Essential Oils and Your Health                     learn, ask, share

Summary of how oils can help

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Oils & Blends most recommended

Oils	Blends	Also consider
lavender lemon peppermint	Balance	ylang ylang

Procedures (protocols) other folks recommend

Marc - I am looking for ideas on addressing anemia. Is this a disorder that the oils will address? Anyone have experience here?

Tamalu - Okay, I'll bite.  Since there are several causes of anemia, the first thing I would start with would be the Lifelong Wellness Trio (doTERRA supplements) and add the essential oils around it.  I would use lemon in your drinking water. I like to use Balance, on the bottoms of the feet and possibly on the neck plus I have found ylang ylang to be very helpful as well.

Some of our raw food experts or nutritionists could explain that anemia could be caused by lack of iron, possible lack of or inability to absorb B-12, long-term illnesses such as polyps or cancer, or monthly bleeding, among many other issues.  Any of those issues are going to be benefited by the Lifelong Wellness Trio, lots of good, pure water and essential oils (which aid the body in absorbing nutrients!)

Ramona - I'm certainly no expert, but as someone who suffered from anemia my whole life, without knowing why until a year ago, I will gladly share my experience.  I was finally diagnosed with celiac disease last February when I learned that 8 months into my pregnancy my iron was so low they were worried I might need a transfusion.  Fortunately, I didn't, but it still has been a tough battle to regain my strength.  I think that taking the gluten out of my diet was a good first step, but it wasn't the only thing. I really didn't begin to notice a difference until I went on the LLW last summer.  At the time I started on the LLW I was desperate.  Between the low iron levels and the hormones after having a baby, I had lost so much hair and nothing was growing back in.  I was embarrassed to leave the house.  I was dealing with a lot of depression, joint pain and just over all tired all the time.  I felt a lot older than my 37 years, and I really wanted  something that would give me my life back.  I literally only made it through the day by consuming 100+ ounces of caffeinated soda every single day.  That is a staggering amount, when I look back!

I was introduced to DoTerra in July and immediately joined.  I was mostly interested in it for helping my kids, but gradually I began to see how the products could help me.  I started on the LLW in August and even though I'm not perfectly consistent, I do take them pretty often.  In September, I completely, cold turkey went off caffeine and it was about 4 miserable days, but so worth it!  I have continued to use the oils and to change my diet.  I am almost completely on a whole foods diet, eating everything fresh and when possible-raw.  I am a whole new person.  My hair came back in thicker than ever, my nails are long and strong (which I haven't experienced in years)  I have energy and look forward to each day.  My depression, for the most part is gone and a month after starting on the LLW, I was able to go completely off the anti-deppressant my OBGYN put me on after the birth of my son.

Sorry for the novel, but I guess, I could sum it up to first, try to find out what might be causing the anemia.  And second, use the LLW and modify the diet.  I haven't had my levels retested, but I feel 110% better!  So, something must be going right!  Good luck!

Anon - Peppermint and Lemon are both recommended for anemia. Lemon also lowers blood pressure, though, so I wouldn't use it if I had low blood pressure as well as anemia.

 

Ramona  - I have been anemic most of my life and until February they could not find a cause.  During the last trimester of pregnancy my iron level got down to 13.  I went on supplements, but they make me sick and I don't know how effective they are for me.  I was tested for Celiac Disease which came back positive.  I have 2 children with it as well.   So, I have been eating a Gluten Free diet since then, but I can still tell that my iron is low.  The biggest thing is that I have very little energy and a lot of dizziness.  This past Friday, while trying to work out, I got so dizzy and light headed, I almost passed out.  I am taking the Lifelong Wellness Pack supplements, not perfectly, but I have been taking them for several months.  I know they are not super high in iron, but I was hoping it would be enough.

Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas of ways nutritionally I could increase my iron?  I just feel like the supplements sufficient.  I can't eat spinach, but other than that, I am open to anything else.  Would other leafy green vegetables be high in iron

Monica - First of all - I suggest ensuring that you're drinking enough pure water.  Anytime I get lightheaded, dehydration is often a culprit.  So, whatever your bodyweight is, divide that in half, and whatever the result is, drink that many ounces of water each day.  Example: 100 lbs / 2 = 50 lbs, so drink 50 ounces of water each day.  To your water, Dr. Hill suggests adding the following doTERRA essential oils to each 10 ounces of water:

·  2 drops lemon - Tonic for the liver

·  2 drops grapefruit - Helps dissolve toxins stored inside fat cells, so they can be eliminated from the body

·  2 drops ginger - Digestive support

·  1 drop cinnamon bark - Helps to regulate and lower blood sugar levels

Next, try having green smoothies for breakfast:

·  1/4 fresh pineapple

·  3+ cups of fresh baby spinach  - This is where you will get that iron your body is craving  (remember Popeye the Sailor-Man?)

