lavendula, yet only a handful is used commercially. This fragrant plant is native to the Mediterranean region south to tropical Africa and to the southeast region of India. Today lavender is successfully cultivated in southern Europe, Australia and the United States. Aromatherapists distinguish lavender species according to their therapeutic uses and medicinal properties. True lavender (L. officinalis, L. angustifolia) when distilled at high elevations is known for its large percentage of ester content and regarded as the best in quality. Uses for true lavender include cases involving anxiety, stress, small burns, cuts and insect bites. Spike lavender (L. spica, L. latifolia) is known for its camphor content and thus used for respiratory infections, for muscular aches and pains and as a possible stimulant. Lavendin (L.fragrans, L. burnatti) is a hybrid of true lavender (L. angustifolia) and spike lavender (L. latifolia) and commonly used for large-scale commercial purposes. Stoechas lavender (L. stoechas) is used as an expectorant and known for its antimicrobial properties.

Reducing Anxiety

Lavender is well recognized as an agent able to support a reduction in anxiety, mainly due to its high linalool levels. The physiological process of reducing anxiety through the use of essential oils is quite phenomenal. Once the diffused molecules of essential oil enter the nasal cavity, they bind to receptor sites of the olfactory neurons which then trigger a cascade of events. In short, the olfactory neurons send messages to the olfactory nerve and then onto the olfactory bulb (located just three inches from the brain) where messages are initially processed. Within the olfactory bulb are input and output stations, the glomeruli and M/T (mitral and tufted) cells respectively. The olfactory output from the bulb to the brain has several targets, mainly the primary olfactory cortex and the higher olfactory associated areas where olfactory discrimination, perception and memories take place. The other is the limbic system, sometimes referred to the ‘nose’ brain comprising a complex system of 122 regions and associated areas which together is heavily responsible for the expression of emotion. Main structures of the limbic system (LS) are the amygdala, septum, hippocampus, anterior thalamus, and hypothalamus.

True lavender (L. angusifolia) is thought to have a sedative effect on the amygdala, which is considered to plays a role in processing emotion as well as governing emotional response and greatly responsible for the sensation of fear. Recent science studies looking at anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) propensities of lavender are numerous. A University of Central Lancashire, UK study (J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 May 22; 111(3): 517-25) investigated the effects of lavender odor inhalation on the behavior of gerbils (a type of rodent often used in laboratory research) and noted that exposure to lavender may have an anxiolytic effect in gerbils similar to that of the common anti-anxiety medication diazepam. A recent study published in Holistic Nursing Practice (2009 Mar-Apr; 23(2): 88-93) concluded that the use of lavender (as well as rosemary) essential oil sachets reduced stress-taking anxiety for graduate nursing students. Also in 2009, a study published in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (Nov 23) found that dental patients who were exposed to lavender scent had a reduction in their forthcoming procedure.

Other Applications for Lavender

A rather haphazard discovery of lavender in the use of tissue regeneration was made by the late Dr. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse (a French cosmetic chemist) who after he severely burned his hands in a laboratory accident, submerged them in a container of lavender essential oil and noted the remarkable speed at which they healed. More recent research has newly discovered the possible antimutagenic (inhibits mutations) effect of lavender. In this study (Food and Chemical Toxicology 2005 Sept; 4319: 1381-7) scientists noted antimutagenic effects of lavender oil (L. angustifolia) on a strain of Salmonella bacteria, concluding that such uses of lavender may be promising for applications in modern human healthcare. Other uses, such as antimicrobial and antiviral have been recognized and supported on the University of Maryland Medical Center website (www.umm.edu).

Conclusion

The physiological pathway for molecules of lavender essential oil to reach the brain is remarkable. By following the molecular trail into the nasal cavity and its subsequent neurological reactions, one can better appreciate the recognized stress-reducing qualities found in lavender. Traditional uses of lavender are now being investigated and their diverse applications more fully understood. With science now uncovering the specialization of olfactory receptor sites for certain scent molecules, aromatherapy becomes an even more valuable remedy for maintaining wellness. We would all do well to familiarize ourselves and perhaps re-remember what our ancient brain (the limbic area) has stored for thousands, even millions of years- molecules of scent, and in this case lavender, are powerful and effective.

