Ajowan and Other "Toxic Oils"

Hi Kathryn,

I have a quick question:  In your Treatment Guide book, Ajowan is listed under Toxic Oils however the video says it is very safe.  Are there any safety considerations to be aware of?

Thank you for this great question.  

Ajowan contains a lot (around 36-39%) of thymol, which can be an irritant  or create a burning sensation when applied to skin for some people.  It is a constituent that can also cause uterine contractions.  

After working with this oil, I believe that it is another essential oil that falls under the "toxicity myth".  When used internally, through inhalation, or well diluted as a massage oil, I have had stellar results and no negative effects.  I have also had particularly good results when applying the oil without dilution, to the skin for infections.  For this purpose, I recommend applying it neat with a Q-tip, to only the skin that is affected.  

The “toxicity myth” I am referring to also includes such oils as:  Hyssop, Pennyroyal, Tansy, Thuja, Wintergreen and Wormwood, which are all listed by many sources as "never to be used" because of "toxicity".  The longer I have worked with essential oils, the more I have come to believe that this information is meant for an inexperienced public and those just beginning in an aromatherapy practice; and has no value for an experienced practitioner in the healing arts.  

All of these oils do have constituents that could be toxic in various ways and at excessively high dosage levels.  Keep in mind, essential oils have been consciously created by an intelligence far beyond even our most advanced scientists; and Nature knows how to combine these toxic constituents with balancing elements, so that the resulting oils are harmonious and balanced, and safe to use, when used consciously and wisely.

The danger of toxicity increases when we focus on specifically defined “active ingredients” and refine essential oils to include exact percentages of those ingredients (called standardization).  Balancing elements are reduced or removed through the refinement process, so the oil is no longer whole, as Nature created it.  The natural check and balance system in the oil itself is altered or lost. 

There are some cautions to observe when working with Ajowan;  

• Test for skin irritation if you intend to use it in an undiluted form for skin infections, bacterial  or fungal.  Although it may create a temporary burning sensation and skin redness--in some cases a temporary rash—one must decide whether this temporary reaction is enough of a reason not to use it, when dealing with a high powered staph infection.  That has to be weighed by the practitioner and client together.

• Ajowan is not recommended for infants, small children, or highly allergic/sensitive individuals.  There are plenty of other essential oil choices that will have similar effects, and are better suited to their use.

• Pregnant women should avoid ajowan, since it could theoretically cause uterine contractions.

• Dosage levels are important with this oil;  high doses should not be used over a long term. Again, when dealing with a super virus or extreme infection, high level doses are necessary to stop the infection--it must be  used consciously.

The more I work with Ajowan, the more I feel that it has been misrepresented in the toxicity department.  Ayurvedic medicine has been using this herb as both a medicine and a flavoring spice for generations, and it has been considered safe.  I believe the only case for toxicity occurs when people misuse it (as an example--women trying to abort a fetus) or fail to dilute or follow dosage recommendations.

If you are a new herbalist or aromatherapist, consider using this oil for yourself, to get a sense of what it is like.  Then if you need to use it for others, you will have an experience of it to draw from.  And if you have a concern about using it all, there are certainly other oils that will likely do the same job for almost every application.

Kathryn

Holiday Gifts Galore!

There are so many things that you can create with essential oils!  What a wonderful opportunity they hold for giving a natural, health enhancing, and rare aromatically pleasing gift that others will enjoy and appreciate.  Here are just a few ideas and recipes for you to play with, create with, and enjoy.

Holiday Spray

For children (and grown up kids too!)

Use a 30ml or 1 oz. bottle.  Add:

5 drops Allspice EO

2 drops Pinon Amber EO

15 drops White Fir EO

2 drops Myrrh EO

Fill bottle with 30 ml of one of the conifer hydrosols.  Shake very well; shake before spraying each time you use it.  Spray in children’s room, bathroom, workspace, etc.  You may prefer to add Peppermint, Blood Orange, Nutmeg, or other oils of your choice.

