Essential Oils Used in Hand Cleaners

Essential oils are some of the oldest and most powerful therapeutic agents known. Most people are not aware that they have been used for healing throughout history.

With the advance of antibiotics and prescription drugs during the last century, essential oils were overlooked. Only during the last decade have essential oils begun a resurgence in popularity in the United States.

Health-minded people all over the world have discovered the value of using essential oils.

In their pure state, essential oils are some of the most concentrated, natural extracts known. In fact, essential oils can be from 100 to 10,000 times more concentrated - and therefore more potent - than the herb itself.

Our country seems to be obsessed with germs and sickness.  Antibacterial soaps and sanitizers are becoming more and more common.  But because such products contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, some researchers are recommending sanitizers made with essential oils, because they have been shown in many studies to have powerful antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antibacterial properties.

A recent study by a team of surgeons, for example, found that a solution made with cinnamon oil killed a number of common and hospital-acquired infections, like streptococcus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.(1)  The study found it was just as effective as several antiseptics widely used in hospitals. Another study by French researchers in 2008 had similar results, showing that at concentrations of 10 percent or less, cinnamon oil was effective against Staphylococcus, E. coli and several antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.(1)

Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, a pediatrician in New Jersey who dispenses natural health advice on his blog, recommends a tried-and-true recipe for hand sanitizer called Thieves Essential Oils Blend.

He added, “The recipe goes back to the Middle Ages, where it was used by these thieves who would go around stealing jewelry from dead bodies, and they never got sick.”  Many have discovered the story of the role essential oils played in combating some of the worst plagues throughout history.

D. Gary Young, founder of Young Living Essential Oils, recreated the recipe and is sharing the formula with people who are looking for an effective, all natural defense against modern day viruses and bacteria. Thieves Essential Oil Blend, is documented to kill over 99.96% of bacteria it comes into contact with.(2)

The formula (called Thieves oil blend) contains the following oils:  Clove - one of the most antimicrobial and antiseptic of all essential oils.  It is anti fungal, antiviral, anti-infectious. Lemon - has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that amplify immunity.  It promotes circulation, leukocyte formation, and lymphatic function. Cinnamon Bark - one of the most powerful antiseptics known. It is strongly antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal.Eucalyptus - anti-infectious, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory.  Rosemary - antiseptic and antimicrobial.  High in cineol which is a key ingredient in antiseptic drugs.

These oils have been studied in labs all over the world and it is widely believed that viruses and bacteria cannot live in their presence. Isn’t it amazing - it’s like wisdom from the past is coming back.

THE BOTTOM LINE - Our family uses the entire line of “Thieves” products because they work and they are safe for us.

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For more info about “THIEVES”, click the following:  Thieves Products from Young Living Essential Oils

(1) Source: The New York Times
Title of Article: The Claim: Cinnamon Oil Kills Bacteria
Web: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/health/08real.html?_r=4
Date Published: September 7, 2009

(2) Source: Essential Oils Desk Reference Fourth Edition
Date Published: January 2009

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Can Fish Oil Fight Depression?

Omega-3 may fight depression: Montreal StudyBy Katherine Wilton, Montreal Gazette June 21, 2010MONTREAL - Omega-3 supplements have proven effective in treating depressed patients who do not also suffer from an anxiety disorder, a study involving Montreal researchers has found.The study explored the effectiveness of fighting depression with Omega-3 supplements rather than anti-depressant drugs such as Prozac or Paxil.”Many of these (alternative) treatments have not been adequately evaluated,” said Francois Lesperance, director of the study and head of psychiatry at the Universite de Montreal hospital centre.A total of 432 participants in Quebec and Ontario took part in the four-year study. For eight weeks, half of the participants took three capsules a day of Omega-3 Emotional Balance, a fish oil supplement with high concentrations of EPA, the fats found in fish. The other half took three capsules of a placebo consisting of sunflower oil flavoured with fish oil.At several stages during the eight weeks, participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire that evaluated their symptoms of depression.”Overall, we found there was a small trend favouring Omega-3 over placebo, but it was not statistically significant,” said Nancy Frasure-Smith, a McGill University psychiatry professor involved in the study,However, a subgroup of depressed patients who didn’t also suffer from an anxiety disorder saw their depression symptoms decrease after taking the Omega-3 supplements compared with those who took the placebo.Other, smaller, studies have suggested that a deficit in polyunsaturated fatty acids of the Omega-3 group may predispose individuals to disorders such as depression.The results of the Canadian study do not mean that depressed people will feel better if they eat large quantities of fish, which is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, researchers noted. The fish oil supplement used in the study had higher concentrations of Omega-3 than is available from an average diet.Lesperance said it is difficult to study whether dietary intervention can prevent depression or other diseases, because these types of studies are complicated to carry out in a controlled setting.He said a depressed patient who wants to try the supplements should first consult with their doctor.This is the first large study examining the impact of Omega-3 supplements on depression. It was conducted by researchers at the Universite de Montreal, McGill, Queen’s and the Universite Laval.The study was published this month in the online Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. About 70 per cent of the cost of the study was covered by the French firm isodisnatura, which manufactures the Omega-3 supplements.In Canada, about 11 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women will suffer from depression at some point in their lives.###Source: Montreal Gazette###Blog Author recommends SeaLogix Fish Oil for a pure, pharmaceutical grade fish oil.###

