Robbins Scientific

Looking For The Best In Natural Medicine? Look No Further Than Essential Oils

Essential oils are fast becoming more popular as natural healing treatments, but the concept of "aromatherapy" has a long way to go to being accepted in many circles. If you're like many people into natural health, you've heard of essential oils, but not quite sure of the possibilities aromatherapy might hold. That whole fancy spa treatment thing doesn't really seem like medicine. Well, we're here to clear up a few things -- like what aromatherapy really means, and the incredibly vast healing potential that essential oils might have for you and your family. You might be surprised these little liquid gems have been scientifically validated as antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory, and even have anticancer effects. Got your attention?

The term "aromatherapy" is very misleading. It implies "aroma" is always involved in the "therapy". But this is true only in the minority of the time! Aromatherapy is actually the entire branch of botanical and herbal medicine that utilizes the volatile natural chemical compounds extracted from plants for therapeutic use. And is so happens that these volatile aromatic compounds, the "essential oils", are very diverse in their makeup. Some are made up of hundreds of individual molecules -- and these molecules are very compatible with our own physiology. They are easily absorbed by our bodies, and remarkably have an incredible array of healing actions, just "solid" herbs and plant medicines would -- just in a very concentrated form.

The foremost medical aromatherapists of our time believe the greatest potential for mankind's use of essential oils lay in their strongly anti-infectious nature. The same way they prevent diseases for plants, they also prevent diseases for humans. It's not that plants and humans are so much the same, but the microbes that our immune systems defend us against are similar: viruses, fungi and bacteria. There are many, many papers published on this subject freely available on the web though portals which publish the abstracts of peer-reviewed scientific research. You'd be amazed the depth of the research noting essential oils' efficacy in combating HSV-1 and 2, along with an extensive list of bacteria and fungi.

There are many ways the home practitioner can use the oils for immune system support and illness prevention. In the "flu-season" (or anytime someone is sick at home or at work) immune-supportive and antiviral essential oils can be diffused in the air around you. Inhaling "nebulized" oils enhances the immunity of the respiratory system, and the vapor has been shown to directly inactivate "live" viruses. Practitioners will also massage essential oils (diluted in a carrier oil -- must for topical application in most cases) into their feet or even their lymph nodes. The feet are a very receptive area for the activity of the oils, as they contain endpoints of meridians of the body. It is thought that different organ systems, including the respiratory system, can be treated application of oils to these "reflex" points, a practice called "reflexology". MANY people find that if they have been treating themselves consistently with essential oils, they are the only ones who do not get sick when friends, family or co-workers do.

Along these lines are the antiseptic applications in aromatherapy. "Antiseptic" simply means an "antimicrobial" used on the skin's surface. The most simple application is the use of Tea Tree in place of products like Neosporin, alone or in a 50/50 blend with Lavender (this is choice for use with children). Tea Tree is a very broad spectrum antiseptic, and has a wide variety of uses. It's excellent for acne, used in a 5% concentration based either in a carrier oil like Grapeseed or Hazelnut, or aloe vera gel. Tea Tree is excellent for athlete's foot and other mild skin infections, as are Palmarosa, Geranium and many other essential oils. All these make great smelling, healthier choices than pharmaceutical preparations.

We've all seen fancy skin care products with ingredients which list "botanical extracts". Know what they're talking about? Yes, essential oils. Because of the molecular shape of the oils, they are very readily evaporated by the skin. So much so that a "carrier oil" is always recommended to slow this absorption down, and spread it over a larger area. The beauty here is that for very little money (relative to the crazy cost of high-end skin care) you can make a formula perfectly suited to your skin's needs. Eczema? Try German Chamomile in Tamanu. Sensitive skin with broken capillaries? Try Lavender, Helichrysum and Blue Tansy. Want help with reducing wrinkle appearance? Use the scientifically proven Rose hip seed, in conjunction with Lavender, Rosemary, Carrot Root, Frankincense and, well, this list really goes on. There are so many great oils for skin care, it's impossible to list them all here -- though it is really fun finding out which are perfect for you and how to put them together for that perfect personal recipe.

Many people are looking of alternatives to either over-the-counter or prescribed pain relievers. Aromatherapy oils again offer an array of effective solutions. Wintergreen oil is the old stand by, being the natural chemical equivalent of "liquid aspirin" (and should be used cautiously for this same reason!). Ginger and Black Pepper oils have both gentle warming actions, as well as COX inhibitors which have been shown to be potent inflammation reducers in laboratory research. Sweet Marjoram is also an excellent analgesic oil included in many arthritis and sports massage formulas. And at the pinnacle of pain relief is Helichrysum, also known as Immortelle or Everlasting. Distilled from a tiny yellow flower native to the Mediterranean, this essential oil manages to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and stimulate cellular regeneration all at the same time. Users swear it is the most effective topical pain reliever they have ever used.