Super Strength Anit-viral Diffusion Blend

In a 5ml bottle, blend:

2 ml Ajowan EO

2 ml Spike Lavender EO

1 ml Geranium EO

Diffuse for 10 minutes at a time to boost your immunity and neutralize viruses and fungi.

Christmas Potpourri

2 cups wood shavings (cedar, pine, or whatever is available)

1 cup mixed nuts in the shell

1 cup conifer cones (pine, spruce)

1 cup dried flowers or seed pods

accent with slices of dried fruit; shreds of ribbon or colored paper; foil stars; or anything you find in your garden!

Toss well, then sprinkle with:

30 drops Myrrh EO

10 drops Pinon Amber EO or Ponderosa Pine Cone EO

10 drops Nutmeg or Clove EO

Add other essential oils of your choice:  Ginger CO2, Peppermint EO, Allspice EO, and Frankincense EO are great choices!  Or add Khus Nirali or Amberi Attar for a very special energy.

Men’s After Spray

After shaving or just to smell great, men can spray this soothing and skin toning formula on their faces any time of day!

Mix together in 30 ml bottle:

3 drops Allspice EO

3 drops Myrrh EO

2 drops Greenheart Wood EO

1 to 2 drops Amberi Attar—optional

Fill with:

30 ml Sandalwood hydrosol

Shake very well.  This recipe is a wonderful aroma for men!  The Amberi Attar adds a note of saddlery and old leather—a wonderful aroma for any man in your life.  

Skin Toner

Rose hydrosol makes a fabulour skin toner all on its own.  If you want to, add 2 or 3 drops of Rose Otto EO into a 30 ml bottle of hydrosol for a Double Rosey treat!

Holiday Air Freshener

In a 30 ml bottle add:

1 drop Peppermint  EO

2 drops Allspice EO

3 drops Myrrh EO

10 drops White Fir EO

6 drops Blood Orange EO

1 drop Patchouli Reserve EO

Fill bottle with 30 ml Pure Water, and spray away!

Holiday Skin Creme

Mix well:

1/2 cup rooibos skin creme

1 teaspoon Seabuckthorn seed oil

1 drop Patchouli Reserve EO

1 drop Ylang Ylang Complete EO

3 drops Turmeric CO2

Blend well.  Use as a night creme before bedtime, or moisturizing creme in the day.  You will love it!

Angel Spray

Mix well:

30ml Sandalwood hydrosol
2 drops Frankincense EO
1 drop Myrrh EO
3 drops Khus Nirali Attar

Shake well.  Spray on face, wrists, neck, body for that special angel feeling!  Spray in your environment to elevate your thoughts, banish depression, enhance your divine connection,  and spread joy.  

Cool new bottles for all of your aromatic creations—check SKS!

http://www.sks-bottle.com/BathandBodyBottles.html

More Essential Oils for Hair Loss

A member wrote:

"Please can you address on the Alchemist blog how one can work with hair thinning and baldness? I see on your website you mention rosemary and saffron. However, I feel you have mentioned other oils over the years. If anything comes to mind please let me know.

I am working with my son on this, who has hair thinning. I dowsed that he can benefit by using the Rosemary (6%) spray you recommend, and a scalp revitalizer massage with Rosemary, Clementine orange, White Verbena & jojoba. I am going to make a shampoo with the shampoo base, Rosemary, White Sage, Blue Mallee Eucalyptus, Clementine Orange, clay and water. 

Also a few diet changes like adding more fermented vegetables and miso, flax oil, and wakame.

I am in love with the essential oils.  They are such friends to me!  I am so grateful that you bring us these transcendent oils; I would never want to work with anything of lesser quality. They completely inspire me. It is an honor to co-create with them! I know they have my back and are just waiting for us to do the most spectacular work with them. I am excited to watch them unfold their medicine, mysteries and “miracles” before our eyes."

Thank you for the inquiry.  More and more people are having wonderful results reversing hair loss with the use of essential oils.  

