Using Oregano Oil for Common Problems
(DrEddyClinic News) Oregano oil is extracted from the leaves of the oregano (Origanum vulgare) plant, a perennial herb belonging to the family of Lamiaceae [1] . In a past post about oregano oil http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=33706, I discussed its numerous beneficial properties. Now, I’d like to cover how it can be used to address a wide range of problems. Here’s a guide to help you get the most out of this wonderful oil.
Aches and Pains
Whether arthritis, backaches, bursitis, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, sore muscles, and sports injuries, oil of oregano can be used topically to penetrate the skin and help relieve the pain that may be causing your issue. Rub a 50/50 mixture of organic oregano oil and organic olive oil onto the affected areas.
Cold Prevention and Treatment
When you begin to notice that itchy feeling in the back of your throat and feel a cold is on its way, place 3-6 drops of oil in an empty capsule and take 2-3x daily just before meals every day for 5-10 days.
Digestive Issues
Place 3-6 drops of oil in an empty capsule and take 2-3x daily, just before meals. The high levels of thymol and carvacrol found in the oil can help to calm upset stomachs and assist with digestion.
Ear Infection
Rub a 50/50 mixture of organic oregano oil and organic olive oil http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=32417 on the outside of the ear. For children, a 25% oregano oil and 75% olive oil mix should be used. Never put oregano oil directly in the ear canal!
[b]Insect Bites and Stings[/b]
Preparing for a hike? Take along a 50/50 mixture of organic oregano oil and olive oil. It can help neutralize and extract the venom from any insect bite or sting, and may even assist with allergic reactions from wasp or bee stings. Simply apply to the swollen area.
Migraine and Sinus Headaches
The next time you get a headache, try rubbing a 50/50 mixture of oregano oil and olive oil between your eyebrows and on your forehead and temples (do NOT get any in your eyes!) You can also sniff the fumes of the oil to provide further assistance to your sinuses.
Minor Burns
Oregano oil can provide pain relief instantly and may prevent blisters. Combine 1 drop of oregano oil with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and apply to the affected area.
Mouth Sores, Abscesses, and Toothaches
Mix a drop of oregano oil with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and then swish it around in your mouth around your infected tooth or around diseased gums http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=33236. You can also use it as a kind of medicated mouthwash. Take a sip of water, swish it around your mouth for 1 to 2 minutes, and spit it out. Repeat as needed daily.
Just remember oil of oregano should be diluted before applying it directly to your skin, Typically, this will be one teaspoon of olive or coconut oil http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=33158 per drop of oregano oil. Make oregano oil a regular part of your home first aid kit. Having a 50/50 mixture of olive oil and oregano oil already prepared will leave you prepared for health issues that arise.
by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
References
1. United States Department of Agriculture. Plants Profile for Origanum vulgare (oregano) http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ORVU.” 2006. 16 Mar. 2016
How Can Frankincense Oil Aid in Natural Skin Care?
(DrEddyClinic News) Frankincense is a special sap from the Boswellia tree and it’s had a wide array of cultural applications for over 5000 years.[1] Boswellia trees are hardy trees that yield the valuable resin when the bark is “striped”, or slashed open. It’s a process that’s done by hand to ensure the highest quality resin. Frankincense originated in Africa, India, and the Middle East, with most of the supply coming from the nation of Oman. Trade grew extensive and frankincense eventually became so prized that it was one of the three gifts presented in the Christian Nativity story.[2]
Frankincense has been used in a myriad of ways and, in present times, it’s a popular ingredient in topical skin care products. In this article, we will explore some of the historical uses of this valuable resin, as well as its role in skin care. But first, let’s answer a simple question.
What Is Frankincense?
