Young Living Essential Oils » Uncategorized

Stress Away

Melissa Boice — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:12:12 +0000

The ROLL-ON for MANAGING STRESS, NATURALLY

For the first time ever, Young Living has combined the soothing scents of lime and vanilla absolute in a handy roll-on. This wonderful blend of essential oils brings a sense of calm in the midst of a hectic day.

Stress Away is also the first Young Living blend to feature ocotea – the newest essential oil from the jungles of Ecuador! Ocotea has high levels of alpha humalene, which is both calming to the nerves and stimulating to the mind.

This wonderful blend’s unique aroma also includes lavender and copaiba essential oils to relieve anxiety and restore balance, while key naturally-occurring constituents cedrol and eugenol reduce nervous tension.

So next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, STOP! and take a big breath…of Stress Away!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER!

For more information, see the Stress Away product Information page .

A Healthy Immune System: The “Anti-Virus”

Melissa Boice — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:46:00 +0000

With the stressors in our environment, germs, and poor dietary choices, our immune systems can easily become weakened. Then we catch whatever bug comes along. We are more likely to catch colds and other viruses when our immunity is down.

In addition to being highly contagious, one of the problems with viruses is they mutate so quickly. Scientists may formulate a vaccine to treat one strain of a virus and in the meantime it has morphed into something else.

Essential oils, however, are very complex in nature. The variety of constituents in an oil make them ideal for combating “superbugs”. Think about this: One essential oil can have anywhere from 200 to 800 chemical constituents. If a virus or bacteria mutates or becomes resistant to one component, an essential oil employs its other constituents to stop the bug’s progression. It’s like having a gang of superheroes at your disposal. If one chemical constituent doesn’t protect you, you can be pretty sure there will be others who will save the day!

Essential oils have a history of effectively combating contagious bugs. During a plague in the 15th century, a small band of thieves robbed the dead and dying. Although the plague was highly contagious, not one of this band was infected, despite being exposed to it daily. Eventually, the thieves were caught. In exchange for a more lenient punishment, they disclosed the formula of herbs, spices and oils they used to protect themselves.

Young Living has an essential oil blend that is based on that historical legend. Thieves is a synergistic blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary. This proprietary blend of pure essential oils was tested at Weber State University and found to have a 99.3 percent effective rate against airborne microorganisms when diffused for only 20 minutes.

The oils in Thieves are antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral.

A few easy ways to benefit from Thieves essential oils is to apply a few drops to your feet, run a cold air diffuser for 15 minutes several times a day, or put several drops in a capsule and take it internally. Another option is to add it to hot water and drink it as a tea or add a few drops to a spoonful of coconut oil.

Thieves is one of the oils that I will always have on hand. It is a “super hero” that just may save the day. It smells good, too! Here are some essential oil singles known for their antiviral properties:

Basil
Cinnamon Bark
Clove
Eucalyptus blue
Eucalyptus globulus
Eucalyptus citriatora
Eucalyptus polybractea
Eucalyptus radiata
Galbanum
Hyssop
Jasmine
Marjoram
Melaleuca
Melissa
Mountain Savory
Myrrh
Oregano
Patchouli
Peppermint
Pine
Ravensara
Rosemary
Rosewood
Sage
Tarragon
Thyme
Idaho Tansy

If you want to be sure you are using truly therapeutic-grade oils, only choose Young Living Essential Oils. Who has time to waste on inferior oils?

Essential Oils vs. Essential Hypertension

Melissa Boice — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:00:00 +0000

The effects of the inhalation method using essential oils on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension

Department of Nursing, Geochang Provincial College, Geochang-gun, Gyungnam, Korea. jhhwang@kc.ac.kr

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of aromatherapy on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension.

METHOD: There were fifty-two subjects divided into an essential oil group, placebo group, and control group by random assignment. The application of aromatherapy was the inhalation method of blending oils with lavender, ylang ylang, and bergamot once daily for 4 weeks. To evaluate the effects of aromatherapy, blood pressure and pulse were measured two times a week and serum cortisol levels, catecholamine levels, subjective stress, and state anxiety were measured before and after treatment in the three groups. Data was analyzed by repeated measures of ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, and chi(2)-test using the SPSS 10.0 program.

RESULTS: The blood pressure, pulse, subjective stress, state anxiety, and serum cortisol levels among the three groups were significantly statistically different. The differences of catecholamine among the three groups were not significant statistically.

CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the inhalation method using essential oils can be considered an effective nursing intervention that reduces psychological stress responses and serum cortisol levels, as well as the blood pressure of clients with essential hypertension.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&term=Hwang JH. %2B essential oils&doptcmdl=Books

PMID: 17211115 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Essential Integrity

Melissa Boice — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:45:00 +0000

One of the things I love about Young Living is that I can trust the oils are truely pure and therapeutic-grade. Did you know that many oils that are labeled “certified pure therapeutic-grade” do not meet Young Living’s quality standards? I have listened to Gary Young as he explained different ways oils can be altered to appear to be therapeutic-grade. It takes someone with years of training and experience to discern whether an oil has the chemical compounds and purity that determine whether an oil is truely therapeutic-grade. Gary Young has 27 years of experience distilling essential oils and has studied the art with several masters.

I trust the quality because I have personally visited Young Living’s farms in Utah and Idaho and have seen the care that is put into the organic farming process. The plants are carefully cultivated and harvested at the optimum time for peak quality. The distillation process is carefully monitored to get the best oil out of each specific type of plant. Even the way the oils are bottled preserves the therapeutic value.

The following excerpt from An Introduction to Young Living Essential Oils highlights one aspect of the integrity used in the distillation process:

Young Living takes extraordinary pains to preserve all of the fragile chemical constituents in our essential oils. Plants are steam distilled in small batches for extended periods using a special low-pressure, low-heat vertical steam technology developed by D. Gary Young. No solvents or synthetic chemicals of any kind are used or added. Moreover, the cookers are constructed from costly stainless steel alloys to minimize the possibility of the essential oil being chemically altered by more reactive metals, such as steel or copper. The results are masterpieces with subtle fragrances, distinctive textures, and unique therapeutic properties.

Essential oils are rich tapestries of numerous chemical components, some of which – even in small quantities – contribute important therapeutic benefits. Cypress, for example, requires 24 hours of distillation at 245*F and 5 pounds of pressure to extract all of its active ingredients. If distillation is shortened by only two hours, 18 to 20 of its chemical constituents will be missing. To cut costs, some processors increase pressure and heat and cut distillation times dramatically. Even though the oil is considered pure, it may only contain a fraction of its possible complex chemistry – and therapeutic value.

Aromatic Armor for Economic Distress

Melissa Boice — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:41:00 +0000

Almost everywhere I go, I hear people commenting on the current economic crisis. What to do? How can we protect ourselves from all of the negative energy that is blasted at us when we talk to nervous friends, watch the news, or go to the grocery store and gas station and find that prices have risen again?

Here are some tips I use to keep myself balanced:

Instead of dwelling on the negative, I ask “So what do I want?”
I focus on positive action steps that I can implement TODAY. That may be as simple as turning off the lights as I leave the room, planning my driving route or giving attention to my home-based business.
I wear the essential oil blend Abundance as I pay my bills and go shopping.
I use stress relieving techniques like EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and guided meditation along with applying or diffusing therapeutic-grade essential oils.
Everyday, I review what went right. I express gratitude for all that was good. That can involve making a quick phone call, thanking my husband for helping with the dishes or saying a prayer of thanksgiving for what I have.
Daydream about the future you want and take steps toward that reality.
SMILE…it makes people wonder what you’ve been up to!

One of my favorite essential oil blends, White Angelica, actually provides an energetic shield that blocks negative energy from affecting the wearer.

Application: White Angelica works great applied to shoulders. Breathing in its protective aroma by diffusing or wearing as a perfume is also very uplifting.

White Angelica contains:

Geranium is believed to be a shield from negative comments, ill intentions and meanness by embracing us with feelings of comfort and protection. The scent of geranium creates a secure place for us to reconnect to our true feelings.
Spruce oil brings calm assurance to those suffering from fear and anxiety.
Myrrh is an ideal oil for people who lie in bed and repeat the same thoughts again and again. It is believed that myrrh oil offers fortitude and courage.
Ylang Ylang has a beautiful aroma that shields when in love, protecting one from a broken heart. The oil is believed to balance male and female energy, bringing harmony to these very different sides of our personalities.
Hyssop aroma is believed to protect against pessimism and encourage clarity and balance.
Bergamot encourages feelings of strength and confidence, protecting one from fear and anxiety. Bergamot is ideal for long, difficult days of frayed nerves and continual frustration.
Melissa encourages strength and cheerfulness. When used with geranium (as it is in this formula), the two oils bring reassurance and quell feelings of insecurity.
Sandalwood oil protects one from being overly concerned about worldly possessions. It is believed to aid in meditation and prayer by encouraging serenity and insightfulness.
Rose possesses a beautiful aroma. The scent of rose protects against melancholy, grief and anxiety. It is particularly useful for those filled with grief after a loss.
Rosewood inspires protection and love.