And now for the really interesting stuff: Laboratory research is finding certain oils have a significant anticancer action. Frankincense, a material with one of the longest histories of medicinal use by mankind, has an amazing ability to kill cancer cells specifically, while leaving "healthy" cells alone. And it manages to do this "targeting" in the tissues of several different organs -- so it's not just potentially effective for one type of cancer, but for many. Lemongrass has a similar effect, and is the second-most researched oil for this purpose. Interestingly, one group of researchers reported the single essential component "linalool" was very potent against a certain strain of liver cancer. What's interesting here is that many oils contain linalool, not just few. Really piques one's interest in the potential of these natural medicines!

This is just a cursory review of the many medicinal applications essential oils are being used for by practitioners around the world. This is in addition to their stress-relieving, invigorating, and/or mind sharpening aromas -- the "classic" idea of aromatherapy. Maybe one or more of these uses will give you reason to venture into the world of natural medicine by way of essential oils. They truly have a wonderful array of healing potentials for you and everyone in your family.

About the Author

For more on the therapeutic value of
pure essential oil
, and one of many important oils individually such as
frankincense essential oil
, visit The Ananda Apothecary online.

Tips That You Can Use To Succeed In The Self Improvement Industry

If you're a coach or business leader with a practice inside the filed of self improvement PLR and self growth you will end up thinking about the next market research and just how it can benefit you attract more clients to your practice.

Dave Ricklan, Founder of Self Growth, one of the main websites for self improvement MRR researched the concept of self growth.

You could at first glance say "well those results are not really a surprise". However keep reading and find out tips on how to apply this research in your coaching practice.

The outcome of the survey are detailed below.

Question 1 - That are the most important leaders in the Self Improvement RR Industry?

The answers were: Anthony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Oprah, Jack Canfield.

Question 2 - What websites are the top for generating traffic aimed at your web?

The answers were: Google, Yahoo, SelfGrowth, MSN and MSN Search, EzineArticles.

Question 3 - Where do you obtain the most current home the Self Improvement Industry?

The answers were: SelfGrowth, Google and Google Alerts, Amazon, Master Mind Groups, Hay House and Hay House Radio.

So do you know the implications of the research?

Here are five actions it is possible to decide to try attract more clients to oneself growth and self improvement practice.

1. If you're in the self improvement industry, and therefore are wondering what are the alternative resources are your clients will turn to for products and services, this really is invaluable information. Make sure you familiarise yourself with companies detailed inside the research as well as the self growth and self improvement resources why these other companies provide.

2. Assess the websites of the companies and discover how they present their marketing materials and the kinds of language which they use within their web copy. Make sure that you don't copy their information, but study internet websites and learn what these leaders inside the self growth and self improvement industry learn about their potential clients.

3. Ensure that you are writing content rich articles in neuro-scientific self improvement and self development and are regularly submitting them to EzineArticles.com as your potential clients are using EzineArticles.com like a destination for a research for solutions to help them. Make sure that you possess a compelling resource box at the conclusion of the article which will then encourage readers of your self growth and self improvement articles to visit your site.

4. Write online pr announcements about your self improvement and self growth practice every month and ensure they are rich in key term to your field of expert knowledge. You online pr release will allow you to get based in the search engines like google and in Google Alerts, two of the key places people rely on for locating solutions for their self growth and self improvement challenges.

5. Create an action plan for the following ninety days of specific activities you could decide to use apply your learning out of this research when it comes to building your corporate brand and personal brand being an expert in the self development and self growth field. How will you be in a position to differentiate yourself? What actions should you decide to use move your ads to the next level? Identify the resources you are able to apply to enjoy even a fraction of success these leaders within the self improvement and self development sector have realised. Then implement your branding and business development action plan.

Any proof food combining works? - not having protein and starch in the same meal? (advocated - Fit for life).?

Food combining is a theory propounded by Harvey and Marlyn Diamond in their book Fit for Life. It says if you mix protein and strach in the same meal it impairs digestion because protein is digested by an acid while strach is digested by an alkali. And when you eat a protein and starch together the acid and alkaline enzymes neutralize one another and this hinders digestion.
So when eating a protein (such as meat) - say H &M - have it with a salad. Likewise when eating a strach (like a baked potato) have it with grilled veggies or a salad. But NEVER eat meat and potatoes, or fish and rice or bread and eggs together. In other words don't mix proteins and carbs.
Suzanne Summers and Anthony Robbins (in Personal Power) also advocate food combining - but don't provide any supporting research. I am not aware of that research/ scientific studies that support this theory exist. Does anyone know of such research?

No proof. Sadly, you don't need to prove anything, or even to do any research, to publish a book full of your own quack theories. You can just make up "facts" all you want -- there is no requirement that your ideas get reviewed for scientific plausibility. Hooks the gullible every time. And then you end up with all the high-school education level people on Yahoo Answers telling everyone you "have to" do this or that! Pathetic.

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH LIVE LONGER Glutathione