Frankincense is an aromatic, hardened tree resin. It contains several unique compounds, most importantly boswellic acid.[3] The hard frankincense resin can be refined into an essential oil that offers remarkable health benefits, including boosting the immune system.[4] The regional composition of frankincense is so distinctive that you can trace the source resin by analyzing the oil.[5]
Traditional Uses of Frankincense and Frankincense Oil
Some of the most common uses for frankincense have been cultural or religious in nature.[6] Because of its pleasant aroma, frankincense has been used as incense for centuries. The first recorded use of incense was in Fifth Dynasty Egypt (2345 – 2494 BC).[7] Frankincense was also used in religious ceremonies in the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece.[8] Eventually, its use spread to countries like China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Frankincense saw cultural use in Taoism[9], Buddhism[10], and Shinto.[11] Frankincense became popular in Europe and its use was adopted by the Christian faith, particularly Catholicism.[12]
Modern Uses of Frankincense
As the use of frankincense evolved, it became popular as an ingredient in many cosmetic and skin care products. In some areas, frankincense is found in deodorant and toothpaste.[13] Frankincense is used to create natural household cleaning products http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33389 and is one of the most common oils used in aromatherapy.[14] You can find it in many cosmetic and skin care products as frankincense is frequently added to soaps, shampoos, lotions, and facial creams.
Its popularity is not simply because of its aroma; frankincense actually helps promote youthful, healthy skin. Mixing the essential oil with liquids (especially distilled water) can yield a fragrant, spray-on skin toner. You can combine frankincense oil can with other products to impart its health-supporting properties. Frankincense has a unique chemical composition and proven skin-strengthening abilities. That’s why, after thousands of years, it still remains an important part of natural skin care http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=118&t=34151.
Let’s take a look at why this is so important.
Why Is Natural Skin Care Important?
Skin is the largest organ in the human body.[15] It is constantly exposed to the external environment and all its challenges. One of the primary responsibilities of your skin is to act as [thin] armor for your internal organs, muscles, skeleton, and more. It’s important to take care of your skin so it stays healthy. And, many of the best natural skin care products use frankincense to help achieve this goal.
Don’t underestimate the importance of using natural ingredients http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=118&t=33942 when it comes to skin care. If you wouldn’t put toxic substances in your mouth, why would you want to rub them on your skin? Unfortunately, that’s exactly what many people do, as lesser products contain toxic ingredients that can be absorbed through the skin.[16]
8 Skin Care Product Ingredients to Avoid
Eight common skin ingredients that should be avoided include…
1. Parabens: commonly used preservatives found in many cosmetic products.[17]
2. Triethanolamine: used in herbicides and petroleum demulsifiers.[18]
3. Butylene Glycol: humectant that has been traced to contact allergens.[19]
4. Diethanolamine: can lead to skin irritation but commonly found in soaps, shampoos, cleaners, polishers, and other cosmetics.[20]
5. DMDM Hydantoin: harsh chemical preservative.[21]
6. Ethanolamine: listed as a chemical hazard by American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[22]
7. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: widely used synthetic detergent with known side effects.[23]
8. Sodium Laureth Sulfate: shown to be a skin irritant.[24]
This is by no means a complete list of harmful cosmetic additives. There are plenty more, and finding a safe skin care product may seem like an arduous task. That’s why choosing a product with natural ingredients, like frankincense, is so important.
How to Choose the Right Skin Care Product
Many people go out of their way to eat healthy, natural foods. That’s great! Unfortunately, not everyone puts the same thought into choosing the best skin care products. Your skin is not impermeable. Any substance you put on your skin could be absorbed into your bloodstream and dispersed throughout your body.
I suggest limiting yourself to skin care products made with natural ingredients like frankincense. Parfait Visage® http://bit.ly/dreddyclinic-parfait-visage is a premium, luxury face cream that was designed to help promote fresh, radiant skin. It’s made with all-natural ingredients http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=118&t=33943, including organic Indian frankincense oil. It’s the perfect skin care product for keeping your face looking its best.
Do you have a creative way to use frankincense? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts with us.
by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
References
1. “Frankincense & Myrrh: A Gift of Tree History https://www.warnell.uga.edu/outreach/pubs/pdf/forestry/Frank%20&%20Myrrh%20pub%202011.pdf.” Trees & Culture Series (Dec. 2011): n. pag. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. University of Georgia. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
2. Hillson, R M. “Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1292026/.” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 81.9 (1988): 542–543. Print.
