Essential oils aren't something new. They have been used for thousands of years as a medicine to heal the mind, body and soul. When you find the real deal, they can be a truly beneficial gift from mother earth. We are starting to look for healthier products on the market and some businesses are taking full advantage of this without safety in mind. Unfortunately, in today's society businesses are putting profit as the priority rather than the healing properties. So many brands of essential oils have saturated the market. Then uninformed buyers are putting their health at risk without even knowing it. As a concern, I decided to write a blog about this topic after doing a lot of research on my own before choosing an essential oil company. The one thing that concerns me the most is that people just want the best deal and I get it. However there are certain items you don't go cheap on! This is just one of those items because when it comes to essential oils, cheap can be risky. The truth is, it's expensive to make oils that contain a high percentage of the actual plant substance. So how do you know what you're buying? Did you know that it only takes 5% essential oil in a bottle to be labelled as a pure oil? They may even say 100% organic or therapeutic, its a lie! The rest of the 95% is chemicals that are used in perfume to enhance it's scent. There is no chance you are getting any healing benefits. So how is a bottle of essential oil $10? Many companies are selling adulterated oils so they can mass produce them and sell it at a lower cost. These are the ones you see in places like grocery stores or on amazon. Adulteration is when the company tries to extend the life of the oil by dumping chemicals in during distillation. Time is money and so they speed up the process of extracting the oils out of the plants. Adulterated oils present a danger because they overload the kidneys and liver. There is no way real lavender is $9.99...are you kidding me? They lie to the innocent consumer about the actual quality of the oil and its allowed. Most lavender oil out there is fake and most people are buying lavadin which is synthetic. If you use fake lavender to heal cuts or burns as intended, it can cause harmful effects or no healing at all. Would you put perfume on your cut? HELL NO! Distillation of oils is a science and when you disrupt this, it can cause havoc on the body. I've seen it happen! Some companies "extend" essential oils by mixing them with less expensive nut and seed oils, while others pass low-cost oils off as ones that are harder (and pricier) to come by. As an example if you see cheap rose oil, it's definitely a blend of some sort or not real at all. Where are the plants coming from? Some of the plants are bought at a low cost from farms which the companies do not own. So ask yourself, why are they cheap? Think about it. The farmers are spraying the plants with chemicals to keep bugs and weeds away. They also don't have to pay employees to tend to the fields. If you are anything like me, you believe in organic farming and NON-GMO. Food for thought, why is there a regular aisle and an organic aisle? Or a 'health food' aisle? Organic not a trend, it's going back to tradition. So what does that make the rest of the food in the store? Testing for quality Some people put a huge emphasis on the fact that you should purchase oils from companies that provide GC/MS reports. Gas Chromatography (GC) is a method of separating the volatile compounds in essential oils into individual components and produces a linear graph that charts these components. Mass Spectrometry (MS) identifies each of these components and their percentages. (link) Contrary to popular belief, they are not a guarantee of purity. Many companies manipulate the tests with additives and synthetics in certain proportions. This way the test gives them a passing grade. This testing may not always show additives either. Example: If Lilalyl acetate is added to pure lavender, the analysis alone cannot confidently determine whether that constituent is synthetic or natural, only that it is linalyl acetate. There is also human error. FACTS ABOUT GC-MS TESTING:
Here's a great example of how deceptive GC/MS tests that make an essential oil appear pure can be: "The methods for adulterating or even reconstructing essential oils have reached an astounding level of refinement. For example Lavender EO. It contains, in an authentic sample, the terpene alcohol linalool. The proportion of linalool in different Lavender EO may well vary to some degree. While the addition 5% of natural linalool, derived from another EO, can ultimately be proven by strenuous analytical effort, routine GC/MS will not detect it. In other words neither GC/MS or any other instrumental method alone can prove authenticity of an essential oil. That this is so can be verified by looking at some of the analyses posted on the internet. These analyses ostensibly demonstrate the purity of an oil, but anyone familiar with the composition of authentic Fine Lavender will notice quickly that quite some of the posted chromatograms reflect EO which are reconstructed to varying degrees." ~Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, Founder of the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy (click here for more) The old saying goes "You get what you pay for" and this is true in this industry. High quality, 100 percent pure essential oils are not cheap like synthetic scents, but for good reason. Essential oils are extremely concentrated. It takes a 1,000 pounds of handpicked flowers from an orange tree to produce the neroli essential oil, which has an incredible floral and citrusy intoxicating scent. Neroli is just one of many awesome options when it comes to essential oils. Also, make sure to avoid synthetic scents with pet products, since the dangers of synthetic scents can be similar for animals. Hidden Terms On labels of many items from cosmetics, candles and essential oils, often they use terms such as perfume, fragrance, fragrance oil and parfum. These are blanketed terms for chemical substance which include up to 200 undisclosed ingredients. First hand, I've seen the side-effects, not only personally but in family and friends. They can cause dizziness, headaches, rashes, coughing, vomiting, skin irritations and more. On another note, all the white musk you like so much is actually derived from a deceased Musk Deer. If you didn't know the Musk Deer was put on the endangered species list, so any musk you are using is fake! Impact on the Body According to the Breast Cancer Fund, when it comes to the prevention of cancer, avoiding synthetic fragrance is one of the main ways to help yourself. That’s because the dangers of synthetic scents include hormone-disrupting phthalates and synthetic musks. (link here) Research conducted by Dr. Philip J. Landrigan of the Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center demonstrates that fetal exposure to phthalates is linked to autism, symptoms of ADHD and neurological disorders. This why pregnant women have to be ultra careful when it comes to the products they’re exposed to on a daily basis. The dangers of synthetic scents could be even more life-altering for a developing fetus. Fragrances are one of the top five allergens in the world. (link here) Allergic reactions