Some essential oils that are known to stimulate hair growth include Basil, Birch, Cedar, Clary sage, Cypress, Geranium, Ginger, Hyssop, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Rosemary, Sage, Spikenard, Thyme, Ylang yang. Many others may be used in hair regrowth formulas as well--possibly the most important factor seems to be the essential oil's ability to stimulate circulation in the scalp.  

I personally feel that much male (and female!) hair loss and baldness is really due to a build up of chemicals in the scalp, from many years of daily shampooing with commercial shampoos.  These brand name shampoos are  full of toxic chemicals including SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulphate) and all of its derivatives; glycerine and mineral oil; and high percentages of harsh preservatives.

Making your own SLS free natural shampoo is one long term solution, and I have played with many recipes and formulas throughout the years.  

Recently my daughter (a nationally ranked athlete) has dealt with hair loss.  With a few dietary tweaks (adding more protein foods among them), and a lovely spray and clay blend for scalp treatment, she was able to turn the hair loss around within a couple of months.  

One of her lovely discoveries was a strange Shampoo Bar Soap that is completely free of SLS and detergent chemicals.  I was so intrigued with it that I ordered some myself, and Michael and I have been using it now for a little over a week.  We are loving it--it is so simple, feels very good on your hair, and leaves it feeling clean and natural.  Here is the link to the website:  

http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/products/for-the-hair/shampoo-bars

My favorite so far are the soap nuts and the coconut bars.  Michael has been using the Rosemary, which is leaving his hair shinier and stronger than it has felt in a long time.  

It is important to know that this is soap and not detergent; meaning that it is made with fat and lye, which creates a chemical reaction that changes them into another substance. Yet the ph factor may be high (I intend to test it myself to see), and the soap can not get into your eyes without stinging, so it is unfit for small children.

I have shared the really natural shampoo recipe links on this page of the blog:

http://thealchemist333.blogspot.com/2014/03/dandruff-cures.html

It is meant to use, change, experiment with, etc. Please do give us an update with your results!

For Pet Owners--Flea Remedies

One Blog member wrote to me with this to say.  I have no experience with this, but would love to hear if others have used these methods with canola oil, and what kind of results they have had?  Canola is less aromatic than any essential oils that I have used for this purpose.  If it works, it might make the whole experience much more pleasant for dogs, who can smell an estimated 10,000 times better than humans.   Thank you for sharing this idea! 

"PET OWNERS PAY ATTENTION!!! There is no need to hire an exterminator to clean out your house or grounds or kennels of Fleas. Canola oil kills every insect in the world. Just put on a pair of slippers and coat your legs with canola oil, but not too much to make you slip and fall. Walk around each room or the grounds or kennels slowly. They will jump on your legs and die within  a minute. The slower you walk, the better to wait for the tiny baby fleas to catch up with you. Take another walk around the property again the next day. Soon they will be gone. If you missed just one, they will come back. Then  let him jump on you again.

Have no worry — the Fleas can’t bite you, because they are dying and in no mood to eat you.

Canola oil is very good for bathing dogs and puppies. Start by wetting with dish washing detergent and water. Then add the canola oil and rub all areas from the tip of the tail to the snout. Avoid letting the oil go into the ears and eyes. First kill all the fleas on the property, including the house and then wash the pets with canola oil".

Essential oils that I have used for removing fleas include fleabane and leleshwa, and sometimes a combination of the two with lavender or citronella.    I like to mix them with water or hydrosol; a ratio of 50 drops of oil into one quart of water.   Apply with a spray bottle, rubbing the mix in to the coat.  The dog may not like the smell--it will be ever so much stronger to him!--so please  avoid getting any oil near the nose, mouth, and eye area.  Spray the dog while he is outside, away from all areas that he can normally inhabits, so that the fleas that hop off will not be living in your house, ready to return.  

Depending on the level of infestation, you will need to spray the dog's bedding, rugs or carpets, and any places where the dog sits, lays down, or spends any time.  Car seats and carpeting may be infested too.  

