How are the essential oil classes going? Are you getting the basic information out of them, are they a good refresher course?
You can return to back issues here if you skipped class one and two.

Now for part number three: all you need to know about the quality of the oil in your bottles. And you need to know!

I would like to put these lessons into a free e-book format for future subscribers. Give me your feedback at the E-N-R Facebook Page and become a fan.

Yvonne Lewis
www.Essential-Natural-Remedies.com
Tweet Me: www.twitter.com/yvonne_lewis

* * * * * * * Disclaimer * * * * * *

The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended as diagnosis, treatment, or prescription for any disease. The decision to use, or not to use, any of this information is the sole responsibility of the reader.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In this issue:

1. Essential Oils 101 - What's in YOUR Bottle?
2. More Exclusive Oils From The Rainforest - Copaiba
3. The Spring Collection Specials - Great Savings

1) Essential Oils 101 - What's in YOUR Bottle?

We are learning that isolating compounds, and using them for medications or taking single vitamins is not going to do the job.

Using the example of vitamins, no longer is it enough to take some extra vitamin C and E, you should always take a WHOLE FOODS supplement so that all the ingredients complement each other.

IT'S THE SAME WITH ESSENTIAL OILS, NOTHING CAN BE LEFT OUT

Not all essential oils are created equal, and where you are going to notice this is in the results you get using them. Or non-results we could say.

For you and I it would be hard to distinguish between a high quality, superior grade essential oil and one that has been "cut" or "extended". Our noses are just not trained enough and we can't always discern the difference although we can certainly learn.

THERAPEUTIC OR FOOD GRADE OR PERFUME GRADE

After putting raw plants and essential oils through rigorous testing, Young Living rejects as much as 75% of vendors offers because of the sub-therapeutic quality of materials.

Mind you these materials are not destroyed and will most certainly end up in someone elses bottle. They would be better suited for the fragrance industry, or the food industry.

A good indication you are working with great oils is their labeling with ISO and AFNOR standards, set down by the European Community. And recently the Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ (YLTG) standard was introduced.

YLTG means that "every essential oil Young Living distills or sources has the optimal naturally-occurring blend of constituents to maximize the desired effect" (product guide 2009).

One of the main factors that makes an oil therapeutic grade is the kind and amount of chemical constituents it has. Examples of these are thymol, linalol, carvacrol, limonene, linalyl acetate, camphor, terpenes, sclareol, sesquiterpenes, to name but a few that you will come across.

Very often the more of these in an oil the better because they balance each other out. They complement each other!

• Oregano is an oil with four important constituents. Carvacrol at 60% tends to make it a fairly 'hot' oil, which may cause some reddening on the skin.
• Just recently a new species of oregano was discovered in Equador with an unprecedented eleven important constituents. This oil contains only 35% carvacrol which initially made Gary Young think it must be an inferior oregano.
• Testing has shown this oil to be highly therapeutic and not reddening at all. More constituents balance each other out. Awesome.

FROM PLANT TO OIL

If you do not see the YouTube video here "From Seed To Seal"
Click Here To View

To make sure all these valuable ingredients make it from the live plant to your bottle a company must start at the very beginning.

1. Great Soil
Plants should be grown on virgin soil, never treated with pesticides and herbicides.
2. Climate and Water
Plants must have the right amount of sun and rain or be watered with pure spring or mountain water
3. Type of Plants
Getting lavender oil from the Lavendula angustifolia plant will produce something entirely different than the lavendin plant. They may smell similar but the latter plant produces a lot of camphor, which can be hot and burn the skin. Lavendula angustifolia has hardly any camphor at all and a lot of linalol, which is soothing on the skin.
4. Time of Harvest
It is crucial for plants to be harvested at the right time if you want to get all the constituents out of them. Time of day, before or after it flowers, resting time, stressing time, drying time, all contribute to the final product. The distillery should be close by so plants are fresh.
5. Distillation Method
Once a plant is in the distiller, in small batches, most of them need time and gentle staeam to release all their components intact. Frankincense needs as long as twelve hours to be properly distilled.

UNSCRUPULOUS VENDORS

From what you just learned you can see how often things can go wrong!

• Soil is treated with herbicides which will also end up in the oil.
• Plants are watered with chlorinated water, which will show up in the oil.
• The wrong plant species are used, which may smell like the real therapeutic oil but contains none of the goodies.
• Plants are harvested at the wrong time of day and taken far away to a distillery. A lot of the good components die and will never make it to the oil.
• The distiller is not made of high alloy, food grade stainless steel and may interact with the plants.
• Because the vendor needs to get as much oil out of the plant as possible, he distills the plants at extremely high temperatures (400 degrees), and even does second and third distillations using odorless solvents to increase volume.

