BANG ON 2015!

Congratulations everyone! By reading this, and being *here* – this means you have made it to 2015!

Not a small feat in today’s world of cancer, sickness and ill health. I personally have lost a few loved ones last year, as have many of my friends.  I commiserate with the mind numbing grief that you might experience.   January is a time of introspection, a kindness to ourselves to start over again, to move forward. 

Let’s try to turn this year into one of ACTION instead of Re-action. Being Wellness is about being proactive. Find the weak spots and Tweak ’em. For more hints and tips hop over to our dual facebook sites- the human side of Being Wellness is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beingwellness/1508587542703500

and the Veterinary Pet site is here: https://www.facebook.com/animalwellness

As a Naturopath and Veterinary Surgeon and Physician I am known for my enquiring mind- WHY? is a common question to come from me.  The next question to follow is “What can we do to fix it?” followed by “How can we prevent this from happening?”  I am sure it drives my staff and family nuts sometimes- and certainly it may not be good for my adrenals, however THAT is the stuff I am made of, and I guess I must be OK with that because it somehow seems to work for me most of the time. You have to ask what the pay off is for me personally, and for others that are somehow “driven” to fight the good fight and to see what we can achieve. Guess I was just born that way.

Today I want to talk to you about MINDFULNESS ingestion: what you eat and what you put on your  body. Did you know that your skin is a carrier, NOT a barrier- as was previously thought. That means whatever you put On your skin is carried INTO your body and absorbed until it is eliminated. This has implications for nanoparticles in sunscreen (linked to cancer)  and phthalates and parabens in soaps, shampoos and cosmetics.

Natural does not necessarily mean “Natural” as in “gift from Nature”. It may NOT be a carbon life form derived product. It may, in fact be chemical mimicry that could be dangerous to your bodies’ chemistry.

 It is most likely a marketing tool- it really means “can taste like a natural food” or smells like a “Nature derived smell” when in fact it can be entirely synthetic and made from plastics and coal tar- a by product of the petrochemical industry. Its a lot cheaper and therefore more profitable for the company  to make a Rose scent in a test tube than to grow the roses, transport them to a distillery, and make a pomade, bottle it etc. Its the same for Vanilla, an orchid seed pod- very expensive to grow and then bottle.  That’s why most of your chocolate and cookies use ethyl vanillin- its cheap, but WHAT is THAT doing to your body and organ systems- especially if your body has no way of breaking it down? Where is it stored (think fat, liver etc! ) and how is it removed from your body? Much of  it must pass through into urine and  faeces- because it is found in our seawater, which means both the liver and the kidneys had a “go” at filtering it.  What does it do the the environmental food chain then?

Some contaminants in our food chain bioaccumulate. This means that if it is in the soil or seawater (via sewerage)  the smaller organisms eat it, incorporate this into their bodies, and as the larger organisms consume them in turn, there is a greater toxic dose per gram ingested. As Man is an “Apex” predator we end up with the stuff back in our bodies at a higher dose than the little guys.  This is true for everything that is NOT food.  Food gets broken down by your digestive system or by your liver to its primary components: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen plus some sulphur micro and macro minerals calcium, magnesium etc. Every cell gets washed in the serum that carries these molecules and each cell tries to figure out if it is food or foul—If you can’t  build cells or run enzymes with the molecules there, then the chemicals are either stored or put away or flushed out.  Its vitally important that you feed your body daily with the building  blocks for your cells to regenerate and that you avoid putting bad stuff into the system.

Don’t be fooled! If a substance has “not yet been found” to cause cancer it might just mean that the correlation has not been documented in enough places- and that possibly too many doctors /research scientists are on the receiving end of a pay back! (Conspiracy theorist?  nah, its just business as usual! If  your research funding pays your mortgage who/what ya gunna call??) . You can  check pubmed entrez – the scientific research  site– for information about the anthropogenic (ie synthetic man made substances) found in the atmosphere that DO NOT BREAK DOWN in the ocean’s waters. 

  However pubmed is not a complete site as articles written in Chinese or non recognised journals are not listed. 

For example  heavy metals and organochlorines were found in wild caught fish in New Zealand.  (e.g., organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), PCBs and selected heavy metals) were analysed in  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21402398 A cumulative lifetime cancer risk assessment showed potential health risk for consumption of some species, even at low consumption rates and provided the basis for establishing recommended dietary consumption limits for harvest sites within the study region.

 If they do not break down in the salt water, which is similar to the human body – what are we doing in our own bodies with this substance? the branding of “Natural” is a lie, synthetic GRAS (generally recognised as safe) does not necessarily= safe. Think DDT and various Monsanto poisons- glyphosate advertising (weedicide) was that it is so safe you can drink it. We have a rate of cancer that is approaching 100%, as in” everyone will have some form of cancer in their lifetime”. We should not be ingesting or putting on our skin non food. Synthetic stuff is NON FOOD. simple.