Always follow up by spraying again in a couple of days, then a third time in a couple more days after that.  Three treatments should take care of most infestation--but if it is really bad you may have to do it several more times.

Liniment Recipe for Injury Treatment

Injuries are one of the areas where essential oils excel as a treatment option.  They are perfect for strains, sprains, and bruises.  They can eliminate swelling, relieve pain, and sometimes quite miraculously heal moderate soft tissue injuries in little time.  

They are also a great support for healing broken bones that are slow to mend, tendons and ligaments that require help, and for speeding healing and reducing pain and swelling after surgical repair to bones, tendons and ligaments.  If you want to use one of these recipes to heal after a surgical repair, wait until the the incision is healed enough that the stitches are removed, or the scar is no longer in danger of pulling apart.  

These recipes are also great for relieving arthritis pain, aching muscle pain from over use or sports training, and small injuries without broken skin.  

INJURY LINIMENT

Pseudoginseng Root (Tian Qi) 6 T.

Angelica Sinensis (heads) 4 T.

Sanguis Draconis 4 T.

Homalomenae 4 T.

Frankincense Essential Oil 2 T.

Myrrh Essential Oil 2 T.

Saffron Extract  15 drops

Cinnamon Bark 40 drops

German Chamomile Essential Oil  20 drops

Cypress Essential Oil  20 drops

Place the ingredients in a glass quart jar.  Fill with alcohol such as vodka or Everclear--the higher proof the better. 

Let the herbs and oils soak for a minimum of two months before you use it. Ideally you should agitate (shake) the bottle every day. At the minimum, shake a couple of times a week.

Be sure to label this for external use only! Do not use internally; keep out of reach of children.

How to use: This formula is excellent for treating any kind of external injury.  It is perfect for bruises, muscle strains, pulled muscles, sprains or any other kind of injury related to work or sports. 

Apply it by pouring a small amount over the injured area and rub it in. Do this several times, waiting a few minutes between applications for it to dry. For best results apply 2-3 times per day. 

You will find that injuries will heal in about one-half to one-third of the normal time. Do not apply to an area where the skin is broken.

If you are a boxer or martial artist and want to toughen your fists, arms or shins, you should apply this after your conditioning exercises. You will recuperate faster and will be able to continue with training.

SPEEDY LINIMENT:  A Fast Version of Injury Liniment

4 cups vodka or Everclear

30 drops frankincense essential oil

30 drops myrrh essential oil

15 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

6 drops rose essential oil

20 drops cypress essential oil

10 drops Atlas cedar essential oil

1/2 t. each powdered angelica root and powdered homalomenae

1 t. powdered pseudoginseng

1/2 t. white willow bark powder

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake well.  Shake 4 times a day for 2 days, then use as needed.  

This is very effective, and good for emergencies when you do not have a batch of aged liniment on hand.  It is also effective without the powdered herbs; if not using them you may add 6 drops each of lemongrass, angelica,  and German chamomile.  

This can be applied as a compress daily, or massaged into the injured area 3 times a day.  Be sure to label the liniment Not For Internal Use, and keep it away from children.

SOMETIMES IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS . . .

It’s been a time of transition for me; and as wonderful and exciting as change can be, it can also be energetically unsettling.  I’ve found myself feeling unusually scattered, even agitated.  Nothing I was doing seemed to help – until I was inspired to go back to basics. 

One neat drop of Lavender oil applied to the soles of my feet was all it took.  Within the hour I realized I was calm and more focused.  My task list became a little less overwhelming, and I was actually starting to mindfully work through it – one small job at a time.   

When inspiration struck, I grabbed the Lavender closest at hand:  White Sage Bulgarian Lavender (L. officianalis).  After that I tried both Lavender Fine (L. augustifolia) and Spike Lavender (L. latifolia), only to return to the Bulgarian because it seems to be the most calming for me. 

The last few weeks I’ve continued this practice, and those two little drops are going to be my daily dose for awhile, at least until I settle into a new routine.  As simple as it is, it’s exactly what’s needed.  I like to think of the effect as: Grounded Serenity.