include headaches and migraines, difficulty breathing and sinus irritation, just to name a few. Fragrance mixtures also commonly trigger contact dermatitis, a type of allergic skin reaction. (link here) In recent years, health reports show that allergies, sinus problems, migraines and asthma have all increased dramatically. Many experts believe there’s a likely link between the rise in these conditions and the increased use of products containing fragrance. ( link here ) If you have asthma, you really don’t need anything to get in the way of breathing easily. It’s extremely common for asthmatics to suffer health symptoms when exposed to perfumes, colognes and other scented products, especially when they contain artificial scents. One study looked at patients with a history of worsening asthma symptoms after being exposed to cologne. They found that the patients’ exhalation volume decline by 18 to 58 percent during cologne exposure. (link here) - Dr. Axe, DC, DNM, CNS, Author HOW DO YOU CHOOSE? Most people don't truly educate themselves about essential oils before they buy. Do you actually want to use them to heal, to detox, to change your life? Well it may cost you extra, but many of us buy coffee, lattes or fancy drinks each day. In one week alone, it could accumulate to the amount you could have spent on a natural safe product in your home. They are more than just an oil. In fact there are many studies which back up their claims of health and wellness. I've had people say "Essential oils can be harmful too." Yes, but only if you use them irresponsibly or use cheap synthetic oils. You need to learn how to use them appropriately in regards to dilution for adults, children, babies and pets. Example, chocolate is fine for humans, but if you fed it to your dog its toxic and can cause illness such as kidney failure. Just as there are guidelines for medicinal dosages, the same goes for the essence of plants. Education is really key! MY STORY AND WHY I CHOSE YOUNG LIVING It’s no secret if you follow me, I became a little oil obsessed once I witnessed how they worked their magic on me. Even in the depths of my illness, I started sharing my story and educating others. When becoming sick with no answers from medical doctors, it created an uncontrollable anxiety. So I decided to take back the control by empowering myself with education. The more I learned about natural health and wellness, the more the anxiety melted away. I had consultations with a Naturopathic Doctor who specialized in Environmental Medicine. It opened my eyes to the toxins we are subjected to every day. I learned that it's making us all overweight, sick and tired. Some immediately and some slowly over time. Searching for answers and trying natural remedies became my mission. With each choice you make to align your soul, you empower yourself. Authentic power is built up step by step, choice by choice and it must be earned. So in all of this mess how did I choose? After doing my research it came down to Young Living and their Seed to Seal Promise. I was against it at first because I really couldn't afford it. I wasn't working due to illness but someone shared it with me. When I started noticing a difference it sparked a flame inside me. The reading I had done in regards to toxins made me realize I had to change my life by removing them. I am a true believer in purity, and wellness advocate for real food. I support organic farming and purchase only the best food, water, supplements, body and cleaning products. I try to live my life as nature intended us to, without food like substances, chemicals, GMO's and synthetic products. I want to know the farmer, support locals and know where I'm purchasing from. After a lot of thought, I took the plunge because I knew my health was worth it. Young living is the only company in complete control of the entire process. From choosing the seeds, planting, harvesting, distilling and testing in triplicate in 15 different ways, in-house and 3rd party. Young Living owns and operate their own farms and have distilleries all over the world! This includes partnering with farms and farmers directly who follow our Seed to Seal standards, making them truly unique. They do this to maintain the strictest standards of quality. This allows them to be in control of every process of the production of their oils, seed to seal; choosing the seeds, cultivation, distillation, testing and sealing the final bottle. Above all other oils, they supply the most therapeutic grade, unadulterated oils as nature intended. Essential oils are one of those things where you truly do get what you pay for. Yes, you can buy a cheaper bottle of an oil elsewhere, but buyer beware, you're receiving an inferior product. Young Living plants their OWN organic seeds. Saving seeds from the strongest of plants. They cultivate their own crops following above organic standards. They even use their own essential oils on their plants for pest control + the cleaning of equipment. They own their OWN distilleries and they are located on the farms. They oversee everything from planting the seeds, to the sealing of the bottles, guaranteeing they are pure beyond a shadow of a doubt. Young Living is transparent, anyone of us can visit any of the farms across the world and volunteer our time. You'll never waste a drop of oil again once you see the blood, sweat and tears that goes into the creation. No one can compete with 30 years experience, their immense research capabilities and the farms that they own around the world. - Pure Culture The Community If you're sick and tired of feeling run down, I got you! When someone decides to ditch their toxic products and switch to natural, I wanted a safe place for them to find it. This is why I made the decision to create educational blogs and sell them on my website (click here) When you become a member you become a part of the Pure Culture Facebook Group. You will gain a whole new wellness family, which will love and support you. We will run alongside you, answer all your questions, guide you on how to use your oils safely, provide videos, classes and non-stop education and inspiration. Did I mention we do BIG, fun giveaways every month! Where do you begin? The starter kit is how many begin, it’s $199 plus tax but totally worth it as an investment in yourself and your family. It’s like replacing your medicine cabinet and making your home toxic free . Even if you make a FREE membership you don’t have to buy anything or you can choose to buy even 1 or 2 oils, it’s up to you. However if you make the free login, you can browse and I will add you to an online facebook community called Pure Culture. Then you can see the magic first hand. You can ask questions, see testimonials and get recipes for just about anything. When you join I will send you a welcome email and a Get Started Guide with education, recipes and more! Contact me directly anytime so I can guide you on your journey to wellness. Keays2wellness Store: www.myyl.com/keays2wellness If you decide to purchase anything through my website you get 24% off retail price on most items and free shipping on your first order from me personally!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Keays2WellnessWellness Warrior, Fitness Enthusiast, Nerd and Intuitive Medium Archives
December 2018
Categories |