Read more about the use of natural botanicals for skin care.

The Food and Drug Administration has been heavily criticised by pharmaceutical consultants working for the US Government Accountability Office or GAO, for hiring doctors to supervise clinical trials who had been previously charged with criminal activity. This is a damning indictment of the FDA who has even been found to be breaking their own rules when they fail to debar these personnel when they are discovered to hold a criminal record.

GAO officials have publicised their records which show that it takes the FDA an average of four years to debar convicted medical practitioners from working with them. This is despite the fact that the administration is required by law to disqualify doctors who have been found guilty of fraud or other crimes. The FDA seems to be ignoring these laws to such an extent that one doctor worked at the FDA for 11 years even though he had been previously charged with 53 counts of criminal activity.

Prescribing medicine without a license, fraud and lying during clinical trials were other charges that doctors had been committed of. There are even three doctors who continue to work with the FDA despite knowledge that each of them have a criminal conviction.

One of the main charges that the doctors had been found guilty of was falsifying clinical trial data. They made up statistics for non-existent participants, did not follow the research plan of the trial or failed to gain the informed consent of trial participants. There is also a contentious issue over doctors who have been found to break the law over medical devices. At present there are no laws to prevent doctors barred from medicine to work in the medical device industry which means that they could be endangering the lives of millions of people, like asthma sufferers.

With the FDA already breaking rules and laws with no regard for the consequences, there seems little point in simply applying new regulations. Instead many critics are calling for a wide reform of the whole health care regulatory system. There should be no room for a company executive to move into a senior role at the FDA, drug companies and the FDA should not think of each other as friends but the FDA needs to be seen as a regulatory body with the power to punish the companies; On top of this, doctors who have been found to break the law should be prosecuted and excluded from the health profession entirely.

It seems as though everyone who has ever suffered from panic and anxiety attacks have usually come to the internet highway in hopes of finding some type of advice that will help them with this condition. People who have never suffered from this problem just do not realize how much it can affect people.

If you have been a victim of panic and anxiety attacks then you are well aware of the fact that the episodes can occur at any time of the day or night without any sign. It seems that there are thousands of people who live with this condition who are constantly looking for ways to overcome their panic and anxiety attacks.

Research has shown that people who have a dog as a pet can be a great way to overcome this problem. You will realize that they can be one of the best companions and will help you overcome your fears that you are living with.

You need to realize that one of the most important steps to overcoming your panic and anxiety attacks is to find out what is causing your body to become full of fear. Many people who continue to live with this problem never take the time to do this and they still do not know what triggers the fear in their body.

You will realize that the only reason you are suffering from this problem is because your brain is sending the messages of fear to the rest of your body. You have to take the time to find out what is causing this reaction to happen before you can even begin treating it.

If you are living with stress then you should find some quiet time everyday that will help you avoid the stress and worry that you may be feeling. Studies have been done on a consistent basis and has shown that people who are living with stress and worry are the ones who are consistently suffering from these types of problems.

One of the best things that you need to realize is that it is possible to overcome this condition and people have discovered some methods that do work. You should stop by and visit our site below right now to discover one of the best natural methods that has helped thousands of people get rid of this condition using natural methods.

Panic Disorders Find Out Now! Panic And Anxiety Disorders

Does your snoring threaten to ruin relationships because no one else can sleep at night because of your loud and incessant snoring? If so, it’s necessary to find a cure to the snoring problem or they might think about packing up and leaving, or packing you up and sending you to the dog house at night. In the past you did not have options to solving this problem but now there are many solutions to ending your snoring.

Determining the reason for your snoring problem is one of the first things you can do to start on the path to stop snoring. Since snoring can be linked to a serious medical condition it is a good idea to go see a doctor. There can be many conditions that can be causing your snoring and there may be a simple medical solution.