Cannabis and Alzheimer's

Here is a link to an article on the Natural News website, quoting several scientific studies that are showing some really positive indicators toward Cannabis for treating Alzheimer's.

http://www.naturalnews.com/046219_cannabis_Alzheimers_disease_prevention.html

I have suggested Cannabis (Hemp) essential oil for people with cognitive disorders, "brain fog", memory loss, and seizures; as well as pain relief and lung ailments.  Now we are beginning to hear from others in the Buyers Club who have begun using this amazing oil.

One member used a semi-homeopathic remedy of 1 drop Cannabis oil, 4 drops stevia, and 1 ounce of water.  With the very first dose, as it touched her lips, she observed the sensation of energy moving through her body, down to the Earth, and back again.  The remedy entered her lungs and chest, and a small cough that had been hanging on for 4 months (and would not clear up no matter what she did) was gone within a few days of beginning the remedy.

She has also experienced sleeping better within a few days; now her sleep feels very deep and regenerative.  She is also dreaming more, and remembering her dreams.  Best of all, she has reported a feeling of "brain fog" lifting, feeling much more clarity and mental focus.

Several people I know are using a Cannabis homeopathic remedy to support the process of letting go of addiction to the recreational drug aspect of this plant.  They are all also using high frequency organic foods to support the change, and so far each of them reports to be doing very well with the transition.

I have personally  been using Cannabis as a semi-homeopathic remedy since it first arrived, a couple of months ago.  I began by blending it with saffron and stevia in purified spring water.  The remedy has really helped me to release old physical stress patterns that had surfaced, connected with childhood experiences that are releasing at this time for me.  The remedy settles my mind into a relaxed and focussed state, while releasing muscular stagnation; and it does so very quickly within taking a dose of the remedy.

We would love to hear more from some of you who are using this essential oil yourself and for your clients.

Note:  This essential oil is not made from the Cannabis that contains THC.  It does not carry the "high" aspect of the recreational drug.  It is made from flowers of the Hemp plant, and contains cannabinoids,  which are legal constituents in  herbal remedies.

CEA levels

Do you have any experience with raised CEA levels on a test with someone using English Chamomile topically and taking OTC pain meds (or even blood thinners) type pain meds while on chemo pills (Xeloda)?

There is a lot going on here that could be causing the high CEA levels.

For our readers, CEA, Carcinoembrionic Antigen, is a protein that is found in the blood of human fetuses.  It is also found in people who may have certain cancers, some benign tumor conditions, and cancer that has returned after treatment.  Testing for CEA does not necessarily indicate that the person has cancer, but increased blood levels of CEA are an indication that further testing is necessary. 

My personal preference is working with people who have exhausted their options with western medicine.  When western medicine has given them all that it can, and there are no more options, people become willing to give the alternative path their full commitment.  And it becomes easier for a person to let go of the constant checking, testing, and proving that goes on as a matter of course.  

All of the testing that patients are subjected to, can become an emotional burden that breeds fear, especially when the test results do not match up with the improvements that a person is experiencing as they go through the intense herbal cleansing process to recover from cancer.  That said, I know that many healers are now working with people who are dancing between western medicine and alternative medicine, and there are special ways to support them.  

When a patient is taking a chemo drug that is killing off cancer cells, it very likely would raise CEA levels in the blood.  

Blood thinners change the liver over time, and change how the liver processes and breaks down proteins in the blood, which is also very likely to contribute to high CEA blood levels.  

I can not make a generalization about over the counter pain medicines, as I do not have any experience with this or know how it relates to CEA levels.

Chamomile essential oil, used topically,  could possibly contribute to higher blood levels of CEA.  It is absorbed by the blood and carried throughout the body when used topically, and it does trigger immune responses and activate the body’s cleansing mechanisms.  Cleansing may temporarily raise the CEA blood levels as toxins and cancer cells are broken down and eliminated.  

