Purity, Testing and Potency of essential oils

So, I've been meaning to address this for awhile, but recently I have had some emails and comments regarding this so I thought I would hit it hard!  These three thing go together beautifully and I will try to explain fairly well :) I did not know how important this was when I first started using oils, but I have been learning a lot about it lately, so I am excited to pass it on.  I will also list additional books and resources at the end to help aid in learning about these things!!!  This may seem very boring, but please read as it is very important!!!

Purity

Purity is huge with essential oils!  It is the most important thing when choosing a brand or company to buy from.  If an oil is 100% pure it means has no synthetics, fillers, chemicals and residual pesticides.  It must have all of it's proper constituents, be grown in it's native habitat and be harvested at the proper time in it's life cycle and season.  There are many many things that can affect an oils purity and therefore how well it works.  Unfortunately there are many oils that claim to be 100% pure therapeutic grade, but are actually 100% synthetic.  Or they may have fillers, or chemicals and/or pesticides that have absorbed into the plant.  Any of those things can cause major problems (allergic reactions, poisoning and etc.) if someone uses them and especially if they use them internally!  How do you know if the oils you are using are truly pure or just claim to be.  Well, it's not easy :)  I have recently learned that smelling and visual examination are not good ways to tell as an oil can be 100% synthetic and smell really really good or look really really good!  The best way is testing.

Testing


There are several tests that oils need to go through to make sure they are really truly 100% therapeutic grade!  The first and most common test is the gas chromatograph (GCT).  Most companies actually do this test which is good, but not enough.  This test determines quantity of compounds but not there origin.  It cannot tell if the compounds are synthetic or natural and it does not test for fillers, pesticides and stuff like that.

The next test is far less common.  It is called the Mass Spectrometry (MST) test.  This test is very expensive and so most companies do not do it.  I know of only 2 companies that do this test and of those two companies only 1 that does it on EVERY batch using an third party to run this test.  The MST takes the results of the the GCT and breaks it down even further.  It can tell if the compounds are natural or synthetic and if there is anything in the oils that shouldn't be!  This test is a must to determine the purity of an oil.

Other tests include Infrared Spectroscopy, NIR FT Raman Microspectroscopy and Heavy Metals Testing.  I won't go into details on them, but they are also tests that are done for purity purposes.

If you want to know if a company does these tests, call them or email them.  I have called or emails a dozen companies and most of the time they beat around the bush or don't respond.  Personally I use doTERRA.  They are the only company I know of that do ALL of those tests on EVERY batch and if they don't pass with flying colors they are shipped back.  I would love to know if any of you know of any other company that does any or all of those tests besides the GCT....I love doTERRA, but I would like to know of any other...just to compare :)

doTERRA actully puts supplement labels on their oils that are ok to take internally.  Plus they say right on them "For aromatic, topical or dietary use" if they can be used for those things.  They have been tested and found pure enough that they can do that!  IF YOUR OILS DO NOT HAVE SUPPLEMENT LABELS ON THEM DO NOT TAKE THEM INTERNALLY!  Here are some pics I just took of my lavender oil :) My Frankincense also has supplement labels as do my clove, orange and all of the other ones I mentioned in my regime (except for Balance) I hope you all can see them ok!  Click on them to enlarge.

 

Sorry if they look kinda weird!  I turned the pics on their side so they would be easy to read!!!  

Potency

Here are a few quick facts.  So, if an oil is really truly pure it is extremely potent.  Because of that you can use less to get the same effect as if you used an oil of lesser quality.  Essential Oils are 50-70 times more potent than dried herbs.  One drop of the peppermint oil I use is roughly equivalent to 26 cups of peppermint tea.  Thats super potent people!  Price point is important to people, so I thought the potency was an important thing to include.  Even though the extra testing means pricier oils, they go a lot further and you will have better results.  Not to mention your chances of negative reactions are greatly decreased.

Additional Resources


Most of my resources are doTERRA specific as far as the oils go, but the other info (such as on purity and testing) that is also found in these resources is pretty global info.

Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils


Has so much info on oils, their compounds and constituents and how to use them for hundreds and hundreds of conditions.  Lots of footnotes backing up the things they are used for.

   'Frankincense—Essential Oil Library Volume 1' by Dr. David Hill



This book  has so much info on Frankincense in general but also on purity, testing, quality and method of distillation.  Dr. Hill is an MD that is also one of the leading experts on oils.


Everything Essential Website


Just check it out!  Tons and tons of info.