The cause of snoring can be a soft palate and this could be resolved by a doctor. Surgery is available in which the tissue is scarred to eliminate vibration to stop snoring. Before the surgery the doctor has to make sure that is the actual cause of your snoring problem.

Some snoring problems can be caused by a deviated septum and this is a physical condition that can a physician can correct. Surgery can open the airway so that you can breathe more easily while asleep, and this may help you stop snoring.

Sleep apnea is a potentially more serious form of snoring. Individuals with sleep apnea have interrupted breathing patterns and can actually stop breathing. CPAP has been a solution for some. A mask is worn during sleep that introduces air into the airway, bypassing obstructions and helping to stop a snoring problem.

If you are positive it is not a medical issue causing the snoring problem, there are a number of things to try to stop snoring from happening. Losing weight can sometimes help people who are overweight. The link between snoring and obesity seems to exist and losing the weight can really help.

It is important to find a way to stop a snoring problem. If you snore, you are probably not getting enough sleep at night. This can result in drowsiness during the day and you are more likely to fall asleep at an inopportune or dangerous time. Therefore, it is crucial that you find the cause of the snoring and find a resolution for the problem.

Click here to discover how you can stop your snoring permanently with just three minutes per day. Even the worst snorer can feel the benefits almost immediately and manage to get rid of snoring eventually.

Do you want to know what causes cold sores? The answers may surprise you. Read this excellent article to uncover what causes cold sores for you.

The herpes simplex virus is basically what causes cold sores in everyone.

Of all those infected, about a third will never get a cold sore. The virus will stay dormant deep in the root cells of the facial nerves. The other two-thirds of us will get repeated outbreaks.

If the herpes virus decides to replicate, it will move to the surface and enter your cells there. This destructive virus then forces the cells to create new virus particles.

Swelling of the area occurs as the cells bulge with the new virus. Once full, the cells are destroyed - releasing the virus hoards and creating your cold sore crater.

The herpes simplex virus is the root cause of all cold sores. But, to stop cold sores, you need to know what actually activates this virus.

Below you will discover the top three triggers responsible for herpes virus activation and replication.

1. YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS TOO WEAK.

High cold sore immunity depends on strong antibodies. These are the soldiers your body creates to protect your cells. Building effective antibodies requires specific nutrients.

The vigor of your antibodies is directly related to your vitamin and mineral intake - from food and supplements.

If you suffer frequent outbreaks, it is a sign of immune weakness. Eat more fresh, uncooked vegetables and fruits. These provide the best quality nutrients.

You also would be wise to start taking vitamin supplements every day. This may be all you need to do to heal and prevent cold sore misery. But avoid worthless bargain vitamins.

Buy the highest quality supplements you can afford. Look for high levels of B (50 - 100 mg.) and C (500 mg.) vitamins. These burn up fast and must be replaced daily.

2. HIGH ARGININE TO LYSINE RATIO.

These two essential amino acids, arginine and lysine, are important for your good health. They also play a big role in cold sore events.

For the cell to create new herpes simplex virus, it must use arginine. Without arginine, herpes virus cannot be created nor will a cold sore happen.

Herpes virus cannot be built using lysine. Your cells store both these amino acids in the same area. The more of one means less of the other.

Taking in high amounts of lysine crowds out arginine and helps stop cold sore formation. Eating fish and dairy works well. Most people, however, use lysine capsules for convenience - a powerful cold sore treatment.

3. YOUR pH BALANCE IS TOO ACID.

On the pH scale 7 is neutral. Above 7 is alkaline, below 7 is acid. For optimal health, you want to stay in the alkaline range.

Your body will usually range between 6.6 and 7.35 pH. Any drop below 7 into the acid zone reduces your resistance and could activate the herpes simplex virus.

Acid pH means lower oxygen levels and weak resistance to pathogens. Contributing factors that can cause your body to be acid include soda, sugar, white flour and tobacco.

Also, winter weather causes acid pH levels. Cold air, less outdoor exercise and lower availability and intake of fresh vegetables all contribute to an acid body.

Avoid acid creating food and stress situations. Eat more green vegetables - asparagus is excellent for this. Also, vitamin stores often carry kits for raising your pH to healthy levels.