3. Hamidpour, Rafie et al. “Frankincense (乳香 Rǔ Xiāng; Boswellia Species): From the Selection of Traditional Applications to the Novel Phytotherapy for the Prevention and Treatment of Serious Diseases http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3924999/.” Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine 3.4 (2013): 221–226. PMC. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
4. Chen, Yingli et al. “Composition and Potential Anticancer Activities of Essential Oils Obtained from Myrrh and Frankincense http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24137478.” Oncology Letters 6.4 (2013): 1140–1146. PMC. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
5. Mikhaeil, Botros R., Galal T. Maatooq, Farid A. Badria, and Mohamed M. A. Amer. “Chemistry and Immunomodulatory Activity of Frankincense Oil http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12710734.” Zeitschrift Für Naturforschung C 58.3-4 (2003): n. pag. PubMed. Web.
6. Moussaieff, Arieh, and Raphael Mechoulam. “Boswellia Resin: From Religious Ceremonies to Medical Uses; a Review of In-vitro, In-vivo and Clinical Trials http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19814859.” Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 61.10 (2009): 1281-293. PubMed. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
7. Lucas, A. Ancient Egyptian Materials & Industries https://books.google.com/books?id=GugkliLHDMoC&lpg=PA112&dq=Egypt%20incense&pg=PA111#v=onepage&q=Egypt%20incense&f=false. London: E. Arnold, 1948. Print.
8. Ben-Yehoshua, Shimshon, Carole Borowitz, and Lumír Ondřej Hanuš. “Frankincense, Myrrh, and Balm of Gilead: Ancient Spices of Southern Arabia and Judea http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118100592.ch1/summary.” Janick/Horticultural Reviews V39 Horticultural Reviews (2012): 1-76. Academia.edu. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
9. Mou, Zhongjian. Taoism https://books.google.com/books?id=NUgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA299&lpg=PA299&dq=frankincense+used+in+taoism&source=bl&ots=QEDHIlLIRx&sig=TY2ADWhtBktUs0_F_Mhnl-cwaqg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjv6fHvmNzKAhULyGMKHbVHB6AQ6AEIKDAC#v=onepage&q=frankincense%20used%20in%20taoism&f=false. Leiden: Brill, 2012. 299. Print.
10. Bedini, Silvio A. The Trail of Time = Shih-chien Ti Tsu-chi: Time Measurement with Incense in East Asia https://books.google.com/books?id=xdVkzs6iI1YC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&dq=frankincense+used+in+buddhism&source=bl&ots=pplZwfz26p&sig=iCQqOTTjkXRNh9sQHi9LaB3yqeI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwist5OKmdzKAhVWwWMKHTqWARAQ6AEIYzAN#v=onepage&q=frankincense%20used%20in%20buddhism&f=false. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994. 30. Print.
11. Hastings, James, John A. Selbie, and Louis H. Gray. Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics https://books.google.com/books?id=5D4TAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA204&lpg=PA204&dq=frankincense+used+in+shinto&source=bl&ots=QyfrRx_hiR&sig=nW__3hhIDAZ2gtl7S0nQpKTiqBQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwij_rytmdzKAhUGwWMKHbo1D0wQ6AEINjAE#v=onepage&q=frankincense%20used%20in%20shinto&f=false. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1908. 204. Print.
12. Ball, Ann. Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices https://books.google.com/books?id=tjI9YQBFDGYC&pg=PA260&lpg=PA260&dq=frankincense+used+in+catholicism&source=bl&ots=5pc8X9uEUN&sig=1Rh9DvSEVNwyjmCZ0z-3k7IJIs0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOpc3PmdzKAhVI4mMKHX01BZI4ChDoAQhCMAc#v=onepage&q=frankincense%20used%20in%20catholicism&f=false. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2003. 260. Print.
