Are Essential Oils Safe? FDA, GRAS, CPTG and dōTERRA.

There is a great tumult buzzing through the world right now on the uses of essential oils. In some countries, essential oils are a significant part of the culture used for religious, therapeutic, and even in medical settings. Here in my country, the United States of America, essential oils have been some what of a hidden treasure, not commonly known through the country for any thing other than what crunchy or hippy people do. Not until recent years has the use of essential oils for therapeutic benefits in America come into true popularity.

The purpose of this blog post is to outline the use of essential oils in Modern American Culture, what the rules set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are and what they mean, what the FDA means when they say Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and dōTERRA's Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) standard, and how they are the fastest growing and highest retaining essential oil company in the world right now.

Edward Burch, from ABC 30/40 in the Birmingham Alabama area reported that "The use of essential oils has boomed among families who want to stay free of pharmaceutical drugs and antibiotics."[1] Christiana Molina, writer for Elle, mentioned the rising essential oil trend. Molina writes "The surging popularity of essential oils and aromatherapy may seem like a New Age trend". Molina also points out that essential oils have "... actually been around for centuries. Long heralded for improving health and overall well-being, essential oils can be used as an alternative natural treatment for a wide variety of mild maladies." [2]

While these oils have become a popular alternative in healthcare, the FDA has not placed its approval on these essential oils for medicinal uses, regardless of if they work or not, even though many of modern medicine's foundation's can be found in essential oils and plant abstracts. This, as Burch reported, is because "unlike today's medicine, these oils lack research and clinical trials" [1]. According to pediatric doctor, Bill Hardwick: "The question always is, 'what is the safety information and the quality of the product?' So, safety wise there is very little information about widespread use of these products". Dr. Hardwick goes on to talk about 'special populations' saying "Pregnant women, nursing moms. There's very limited information about the safety of those products within those populations". [1]

An even bigger concern by many people is that a good portion of essential oil distributors and promoters are not doctors, nurses, pharmacists, aromatherapists, herbalists or any kind of healthcare practitioner, (though there are many in all the above who are involved in essential oils). But a good portion of these distributors and promoters are stay-at-home moms, bloggers, blue collar workers, or your average Joe. This raises concern because many people believe that only a professional in the healthcare industry can know enough about health to practice. This belief however, is folly. Someone who has applied themselves, especially in this, the 'Information Era' can find themselves as well informed, or even more so than a healthcare professional. The difference is that, one who goes through the necessary training for licensing will be accredited and recognized by a governing body as proficient in the subject, and the other will not be accredited or recognized.

Moving on, we will talk about some of the trends throughout the United States with essential oils.

According to a study done by the American College of Healthcare Science (ACHS) in 2012 on trends of essential oil usage. 1,534 surveys were sent out to aromatherapists who were members of the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) and the Aromatherapy Registration Council (ARC), as well as Aromatherapy graduates from ACHS. Only 191 returned the surveys. From these surveys, we find some interesting trends in recent years as far as essential oils go.

[3]

 

As you can see, the professional background of these aromatherapists are various. The ones I want to focus on are the "Other" and "All Other Responses" selections. Because in these two, you will likely find those individuals who are just someone who wanted to learn a little about aromatherapy so they can show people that they know what they are talking about. If you take the two and combine them, they will reach far past all the other options. Now imagine, if these extra courses to become an aromatherapist are primarily being taken by the "Other" group, how many of the "Other" group, not included in the survey, are there who haven't taken courses to become recognized as an aromatherapist out there? Is it possible that they far surpasss any other group?

Again, people like to see credentials, and don't care as much when you 'just do' studies independently. That doesn't mean that the individual with the credentials knows more. After all, what formal education accredited by the government of the time did Hippocrates have?

Another reason for great alarm is when people disregard or don't pay attention to the legal aspects of what they are talking about.

Some people are worried that essential oils will be outlawed, others that the reputation will be destroyed, all because someone may say that "[so and so] essential oil can protect and treat [insert disease here]". Whether it's true or not is not the point. The point is that at this point, you are claiming that the essential oil can be used as a drug, and according to the FDA "If a product is intended for a therapeutic use, such as treating or preventing disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body, it’s a drug. For example, claims that a product will relieve colic, ease pain, relax muscles, treat depression or anxiety, or help you sleep are drug claims". [4] The problem is not that you are making a drug claim, the problem is that you are making a drug claim on a product that has not received approval by the FDA to say it is a drug. Even if you are not calling it a drug, to the FDA, you are.

When talking about the use of essential oils, it is important to note that whether or not they work for you in caring for your ailments is not the concern. It is what you are claiming they do. If you say it cures, heals, or protect against a sickness, you have just made a drug claim. And the FDA will come knocking at your door (which I personally view as a violation of first amendment rights, but that's a topic for another day).

The FDA has come down on many essential oil companies in recent years in regards to representatives (wholesalers, distributers, retailers, etc...) who are making these clams.