White Angelica #3432

Therapeutic-Grade vs. Lower-Quality Oils

Melissa Boice — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:30:00 +0000

There is a huge difference between oils that merely smell good and therapeutic-grade essential oils. The quality of Young Living’s pure and potent essential oils has established credibility with eminent scientists and medical professionals who continue to research and validate the effectiveness of these timeless and natural wonders.

Reported effects of essential oils are based on results that occur when using pure, unadulterated products. Do not expect cheap copies that smell similar to natural plant oils to have the same effects. If you do not experience the results you seek, it is not because the oils do not work, but is more likely due to using an adulterated oil or a chemically-created substitute. Young Living Essential Oils produces only therapeutic-grade essential oils.

THERAPEUTIC-GRADE OILS:
The pure essence of roots, leaves, bark, stems, and flowers are carefully distilled from wild or field-nurtured plants. The result is unadulterated essential ois that exhibit powerful effects on the body and the mind.

Lower-Quality Oils:
The aroma may be mingled with chemical pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizers. Additives may be used to dilute the oil, or the scent may result from artificail substances created in the laboratory.

THERAPEUTIC-GRADE OILS:
Pure oils are obtained from correctly identified plant species, offering naturally occurring, therapeutic-grade constituents.

Lower-Quality Oils:
An oil may be modified with synthetic chemical components to obtain the desired aroma, without the therapeutic-grade constituents.

THERAPEUTIC-GRADE OILS:
Pure water is used for the distillation process, keeping the oils free of additives.

Lower-Quality Oils:
Water for distillation may be treated with chlorine, fluorine, and a list of other chemicals that may mix with the oils.

THERAPEUTIC-GRADE OILS:
A proprietary stainless steel distillation process uses low temperatures and pressure to preserve all plant properties and constituents.

Lower-Quality Oils:
High pressure, high heat, metal distilleries react chemically with the oils and damage beneficial constituents.

THERAPEUTIC-GRADE OILS:
Slow distillation captures the pure essence of the plant and preserves the quality of the essential oils.

Lower-Quality Oils:
Quick distillation processes damage the oils and decrease the overall quality of the oils.

This information was excerpted from “Scents and Scentsability”, published by Young Living Essential Oils.

How Essential Oils Work

Melissa Boice — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:34:00 +0000

We connect to our environment by means of our senses. The senses of smell and touch link us to our past and help us create balance in our lives now.

THE SENSE OF SCENT

Have you ever smelled something that immediately took you back to a long forgotten memory? I remember when I first smelled Young Living’s oil blend SARA, I had a specific memory of playing with a doll house that my grandparents gave us. How did that happen?

An aroma consists of volatile molecules that float in the air. When a scent hits the olfactory receptor cells that line our noses, nerves fire and send messages to the limbic area of the brain. These messages activate thoughts and memories that are stored in the brain or other parts of the body. The olfactory receptor cells also stimulate the pituitary gland to release chemical messages cause physical body and emotional responses. All of this happens in less than a second!

THE SENSE OF TOUCH

When we apply therapeutic-grade essential oils to our skin, the oils are quickly absorbed because of their tiny molecular structure. Once the oil reaches the dermal layer of the skin, the chemical compounds in the oil can create emotional and physical responses in the body. Let’s look at Lavender Augustifolia, for example. The esters found in Lavender Augustifolia create a balancing effect in the body, while the aldehydes are antimicrobial and calming. At the same time, ketones stimulate cell regeneration and liquify mucous. (When I have a stuffy nose, putting lavender on my sinuses always helps me breathe easier.) One oil, many effects!

Only choose Young Living therapeutic-grade oils: the right plants, distilled with knowledge and care, 100% pure, every batch is tested to confirm it meets or exceeds Young Living’s therapeutic-grade standards.

Helichrysum: Now In Stock!

Melissa Boice — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:17:00 +0000

Gary Young, founder and president of Young Living Essential Oils, and his team of sourcing specialists, have scoured the globe testing samples of helichrysum from dozens of distilleries. They identified an international source that could provide an ongoing supply of helichrysum while meeting our stringent therapeutic-grade standards.