There a few other more advanced causes of cold sores I would love to share with you, but I am out of space and time here.

These are the three basic causes, however, that will help you determine what causes cold sores in your life - and help to eliminate them completely.

It’s important to know everything that you can about the symptoms of asbestos attorney mesothelioma in case you or someone you know has suffered from exposure to asbestos. This is a cancer that attacks healthy membranes over important organs like the lungs, heart and the abdominal lining. If it goes undetected, it can turn into a fatal disease.

Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure, which can be prevented by using protective equipment. Asbestos is odorless and colorless when airborne, and can stick to hair and skin, making it possible for a single garment to contaminate a whole household just through the laundry. Unfortunately, no one paid much attention to this disease until the 1960s, when many people in the mining field started developing lung cancer.

The disease is classified according to the body organ affected and the symptoms of mesothelioma vary accordingly: Pleural mesothelioma - membranes of the lungs; Peritoneal mesothelioma - membranes protecting the abdominal cavity; and Pericardial mesothelioma - membranes in the heart area.

Some symptoms of mesothelioma include difficulty breathing, rapid weight loss and chest pain, and they can look like IBS, heart abnormalities, or viral pneumonia. A CT scan, chest x-ray or biopsy of tissues is require to confirm mesothelioma. Knowing the warning signs can help you get the right diagnostic tests performed in time.

Currently, we have no cure for mesothelioma. Radical surgery to remove small tumors before they spread can be effective, but chemotherapy and radiation, while capable of destroying cancer cells and shrinking tumors, are often dangerous since they can damage healthy tissue. Pain management measures are common, but don’t slow down the progress of mesothelioma. For many people, once diagnosed, it is already too late.

Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lungs are easily confused with pneumonia and other lung infections, since fever, muscle weakness, coughing and sweating are common symptoms. If treatment of mesothelioma with medication fails to cure the problem and rapid weight loss occurs, pay attention to see if you’re suffering from facial or arm swelling, pain on one side of your chest, pain in the lower back or shortness of breath. Containment of this disease is important, since it can lead to lung failure or death.

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms may look a great deal like other ailments. If you suffer from bowel obstruction, a swollen belly, or stomach pains, are anemic or have blood clotting problems, lose a great deal of weight or suffer from nausea and vomiting, you and your doctor need to look into this possibility.

The symptoms of mesothelioma of the heart may include palpitations, chest pains, persistent dry cough, an irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. This is one of the worst forms of mesothelioma, and is quite rare, but is usually deadly.

If you suspect that you or someone else you know is suffering from mesothelioma, get a medical evaluation quickly. If there has been no asbestos exposure, there’s no much to worry about, but if you see the symptoms of mesothelioma, you need to find out if there’s a problem right away.

They could and do, so you should be on the lookout to see if some of your top choice meals turn on zit breakouts and then remove them if they do. How beneficial is it to seek medical care if you are tormented from blemishes? It just may be the retort for you to go to a dermatologist. There are particular prescriptions that only a physician might assign and one of them might work for you.

Undeniable reports have recognized that acne could cause personal agonizing and it might even lower the individuals? self-appreciation. Actually, of all its sufferers, numerous have discovered their selves sick at peace and depressed. Having such sort of sensation, it is no marvel then that most of the acne subjects react to certain acne remedies that can help make more superior their overall skin circumstance.

If you imagine you might have acne interconnected to a medication assigned for strain or a state of depression, you should advise your MD. Saga #four: Acne is just a cosmetic illness. Yes, acne does influence the way individuals look and is not alternatively an earnest threat to an individual’s visible well being.

If your job demands you to wear make up, you should stay away from those generic label make up. Some generic brands of make up don’t reference the abrasive chemicals that are present in the item. If you are utilizing alcohol-based and oil-based facial clean or toner, taking a crack can someway minimize the swelling of the skin.

If the acne items you have tried didn?t perform, ponder noticing a dermatologist. With the items accessible this present day, there is no rationale why somebody has to persevere acne or get acne scars.