Now, to answer the question, "are essential oils safe?" according to the FDA many essential oils are GRAS (Again, that's Generally Recognized as Safe). This means that though essential oils many not have been approved by the FDA for medicinal use, there are some uses that they are approved for.

From the same study done by ACHS we touched on earlier, we find what the most common uses are these aromatherapist use essential oils for.

[3]

It is interesting to note that the surveyors reported that they used essential oils externally and orally, and that the aromatic use was not reported (though it could possibly be implied in the section "Prepare products for clinical use").

The biggest 3 questions on safety are:

1. Are they safe aromatically?
2. Are they safe internally?
3. Are they safe topically?

Aromatically.

I believe the answer to this question has already been answered affirmatively by the previous content in this post. So, I will move on to the biggest question out of the three, internal or oral safety.

Internally.

There are many essential oils that have been named GRAS. According to the FDA, a GRAS product is "any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive." also " the use of a food substance may be GRAS either through scientific procedures or, for a substance used in food before 1958, through experience based on common use in food." [5]

Below is a list of essential oils that could fit the GRAS description produced by dōTERRA:

• Bergamot
• Black Pepper
• Cardamom
• Cassia
• Cinnamon
• Clary Sage
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Fennel
• Geranium
• Ginger
• Grapefruit
• Jasmine
• Juniper Berry
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Lemon Grass
• Lime
• Marjoram
• Melissa
• Orange
• Peppermint
• Roman Camomile
• Rose
• Rosemary
• Spearmint
• Tangerine
• Thyme
• Ylang-Ylang

[6]

(For the full list of GRAS essential oils you can visit the FDA's webpage by clicking here.)

Topically.

When you think about putting something on topically, you typically think about locations, deodorants, perfumes, and colognes. The topical use of essential oils is a practice that extends far in to ancient times. Common use in biblical writings includes anointing feet, head, wounds, etc...

Earlier we talked about how the FDA classifies essential oils for internal use. When essential oils are applied topically, this is what they say:

"If a product is intended only to cleanse the body or to make a person more attractive, it’s a cosmetic. So, if a product such as a shower gel is intended only to cleanse the body, or a perfume or cologne is intended only to make a person smell good, it’s a cosmetic." [4]

"The law doesn’t require cosmetics to have FDA approval before they go on the market. But FDA can take action against a cosmetic on the market if we have reliable information showing that it is unsafe when consumers use it according to directions on the label, or in the customary or expected way, or if it is not labeled properly." [4]

Pretty self explanatory, this is the legal stance of the United States Government in regards to topical application of essential oils. But what about topical use for ailments or treating symptoms? The FDA says, "Some products are both cosmetics and drugs. For example, a baby lotion marketed with claims that it both moisturizes the baby’s skin and relieves colic would be both a cosmetic and a drug. Such products must meet the requirements for both cosmetics and drugs." [4]

So again, we are back to the drug claim issue. The law is what the law is, and we have to abide by it, whether or not the evidence is in opposition to it. The only way to fix that is by changing the law (which is a topic for another day).

By now you're probably getting the FDA picture and you are ready to get on with the program. Good! So am I! So lets talk about CPTG and dōTERRA. (And I actually will let dōTERRA do most of the talking, seeing as they say it better than I ever could.)

We already know that many essential oils are on the GRAS list, and that is great! But according to dōTERRA everyday "...doTERRA recognizes that there are many uses of essential oils outside of these [FDA regulated] parameters. Because there are no governmental bodies or organizations that approve or certify essential oil quality, doTERRA has chosen to follow a specific standard in producing essential oils through our Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade quality control process. This standard ensures that our essential oils are the top quality available on the market today and completely pure." [7]

"dōTERRA CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® essential oils represent the safest, purest, and most beneficial essential oils available today. They are gently and skillfully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize the superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade dōTERRA essential oils." [8]

"dōTERRA International sources essential oils from responsibly managed farms throughout the world where growing, harvesting, and distilling methods meet dōTERRA’s strict internal standards for purity (CPTG—Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade®). Because organic certification varies from country to country, province to province, and in the US, from state to state, it is not currently possible to acquire all oils under certified organic status. However, dōTERRA’s ongoing commitment to the highest quality production means that all our essential oils are analyzed and cross-tested by independent laboratories. This cross-testing (GC/MS—Gas Chromatograph and Mass Spectrometry) ensures that our green product offering contains pure aro¬matic extracts and are a step above organic. CPTG essential oils are free of pesticides, chemical residues, fillers, herbicides, extenders, and solvents." [9]

Like I said, they say it better than I ever could. dōTERRA has been a company that I have come to trust when it comes to their purity in essential oils. I have been through many other companies and never been so satisfied as I have with dōTERRA. Is dōTERRA the only place to get pure essential oils? No. However, as I just said, they are a trustworthy brand. The fact that they are the fastest growing essential oil company in the world should speak volumes about the quality of their products. Am I saying that dōTERRA is the only way to go? No. But they are the best when compared to most of the other companies.