Young Living’s therapeutic-grade helichrysum provides a defense against harmful free radicals, making it a vital ingredient in several Young Living essential oil blends, including the popular PanAway® and Deep Relief™ Roll-On. Helichrysum has been known to increase circulation and aid in clearing skin blemishes and bruises. It is also know for its restorative properties and provides excellent support to the skin, liver, and nervous system.

Be one of the first to get your 5 ml bottle of helichrysum and experience the powerful effects of Young Living’s therapeutic-grade standard for yourself.

Item No. 3563 5 ml
Whsl. $77.75 / Pref. cust. $90.03 / Retail $102.30 / PV 77.75

A helichrysum testimonial from Jenny Cortez:

I suffer from migraines occasionally. I used 2 drops of helichrysum and 2 drops of peppermint oil on the base of my neck and within a couple of minutes the migraine was gone. I never had one leave that fast before; it was so much better than using my regular medication which makes me nauseated and groggy. Using the oils is a very natural way of relieving the pain and with no side effects. Its been several months now and I have used this same remedy 2 other times with great success.

How Do You Know Your Helichrysum is Good?

Melissa Boice — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:34:00 +0000

by David Stewart, PhD

Helichrysum is a universal essential oil, high in antioxidants, with numerous applications. It is also expensive to produce. Useful oils that are expensive to produce create a temptation on the part of oil suppliers to cheat in various ways. They can take a real oil and dilute it with a colorless, odorless substance. They can extract the oil from a similar plant species that is inexpensive to grow and distill, and then manipulate it into what may appear as a more exotic oil by deleting certain constituents or adding synthetic compounds to imitate the fragrance or taste of the expensive oil they wish to imitate. They may also cut costs in the distillation by doing so at high temperatures and high pressures that significantly reduces the distillation time and, thus, saves labor and fuel. They may also extract some oils by petrochemical solvents which leave toxic traces in the finished oil. Clever chemists can also construct a synthetic oil by combining the compounds in a laboratory that comprise the fragrance of an oil, but omitting the compounds that are odorless and do not participate in the fragrance, thus imitating the smell, but not the full constituency of the oil. All of these shortcuts and deceptions result in oils that may fulfill flavor or fragrance standards, even the AFNOR standard, but which lack the full suite of compounds necessary for the oil to have healing properties.

Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) is also known as Everlasting and Immortelle. It is a member of the Aster/Daisy Family of plants. It has traditionally been wild-crafted, meaning gathered from the wild instead of cultivated. The oil comes from its flowers. It only grows in certain altitudes and climates.

The main ingredient in Helichrysum oil is neryl acetate (25-50%). Gary Young believes this compound is key to Helichrysum’s amazing therapeutic benefits. Neryl acetate has no detectable fragrance. The fragrance of Helichrysum is mainly from two ketones in the oil: italidione (15-20% and beta-diketone (1-2%), both of which are unique to Helichrysum, not being found in any other oil. Neryl acetate, however, is found in many oils in minor or trace amounts. Neroli, Rose, and Petitgrain contain 1-3% neryl acetate while Bergamot, Lavandin, Melissa and Myrtle contain 0-1%. Helichrysum stands apart from all other oils in the large concentration of neryl acetate it contains, considerably higher than any other oil.

Helichrysum also contains a significant quantity of sesquiterpenes (10-20%), mainly curcumene and caryophylene which may help regulate blood pressure and cholesterol and may have other beneficial properties. However, these sesquiterpenes have little or no fragrance and don’t contribute significantly to the aroma of Helichrysum. There is also l-limonene (8-13%), a monoterpene that adds an evergreen or pine-like note to the aroma of Helichrysum. Another key compound in Helichrysum is eugenol (1-2%), a phenol with anesthetic properties that contributes to the oil’s pain-relieving properties and adds a hint of clove to the aroma. There is also a minor amount of 1,8 cineol (1-2%) that adds a camphor-like fragrance to the oil. In addition to these main ingredients, there are more than a hundred other trace compounds, all of which have to be there for Helichrysum to provide the full spectrum of healing properties for which it is known. Virtually none of these other compounds contribute to the fragrance.

Therefore, one could synthesize a pretty good imitation of Helichrysum in a laboratory that would closely mimic its fragrance, but contain none of its therapeutic qualities. Just combine the right proportions of synthetic italidione, beta-diketone, l-limonene, eugenol, and 1,8 cineol and you would have an oil that, to most people, would smell exactly like Helichrysum, but at a fraction of the cost of natural Helichrysum. In fact, you could increase the percent of 1,8 cineol a little, or add a little camphor, and the oil would have a stronger, more intense fragrance than therapeutic grade Helichrysum that might fool you into thinking that it was a better, stronger, more potent grade than the real thing.