13. “The Story of Frankincense http://www.mei.edu/sqcc/frankincense.” Middle East Institute. Middle East Institute, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
14. “Aromatherapy (Essential Oils) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0024879/.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
15. Grice, Elizabeth A., and Julia A. Segre. “The Skin Microbiome http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535073/.” Nature reviews. Microbiology 9.4 (2011): 244–253. PMC. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
16. “What You Know Can Help You – An Introduction to Toxic Substances https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/chemicals/toxic_substances.htm.” New York Department of Health. New York State, Oct. 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
17. “Parabens http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Ingredients/ucm128042.htm.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 15 Dec. 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
18. “NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Triethanolamine (Cas No. 102-71-6) in B6C3F1 Mice (dermal Studies) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15213765.” Natl Toxicol Program Tech Rep Ser. 518 (2004): 5-163. PubMed. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
19. Aizawa, Atsuko, Akiko Ito, Yukiko Masui, and Masaaki Ito. “Case of Allergic Contact Dermatitis Due to 1,3-butylene Glycol http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25182293.” The Journal of Dermatology J Dermatol 41.9 (2014): 815-16. Web.
20. “Diethanolamine https://www3.epa.gov/airtoxics/hlthef/diethano.html.” EPA.gov. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Jan. 2000. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
21. Horev, L., M. Isaksson, M. Engfeldt, L. Persson, A. Ingber, and M. Bruze. “Preservatives in Cosmetics in the Israeli Market Conform Well to the EU Legislation http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25175339.” Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 29.4 (2014): 761-66. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
22. “NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0256.html.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. USA.gov, 13 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
23. Barkvoll, P. “Should Toothpastes Foam? Sodium Lauryl Sulfate–a Toothpaste Detergent in Focus http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2696932.” Nor Tannlaegeforen Tid. 99.3 (1989): 82-84. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
24. Robinson, V. C., W. F. Bergfeld, D. V. Belsito, R. A. Hill, C. D. Klaassen, J. G. Marks, R. C. Shank, T. J. Slaga, P. W. Snyder, and F. Alan Andersen. “Final Report of the Amended Safety Assessment of Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Related Salts of Sulfated Ethoxylated Alcohols http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20634505.” International Journal of Toxicology 29.4 Suppl (2010): n. pag. Web.
A Liver Cleanse May Help Reduce These Symptoms
(DrEddyClinic News) Proper liver function is absolutely essential for a healthy body and improved digestion. The liver processes the blood from the digestive tract, removing toxins and other impurities before the blood cycles out to the rest of the body. The liver also produces bile, which is stored in the gallbladder (which rests under the liver) and is essential for fat digestion. The two organs are jointly responsible for a well-balanced healthy body.
Any irregularity, congestion or toxic buildup in the liver can leave you with symptoms of feeling far less than your best. Buildup of fats and toxins in the liver can be responsible for a whole host of symptoms that a liver cleanse may help.
Liver problems can lead to a variety of unpleasant symptoms. You may start to notice one or more of the symptoms below if your liver becomes toxic, fibrous, fatty, or scarred. Symptoms of an unhealthy liver include:
- Running out of energy in the afternoon
- Inability to lose weight
- Mood swings
- Bursts of anger, mood disorders http://bit.ly/antidepressants-depressingly-ineffective, or anxiety
- Bloating and gas http://bit.ly/causes-of-flatulence
- Occasional headaches
- Brain Fog and lack of mental clarity
- Muscle aches and stiffness
- Bad breath or body odor
- Brown spots on your skin or age spots
- Bruising easily
- Jaundice, or skin and eyes that take on a yellow color
- Dark urine
- Pale-colored stool or bloody/tar-colored stool
- Constantly itchy skin
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- Poor digestion
- Nausea
- Chronic fatigue
Another common problem is fatty liver disease, which often develops from the overindulgence or long-term use of alcohol. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease also exists, and can be brought on by certain medications, malnutrition, or other causes. One concern with fatty liver disease is that vague symptoms (generalized fatigue, weakness, nausea, confusion, impaired judgment, and loss of appetite http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=33828) can build up for years before liver damage is implicated as the cause.
If you are experiencing any of these liver symptoms or disease, your liver is most likely trying to tell you something about the buildup of toxins in your body. It may even be an indication of other serious liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, or hemochromatosis.
What is a Liver Cleanse?