Glucosamine Plus Addition of Fish Oil Improves Joint Discomfort

Omega-3 plus glucosamine ‘superior’ for joint health: Study
By Stephen Daniells, 30-Nov-2009

Combining omega-3 fatty acids with glucosamine achieves better improvements in joint health than glucosamine alone, says a new study from Germany.

The study, published in the journal Advances in Therapy, is said to be the first clinical trial to employ the combination of glucosamine omega-3 fatty acids in people suffering from osteoarthritis. UK-based Seven Seas funded the study.

Approximately seven million people in the UK alone are reported to have long-term health problems associated with arthritis. Around 206 million working days were lost in the UK in 1999-2000, equal to £18 billion (€26 billion) of lost productivity.

Talking to NutraIngredients, lead author and president of the CRO which performed the trial, Analyze & Realize, Dr Joerg Gruenwald said: “In a randomized controlled clinical trial with 177 patients with osteoarthritis, we could prove that the combination of glucosamine sulfate and omega-3-fatty acid is superior to glucosamine alone.

“Using the classical WOMAC pain score we could show 27 per cent more responders (80 per cent reduction of WOMAC pain score) in the combination group compared to glucosamine alone, this difference was statistically significant,” he added.

The joint health market is dominated by glucosamine, which is extracted from the shell of crabs, lobster and shrimps. Cargill also markets a non-animal, non-shellfish derived product. The ingredient is often used in combination with chondroitin sulphate, extracted from animal cartilage, such as sharks.

According to the Nutrition Business Journal, US sales for these combined supplements were $810 million (€563 million) in 2005.

Study Details

Dr Gruenwald and his co-workers recruited 177 people with moderate-to-severe hip or knee osteoarthritis and randomly assigned them to receive either a glucosamine sulfate supplement (1500 milligrams per day) or glucosamine plus omega-3 fatty acids (providing 444 mg of fish oil, of which 200 mg were omega-3-fatty acids).

“Because the patients studied had moderate-to-severe knee or hip osteoarthritis pain, a placebo group was not used for ethical reasons,” explained the researchers.

After 26 weeks of supplementation, the researchers tested pain levels using the established Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthrosis index (WOMAC) score.

While there was no significant difference between the number of responders in each group when a minimal pain reduction of at least 20 per cent was used, significant differences were observed when a higher responder criterion of at least 80 pain reduction was used.

Indeed, the combination product reduced morning stiffness and pain in the hips and knees by between 48.5 and 55.6 per cent, compared to 41.7 to 55.3 per cent in the glucosamine only group.

Commenting on the potential mechanism, Dr Gruenwald and his co-workers note that the ingredient probably acted synergistically. “Omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the inflammation process in OA, whereas glucosamine sulfate further supports the rebuilding of lost cartilage substance,” they stated.

Source: Advances in Therapy
Volume 26, Issue 9, Pages 858-871
“Effect of glucosamine sulfate with or without omega-3 fatty acids in patients with osteoarthritis”
Authors: J. Gruenwald, E. Petzold, R. Busch, H.-P. Petzold, H.-J. Graubaum

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For our recommended choice for an Omega 3 Fatty Acid in the form of fish oil, visit: Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil

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