·  1 drop peppermint essential oil (also really good with wild orange essential oil)

·  2-3 cups water

Pour over ice, and drink.  If you want to, you can use ice in the blender, which makes for a thicker drink.  Personally I prefer mine liquefied rather than like a shake.

Chances are, you'll not be able to drink the entire pitcher's worth, and perhaps your family member may not wish to imbibe in this delicious drink, so pour any leftovers into ice trays and freeze for later.  When using the cubes, I find about 4 is sufficient, then I fill the glass with water and stir.  The cubes melt fairly quickly, and voila' - green smoothie with no cleanup!

Ramona – Thanks you so much.  I can't use spinach though, because as crazy as it sounds, it does not agree with me at all.  Would kale have the same iron levels or at least be a close substitute?

Monica - I believe that any dark leafy green would work.

Chelsea - These are great questions as I experience similar things and it's stinking frustrating! One of my favorite greens in smoothies because I think it's milder than kale or collards is chard. I read recently that it contains 25% iron when cooked so perhaps more when raw? Here is a list of foods generally high in iron besides spinach, which may help too. Asparagus, broccoli, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, turnip greens, parsley, and cabbage. Cabbage isn't too bad in smoothies either as long as I have a cucumber or 2 in mine it is usually okay. Monica's list of oils actually sounds fantastic too!

Lisa - I have Celiac also and have found if you add a liquid Vitamin B 12 to your regimen it helps with the tiredness and anemia.  I also have a rough time with spinach and use the baby lettuce that you find in the organic section of stores, which works really well in the smoothies.  I also suggest you read the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle, and they also have a website you can connect with other with Celiac and get tons of information plus recipes etc.  If you stay gluten free your life totally changes in sooo many ways.  Remember also, give yourself time for the gut to heal.

Julie Ann - One simple thing and good too, for low iron levels, is to buy a box of organic raisins and organic Black Strap Molasses and mix them together in a pint mason jar.   You take a tablespoon a day.  Really gives you a boost and works very quickly.  

Especially for Kids protocols folks recommend for children

 

Everyday Example by Robert James

 

Diet and Nutrition great complements to essential oils

 

Science and Research what the research is saying

Layman's summary of the following research article:  Mice given peppermint oil had significant stimulating and protective effects on strengthening their blood cells and restoring them following trauma.

 

Research Article  from the Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratory, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur - 302004, India

Protection of swiss albino mice against whole-body gamma irradiation by Mentha piperita (Linn.)

R. M. Samarth, P. K. Goyal, Ashok Kumar *

Abstract

The radioprotective effects of Mentha oil (Mentha piperita Linn.) against radiation induced haematological alterations in peripheral blood and the survival of Swiss albino mice were studied. Mentha oil 40 µL/animal/day for 3 consecutive days when fed orally prior to whole-body gamma irradiation (8 Gy) showed protection of the animals in terms of the survival percentage and haematological parameters in mice. Fifty per cent of the animals died within 20 days and 100% mortality was observed up to 30 days post-irradiation in the control irradiated group. Whereas only 17% of the mice died within 30 days in the experimental group (Mentha oil pretreated irradiated). The total RBC count decreased maximally at 24 h (3.45 ± 0.20 × 1012/L, p < 0.001), similar observations were obtained for the WBC count, haemoglobin content and haematocrit percentage in the irradiated control animals.

However, in irradiated animals pretreated with Mentha oil, although the initial values of haematological components were lower they later showed a remarkable recovery reaching normal at 30 days post-irradiation compared with the irradiated control animals. In general, the recovery of the blood cell number in irradiated animals depends on the survival of stem cells and their derivatives.

The results from the present study suggest that the oil of Mentha piperita (Linn.) has a radioprotective role in stimulating/protecting the haematopoietic system. Hence, enhanced survival and an increase in the haematological constituents of peripheral blood of mice against lethal gamma radiation was observed.

Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.