A liver cleanse is a program designed to purge and purify your liver of built up toxins, stones http://bit.ly/liver-liverstones and sludge. It usually consists of drinking a special mixture of herbs over a period of four days, which support the normal detoxification processes of the liver. On the 5th day, drinking six to eight ounces of olive oil is required to flush the liver.
Another important step in keeping your liver healthy begins with what you put in your mouth. Maintaining a healthy, organic diet http://bit.ly/bodycleansingdiet and exercising regularly helps keep the liver clean.
Performing a liver cleanse http://bit.ly/what-is-a-liver-cleanse a few times a year greatly reduces the risk of developing unhealthy liver symptoms.
by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
Ancient onion and garlic medicinal recipe cures drug-resistant superbug infection
by: Amy Goodrich
natural medicine, drug resistance, superbugs
(DrEddyClinic News) A thousand-year-old potion found in an Old English manuscript in the British Library to treat an eye infection has amazed the scientific world. Researcher at the University of Nottingham found it to be very effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA.
Combating MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria is one of the biggest challenges hospitals face each year. Due to overuse of and overexposure to antibiotics, some bacterial strains have evolved to withstand our drugs. This gives rise to a whole army of superbugs which are very hard to treat and cause the death of at least 23,000 people each year.
Anglo-Saxon expert Dr. Christina Lee, from the University of Nottingham, found and translated this "eye salve" from Bald's Leechbook, which is a collection of ancient remedies to treat a wide range of ailments.
Take cropleek and garlic, of both equal quantities, pound them well together, take wine and bullocks' gall, of both equal quantities, mix with the leek, put this then into a brazen vessel, let it stand nine days in the brass vessel, wring out through a cloth and clear it well, put it into a horn, and about night time apply it with a feather to the eye; the best leechdom. -- Recipe to treat a stye, translated from Bald's Leechbook.
Only after teaming up with colleague Dr. Freya Harrison and her team from the microbiology department were they able to recreate the ancient salve.
They tried to make the remedy as close as possible to the original recipe http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=35339, which was not easy since our crops now differ a lot from the ones in the 10th century.
They tested the eye salve on a large culture of MRSA, and the results were rather unexpected.
"We did not see this coming at all," said microbiologist Harrison, the lead researcher. "We thought that Bald's eye salve might show a small amount of antibiotic activity. ... But we were absolutely blown away by just how effective the combination of ingredients was," she added.
They found that the unique combination of Bald's eye salve killed up to 90 percent of MRSA. To back up their findings, Texas Tech University tested the salve on MRSA skin wounds on mice and came to the same conclusion.
The salve might be more powerful than any antibiotic on the market right now.
"We let our artificial 'infections' grow into dense, mature populations called 'biofilms,' where the individual cells bunch together and make a sticky coating that makes it hard for antibiotics to reach them," Harrison said in a statement. "But unlike many modern antibiotics, Bald's eye salve has the power to breach these defenses."
This new study shows us that we can learn important lessons from our past. It is actually not the first time researchers found the answer in nature instead of the lab. There may be a lot of dodgy medieval practices and remedies out there, but great wisdom is hiding in these ancient books as well. Artemisinin to treat malaria, for instance, is another substance that came to us via an age-old Chinese medical text.
"This truly cross-disciplinary project explores a new approach to modern health care problems by testing whether medieval remedies contain ingredients which kill bacteria or interfere with their ability to cause infection," Dr. Harrison concluded.
This research project will be presented at the Society for General Microbiology conference in Birmingham, UK, and the results will also be submitted to the journal Nature.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-32117815
http://gizmodo.com/a-medieval-recipe-could-kill-hospital-superbugs-no-re-1694696575
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/03/31/modern-superbug-mrsa-medieval-cure/70713486/
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27263-anglo-saxon-remedy-kills-hospital-superbug-mrsa.html#.VRtw8fmUeKV
http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013/
http://www.sciencealert.com/1-000-year-old-onion-and-garlic-remedy-kills-antibiotic-resistant-bugs
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/life-sciences/news/a-medieval-remedy-for-modren-day-superbugs.aspx