Quick update

I've been on vacation and teaching classes, so I have not been able to post my lastest and greatest.....I had another appt. with my endo.  I got my latest blood results a few weeks ago.  My prolactin is down to 6.7!  The lab technician called me personally to tell me to come back in for a retest!  The initial results were 7.9 and she thought it was wrong "because prolactin levels do not fall that fast!"  The retest results were 6.7 two days later :) I am very happy with these results and hope that my "Aunt Flo" visits soon.  I am currently off cabergoline and plan on maintaining with frankincense and some vitamin supplements I have recently started on!  Wish me luck!  Anyway, I will post more soon and I will post another oil of the week...or month if I keep going like I have been!  Sorry for slacking and a special thanks to those that were willing the share their experience with me via blog and email and even phone!  It always boosts my spirits and strength to hear from others and their experiences...good and bad.  So many of you are so strong and keep going even when things are so hard.  Thanks for sharing even when it is hard.  Thank you thank you thank you!

Share :)

This is gonna be a short post because everyone always hears from me.  I want to hear from you!  I want to know if any of you have had success with your natural stuff, if so, what do you use and how much?  What is your story?  There are people from all over the world that read this blog and I would love some feedback and to know other experiences!!!  If you are too shy to post, feel free to email me :)  I won't share, but I would love to learn from and hear from you!  My email is hyperprolactinoma@gmail.com

Some of you do post, but I cannot view your blog or profile...if you don't want 

me to that is fine, but I'd love to get to know some of you better :)  

(does that sound scary or what!)

P.S.  I would love some good healthy recipes too if you have any to share!!!  

No refined sugar, or milk and whole grains are good!

Clove

Clove is my oil of the week :)  It is the first oil I am rotating into my regime.  I am rotating 5 or 6 different oils into my regime to hopefully increase the results of my prolactin levels and help my tumor shrink even more. I've been taking it for a few days now and I've been learning about it as much as I can!  Clove's major constituent is Phenols and 85% of that should be a constituent called Eugenol.  Eugenol is amazing!!!  It is cancer-preventative, anti-inflammatory and an anti-oxidant.  All these things can help reduce tumors!  Phenols are very strong though and should be used for only a short period of time.  There is a pretty good article I read on Eugenol and Melanoma.  You can find it here.  I put clove in a capsule as it is way too strong for me to take in my mouth.  I take 4 or 5 drops in a capsule twice a day, morning and night.  I also rinse my mouth with clove oil after I brush my teeth because clove is VERY good for your teeth!  If you have a toothache or anything clove will help numb it (or pretty much anything you may need to numb)  It's very good for infections, especially skin infections.  It stimulates the immune system and is a very strong antiseptic  :)  Does anyone have anything to add?  I hope this was informative and not too boring!  Enjoy clove!

Essential Oils convention and eating better :(

I went to an essential oils convention a few weeks ago and learned soooooooooooooooooo much!  I learned alot about hormones, eating healthy and all sorts of good stuff!  I talked to Dr. Hill who is a medical doctor and also one of the most knowledgeable people about essential oils in the world!  I had talked to him before, but I wanted to ask him specifically about my prolactin levels and how they were plateauing.  He remembered me almost immediately (I know he talks to hundreds and maybe thousands of people a month!  I couldn't believe he remembered me as I had met him once several months ago...)  He asked about my baby (oh that's probably why :)  my babe is definitely one most people remember...he's just so cute) and my husband and proceeded to explain that I should cycle in other oils weekly that also have anti-tumor properties, but to keep taking the frankincense all the time as that one is the best.  So, i will be cycling in Wild Orange, Clove, Lavender, Sandlewood, Patchouli, and grapefruit!  As I do so, I will try to write about each on as i do research on them and explain what they have in them that will help me and stuff like that!  This week I am taking clove...so I will do research and fill you in on it :)

So the eating health part....I learned that tumors thrive on refined sugar and milk and stuff like that.  *tears*  I am a steak and potato girl.  I grew up on a farm and I love me some whole milk, homemade ice cream, and just good, homestyle fatty, sugary food!  There is no way I can just turn into some sort of health freak!  (ok, some of you are chuckling right now cuz you think I already am a healthy hippy chick who used oils and wears hemp and chaccos)  well, I do love my chaccos and I try to be earth friendly and pick litter up if I see it, but that is about as far as i go although, I am trying to be better!  (I really want a compost, but that will come once we are remodeled...etc)  Anyway, back to the food thing....if it don't taste good, I won't eat it.  If it don't taste good my hubby won't eat it...end of discussion.  So, here is what I am going to do.  We are going to eat as much raw fruits and veggies as possible (we really love those) and I am going to try to cook and eat mostly whole grains, no milk and cut out refined sugar as much as possible.  I am going to post the recipes that both of us like under a new thing-a-ma-bobber (the tab things at the top of my blog)  That way the gross recipes will never see the light of day and you can enjoy the things we enjoy!  We already have a couple of good ice cream recipes that are delicious!  So, yeah, trying to eat better.  I'll try to keep my enthusiasm for that part of my life safely contained on that new tab, thing-a-ma-bopper!  I don't think it will be too hard!

