Essential Oil Usage Safety

Recently I was asked for a comprehensive list on the safety of oils. As I can't remember all safety instructions off the top of my head, I took some time and scanned some books and here is my semi-comprehensive list. I am sure I am missing an oil or two.  Just a few safety guidelines should be considered along with this list:

• Always dilute oils before placing on young children. Did you know that the liver does not fully develop until around the age of 12. Oils with phenols, or phenol-like constituents can actually harm a child's developing liver
• Always mix oils in a bath safe salt (Epsom salt, dead sea salt, sea salt) before adding to your bath water.  
• Just because one drop is good, does not mean that ten drops are better.
• Essential oils can interfere with Rx Prescriptions, and should thus be only used 2 hours before or after taking a pharmaceutical drug. 

Essential Oil/ Part Used/ Safety

Balsam Fir: resin, Safe

Basil: whole plant, not to be used during pregnancy, can trigger epileptic seizures in some, may irritate sensitive skin, use sparingly.

Bay Laurel: leaves, can cause dermatitis in some individuals, do not use while pregnant.

Benzoin: resin, use solid benzoin tears or benzoin resin that has been disolved in alcohol.

Bergamot: peel, safe but photo-toxic: do not apply before going into sunlight.

Bitter Almond: Never Use

Black Pepper: dried crushed berries, may irritate some skin types.

Boldo Leaf: Never Use

Calamus: Never Use

Cedarwood: wood, avoid during pregnancy

Cinnamon: bark, potential skin irritant and sensitizing agent, should never be used on skin (one of the most hazardous oils) Cinnamon oil from leaf is extremely more toxic.

Clary Sage: leaves and flower heads, Used in moderation, not used by pregnant women, not to be used in conjunction with other medicines or other substances with an iron base, and not to be used with alcohol consumption. 

Clove Bud:  buds, Never use clove oil from leaf or stem. Use sparingly and only in less than 1% dilution.  All clove oils can cause skin and mucous membrane irritation. Never use during pregnancy.

Coriander: crushed ripe seeds, not to be used during pregnancy.

Cypress: needles and twigs, Safe.

Dill: whole plant, Safe. Excellent for babies. 

Elemi: resin, may irritate sensitive skin.

Eucalyptus Citriodora: leaves and twigs, toxic when taken internally, Safe externally with some sensitive issues.

Eucalyptus Globulus: leaves, Never use under age of 3, Externally non-toxic, non-irritant (in dilution), Internally it is considered toxic and can kill.

Eucalyptus Radiata: leaves, Safe, the Eucalyptus to use with children.  

Fennel: crushed seeds, those with seizure disorders should use with caution. Avoid during pregnancy.

Frankincense: resin, Safe

Geranium: leaves, stalks, and flowers, generally safe, can cause skin irritation in really sensitive individuals. Can lower blood sugar levels.

German Chamomile:  flowers, generally safe, do not use during pregnancy. 

Ginger: rhizome, very non-toxic only if used in large quantities might be unsafe. May irritate sensitive skin.  

Helichrysum: flowers, Safe

Horseradish: Never Use

Jaborandi Leaf: Never Use

Jasmine: flowers, not to be taken internally due to solvent extraction. An allergic reaction has been know to occur in some individuals. Do not use while pregnant.

Juniper: berries, avoid during pregnancy, also activates kidneys, caution if you have kidney problems.

Lavender: flowers, Safe for all ages and stages.

Lemon: peel, safe, but photo-toxic: do not apply before going into sunlight. Only non-toxic if organic.

Lemon Grass: grass, non-toxic, possible skin sensitivity in some individuals-use with care.

Mandarin Red: peel, safe but photo-toxic: do not apply before going into sunlight.

Mandarin Green: peel, safe but photo-toxic: do not apply before going into sunlight

Mugwort: Never Use

Mustard: Never Use

Myrrh: resin, toxic in high concentrations, not to be used while pregnant.

Myrtle: leaves and twigs, Safe

Neroli: flowers, Safe

Niaouli: leaves, Safe most suitable for children instead of tea tree.

Orange: peel, can cause mild dermatitis in those with sensitive skin.