If you haven't yet experienced the dōTERRA difference and would like to, please visit www.FarleyEssentialOils.com. If you would like to learn more, please feel free to look around, and ask questions. You can email us at journeytopersonalfreedom@gmail.com

References

1. Burch E. Essential oils continue to grow in popularity. Abc3340com. 2014. Available at: http://www.abc3340.com/story/25475363/essential-oils-continue-to-grow-in-popularity. Accessed April 3, 2015.

2. Molina C. Everything You Need to Know About Essential Oils. ELLE. 2014. Available at: http://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/tips/g8781/essential-oils-loccitane-aromachologie-collection/?. Accessed April 3, 2015.

3. Petersen D. What's Hot And What's Not: U.S. Trends In Aromatherapy Essential Oils Choices. 1st ed. American College of Healthcare Sciences; 2012. Available at: http://ACHS.edu. Accessed April 3, 2015.

4. Fda.gov. Aromatherapy. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Products/ucm127054.htm. Accessed April 3, 2015.

5. Fda.gov. Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/. Accessed April 3, 2015.

6. Accessdata.fda.gov. CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. Available at: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.20. Accessed April 3, 2015.

7. Doterraeveryday.com. Are doTERRA essential oils organic?. Available at: http://www.doterraeveryday.com/are-doterra-essential-oils-organic/. Accessed April 3, 2015.

8. Doterra.com. What Is an Essential Oil?. Available at: http://www.doterra.com/sgen/essentialDefinition.php. Accessed April 3, 2015.

9. Doterraeveryday.com. Are essential oils FDA approved? Are they organic?. Available at: http://www.doterraeveryday.com/are-essential-oils-fda-approved-are-they-organic/. Accessed April 3, 2015. 

Grounding Blend Essential Oil- A Lifesaver for This New Mom!

First off, I must apologize for not maintaining this blog for the last few months. I had my first baby on September 8th, 2014, but he had some severe complications during delivery that landed him in the NICU at Vanderbilt Hospital for six weeks. Our baby was diagnosed with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (when the umbilical cord stopped giving him oxygen while I was in labor with him) and Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (where he passed meconium before he was born and aspirated it in his lungs).

Our baby boy, Tommy, a few hours after he was born.

Those six weeks were the hardest times in my life and my husband's life. We spent the first two weeks not knowing whether our baby was going to live or die, and the last four weeks trying to get him to stay stable and helping him get through his withdrawals from morphine. (He had to be put on morphine because he was in so much pain, and he became addicted to it.) My husband and I went through the "refiner's fire", so to speak. We learned and grew in so many ways for our greater good from this scary experience. On October 13th, 2014, we were blessed to bring our beautiful baby boy home, completely healthy and happy, and miraculously, with no lasting complications.

I want to share with you an amazing experience I had with the Grounding Blend while he was weaning off his morphine.

The first two or three weeks, I didn't feel comfortable putting any essential oils on him. He was so sick, and I didn't want to interfere with any protocols that the doctors were doing. But after a few weeks, he started doing much better and I started putting Frankincense lotion that my mother-in-law made on his skin, since it was dry and peeling. It helped so much with moisturizing his skin and seemed to keep him calm. I also put a special blend on him to help with his withdrawals.

The oil I want to focus on today is the Grounding blend. This oil has been THE oil that helped us get out of the hospital sooner than later. This blend consists of Spruce, Rosewood, Frankincense, and Blue Tansy essential oils, diluted with Fractionated Coconut Oil.

After my son stabilized and was able to breathe on his own, he moved out of critical care and into a regular hospital room where my husband and I were able to stay with him all day and all night. He was pretty healthy at this point, except that he wasn't eating on his own and had to be fed through a tube and was still working on getting off of morphine.

At this point, the morphine withdrawals were the worst part. The doctors were cutting only .05 ml every other day, as long as he could handle it. But he would have some pretty severe withdrawal symptoms. When he first started withdrawing, he was throwing up constantly and had a fever, tremors, and sweating. After a while, he stopped the throwing up, but the fever, tremors, and sweating continued. He also didn't sleep and wouldn't eat very well (once he was eating via bottle). He cried constantly and the only way we could get him to calm down and sleep was to hold him. But that only worked sometimes.

I remember one night, he was having an extremely difficult time with withdrawing. My mother's intuition told me that I had to use the Grounding blend. I got my coconut oil and mixed a couple drops of the Grounding blend in my hand and massaged it on his feet and the back of his neck. And within seconds... he completely relaxed and fell asleep. I was absolutely amazed, but wasn't sure if it would work again. But it did. Over and over. I finally started dropping one drop on my hand and rubbing it on his blanket or the crib sheet by his head after we put him down to help him sleep a little longer.

The last three days were the hardest for his morphine withdrawal, especially because they were cutting it in half on the first day, and on the second day he had nothing to give him that high. Not one drop of morphine. It took him about two and a half days of extreme withdrawal to get over that. My husband and I were holding him nearly 24/7, since it was the only thing that would keep his heart rate low enough to not have to go back up a dose on morphine. We also used the Grounding blend constantly. It was so amazing to see how it worked, to see him freaking out and then after applying a few drops of the blend on the bottoms of his feet, back of his neck, and down his spine, to see him turn so calm and the heart rate number on the monitor drop back to normal levels.Within seconds. It was such a miracle for us.