What causes acne? It is ordinarily acknowledged that hormonal changes throughout puberty bring on the head-on assault of acne. Does it expense a lot of money to quarrel maiming zits? It might well be pricey to try to triumph your own personal battle contrary to adamant breakouts.

In that case, stay away from those meals. Other than, consuming a balanced weight loss plan unconditionally makes sense. Nonetheless, as indicated by the theological proof, if acne is being handled correctly, there’s no need to fret in reference to grub influencing the acne.

Accutane might cause drastic, life-bullying birth imperfections if the mom takes the prescription throughout pregnancy. Even one treatment of Accutane could cause chief birth imperfections of the toddler’s ears, eyes, face, skull, heart, and noggin. By no means use Accutane if you are pregnant.

Curative Injections: In harsh cases of acne where cysts form and scars have created, physicians have had some prosperity with inserting steroids straight away into the cyst to settle the cysts and decrease the appearance of scars. Surgery: In moderate to drastic cases of acne, physicians might use surgery to open up the blemishes and expel blackheads and whiteheads. Different from prescription remedies, the outcomes of acne surgery are typically more instant.

Almost everyone has acne at some time in their lives. This ordinary skin objection has left a lot of individuals desiring a powerful acne therapy that might be used by a wide assortment of individuals. Zits are not picky; they tend to appear on anybody and in some place.

Changing soap regularly is a certain way to exacerbate acne. Utilizing a soft moisturizer and acne detergent goes a long way in commanding acne. There are no witchcraft remedies for acne.

Seasonal affective disorder is also known as winter depression. It is called as such because it only occurs during cold days or usually during winter. A person with this disorder has normal mental health for the whole year except during winter or cold days. There are cases wherein people experience extreme changes in mood when seasons are changing.

A person with seasonal affective disorder often feels restless and unable to do activities of daily living. Depression and lethargy are also common. At times, elevation of mood and feelings of aggression may also happen. All of these manifestations occur yearly. Whats more odd is that it occurs specifically at a certain period. In addition to the symptoms, people with seasonal affective disorder may also experience feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and loneliness. Social withdrawal may also be present. People with seasonal affective disorder have tendencies of becoming overweight due to overeating. Experts have linked the disorder to light exposure which is why it happens during change of season.

Even though the exact mechanism remains unknown, experts have seen a connection of the disease with genetics, gender, and even the chemicals that are present in the body. Based from observations, patients with seasonal affective disorder have a dysfunctional circadian rhythm. The sleep-wake cycle of a person is called the circadian rhythm. The dysfunctional circadian rhythm causes the manifestations of oversleeping in these people. Melatonin, a sleep related hormone, is also dysfunctional. During cold seasons, the body normally produces more melatonin. The high levels of melatonin in a person cause manifestations of depression.

In addition to melatonin and circadian rhythm, serotonin levels in patients with seasonal affective disorder are also erratic as well. Typically, a patient with seasonal affective disorder has low levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a very important neurotransmitter that activates multiple nerve cell function. The modulation of anger, appetite, and even sleep is all controlled by serotonin. Metabolism and body temperature is also controlled by serotonin. If there is a slight change in the levels of serotonin, all of these functions will definitely be affected.

Feeling sad is normal especially if it is caused by circumstances. However, if sadness is prolonged and the person can no longer do normal activities due to extreme sadness, then it is already a big problem and the person should consider consulting a health care professional. Patients diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder are also observed for possibilities of bipolar disorders and major depressive disorders.

For patients with seasonal affective disorder, various treatments are widely available. The most common method to treat this disorder is through light therapy. A specialized lamp is used to expose the person to intensive light for thirty minutes to one hour. Usually, the person will be at a distance to the lamp and be exposed to the light. This method is often used because of the disorders association with light exposure.

Aside from light therapy, patients with seasonal affective disorder are also treated with hormones. Melatonin supplements are provided in order to regulate the levels of melatonin. As for serotonin, increasing its levels is necessary, that’s why drugs called Serum Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs are prescribed to patients with seasonal affective disorder.