Certified Synthetic- Dangers of Ethyl Vanillin

Doterra: Gift of the Earth or of the Laboratory? Certified Synthetic The Birch Report Overview: Doterra’s Birch Oil has been scientifically analyzed by a world leader of environmental laboratory services. It was discovered in this analysis that the Methysalicylate was an artificial additive.

instituteoflightandsound

 I went to a talk on chemical additives last year – it was a good night overall with some great discussion and wonderful food by a Brisbane group Lost Boys. The topic raised the issue of FRAGRANCES and what “certified organic” means. Miranda Kerr’s mum presented ,and is staunchly on the side of positive choices for confirmed certified organic produce and beauty and fragrance care. She is positive that the Pthalates had caused her to have splenic tumours and to be unwell. I asked the question about ethyl vanillin as I am aware that this is in many chocolates (eg. on the packet of biscuits in Ikea) and in doTERRA essential oils. I have studied aromatherapy, use many brands of essential oils, and have been concerned over misrepresentation of the word “Natural” flavouring- which ethyl vanillin is labeled as. It is NOT Natural in that it is a synthetic petrochemically derived substance, and therefore it is misleading to have this in our food or in topical essential oils especially when most people will read the word “Natural” and assume it is from nature (which I guess petrochemicals are…but that is beside the point!) I want to eat organic plants and food, not artificial dyes or possible poisons. I’m not even sure that it breaks down in our bodies, as it certainly hangs around in the environment a long time- often a sign of ongoing toxicity. ***** see below–vanillin= ethylvanillin–is found as a marine water pollutant. (hence it stays in the environment a long time) see the reference below. Unfortunately this ingredient is in every confectionary, cookie, cake etc but we shouldn’t be eating it most likely! Lindt has bourbon vanilla beans!! yay. win.

Anyway I thought it was essential that people understood the difference in the wording so that when they read a packet of food -or essential oil, and see the word “Natural” they will now know that it is NOT necessarily natural at all. Vanillin is not natural. Its synthetic.
Apparently someone in the audience took offence at this as I mentioned both Ikea cookies and DoTerra have ethyl vanillin in them, and she pretty much threatened me with libel after the talk– and wanted to argue with me about this, saying that there was no evidence that doTerra had ethyl vanillin in their oils and she was of the opinion that I was a Young living spy (inferring that I was making this up). Of course this has nothing to do with any affiliation- I would use doTerra if they didn’t do the adulteration with synthetics, but I told her I am 100% correct and have done my research. Synthetic incipients smell good but have no place on my body or in others trying to detox.  I’ve actually gotten pretty good at sussing out synthetic essential oil smells, AND they give me a headache!  I have some inherited mitochondrial defects, so I suppose I am a canary in the mineshaft of fragrances.
Well I am sorry that she was offended, but I have researched this quite thoroughly and I am referring to independent labs that verify this. She asked me to show her the data- so here is some data- I asked her to prove me wrong- and to take this up with her doTerra manufacturers, not merely her “upline” who have a vested interest in cover up.

Here is the impartial external lab testing on seve
http://www.learningabouteos.com/…/3rd-party-test-results-f…/

Comments and conclusions from our Chemist, as cut and pasted right from the report:

% of trans-Thuyanol and Neomenthol too low,
% of Limonene and 1,8-cineole too high :
BATCH NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NORM OF MENTHA PIPERATA US ESSENTIAL OIL: NF T 75-210 : 2008

You can view the report for yourself by clicking here: doTERRA Peppermint Analysis.

Although our Chemist only commented on the constituents that were out of range, you can see from the report that “ethyl vanillin” is listed as the last constituent in the analysis. When I asked Mr. Dantin about the constituent, he told me ethyl vanillin is a “synthetic compound.” The sample only contains 0.07% ethyl vanillin, which is technically a trace amount. However, according to Mr. Dantin, “ethyl vanillin is a huge odor, more than vanillin!”

To confirm our Chemist’s comment that ethyl vanillin is a “huge odor,” I overnighted doTERRA’s Peppermint to our Essential Oil Expert and asked his advice.

Our Essential Oil Expert comment after an organoleptic assessment (sniff test!): This essential oil smells very pleasant, but it lacks the “clean” odor of a quality peppermint oil. It is over-sweet and reminiscent of a peppermint and dark chocolate candy. This would be consistent with a low concentration of added ethyl vanillin, a powerful odorant that smells of vanilla/chocolate.