The thing to realize here is that the intention of cleansing is to gradually eliminate toxins and impurities, and gradually rebuild the internal environment into a healthy state of equilibrium.  If the CEA levels rise during certain parts of the cleansing cycle, they will certainly fall again if the cleansing is effective and doing what it is designed to do.  

If people are going to be tested during initial stages of cleansing, they should consider doing several tests over time to get an idea if the cleansing protocol is working, before taking any drastic action.  Cleansing takes longer than suppression; but cleansing has the potential to eliminate the cause of the condition, whereas suppression just keeps it suppressed in the hope that it will go away on its own.

I hope I have addressed your question--if not, please comment below.  

Many blessings go out to you.  Kathryn

Treating Warts with Essential Oils

Here is an e-mail I received recently from a Buyers Club Member.  The photos really say it all!


The amazing power of thuja in just 1 month. You are very accurate in your instructions of 30 days! This was straight pure drops of thuja oil (1drop) twice a day for a month.
I made a cream last week with thuja to put on while he sleeps to speed  up the process of removing the remainder of smaller warts on his hands. I'll keep you posted. Boy oh boy!!! Nothing short of amazing!! LOL

Thuja is a very potent oil that should be diluted for most uses.  However, when treating warts, it is most effective when used neat (undiluted) and applied directly to the wart.  

Warts are caused any a virus; it also helps to take an internal anti-viral semi-homepathic remedy or tea, and/or to receive spinal compresses with anti-viral oils such as lemon, frankincense, oregano, may chang, geranium, tea tree, etc. to avoid just allowing the virus to go dormant and hide out in the spine.  This combination of treatments can eliminate the virus entirely so that it does not return.

Buyers Club Update-July 2014

Hello members, we have just sold our final nebulizing diffuser.  We have been searching in earnest for a suitable alternative to stock, but so far have not found one.  We do have a couple of possibilities to consider.

We hope to have more information for you and/or a new diffuser to offer for the next order, coming in September.  In the mean time, we will be out of them for this order--sorry for the inconvenience!

In Gratitude,

Kathryn

Maintaining Healthy Teeth and Gums

Several of our members and readers have been requesting that we outline the program that we used to regenerate our teeth and gums, back in 2001.  We have continued this program with varying levels of commitment, since that time.

Our Histories

Michael was a smoker for 18 years.  He had orthodontal work done when he was young, with full braces, tooth extractions, and wisdom tooth extractions. He had cavities that had been filled with mercury fillings; and significant gum pockets with some gum infection.  He also had a couple crowns, and his teeth moved out of alignment when he slept.  He often clenched and ground his teeth when he was asleep.  Dental x-rays showed that he had a root canal or two in the past.  (In 2011 Michael had a restoration done which added more crowns.  At first, he felt as though he had failed, since he was unable to remineralize his teeth.  However, the dentist looked at his x-rays and told him that he had the best bone density and healthiest roots that he had ever seen!  Under the surface, all kinds of regeneration had been taking place).

I also had orthodontal work done as a child, with full braces, tooth extractions, and wisdom teeth extractions.   The work required small hooks to be drilled into my teeth, which created my first cavities, which were filled with mercury amalgam.  I also have discoloration on all of my teeth from fluoride in the water where I was born.

We started this program back around the year 2001.   Today, we are both very happy with the health of our teeth, gums, and bone structure.  Even the whiteness of my teeth has remarkably improved over the last few years.  Here is our tooth care program.

Every morning:  

• Begin the day with Oil Pulling.  Here is a great little article on how to do it:  http://wellnessmama.com/7866/oil-pulling-for-oral-health/   We swish for 10 to 15 minutes.  We use cold pressed sunflower oil for this, and have had great results.  Recently I have switched to Coconut oil, for a little difference in flavor.  (I see no difference as to the result).
• Follow with tooth brushing, using a natural toothpaste--the best ones are the ones you make yourself.  See MY FAVORITE TOOTHPASTE RECIPE below.
• Follow by swishing the mouth out with food grade hydrogen peroxide, diluted to about 3%.