For relatives and significant others of patients who are experiencing seasonal affective disorder, it would be best to provide support. These patients need a lot of emotional support from their loved ones while they are experiencing symptoms associated with the disorder.

Symptoms of hemroids - If spotted early enough and treated, can reduce the chances of developing cancer of the colon. It could also lead to you losing the ability to control your bowel movements. Hemerrhoids symptoms can be many and varied and can even be mistaken for another disease. You may even have hemorrhoids for years without experiencing any symptoms.

Hemorrhoids are engorged veins inside and outside the anal area. Many times they get infected and inflamed, making them even more enlarged, causing itching and other irritating effects. More than half the population of the world will develop hemorrhoids at some point in their life!

Hemorrhoids can cause discomfort, pain due to bleeding, itching and social embarrassment. The most common symptoms of hemorrhoids are:

- mucus-like discharge from the rectum

- a lump around the anus

- rectum bleeding, usually noticed as red streaks on the toilet paper or blood in the toilet bowl

- pain and itching in the rectum

Hemorrhoidal bleeding happens because the hemorrhoids themselves are swollen blood vessels in your rectum. When these blood vessels split it causes bleeding, which will occur if a bowel movement causes these internal hemorrhoids to rupture.

Some of the most common symptoms of internal hemorrhoids is bleeding as well as itching in the anal area. However, hemorrhoids aren’t the only cause of itching in the anal area. Low anal hygiene, intestinal worms, psoriasis, other forms of dermatitis or local infection, or even too much coffee can cause itching!

STRICT WARNING: Hemorrhoids can grow worse over the years, so when you detect them or their symptoms, you should seek out medical advice immediately.

What can be done to prevent hemorrhoids?

One of the best ways to steer clear of hemorrhoids is to stop the pressure and straining that come with constipation. These tips can help reduce the effects of hemorrhoids:

- exercising regularly

- try not sitting in one place for a long period of time

- eating a high fiber diet

- drink 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday

- limit the amount of time you spend on the toilet

- maintain a body weight thats healthy

Is There a Hemroids Cure or Treatment?

There are many treatments available out there but the one we will mention is a 100% natural formula used to treat both external and internal hemorrhoids and is proven to shrink hemorrhoidal tissue and completely eliminate the condition. Coupled with an anti-inflammatory formula used to treat bleeding hemroids. These formulas are used together, calm acute pain and reduce swelling.

As this Hemorrhoids Treatment is derived from pure essential oils, they have the capability to enter into the cell membranes to give almost instant relief. The treatment process differs from person to person, yet most of the people who have used this treatment experience immediate relief.

As consumers, we are truly embracing the natural health movement. We’ve taken a good hard look at our medical system, and realize there must be something better — and it turns out that Nature has been offering it this entire time in the myriad forms of plant medicine. Using plants and herbs for healing has been happening the whole during the whole of human civilization. Researchers have now even discovered animals in the wild eating particular plants to cure their ills. We are now seeing an explosion of interest in “aroma medicine”, the use of pure and natural essential oils as powerful healing tools. And these tools are readily available to you and your family to improve your health and wellbeing.

The body of scientific research regarding the healing actions of essential oils has grown vastly over the last 20 years. A search on Pub Med, an on-line database of the US National Library of Medicine, for “essential oil” returns 8808 results as of April 10th, 2009. The very first listing describes the anti-dementia (Alzheimer’s) effects of Lemon essential oil! The diversity of actual medical applications of essential oils is truly incredible — more diverse than just the plants themselves, as many essential oils have multiple applications. The inhalation of lemon has been shown to improve mood, improve mental accuracy and even act as an antimicrobial, perfect for general household cleaning.

Further down the same page is an abstract confirming the beauty of natural medicines: All the natural molecular constituents of Thyme essential oil have an additive antimicrobia effect — science and industry has a habit of extracting a single component, patenting it, and bringing it to market while forgetting to tell us that natural Thyme oil itself is even more effective. Other jaw-dropping notes about essential oils: Clove oil has the highest Oxidative Radical Absorbance Capacity of any natural substance ever tested — over 100,000, on a scale where blueberries score about 5,000 and Wolfberries are about 30,000. A large number of studies have confirmed the stress reducing effects of Lavender, going to far to show reduced Cortisol levels AND an increase in the body’s natural scavenging of oxidtive radicals — JUST FROM SMELLING the oil!