Essential Oil Expert comments: Two samples (DoTerra and Heritage) were clearly from the same source. Both samples also contained 0.07% ethyl vanillin, which is a synthetic compound. The fact that many samples were run on the same equipment, but ethyl vanillin only showed up in two oils (which were virtually identical in every other respect as well) suggests that this was not an aberration or contamination that happened during analysis. *******Mar Pollut Bull. 2011 Nov;62(11):2404-11. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.08.029. Epub 2011 Sep 13.
Differential presence of anthropogenic compounds dissolved in the marine waters of Puget Sound, WA and Barkley Sound, BC.
Keil R1, Salemme K, Forrest B, Neibauer J, Logsdon M.
Author information
Abstract
Organic compounds were evaluated in March 2010 at 22 stations in Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island Canada and at 66 locations in Puget Sound. Of 37 compounds, 15 were xenobiotics, 8 were determined to have an anthropogenic imprint over natural sources, and 13 were presumed to be of natural or mixed origin. The three most frequently detected compounds were salicyclic acid, vanillin and thymol. The three most abundant compounds were diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), ethyl vanillin and benzaldehyde (∼600 n g L(-1) on average). Concentrations of xenobiotics were 10-100 times higher in Puget Sound relative to Barkley Sound. Three compound couplets are used to illustrate the influence of human activity on marine waters; vanillin and ethyl vanillin, salicylic acid and acetylsalicylic acid,

3rd Party Test Results for Peppermint Essential Oil | Learning About EOs – Using Essential Oils…

Learning About EOs – Using Essential Oils Safely

learningabouteos.com

Learning About EOs – Using Essential Oils Safely | One Drop at a Time – Using…

Learning About EOs – Using Essential Oils Safely

learningabouteos.com

Here is some further information about Vanilla oil  from Mercola.com:contains approximately 150 aromas, many of which are present in very small amounts. Vanillyl ethyl ether, acetic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and caproic acid are among the chemicals present in it. ⁷

Benefits of Vanilla Oil

In ancient Africa, healers used vanilla for stomach problems. The European doctors of the 16th and 17th centuries used it as an antidote for poisoning and stomach complaints, and as an aphrodisiac.

Vanilla oil has been documented to have antispasmodic, balsamic, calming, emmenagogue,⁸ antioxidant, antidepressant, and aphrodisiac properties,⁹ which enables it to assist in the following:

• Fight some types  of cancers
• Regulate menstruation
• Relieve nausea
• Ease stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia
• Heal wounds
• Enhance your libido¹⁰
• Induce sleep and encourage dreaming¹¹

Vanilla oil can also work as a fever reducer due to its eugenol and vanillin content, the same compounds that lessen inflammation and strengthen the body’s immune system. ¹²

How to Make Vanilla Oil

It’s important to establish that finding 100 percent pure vanilla oil today is highly unlikely, as it is extremely expensive. Most of the cheap vanilla oils available commercially are either heavily processed or contain loads of synthetic materials, and are unfortunately passed off as the real deal by unscrupulous manufacturers. Unlike other essential oils, vanilla oil cannot be obtained through steam distillation because of its very delicatestructure.

There are 3 types of vanilla oil extracts:

• Vanilla carbon dioxide (CO₂) – The vanilla pods are put inside a stainless steel chamber that has been injected with CO₂ gas. The air inside the chamber is then pressurized. Under these conditions, CO₂ liquefies and becomes a supercritical fluid that pulls the oil from the pods. In the end, the CO₂ turns back into gas again, leaving the vanilla essential oil.
• Vanilla absolute – Preferred in perfumery products, absolute vanilla is obtained by selective solvent extraction, using initially non-polar solvent such as benzene, followed by a polar solvent such as ethanol. ¹³
• Vanilla oleoresin – This is a semi-solid concentrate produced by solvent extraction from macerated beans. Vanilla oleoresin is actually just a commercial term, as the liquid extract is not really an oleoresin but a resinoid obtained from the vanilla pods. ¹⁴

Each type is claimed to be better and purer than the other. But remember, the more processed it is, the less pure and the lower-quality your vanilla oil will be. More often than not, the natural aroma and essence of vanilla oil is lost during these processes. To avoid the risk of being duped into purchasing chemical-laced vanilla oil, I recommend making your own vanilla tincture and infusion at home. Try using these recipes:

DIY Vanilla Tincture

Simply soak whole vanilla pods in a jar of 151-proof rum. After 2 weeks, transfer the mixture in a separate container. Sift the solid particles away using a strainer, and you’ve gota high quality vanilla tincture. .¹⁵

DIY Vanilla Oil Infusion

Here are 2 ways to do vanilla oil infusion:

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of your homemade vanilla tincture with 8 ounces of an essential oil of your choice, or
2. Get whole vanilla pods or beans. Chop them into pieces and remove their seeds.  Add them directly to your carrier oil. Although it’s ready to use after a week, letting it sit longer will make your vanilla oil infusion stronger and more effective. It’s okay not to filter out the vanilla pods from the oil if you want, but make sure that it’s completely immersed and it’s kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation.

For carrier oils, I recommend jojoba, almond, and apricot essential oil, for they don’t have a strong odor that may overpower vanilla oil’s sweet-smell. ¹⁶ I also advise using only organic vanilla pods to get optimum