In the case of clove oil, only the clove bud contains all the therapeutic action. But on a clove tree these buds are a lot scarcer than the leaves and stems. So most clove oil on the market is made with the clove leaves which makes it smell like clove oil, but no therapeutic value. See how easy this all is!

All this adulteration is giving essential oils bad press. They don't hold therapeutic value so nothing happens when they're used and they may make things worse.

DON'T GIVE UP SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT COMPANY

There are companies out there that will not compromise on quality! Ever. Their reputations depend on survival, especially when their oils are used by therapists and hospitals around the world.

Few companies have in-house laboratories with the right equipment available to test oils for impurities. Equipment is extremely expensive so these companies rely on tests performed by independent labs.

However, independent labs are often set up to test synthetic chemicals and industrial grade oils. Their Gas Chromatograph does not use the needed 50 meter length of column for therapeutic grade substances.

Beside GC analysis Young Living performs Mass Spectrometer testing. This is needed to weed out the oils that have even the slightest hint of possible adulteration or tampering with.

WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF USING ADULTERATED OILS?

• The story of the lady who used a lavender oil from the local health food store brings it home: She had read of the ability of lavender oil to heal burns and used her oil on her arm after spilling boiling water on it. The pain intensified and the burn worsened so she complained that lavender oil was worthless in healing burns. When her oil was analyzed it was found to be lavandin, the hybrid lavender that is chemically very different from pure Lavandula angustifolia. Lavandin contains high levels of camphor (12-18%) and can itself burn the skin. True lavender contains virtually no camphor and has burn-healing agents not found in lavandin.(EODR, pg.11)

Synthetic, cut, extended oils can cause rashes, allergies and other irritations. Besides this they will not give you any therapeutic effects.

SO THERAPEUTIC OILS ARE COMPLETELY SAFE THEN?

Just like any other substance that is highly concentrated, essential oils have some safety guidelines for use. They too, could cause irritation if you do not use them wisely.

But this is for next time. See you in July with - part 4 "FACTS and FICTION - How to use Essential oils"

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2) More Exclusive Oils From The Rainforest - Copaiba

After introducing Palo Santo, Eucalyptus Blue, and RutaVaLa last year, Young Living company now has another exclusive oil available only to us.

Copaiba (also called Copal), is tapped from a tree, similar to how rubber and maple are obtained. It is sourced in Brazil, and boasts a rich history of providing relief from joint and stomach discomfort.(*1) Native healers traditionally used copaiba's topical benefits to reduce skin irritations and soothe insect bites.(*2)

Copaiba contains the highest known levels of a beneficial constituent beta-caryophyllene. Studied in Canada for its extraordinary anti-inflammatory properties(*3), beta- caryophyllene aids in opening airways and soothing blocked nasal passages.

Copaiba has a warm, woody, uplifting aroma, and can be diffused, applied topically, or ingested as a dietary supplement to experience:

• Relief from minor skin discomfort
• Support of the body's natural defenses

It's also one of the key ingredients in Deep Relief™ and Breathe Again™ Essential Oil Roll-On blends.

ON THE PHONE WITH DR.YOUNG

Just last night we listened to a live call from Equador with Gary Young and found out they will soon be distilling the "oca-tea tree" and it's flowers "ishpingo".

Young Living is painstakingly searching through the rain forest for replenishable resources and actively engaging the natives in gathering plants. This means many trips with canoes the dangerous Rio Bavenosa.

They want to make very sure natural resources of the rainforest will not be depleted and no burden is put on any one area of the forest.

The Oca-Tea is a willow type tree that grows fast and sheds it's leaves all day. They are easy to pick and therefore in great supply. It also produces a separate oil from its flower, which natives pick and dry. Only then does it produce this oil.

Gary Young said we can expect another four oils to be introduced at the upcoming Minneapolis Convention where he hopes to see us all. For now he said "I've got to get going, I have a lot of river to run".

(*1)This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

(*2)Modern scientific research has not yet validated these historic usages.

(*3)(Lefault J, Pichette A. Potentiating effet of beta-caryophyllene on anticancer activity of alpha-hmulene, isocaryophylene and paclitaxel. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2007 Dec;59912):1643-7

Copaiba Item No. 3431 15 ml bottle Preferred Customer Price: $46.03 USD Customer Price: $52.30 USD Wholesale Price: $39.75

The Spring Collection Specials - Great Savings

Click here to view the catalogue You will find some great specials on new products and combination packages.