Oregano: leaves, extremely hot oil, not to be used during pregnancy, on babies, or on children. Do not take for more than 10 days in a row can be extremely toxic for the liver. 

Palmarosa: fragrant leaves of grass, safe

Patchouli: leaves, safe

Pennyroyal: Never USe

Peppermint: whole plant, Do not use during 1^st trimester of pregnancy. Should not be used anywhere near babies and those under the age of three, as it could cause them to stop breathing. Do not use peppermint in conjunction with homeopathic remedies. Do not use peppermint oil while nursing.  May cause adverse reaction for those with atrial fibrillation.  When used in moderation peppermint is non-toxic.

Pine: pine needles, twigs, and cones, avoid use if you have high blood pressure. May irritate sensitive skin. 

Pink Grapefruit: the rind, safe but is photo-toxic: do not apply to skin before going out in the sun.

Ravensara: young leafy twigs, extremely safe even for newborns.

Roman Chamomile: flowers, generally safe but may cause skin sensitivities for some, do not use during pregnancy.

Rose: flowers, Extremely safe even for newborns (use a 1%-2% dilution.)

Rosemary ct. 1.8 Cineole : flowers and leaves,  use diluted only. Avoid during pregnancy, not recommend for epileptics, not for those with high blood pressure. 

Rosewood: heartwood, safe

Rue: Never Use

Sandalwood: mature heart wood, safe

Sassafras: Never Use

Savin: Never Use

Southernwood: Never Use

Spikenard: dried and crushed rhizome and roots, safe

Spearmint: whole plant, safe. Use in place of peppermint for little children and babies.

Sweet Marjoram: whole plant, can cause drowsiness, not to be used during pregnancy. Fine for children.

Tangerine: citrus zest, slightly photo-toxic.

Tansy: Never Use

 Tea Tree: leaves, possibly cause skin sensitivity in some people. Otherwise safe

Thuja: Never Use

Thyme ct. Linalool: whole plant, Safe

Thyme ct. Thymol: whole plant, not for those with high blood pressure. Irritation to skin must be used diluted, best when used internally or applied to the feet. Possibly cause skin sensitivity, liver toxin over time. Never use on children. Do not use while pregnant.

Valerian: dried roots, use only in extremely small dilutions, large doses may cause headaches, heart palpitations, muscle spasms, mental agitation, and delusion. Avoid during pregnancy.

Vetiver: root and rootlets, safe

Wild Chamomile: Never Use

Wintergreen: Never Use

Wormseed: Never Use

Wormwood: Never Use

Yellow Camphor: Never Use

Ylang Ylang: flowers, watch for sensitive skin, use in moderation, can cause headaches and nausea.

My references:

• The Complete Book of Essential Oils And Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood
• Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty by Roberta Wilson 
• The extensive classes that I have attended over the years

Ear Infections

A few years back I got to spend more time than I cared to in a pediatric waiting room, holding a cranky child, surrounded by loads of sick children and adults, just waiting to find out if my baby had an ear infection.  After my two hour long wait the doctor took a quick ten second peak to tell me I just had a cranky boy, no ear infection. This experience ended up leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Other than feeling like it had been a wasted night, I decided I didn't like being at the mercy of some doctor to find out what was going on with my child. So from that point on I decided to take doctoring my children  more seriously.

At our local wal-mart while in search of a better Thermometer much to my surprise and delight I found and Otoscope. It was a $15 Dr.Mom brand otoscope complete with picture guide. When I took it home and tried it on my children I discovered that it worked great for being able to see the inside of the ear.

I look in my children's ears regularly that way when ever there is something serious going on in their ear I am able to notice right away. Also the children are a lot less wiggly or paranoid about what mommy is doing, when their ear is in pain, because they are used to me regularly checking their ears. When doing regular ear checks I have discovered that it is great to line up all the children  oldest to youngest, that way the younger ones see the older ones handling having their ears looked at and are more than happy to have mommy look in their ears.