During the day:

• Use floss or toothbrush after eating.  
• If you are dealing with gum infection or pockets, swab your gums with 10 drops of Marigold Extract (Calendula officianalis) mixed with 1/4 teaspoon raw honey.  Follow this in 5 minutes with swishing hydrogen peroxide as above.

Every Evening:

• End the day with tooth brushing, using your favorite home made toothpaste or tooth powder.
• ALWAYS end with oral irrigating;  we prefer the Oxyfresh oral irrigator, there is also a good one made by Water Pik.  This is really one of the biggest keys to keeping your teeth long into the future.  (My Dad started out with poor teeth as a kid, lots of cavities--then in his 30's he started using an oral irrigator every day.  He is 85 now and still has his teeth--thanks to Water Pik!).

Tea for regenerating teeth:

Teeth need lots of healthy minerals and trace minerals.  Calcium is a big one, but without the proper balance of Calcium, Magnesium, and Sodium (not the kind you find in Morton's salt!) the teeth will lose calcium no matter how much of it you try to supplement.  Always look to the magnesium and sodium levels first if you are going to try to supplement your diet to re-calcify your teeth.

Many really good minerals are provided in this nourishing tea.  You can use this one for up to 3 months, then it is time to change the formula a little, by removing horsetail and comfrey, and replacing them with cleavers, plantain, and dandelion leaf.

• Mix together dried herbs:  1/2 cup horsetail, 1/2 cup damiana leaf, 1/2 cup raspberry leaf, 1 cup nettles, 1 cup dandelion leaf, 1 cup comfrey leaf*, 2 teaspoons clover leaf, 2 teaspoons yellow dock root powder, 2 teaspoons sarsaparilla root powder.  Mix well, store in a glass jar, and label.
• Use 1 Tablespoon of the above tea in 1 quart of boiling water.  Let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes, then strain it and drink the whole quart through the day.  Drink the tea daily to support the regeneration of teeth and gums.

*Comfrey  is regarded as toxic by some sources.  It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are known to irritate the liver.  Herbalists to not consider this amazing plant to be toxic at all--even though it contains this toxic substance in its list of constituents.  Because it also contains a number of balancing constituents that neutralize this effect, comfrey has actually been used to heal the liver and digestive system for many generations, without toxicity issues.  I encourage everyone to research the issue and make their own informed decision as to whether to use it or not.  The recipe will be effective with or without the comfrey added.

MY FAVORITE RE-MINERALIZING TOOTHPASTE RECIPE 

5 T. Calcium carbonate powder

1 T. Kaolin clay  (if not using baking soda, increase this to 2 T.)

1 T. Baking soda (I often make the recipe without this ingredient)

1 T. Pascalite clay

3 T. xylitol powder (or 13 drops stevia extract)

3 to 5 T. Coconut oil

10 drops Concentrace trace mineral supplement

A few drops of essential oils, your choice of Peppermint, Spearmint, Orange, Lemon, Cinnamon, Cassia, Clove, Myrrh, Lemon Ironbark, Vanilla, or Grapefruit.  (Nice combinations are Peppermint/Orange, or Cassia/Lemon).  

First, ground up the calcium carbonate in a blender or food processor, if it is in tablet form.  Add all dry ingredients into a small mixing bowl.  Mix together well.  

Add the rest of the ingredients, saving the coconut oil till the end.  Add one tablespoon at a time of the coconut oil, mixing after each one.  Stop adding it when you reach the desired consistency. 

Store toothpaste in a small mason jar or buy your own reusable toothpaste tube here.  If you use a mason jar, use a popsicle stick to scoop toothpaste out onto your toothbrush and avoid contaminating the paste.

Another great recipe for remineralizing tooth paste is here; check it out.

A Note About Regenerating Your Teeth

More and more dentists are believing that it can be done.   More and more people are doing it.  You can do it with just a little commitment, intention, and action!