At this point you may be saying: that’s all well and good, but where’s the REAL medicine? You’ve heard about MRSA — the “Superbug” bacteria running rampant in the world’s hospitals, becoming a real epidemic? MRSA stands for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Methicillin is an antibiotic that is supposed to kill these bacteria, but they’ve evolved so that they’re no longer affected. Guess what: a combination of Tea Tree and Geranium essential oils plus Grapefruit Seed extract outperforms our greatest laboratory achievements in the modern production of antibiotics. Now, of course, the final test results are being withheld so that the researchers can patent the formula, but you can read through the data yourself — Google does us a giant favor that way — and see that this medicine is already available if you’re willing to blend a few oils for yourself. (It is VERY important you get the help of a knowledgeable practitioner; there are many many oils, and many therapeutic protocols. Like any medicine, it is crucial to precisely match the protocol with the condition for the greatest healing efficacy).

And for the really big one: essential oils are showing great promise in the treatment of many cancers. Frankincense and Lemongrass are just two of the oils that have been shown anti-tumorial, and Sandalwood has been show to specifically prevent skin cancers from UVB radiation exposure. Searching for “Frankincense tumor” gives a first result of: “Frankincense oil derived from Boswellia carteri induces tumor cell specific cytotoxicity”. The conclusion states: “Frankincense oil appears to distinguish cancerous from normal bladder cells and suppress cancer cell viability…” There are many more results like this, with a variety of oils and a variety of cancer cell lines. This is a very exiting time for natural medicine, as a combination of new extraction techniques, and faster turn around times in research facilities made lead to new, life saving protocols in the very near future (and it’s important that we as members of the world community keep voicing our opinions, and making these changes in our available medical treatments — it’s not only good for us, it’s good for the world as well, as the production of natural medicines takes SO much less energy than their pharmaceutical “equivalents”).

It’s important to note that essential oils don’t just effect serious medical conditions — they have a place in our everyday lives, too. Tea Tree essential oil is a wonderful, effective antibiotic, especially useful when combined with soothing Lavender for childhood cuts and scrapes (if you’re tough, just use the Tea Tree to prevent infections). Essential oils have been shown to reduce bacteria in the mouth which reduce tooth decay. Helichrysum essential oil is one of the most profound pain relievers and inflammation-reducers for muscular injuries, and makes small kitchen burns heal almost instantly (just a drop on that little hot spot and you’ll be quickly convinced!). Sea Buckthorn heals wounds and reduces wrinkles. Chamomile or Mandarin have been used for years in Europe to soothe the traumas of childhood, and lend a hand to parental sanity. The scent of many pure essential oils just makes folks happier (and it’s important to note this same results do not occur with “fragrances”, a term for man-made smells — they do not have the same make-up as natural plant aromatics do — and in fact, many people are allergic to them).

Sure, this can sound a little overwhelming…where, really, to start when you’re new to it all? Well, that’s the trick: just get started. Anyone in your family not sleeping well? Rub a drop of lavender on each foot at bedtime for a few nights and see what happens. Someone with athlete’s foot or other similar rashes? Mix 30 drops of Tea Tree and 30 drops of Palmarosa into a fluid ounce of Jojoba oil and massage into the area a couple times a day. Just get a simple diffuser, some Black Spruce essential oil and make your house smell like the middle of the forest. Dab a drop of Rose, Amber, Jasmine or Sandalwood oil to your wrist, rub them together and smell like heaven. It’s that easy. And these simple ideas get you ready for when you might need to tap into the serious medicine available here. Essential oils won’t be foreign anymore, and you’ll start to trust their real medicinal value. Also, there are tons of great books, and very qualified teachers. Open your eyes and heart to the world of Aroma Medicine, and you’ll be sure to find your way.