So what do I do now when there is an ear infection:

Provided there is no perforation in the ear I use Garlic Oil and Mullein Oil to treat ear infections. Morning and night for 10 days I put 2-3 drops of Mullein oil followed by 2-3 drops of garlic oil into the ear then I place a small cotton ball in the ear covering the canal to keep the oils from dripping out on anything, and place a small bandaid over that to keep the cotton ball in place. For small infants en 1-2 drops of each oil is about all that will fit in the ear.   You will want to treat both ears at the same time because the ear nose and throat are all connected it is very easy for things to spread. So to keep balance and treat both ears equally.

As a side note: you will want to warm the oils up before dropping into ears. Cold oil in ears just isn't pleasant, especially in an ear that is already hurting.  I have large bottles of both of these oils and it is very inconvenient to try to warm up a large bottle every time. So I fill little dropper bottles with these two oils  and place the dropper bottles into my bra (amazing how warm it is in there) for about half an hour before dropping in the ears to make sure the oils are well warmed.

If the ear drum is perforated you will not want to place oils inside the ear. Instead I would recommend rubbing on Diluted (1 drop each in a tablespoon of grapeseed oil) Eucalyptus Radiata and Tea Tree along with Lavender around the ear area being sure to get the mastoid process, along neck and throat and getting up and over the bridge of the nose as well. After applying around the ear you can use a warm compress to drive the oils in faster. You can put a drop of Lavender on a cotton ball and place it in the ear not in the canal and cover with a bandaid. If  you have a child who will not leave this in, than you can place some drops of lavender on a warm compress and hold over the ear while the child lays in your lap. This will help to soothe and calm the child.  I would also recommend rubbing a drop of Tea Tree on the child's  feet (1 drop per foot for one year olds, 2 drops for two year olds, and 3 drops for three and up) morning and night.

Sometimes ears hurt and there is no visible reason why. It used to be an old-wives tale that said to have Grandpa blow his tobacco smoke into your ear and it would soothe the aching ear. Well years later we now know that it had nothing to do with the tobacco at all, it was the warm air that was soothing. So when the ear hurts and there is no visible reason grab your blow dryer and put it on low setting and hold it a comfortable distance away from the head and let the blow dryer blow the warm air in and soothe the aching ear.

Nut Milk

We have most recently discovered the deliciousness of homemade nut milk as compared to store bought nut milks. From all the recipes we have tried so far this is our favorite adaptation:

The night before place 1 cup raw almonds and 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds (the sesame seeds help to increase the calcium content of the nut milk) in a quart jar and cover with water.

In a separate jar place 6-8 pitted dates and cover with 4 cups water.Leave this jar and the previous jar on the counter over night for a good soak.

First thing in the morning rinse the almonds and sesame seeds really well in a fine mesh strainer. Dump nuts and seeds from strainer into your blender, and add your jar of dates and water  to the blender also. Now add to your blender 1tsp Vanilla Extract and 1 Tablespoon Virgin Coconut oil (that is the coconut oil that still has the coconut flavor intact). Turn the blender up on high until everything is well pulverized.

Pour contents of blender into nut milk bag, that you have in a large  pitcher, so that the liquid runs through pulp bag and into pitcher.  Add an additional 4 cups of water to the blender and return it to the base and turn up on high again. This helps to get the last of the goodness out of the blender. Pour the water mix over the pulp in the nut milk bag and squeeze all liquid out of nut milk bag.

The remaining pulp in the nut milk bag can be used to:

• make raw coconut macaroons,
• can add it to your oatmeal to make a delicious enriching oatmeal
• dehydrate the pulp on low and use it as a topping on ice cream
• or use it in baked goods (wet or dry)

The pulp will last for a week if stored moist in the fridge.

This nut milk is so delicious that it rarely ever lasts past breakfast. You can also start this nut milk first thing in the morning and make it right before supper to have with supper.

Additional add ins that you could do: 

sunflower seeds (soak with almonds and sesame seeds)
cup coconut shreds (soak with dates)

The Dreaded UTI

The first time I had a Urinary Tract Infection was during the first month after marriage, that wonderful transition where the female body gets used to all sorts of new things. And it was a nightmare of an ordeal because we discovered that my body didn't feel any of the pain associated with a UTI. Without any warning I would suddenly start peeing blood, which means the infection has made its way up into my kidneys and is wreaking havoc big time. At this point in our life we didn't know much better and it was to the doctor and a round of anti-biotics.  Since the anti-biotic would kill the infection along with all the good bacteria in my body, there was the possibility that another infection would quickly step in and take over and once again I would see blood in the toilet bowl  and it would be another round of anti-biotics. So three rounds of serious antibiotics and a month later I was finally UTI free, but there was, for a long time, this constant fear that the next time I used the restroom I would once again discover that I had a UTI.