Because we were able to keep him calm, he went through the last three days of withdrawals without having to go back on the morphine. We were able to get out of the hospital on the day we were hoping for. I know we would not have been able to do that if it wasn't for the Grounding blend.

Not only did it keep Tommy calm, but I think it helped me stay calm. The aroma gave me just enough relief from the stress to keep going and take the best care of my son that I possibly could. I don't know what we would've done without it!

Tommy, at 6 weeks old. This is the evening we arrived home from the hospital. As you can see, he was VERY happy to finally come home!

 
Even before we were in the hospital with our baby, the Grounding blend was my FAVORITE oil ever! I love its piney smell and how it immediately brings a sense of peace and calm and center amid chaos. I can be completely stressed out, frazzled, and feeling like I'm going to lose my mind, but when I open that bottle of the blend and apply a few drops to the back of my neck or the bottom of my feet then smell my hands, I just find my center and am able to get myself back together again and keep going.

SO... I highly recommend the Grounding blend for everyone. Especially mothers! (and fathers too!) Balance is so great for those little ones when they're being extra grumpy or just plain difficult. And it's a great oil to add to a nice, relaxing, hot bath after a long day.

If you want to know more about the Grounding blend and what essential oil brand we recommend, please feel free to contact us at: journeytopersonalfreedom@gmail.com. Questions and comments are welcome!

Using Lemongrass to Kill Chiggers!

We live on a farm in Tennessee, so we have a lot of pests hiding out in the tall grass and bushes. Chiggers are one of them.



(This is a chigger. Nasty huh? They are too small to see with the naked eye, but deliver some nasty bites! Did you know they are actually spiders too??)

Well, my husband likes to do landscaping and maintenance on the property, so every now and then he has an encounter with these microscopic spiders. He usually does just fine with bug bites, but chiggers drive him nuts!

A few days ago, he had a huge breakout of chiggers because he spent about two or three days cutting down tall grass, weed whacking, and trimming bushes and trees. Lavender wasn't providing enough relief. Usually, when he gets chiggers, he itches and has bright red welts all over his legs and feet for about a week. I wanted to find a good essential oil solution. So I thought for a minute, and Lemongrass and Melaleuca popped into my head.

Before we went to bed, I massaged four drops of Lemongrass with a dollop of coconut oil per leg (enough to cover his entire leg and foot), and followed with two drops of Melaleuca.

The next morning he woke up, but he was still itching a bit although it wasn't as bad as the day before. I had him take a shower and then do the four drops of Lemongrass per leg/foot with coconut oil. Later that day, I checked my Facebook and saw he had posted a status saying that his new favorite oil was Lemongrass cause it kills chiggers!

I was surprised how quickly the Lemongrass worked for killing the chiggers. It's now been about four days since he's been bitten by the chiggers and the bites are no longer red and welted, just little pink dots healing up. Keep in mind that normally he goes a week itching like crazy and then it takes another week for the welts to disappear! Huge difference.

Here's a run down of the protocol I used on my husband for his chigger bites:

4 drops of Lemongrass per leg/foot with enough carrier oil to cover the area. (I used coconut oil as my carrier oil.)
2 drops of Melaleuca (We only used this one time, but I'd recommend using it after applying the Lemongrass.)

Apply morning and night. Use Lavender carrier oil with to help calm the bites and itching in between. (If it's really bad, you can apply Lemongrass three times a day instead of two.) Continue until itching is no longer an issue. You can use Lavender or Melaleuca to help the redness go away faster.

Note: Remember that everyone's skin sensitivity is different. Lemongrass is a "hot" oil, meaning it can irritate sensitive skin. If you are prone to sensitive skin, use more carrier oil and maybe less drops of Lemongrass. If irritation or a burning sensation occurs, the best thing to do is add more carrier oil and wipe off, then apply carrier oil again. DO NOT try to wash off with water! Water and oil do not mix and water will just drive the oil deeper into the skin. Use "hot" oils with caution, especially with children and infants.

Questions and comments are more than welcome! Please feel free to contact us at:
journeytopersonalfreedom@gmail.com

Sign Language Interpreting with Essential Oils: Managing Joint, Nerve, and Muscle Discomforts Associated With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Every year, interpreters all over the world suffer from some form of a repetitive stress injury coming to be known as interpreter's wrist. The most common of these injuries is what we know as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is not unique to Sign Language Interpreters alone, it is also common among grocery store workers, computer programers, pianists, women who are pregnant, smokers, etc.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is typically caused by repetitive wrist movements, but can also be caused by other things. One of the nerves in your wrist known as the median nerve becomes irritated or receives too much pressure. This causes numbing, tingling, shooting pains, etc.

As someone who suffers from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I have had many times where I have lost functionality of my arm and have suffered the numbing, tingling, and shooting pains.