So far behind!!!!

Oh, where to start!!!  Oh wait, I'm STILL trying to keep stress levels down, so I won't stress about it, I will just type :)  I've learned so much in the last month and I can't wait to share it ALL, but alas, baby steps.  So, update on stress.  I've let go my main stress and am happy to report that I can breathe and i don't feel the huge knot in my gut!  Don't get me wrong...I still have plenty to do, but now I can do it instead of having my life completely sucked into one never ending project!  I have been getting lots more sleep as well, and I have learned that sleep majorly reduces stress!  So get some sleep!  In fact, as soon as you are done reading this, take a nap :)  You most likely deserve it.

My levels are back down to 103 as of a month ago.  I really want to break that 100 mark!  I went to see the endo and we had a nice chat.  He spent 45 minutes with me answering questions and having me explain what I have been doing.  He said that he can't argue with the fact that the Frankincense has been lowering my levels and shrinking my tumor.  He says to keep taking the frankincense.  After all, it is what the wisemen gave to Baby Jesus, so it must be good stuff!  (He actually said that).  He wanted me to go on Cabergoline and just try it out as he is worried that I haven't had more than 5 periods in about that many years!  I learned that us prolactinoma people are at high risk for osteoporosis since our estrogen/progesterone cycles are few and far between!  I haven't started cycling again since I stopped nursing so I was stressing about it too!  I really hated bromo and couldn't stand to be on it so I really didn't want to take Cabergoline either...  I have heard horror stories about it and so I drug my feet and thunk and prayed about it.  I finally decided to go on it for a month and try it out along with my essential oils and see how it went.  So far, massive headaches (my hubby thinks I'm having my first migraines ever) that last for days, dizziness, near blackouts, sinus crap.....yeah, it sucks.  I'm using the oils to try to counteract the side effects and they dull them, but the medicine induced headaches suck.  I have another appt. in a couple weeks.

Stressin over Stress.....

I got my last blood test results and my levels were back up to 141.  WHAT THE?!?  I thought they would decrease for sure after weaning my baby!!!  So, I decided to evaluate and do some more studying....In the course of the last couple of weeks I have learned that stress can play a major role in heightening prolactin levels!  I think I knew this, but hadn't really thought much about it due to all the craziness in my life lately!  In fact, in one of my earlier posts I even admitted that I think stress had a major role in triggering my prolactinoma in the first place!  (See The Beginning????)

In the last few months my prolactin levels has gone from 108 to 130 to 110 to 141.  In fact, April 13th is when it was 108 and April 17th is the day we moved into our new home, and started remodeling.  It's been bouncing around ever since then.  My husband has a job where he works 4 days on and 4 days off.  We remodel for 4 days, then clean as good as we can.  Our house is semi-clean for 4 days then we start all over again.  Needless to say, I do not do well in chaos and our house has definitely been chaotic.  It's especially hard when my baby is just becoming super mobile and I am spending most of my day trying to keep him from playing w/ tools, the holes in the floor, dangerous wires, screws, and everything else you can imagine may be in a construction zone!

 I also have 3 jobs that I do from home.  2 are pretty low stress, because I do them on my own time when I have time and I do it on my own so they are perfect.  The 3rd job involves working with other people and I'm on a strict timeline and it have been extremely stressful for the last few months!  Also, since the beginning of July I have been in a continuous cycle of pack, play, unpack, laundry, major catch up (and never quite getting there), pack, play, unpack, laundry, major catch up (and never quite getting there), etc, etc.  I've been through this cycle approximately 4 times as of yesterday!  Hopefully i won't have to pack again until Sept. 1st.  (Not nearly long enough).  Between all three of them and my full-time job as a mommy, I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water!  We got back from our last vacation on Tuesday and every mile closer to home I could feel my tummy tightening up a little more.

I stress over my desire to have more children.  My cycle still have not returned and I want it to so we can start trying for more babies!!!

Through all this, I have decided that this prolactin thing is a lot like weight loss.  In weight loss, you can't just exercise, or eat well...you have to do both to achieve the desired result.  Likewise, I can't just concentrate on one aspect of lowering my levels.  Frankincense works well, but I also need to lower my stress!  I need to cut some things out of my life!  There are additional things I can do to lower my stress.  I need to exercise daily and I am going to be doing yoga with a friend twice a week.  I am going to drop my photography stuff until I'm done writing the life history (main stresser) is done.  I am going to change my eo regime to include oils that help with stress.  I am going to prioritize each and everyday and try not to stress over my stress :)  Last but not least....BELLY BREATHS, BELLY BREATHES, BELLY BREATHES!

Any other suggestions?????