This is a post I’ve wanted to write for many years now, but haven’t. I keep putting it off because I know it will come as unpleasant to many, but after several recent events the staff and I have encountered, we’re aware that the issue isn’t going away and this information needs to be said.

This is a post about aromatherapy. More specifically, it’s a post about the SAFE and effective use of essential oils – particularly in the States. You see, aromatherapy, as we know it, is a really new area of science. It originated in the 1920s in France. While aromatic oils from plants have been used therapeutically for millennia, these highly potent chemical extracts have only been used in the US for a few decades. So, naturally, with a field of science so new, it makes sense to turn to its place of origin for the widest array of evidence based information about its proper use.

In our Clinical Master Herbalist course, we rely upon such textbooks for the program. These include original research and case studies conducted at hospitals and physicians’ offices in locations where aromatherapy is accepted as a normal part of medical care. In the US, however, the practice is still very fringe and not used widely, neither is it studied as in depth.

These textbooks and experts, backed by large bodies of scientific evidence are able to best tell us how to use essential oils for safe and effective results. One of the things they tell us is that essential oils – with very, very few exceptions – are not to be used “neat” or undiluted on the skin. They are also not to be taken internally, again with very few exceptions, many of which require direct medical supervision or care. These pioneers of the field that have been studying the chemistry of essential oils for decades are not confused about the quality of a good oil. They’re not talking about adulterated oils or low grade oils. And they’re not recommending “therapeutic-grade” or similarly certified oils – designations that are essentially developed by the marketing departments of popular direct-sales brands here in the States. They’re talking about high quality organic oils that are so potent that they must be diluted before use on the skin and should not be ingested due to their chemical purity.

The reason for this is that these oils are not liquid equivalents of whole herbs. They’re not extracts that are already diluted in alcohol, glycerin or another substance like we use for herbal remedies. They’re concentrated chemical portions of the whole herb that have been removed directly from the plants for use in natural medicine. They’re not only safer when inhaled or diluted for topical application – they’re usually most effective when used that way. We know this to be true because we have vast amounts of scientific evidence over many years verifying this as the ideal use of the substances.

Many direct-sales or MLM companies exist in the States that are telling us otherwise. They say their oils are so potent/pure that they can be used undiluted on the skin or internally – a claim that is not even logical as the more potent/pure an oil, the less suitable for either application it would be. Our educational programs have always sided with evidence based medicine. We’re strict about that, and through the years have not always been popular for that stance. However, we’re also confident that we’re providing a valuable service with such information, enabling parents to use natural health safely and effectively in their homes. Our families are not guinea pigs, so why subject them to unverified and inaccurate recommendations hoping for the best, when we have large bodies of evidence that show us how to get reliable results without risking their safety?

Why bring up this topic now? Because in addition to the years of frustration of watching well intended consumers purchase overpriced oils to use incorrectly and dangerously in their homes, we’re now hearing reports of harm associated with these risks. Most recently, we read a heartbreaking post on our VR forums about a miscarriage suspected to be a result of consumption of oils that are not to be consumed internally – even when not pregnant. We’re deeply saddened at this news and don’t want to see these situations increase in number.

So please, regardless of what you’re told otherwise, always check the validity of claims given to you about any natural health option you’re considering – whether it be essential oils, whole herbal preparations, or something else. Insist upon sticking to evidence based information for your family’s sake.

Because they’re not guinea pigs; they’re priceless and irreplaceable.

To those with celiac, allergies, and gluten sensitivities: We hear you. I’ve been involved in gluten free research and treatment for over a decade and even lived through it personally with one of my children. I’ve also worked with many clients that have celiac. In the book, I detail just how difficult it can be to even get a diagnosis with celiac, and I speak from not only professional but personal experience as I’ve walked through that path with close friends through the years. We even have several staff members at Vintage Remedies that have celiac or strong sensitivities.

I understand your frustration when you travel, the risk a restaurant with a “gluten-free” menu poses, especially when you’ve been burned by cross contamination due to one simple mistake. I know how the rest of the world misunderstands your condition. I’ve heard it all too – “would whole wheat work? no? how about a cracker then?” I’ve even taken the harsh comments by those who believed I was harming my child by eliminating gluten. I’ve lived through the anxiety of being a guests in someone’s home who didn’t understand gluten and it’s risks, I still travel frequently always keeping an eye out for nearby grocery stores where I can find safe food, and I understand the glances and the looks from those that think gluten-free is a fad diet – an excuse to be rude. In short, I know your lifestyle because I’ve lived it.

I know how groundbreaking the information in this book will seem and how implausible some of it may seem to those that have heard it all. I, too, had heard it all. Yet, for those of you familiar with Vintage Remedies, you know that we always err on the side of evidence based caution. We’ve taken heat for that stance many times as we refuse to jump on to the latest health fads and we don’t get our attention by launching conspiracy theory newsletters. We’re not opposed to modern medicine; we appreciate all that it has done. We are wholeheartedly in favor of evidence based medicine, believing that our families are not guinea pigs for our home experiments.