There are some exercises that you can do to help such as stretching your wrists, circling your wrists, clenching your fists, spreading your fingers, fingerspelling the alphabet, and so on. All of these things help with prevention. However, there is still always a chance of getting it.

The question may be asked, "Why is it that interpreters get CTS, but Deaf people don't?" The answer to this is in the process of interpreting. You see, when people just sign, typically they are relaxed and casual with their wrist movements. But when interpreting, you become more tense and stressed because you are trying to convert an idea from one language into another while trying to keep up with the speaker, and maintaining composure. It's not as easy as it sounds, especially when some people speak or sign so fast you can't even process a few words.

Even for Deaf Interpreters (This is a Deaf individual that interprets what an ASL Interpreter is interpreting), CTS is a possibility, because the strain is still there.

A few weeks ago, I was interpreting at an essential oils seminar, my arm began to give and I started having the tingling and sharp pains. When the seminar finally had a break period, I was massaging my arm and stretching my wrists, trying to get them loosened up. My wife Laura took me aside and with concern asked me if I was alright. I explained to her what was happening. Laura took me in to a different room and opened up her bag of oils and had me take off my shirt. She pulled out a bag with her Massage and Soothing blends, and began with the Soothing Blend. She placed a few drops in her hand and began to apply it in to my arm and around my shoulder. After working in the Soothing blend she went on to use the Massage blend by the same method. When a couple of minutes went by, the pain in my arm began to let up. From then on, I was able to finish interpreting the seminar with minimal pain and by the time the seminar was over, the pain had subsided.

Since that experience, I began an investigation into the practical use of essential oils with discomforts associated with CTS. As I studied it out, I found some very helpful and useful information, and have begun using some protocols with success.

Here are some recommendations I have for preventing and managing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

Prevention: It is important to stretch before you interpret, but I would also recommend massaging either Cypress or Lavender with a carrier oil (a oil such as coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, etc. to help with dilution) to your hand, wrist and arm before interpreting. These oils will assist with relaxing the muscles and increase blood circulation. Coconut Oil is my preferred carrier oil, however, Olive Oil works as well. When you are finished interpreting, I would recommend using the Wintergreen by the same method.

Management: If you develop CTS, you may want to try a different approach. For general discomforts, the Soothing blend is one of the best blends to use. Following the Soothing blend, I would apply the Massage blend. To help prevent nerve damage, massage Helichrysum over the affected areas. To assist your body with healing connective tissues, use Lemongrass. For muscle discomforts, Marjoram would be best. Frankincense is wonderful for promoting healing. These treatments should be used as needed and will make all the difference in your experience with CTS.

The way I see it, is you can live with pain, or you can live with relief and using essential oils to help your body heal itself!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at:
journeytopersonalfreedom@gmail.com

The Aji Sparq Vaporizer: A New Kind of Inhaler!

Today I want to tell you about a cool inhaler product called Aji Sparq. We were introduced to it a couple of weeks ago by my friend Tim Gates. But first, let me tell you about our search for such a product.

It all started this last summer (2013), my wife Laura and I were out in Utah visiting her family. During our visit we discovered that my sister in-law has asthma and an allergic reaction to the dander on her dogs and horses. She wasn't willing to give up her animals, so she chose to live with it. Eventually she made a doctor visit, and was prescribed an inhaler. My sister in-law decided that it would be a good idea to read about her inhaler before she used it. While reading about it she discovered that some of the side effects would not be pleasant at all. She began to stress out and worry because one of the side effects included the possibility of a fungus growing in her mouth, (which I completely understand why she was upset). She concluded that she didn't want to use the inhaler anymore. My mother in-law said that if she didn't want to use the inhaler, that she could get the allergy shots, which would be a five year process of going in once a week to receive an injection. From this, Laura and I began to think about how we could help my sister in-law.

One day she came in from tending to her horse having a hard time breathing. Laura and I had been talking about for a few days and had decided that the next time she had a difficult time breathing that we would have her use a respiratory blend of oils. Laura pulled out the blend and had her sister hold out her hands. She then placed two drops of the essential oil blend in her sister's hands, had her rub them together, then cup her hands over her nose. Laura had her follow these steps: take deep breaths through the nose, breathe out, then take a deep breath in through the mouth, breathe out, repeated twice. After the first round of breathing the oil blend she said that she already began feeling relief. Laura encouraged her to continue anyway. She continued and found complete relief. You can imagine the excitement Laura and I had at the success of the essential oils.

After this event we recalled hearing a rumor of an essential oil inhaler, we decided to investigate. We found out during our search that an essential oils accessory store had a product they claimed to be an essential oil inhaler. We went to the store and found one, before we bought it we had the cashier explain exactly how it worked. It sounded questionable but we were unsuccessful at finding anything else from anywhere else that was remotely similar to an inhaler than this tiny tank. After our purchase Laura and I tested it out to see how it worked and we were sourly disappointed. We had some serious reserves about giving this "inhaler" from the essential oils accessory store to my sister in-law, but we gave it to her anyway. We both kind of hoped that she wouldn't use it, and don't know now if she ever did.