Now, eight years later I had the joy of experiencing another UTI, however with a completely different outcome.  Back in September I was more than my fair share of stressed and believe it or not went a whole week without showering. I know, almost unbelievable, but that is just how stressed and chaotic life was at that time.  I had just barely put a batch of tomato sauce on the stove to simmer down for canning when I felt a sudden need to use the restroom. And much to my undelighted surprise the toilet bowl was very red.  Within ten minutes I was unable to leave the house and within 30 minutes after that I was incapable of leaving the restroom altogether. So what did I do? I did not head for the hospital like some might have advised. Instead I was able to overcome the UTI with herbs and whole foods with no relapses, and a lot less time fretting afterwords wondering if I was going to be seeing red any time I used the restroom.

The Natural Way to get rid of a UTI

• Lots of Prayers
• Priesthood blessing
• Drink water -  loads of it and do not stop drinking. Drinking lots of water, especially at this time, helps to remove toxins and impurities from your body.
• Drink pure cranberry juice. I am not talking about those cranberry cocktails that you find in the freezer section of the grocery store. I am talking about the purest-pucker-worthy form that you can get your hands on. Since this is extremely pucker-worthy liquid you place 1 cup of pure cranberry juice in a quart jar and fill the rest of the way with filtered water. On the first two days I drank two quarts of this diluted mixture, one in the morning and one in the evening. I discovered that when this was the first thing I had for the day the liquid was actually sweet tasting. For the two weeks following I drank just one quart of this diluted mixture throughout the day.  So from the time I woke up in the morning until I went to bed I consumed a quart of diluted cranberry juice.
• Avoid all sugars, in any form, for the first few days. 
• I took Dr. Christopher's Kidney Formula, two capsules four times a day. I did this for two weeks. I feel that this was an extremely beneficial herb that helped loads in my recovery. 
• I also did a tea tree and apple cider vinegar sitz bath twice a day for the first two days. For those who don't know, a sitz bath is where you fill your tub hip deep and add  ingredients to help medicate your lower region. So while the bath water is running and the tub is plugged, I added 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar to the bath water and a tablespoon of Dead Sea Salt to which I had finger rubbed in four drops of Tea Tree Oil. Stir the tub around with your hand and sit cross-legged in the tub for 15 minutes to allow the water to clean out and re-acidify your vaginal area.

Within two hours of having a blessing, sitz bath, drinking cranberry juice, and taking the herbal kidney pills, I was no longer peeing blood. I felt totally drained and weakened from the loss of blood, but a few days of rest and taking it slow, and following the prescribed program I was good and back to normal.  Well, my kind of normal!

I also want to mention at this time I pulled all of my children into the restroom and showed them the toilet bowl of blood and told them if they were to ever find the toilet looking like this after using the restroom they were to get me right away. We live in a society right now that sees many of the things that happen behind the bathroom door as taboo.  Not in my home. We are open. That way we are able to address issues before they become large issues. My children knew exactly what was going on with Mommy and what was being done in the mean time to get Mommy better.  Any of my children ages 3-7 could have stepped in as doctor and taken care of me at this time. Knowledge is power, regardless of your age.

Carob Energy Bars

We recently discovered this treat and we love it! The only bummer thing about it is that according to research carob can stunt the growth of young mammals. That means our children included.  However on the upside that means us adults can eat all that we want. And these are good!


Carob Energy bars

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey

Mix and Heat the two together on low heat once mixed together remove from heat and add in

1/2 cup carob powder

Once you have the powder mixed in move glop mixture to a square or rectangular baker (depending on how thick you want your bars to be) and mix in

3 cups of seeds, nuts, dried fruit

I find this part is a lot like kneading bread. Press mixture into pan, and cut your squares. Cover with ceran wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until firm. Best kept refrigerated or bars will go soft.