However, a person with a trained nose would not be fooled and would know the difference right away. While neryl acetate has no fragrance, its presence in Helichrysum in its natural proportions of 25-50% alters the fragrance of all of the other ingredients. Thus, a fragrance expert can tell if neryl acetate is missing or in too low a concentration by the overall bouquet of the fragrance from all the other constituents. There are few people in the world who can do this.

Some time ago, Young Living received what was to have been a year’s supply of Helichrysum. As soon as Gary Young smelled it, he knew that neryl acetate, the main ingredient, was missing. He reported his analysis to Dr. Sue Chao, the head chemist in the Young Living Testing Laboratory who did an analysis. Sure enough, Gary was right. There was no neryl acetate.

So Gary rejected the shipment and returned it to the supplier. He refused to market a false oil to Young Living distributors, even though no one would have known unless they had an expert nose like Gary’s or a $100,000 gas chromatograph to analyze it. That shipment was refused even though this meant that Young Living would have to do without Helichrysum for an extended period of time. Such is the integrity of Young Living and its founder.

However, that batch of false Helichrysum was not wasted. When it went back to its supplier, it was sold to another company who markets it as therapeutic grade Helichrysum. Either that company lacks the technical expertise to recognize a manipulated, non-therapeutic grade of oil and has been duped by its wholesaler, or that company knows better but lacks sufficient integrity to refuse to peddle a fraud.

So how do you know your Helichrysum is good? Unless you have the nose for it or the advanced laboratory equipment to analyze it, you can’t know. Ultimately, you may be able to find out by trial and error by seeing if you get therapeutic results from the oil or not. But testing the authenticity of an oil by clinical trials is difficult and time-consuming requiring some skill in applying the scientific method. In the end, you can only know the quality of your oil by knowing a supplier who can identify the purity of a therapeutic grade oil and whom you can trust.

In Young Living we have both the know-how and the integrity. When you buy Young Living Helichrysum, you know it is good. Any other brand is anyone’s guess.

Reprinted from The Raindrop Messenger, a FREE e-newsletter. To subscribe, visit the web site: http://www.RaindropTraining.com.

Keeping it Cool With Peppermint

Melissa Boice — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:16:00 +0000

Peppermint is one of my favorite summertime oils. Whether working outside in the heat, soothing tense muscles and headaches, or added to water as a refreshing drink, peppermint is a must for summertime living.

On hot summer days when I am working outside, I add a drop of peppermint oil to my glass water bottle. The oil actually cools you internally…try it! Another way to benefit from peppermint’s cooling effect is to put a drop or two on the back of your neck, on pulse points, or on the bottoms of your feet.

By the way, did you know that ONE drop of peppermint is equal to TWENTY-EIGHT cups of peppermint tea made from the dried herb? Peppermint oil is highly concentrated – a little goes a long way!

Next time you have an upset stomach or indigestion, make yourself a cup of “tea” with a drop of Young Living’s therapeutic-grade peppermint oil and a little agave or honey. Dr. Jean Valnet, one of the pioneers of aromatherapy in 20th century, suggested using peppermint oil internally (2-5 drops several times a day) for the treatment of “sluggish digestion”.

Dr. Alan Hirsch studied the effects of inhaled peppermint on the satiety center of the brain. He found that it actually triggered the “full” feeling when inhaled.

Applying a few drops of peppermint to my feet, temples or neck (whatever seems appropriate) at the first sign of a tension headache usually knocks it out within minutes. I also can’t keep myself from inhaling its wonderful scent! Rubbing a couple of drops on sore muscles and joints often relieves discomfort, too. One of the reasons peppermint oil is so helpful for headaches other pains is because its main active compound is menthone. Menthone, like other ketones, is anti-inflammatory. Since inflammation plays a huge part in many of our aches and pains, it is easy to see why peppermint is so beneficial.

Beneficial for us, yes. For pesky ants and spiders…NO! If I see any ants looking like they want to come inside my house, I put several drops of peppermint oil in a sprayer bottle with some water and spray the door thresholds and any other areas they may use as an entrance. This also worked when a spider set up home in our mailbox. A few sprays inside the mailbox, and the spider chose another place to live. Yay!

Peppermint oil is one of the oils I always have in my purse. I use it as a breath freshener, to nix a headache, to flavor my water when I am out and about, and to help myself wake up when tired. Try some peppermint today and let me know how you enjoy it!