The inhaler from the essential oil accessory store.

A few months after our visit to Utah, doTERRA had a convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Laura and I could not attend, however, we were able to go to a post convention meeting in Nashville three weeks after. While we were at the event, there were a couple of booths set up. At one of them I saw my friend Tim Gates setting up a product. 

Now, a little about Tim Gates. During my time as a young man, around high school age, Tim & Roberta Gates moved in my Church's congregational boundaries. Tim was called to be the Young Men's President shortly after they moved in. I was in the Young Men's program during his service as president. Tim did an outstanding job as a youth leader and made many friends among the youth. We all became admirers of him and how he was pursuing his dreams of becoming a country singer. After a few years, the Gates moved to Nashville to to further Tim's career in the music industry. We've kept in touch ever since and seen each other here and there. Tim & Roberta have also been in doTERRA for several years. Since our time in the same congregation, he has found success in the music industry. You may recognize him in the band Due West or The Nashville Tribute Band.

Tim Gates

Due West

The Nashville Tribute Band

To find out more about these bands and their music, click on one of these highlighted links: Due West and The Nashville Tribute Band.

Now, on with the story. Tim was standing at his booth when I walked up to it. We both greeted each other with a warm embrace and how do you do's. I then asked him about what he had at his booth. With a big grin, he said, "Aji Sparq." He then proceeded to tell me a little about his problem with allergies and asthma. He said he didn't like using an inhaler because of the side effects affecting his throat, and as a country singer, his voice was the means of his living. One day he noticed an e-cigarette and got an idea. He went out and bought an e-cigarette, took it apart, and replaced the Ethylene Glycol with Vegetable Glycerin* and added doTERRA's "Breathe" essential oil. He said he took one breath and exhaled, repeated, and found that it helped clear his airways amazingly. Well, from there he made some more modifications and started the Aji Sparq product line.

*Note: (Added 8/17/2014) We recently discovered that you can use Fractionated Coconut Oil as a more natural and better alternative to Vegetable Glycerin.

The Aji Sparq Vaporizer

Tim then reached down, picked up a box, and said, "You've got to try this." He pulled the vaporizer and started setting it up with the Vegetable Glycerin and "Breathe". I was kind of reluctant to try it because it looks like a cigarette. He finally talked me in to trying it. Once I agreed, he set it up for me and handed it to me. I put it up to my mouth placed it on my lips and inhaled. I felt the sensation of the Breathe oil blend in my throat and lungs, and as I exhaled and began to explain the sensation I was experiencing, vapors were expelling from my mouth. It kinda took me off guard, and Laura just looked at me as if it took her off guard as well. Tim started laughing and said, "No worries, it's just from the Vegetable Glycerin." He then told me a story about a time that he had to use it while preforming with The Nashville Tribute Band and he had some people freaking out thinking he was smoking. 

From this experience Laura and I became very excited, and we look forward to sharing it with her sister who has respiratory difficulties, as well as any other friends or family that have breathing problems. We've seen how it works and know that it does work! 

I've included a message from Tim Gates on the Aji Sparq. There is a link to the website where you can order an Aji Sparq from Tim. I've also added how you can get the doTERRA essential oils from us, either by signing up with a wholesale membership or buying retail. 

"I suffered with allergies my whole life, and used every prescription

medicine I could find, with no relief.  I notice that with all the medications

I was taking, I would constantly get sore throats, bloody noses and become

very fatigued. 

As a professional singer I was looking for something to help me that

wouldn’t cause these side effects.  I turned to an all-natural solution to my

problems, 100% pure essential oils ... with no side effects.

I needed a way to get these oils into my body as fast as possible and that’s when I started to develop a vessel that would do just that.  I also wanted something that could pass through my dry nose and thus we created the AJI-SPARQ. 

My friend Lucas, also a professional singer, had chronic dry throat and would use sprays while performing to keep his vocal cords fresh.  When he tried my Sparq, it too changed his life.  Together, we began perfecting the Sparq.  When we began sharing our product with other singers, friends, and family members, they instantly felt a change on their first inhale and that's when we knew we needed to share it with the world.

The Aji-Sparq is a high-end vaporizer that diffuses these oils instantly by simply inhaling them through our Sparq.  Based on the principals of the electronic vaporizers on the market today, Aji Sparq is the only one that is designed to vaporize pure grade essential oils.

I am a true testimony that this vaporizer is changing lives, as I no longer use any prescription medication for my allergies. I only use my Aji-Sparq with my 100% pure essential oils.  So I challenge you to 'Inhale the Sparq'."

You can access the website for the Aji Sparq by clicking on here --> Aji Sparq

Also, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact my wife and I at: journeytopersonalfreedom@gmail.com

Flea Bites and Essential Oils

Before we begin here, I'll warn you that there are pictures of my infected feet that some might find gross. But, my purpose here is to tell and show you yet another successful personal experience using essential oils.