Remember, you do not have to follow this program flawlessly to get spectacular results!  There are many days where I do only half of the things on the list, and I have achieved a level of health and regeneration to my teeth, that makes me smile.  Even if you commit to just one thing every day, such as using the Oral Irrigator, you will notice improvement.   And more will come in time, as long as you stay committed.

We welcome your comments--share your results with us!

  

Working with CO2 Extracts

A member wrote:  

I have a question about best practices concerning the thickening of some oils which I think is from oxidation.  When I finish a 5ml EO container I usually refill it from a 30ml container without washing out the 5ml container.  When it comes to refilling the oils that tend to thicken (I am thinking of Rosemary CO2 right now or Cassia) is it best to wash out and dry the used Miron (or regular) glass 5ml container before refilling it?  I am wondering if traces of the oxidized oil in the used container get into the new batch and may make it oxidize more quickly.

Why do the CO2 oils tend to be thicker?

Thank you for this very good question!

I will answer it to the best of my ability.  First of all, I would like to revisit some facts about the CO2 extracts.  CO2 Extracts are created by putting the plant material in a vacuum pressure chamber.  Then CO2 gas (the same gas that we exhale and that trees exhale and inhale) is pumped into the chamber, until the pressure reaches around 60 times atmospheric pressure.    

At this level of pressure, the CO2 gas behaves like a liquid.  It dissolves the plant material as a chemical solvent would.  Then the pressure is released, and the CO2 turns back into a gas.  This leaves a waxy, oily substance that contains all of the dissolved plant material, including the essential oils.   Because this process happens at very low temperatures, no "cooking" of the oil takes place  leaving a pure substance that smells nearly identical to the plant that it used to be.  Thanks to CO2 extraction, we can now experience essences of jasmine, and other rare flowers and plants that simply would be destroyed under the heat of conventional distillation methods.  

Once the plant is extracted, it can then be left as it is, with waxes and other elements intact.  This is known as unfiltered, or "Total" CO2 extract.  Or the extract can be filtered with very fine filters that remove a large part of the waxes, fats, plant fibers, and other elements, leaving mostly just essential oil.  This is called "Select" CO2 extract.     

Depending on the plant that is being processed, CO2 extracts are normally much thicker than distilled essential oils.  They contain more of the waxes and plant body than the oils produced through distillation.  They can also have the tendency to thicken over time, although again it depends on the oil.  It may be due to oxidation, but also might be because of a loss of  the "moisture" element of the extract, like a drying over time.  

Even some steam distilled oils, such as sandalwood, myrrh, and vetiver, also have the tendency to thicken as they age.  I have some really old forms of myrrh and sandalwood that are now so thick that they do not pour at all, even if you place the bottle upside down.  Yet they smell amazingly beautiful, having mellowed for over 10 years to produce a rare perfume.  

If you are not sure how to get the oil out of the bottle with the thicker CO2 extracts, here is how I have come to work with these oils.  First, I remove the orifice reducer from the inside of the bottle neck.  There is no purpose to having it if you can not get the oil to drip through it!  I throw it away, as it is usually not very easy to get clean again.

Then I find a couple of sets of chopsticks.  Check out Walmart's chopstick page  here.   It is important to get at least two styles; one with a fine tapered  needle like end, and one with a thicker blunt end.  The needle like end will work better for some oils, and the thicker end will work better for others.  Then when I need to measure drops of an oil that is too thick to drip with, I dip a chopstick into it, and let it drip off of the chopstick to count my drops.  It is not super accurate, but works very well for me for most blending.  

Since your extracts seem to be thickening quickly, you might try using cleaned bottles to transfer into every time.  Another possibility is to look at how and where you are storing the oils.  Sometimes the right marble or crystalline stone tiles under them will change everything on an energetic level.  Another energetic issue could be if there are motors or electronics nearby that are influencing the oils.  And finally, it can be an issue to store them near an area where healing work is performed on a regular basis.  The released energy from healing can sometimes influence the oils, which I have seen in several locations where people had a healing practice.