We don’t risk the health of our families by jumping to the latest diet – whether that diet is new or a revision of some so-called traditional lifestyle. Why should we when large scale clinical trials have examined these habits on thousands of individuals and can show us what to expect?

The same rings true for the upcoming bread book. In this book, I discuss the history of bread, the diet of the ancients (not as I see it, but as historians and medical anthropologists report it) and the issue with gluten. There is a lot to this subject and without reading through the book entirely, it is difficult to fully grasp the whole of this research. I encourage you to read through it, and if you have time, try to obtain access to as many of the hundreds of clinical trials that I cite as you can to verify what I’m saying. If you need help interpreting them, I plan on continuing to post about the subject here on the blog, so compile your questions and bring them back. I’d love to discuss the issue further!

Yes, in the book, I say that there is a method that can completely degrade the gluten in wheat. But I say much, much more than that and the process I recommend is reversing a “perfect storm” so it’s complex, and at the moment, not many home kitchens are equipped to manage a gluten free diet in this way. Which is why the book concludes with alternate options that begin with certified gluten free flours, including methods shown through clinical trials to make gluten-free bread lighter and fluffier, and can eliminate cross contamination. I think you need to read this research. I feel so strongly that I’ve spent countless hours over 3 years putting this book together to get this information out to you – more time than I’ve ever spent on a single book. Not because you can change things overnight, but because it brings hope. There is evidence that points to a brighter future – one that safely includes more dietary options for all of us.

The book also includes valuable information about the onset and prevention of celiac. With the knowledge researchers have about the onset of celiac, there are many steps we can take to prevent it from continuing to grow as an epidemic in our society. This is equally exciting news because researchers have documented that the prevalence of undiagnosed celiac is multiplying in the general population. This is a trend I’d love to see reversed – and I’m sure you would as well.

The book’s release date is March 20 and pre-orders are currently available through Vintage Remedies and Amazon.com Vintage Remedies will be shipping all pre-orders in early March. As the book is released and shipped, I’ll be posting more on the subject.

As a wellness professional, I spend a lot of time in the wellness community. I travel speaking to large groups about natural health and I hear a lot of stories. And I cringe every time I see an article or hear the advice that ___(fill in the blank problem)___ is just yeast! Your kid has ADHD? It’s just yeast! You have adrenal fatigue? eczema? attention span problems? poor digestion? no appetite? a speech delay? difficulty losing weight? thyroid problems? endometriosis? cancer? It’s just yeast! And you can cure it on an antifungal diet! (You’ve seen these, right? Eliminate ALL sugar, take some coconut oil and other antifungals and you’ll experience an uncomfortable “die off” then it will be all better.)

<sigh> If only that were true! How easy and attainable health would be. The reality is that there is just *so* much wrong with the phrase “you have yeast” To begin with – what kind of yeast? There are numerous strands – many of which are actually good for you!! Could you have one of those beneficial strands? Or a harmful type of yeast? How do you know? Next, how can you know it’s yeast without a laboratory test? Fatigue, distractibility, poor immunity, inflammation and toxin build up are all very vague and general terms that are applicable to countless disorders and imbalances within the body. They could be caused by certain types of bacterial overgrowth, nutritional deficiencies, reactions to environmental toxins within your home, food sensitivities… With so many other potential causes, we can’t just assume it’s yeast. Third, assuming that it *is* fungal overgrowth within the body, how do you know *this* antifungal diet is what will do the trick? Like bacteria, fungal growth can be resistant to various antifungals. How do you select the right one? Laboratory tests.

So, what do you do if you do suspect yeast? Or if you have any of the symptoms that are related to fungal overgrowth? If you suspect fungal overgrowth, visit an integrative care provider. Request diagnostic tests to determine what (if anything) you have growing in unsafe numbers within you and then learn what that microbe is (and is not) susceptible to. (These are generally going to be blood tests sent to a laboratory.) Then, treat the real issue. You may be surprised to find that your “yeast overgrowth” is actually a reaction to gluten or citrus or something else in your diet. Or it could be a blood sugar imbalance – or a vitamin deficiency. A restrictive diet may provide short term relief if its related to the real issue at hand, but once you consume those foods again, it will return. Which is why some people come up to me at conferences to ask why they’ve been battling “yeast” for years on end.

The “die off” stage is (unfortunately) real. If it is a type of yeast, it could be uncomfortable while your body endures the process of microbial change within the intestines. The same is true for removing sensitive foods from the diet and treating harmful bacterial overgrowth. However, all uncomfortable feelings are not die-off and it’s important to make sure that the treatment is actually treating the issue at hand.

And finally, just a note on sugar consumption – no, it’s not great. It should be consumed in moderation. However, eliminating it from the diet is (nearly impossible technically, but I digress) not going to eradicate *yeast* overgrowth. Antifungal solutions will, assuming that’s the problem in the first place. Excess sugar actually hinders the growth of yeast (more on this in my next book, coming spring 2012!) and unless your diet is all processed carbs (in which case that would likely be the key problem anyway) then the consumption of fruit, whole grain baked goods and minimal natural sweeteners isn’t going to significantly play a role in microbial overgrowth – unless you have a food sensitivity or other digestive issues.