This last summer (2013), my husband and I went to visit my family in Utah for a couple months. It was a wonderful visit and we wanted to stay longer, but we had to head back to Tennessee to work again. A couple weeks before we decided to go back home, my husband's 12 year old family dog, Lil'Bit, got infected with fleas.

Lil'Bit was a mostly outdoors dog, despite being a Chihuahua. We were living at his parent's house on the farm, and Lil'Bit loved to wander the farm, so who knows what kind of flea-infested animals he decided to become friends with while he was out and about. The point is, he got fleas. By the time my husband and I got home from Utah, the fleas were completely out of control.

I don't know why, but I was the only one in my family who experienced any reaction from the flea bites. Within days, I had over a hundred bites on my legs and feet only. And they itched! No one else was having any major problems with the pests. My husband and his parents only had a few bites, and they didn't bother them too bad. However, I was being tortured. It was the kind of torture that was slow and creeping, increasing in intensity with each day. I hardly slept for two weeks. I couldn't lay down and relax, even in my own bed. So, obviously, that took quite a toll on my sanity. I felt like I was going crazy.

I had tried EVERYTHING to get rid of the fleas, doing everything from vacuuming to natural solutions to poisonous flea bombs. Nothing worked, not even the bombs. (From the hours of research I did on killing fleas during my sleepless nights, I found that fleas are very difficult to get rid of, and when developing inside their cocoon, they are nearly impossible to kill.) Essential oils did a great job of repelling them, and I was able to snag a few hours of sleep at a time by covering my body with Eucalyptus or Peppermint essential oil before bed.

I wish there was a success story for me to tell about getting rid of the fleas with essential oils...  but there was just something very strange about the fleas that were invading us. We tried natural remedies, as well as a few brands of flea poisons. Nothing worked. Our neighbor also had fleas, but were able to simply get rid of them by spraying Eucalyptus essential oil mixed with water on all surfaces throughout the house. Those fleas were gone within days and never came back. I had tried that multiple times, but I think the infestation was already too out of control, which is why it didn't work for me. Now, it did repel them, but it didn't get rid of them.

Anyway, within about a week of getting flea bites, I noticed a few of my bites were becoming these huge blisters. After a few days, my legs were covered  with those huge, itchy, and painful blisters. My legs, ankles, and feet were swollen and I could barely even wear flip flops.

This is my right foot at its worst.

 (My left foot a few days after I took the picture of my right foot.)

I decided that I couldn't do this anymore. Nothing was working. My mother in law was in Utah during the time all this was happening. She is an herbalist and knows a ton about health issues and how to resolve them naturally. I took pictures of my feet and sent them to her and explained what was going on. She determined that there was something wrong with my lymphatic system and for some reason, it was clogged up and not able to clean the toxins from my blood. So when I got bitten by the fleas, the toxins were not cleared out, but rather just stayed and festered in my skin. My mother in law suggested that I try a detoxification blend of oils and herbs. 

Along with taking the detox blend multiple times daily, I also had to change my diet. I had to eat all natural foods, meaning I couldn't go out to eat, or eat frozen pre-prepared food. Everything was made from scratch. I may have cheated a couple times, but for the most part, I was diligent in sticking with my diet. I also took hour long baths with lemon essential oil and Epsom salt, sometimes up to twice daily.

Within a few days, I started noticing a HUGE difference. My legs and feet weren't swollen, and the blisters were starting to reduce.

(This is about four days after taking the Zendocrine, changing my diet, and taking Epsom salt baths with Lemon essential oils.)

(Both feet together after 5 or 6 days of taking Zendocrine, changing my diet, and taking Epsom salt baths with Lemon essential oils. There are still red dots which are scars and scabs from the blisters, but barely any festering blisters present.)

(A side by side comparison of my feet...The worst being at the left and the healed at the right.The red dots on my healed feet are the scars from the blisters.)

Shortly after I started taking the essential oils and changing my diet, I had a friend in the military who suggested to me that I get a concentrated poison that the Army uses for the soldiers out in the field to keep fleas out of their sleeping bags, clothes, etc. I was hesitant to use poison in the home, but I also had no choice. I bought the concentrated poison and sprayed it directly on the floors, tiles, mattresses, couches... everywhere I could reach. The fleas immediately reduced by 3/4 and when I sprayed for the second time a few days later, they were gone. I sprayed a third time a week later... just in case. (Can you blame me??) We've never had a problem with the fleas again.

As of December 31st, 2013, it has been about over 3 months since this happened.  My scars have slowly disappeared... the scars from the most infected blisters are still present. I'm so happy I was able to figure out what my problem was and able to take care of my body's problems in the healthiest way possible. What I learned from this experience is that it's important to take care of your body in the best way possible. The reason why I had a problem with my lymphatic system was most likely because of years of toxic buildup from eating fast food or unhealthy foods in excess, as well as taking many medications that were not good for me. With the essential oils and my diet and exercise improvements, the problem was 100 percent resolved. 

The amazing thing is that after I did my detoxing, I noticed that I stopped reacting horribly to mosquito bites. All my life, if I got bitten by a mosquito, I'd swell up so much it'd look like I had a golf ball or a tennis ball under my skin, and it would be hard and hot to the touch. It would last for days too. Well, after my detox, when I got bit by mosquitoes, I noticed that the bites itched a little and bumped up slightly, but then was gone the next day and didn't bother me anymore. 

I'm so happy to have yet another success story with essential oils. They have blessed me tremendously throughout this past year and are SO worth looking into, if you haven't yet. 

If you want more information, or have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at journeytopersonalfreedom@gmail.com

What Are Essential Oils and How Can They Change Your Life?

Essential oils have been around for centuries, used all around the world in many different countries and cultures. Within the last century, the use of these essential oils and many herbal medicines have diminished and been forgotten with the introduction of Penicillin and the building of today's western medicine.

However, with dramatic side effects, allergic reactions, dangerous prescription errors, and rising medical costs; the use of herbal medicines and essential oils in these modern days is making its comeback.

Many people are familiar with herbal, or "home" remedies. But, many people haven't heard about essential oils, or have heard of them, but have no clue what they are and what they do.

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in parts of plants, such as: leaves, bark, flowers, roots, seeds, berries, or shells. These oils are located in microscopic sacs all over the plant to protect it from disease and impurities. The aroma of the oils also attracts certain insects and creatures that will help with pollination, and repels others that are harmful to the plant.

A neat thing to try at home: Peel a ripe orange, then squeeze the peel with your hands. The fragrant residue on your hands is full of essential oils.

The photograph on the left is a peppermint plant. The photograph on the right is a microscopic close up of the peppermint plant and its essential oil sacs. 

How Do Essential Oils Help My Health?

Essential oils help the plants fight off diseases and impurities, and since the human body has similar chemistry as plants, the oils can work with our bodies to kill off  harmful bacteria, viruses, and any other impurities that do not belong in us. They also have great effect on improving emotional wellness through aromatic, topical, and/or internal use.There is so much information and research on essential oils that I can't even include a portion of it in this article. www.aromaticscience.com is an amazing website to go to that has a lot of information from researchers and medical professionals about essential oils and how they work.

How Can I Use Essential Oils?

There are three ways to use essential oils: (Note: Before using ANY brand of essential oils, confirm with the brand that the oil is safe to use aromatically, topically, or internally.)

Aromatically:

The stimulation of hormones and other metabolic processes are influenced by our sense of smell. Essential oils are often used with Aromatherapy. When diffused in the air, some oils can be very stimulating, while others are soothing and calming. Other than emotional benefits, diffusing essential oils can purify the air of bad odors and some airborne pathogens.

The most popular way of using essential oils aromatically, is with a diffuser. Be sure the diffuser you use is low or no-heat, as they will not change the chemical structure of the oil being diffused. Another way of using the oils aromatically, is to make homemade laundry and surface cleaners to use throughout the home.

 

Topically:

Essential oils are easily absorbed by the skin. Due to their natural molecular composition, essential oils are easily absorbed by the skin and can be safely applied topically. Application of essential oils can have immediate, localized benefit to the target area of application. They have restorative and calming properties and can be used effectively with massage and beauty therapy. They are also natural disinfectants. The chemical structure of essential oils also allows them to be absorbed into the bloodstream via the skin for internal benefit throughout the body.

When using essential oils topically, the oils can be applied in two ways: neat or diluted. Neat means applying the oil directly on the skin. Diluted means adding another oil (such as vegetable oil, olive oil, or coconut oil) with the essential oil when applying on the skin. You will want to dilute if the essential oil will be used on infants, children, people with sensitive skin, or "hot" oils.

When applying the oils, be sure to massage the oil(s) in for about 20-30 seconds, or more. When the oil is massaged into the skin, the bloodstream is able to absorb 80% more of the oils, making the effects of the oils more efficient.

Internally:

Note: Many essential oils are generally regarded as being safe for dietary use, but some oils should not be taken internally. Do not use any essential oil product internally that does not have the appropriate dietary supplement facts on its label. 

Essential oils can be used as a dietary supplement to support health and wellness. Some essential oils can have powerful antioxidant properties, while others help support healthy responses in cells.

There are several ways to take essential oils internally.

Gel/Veggie Capsules: If you don't like the taste of the oils, or if the oil is too hot for your mouth, you can take the oils in an empty gelatin or veggie capsule and wash it down with water. Empty capsules can be found in many health food stores or online.

Shots: A quick and very effective way to take the oils internally is to make a "shot". Using a small shot glass place a few drops of the desired  oil(s) and a small amount of water and drink it down. Be sure to fill the glass up with water and drink one more time to get the extra oils that may be left in the glass.

Under the Tongue: Applying a few drops of essential oils under the tongue is one of the fastest way to send the oils directly to the bloodstream, therefore making the effects happen faster. However, the taste can often be very powerful, so be sure you have a glass of water on hand to wash it down.

If you want more information, or have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at journeytopersonalfreedom@gmail.com