Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Memorial Weekend

We've been busy playing catch up at Nature's Gift, recovering from the devastation of the flood, trying to create some order out of chaos. And I almost forgot that Memorial Day was coming.

But we want to pause in memory of those who have given all, and those who are at risk today.

A friend's son, Robby Fort, posted his tribute for Memorial Day weekend on YouTube, in honor of those who serve.   We thought you might enjoy it.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Dr. Oz Strikes Again

I guess we should be grateful to Dr. Oz for bringing essential oils to his audience. But the level of misinformation he gives out is appalling.

Three oils are featured in the above clip.

Manuka  (leptospermon scoparium)... he demonstrates its NEAT use...slathered all over a woman's calf, to treat cuts, bruises, irritated skin.  Well...I hope I've written enough about the dangers of using undiluted essential oils on broken skin that you all know better than that.  He also stated that Manuka is related to Tea Tree, and that Captain Cook brought Manuka back to Europe after his voyages.  Well, Tea tree is a melaleuca, not a leptospermon, and while Captain Cook may have brought the leaves back, he certainly did not learn about the essential oil from the New Zealand natives.

Lavender, for stress relief. We'll let that pass, although he did comment that it helped the libido.  Have never heard of lavender as an aphrodisiac, but we won't quibble.

Peppermint, for indigestion, and for IBS.  For indigestion, yes.  For IBS?  Sorry, but the research done on peppermint oil for irritable bowel system stresses the use of enteric coated capsules so that the peppermint oil will not affect the stomach but will pass directly through to the bowel before the capsule is dissolved. Hard to see how Peppermint oil in water could reach the bowel prior to the stomach acting on it.

I guess one out of three isn't bad.   Dr. Oz has such a huge audience who take his every word for gospel truth.  We appreciate his enthusiasm, but would really appreciate a bit of accuracy.

Monday, May 10, 2010

New oils.... ohboyohboyohboy

My friend Laraine Kyle knows of our search for Pinion Pine essential oil to make available to you all.  Two weeks ago she emailed me about a distiller she had talked to from the mountains of Northern Utah. She said she hadn't met him yet, nor sampled his oils, but she was impressed after talking to him. Of course I emailed immediately.

Today the samples arrived.  Pinion Pine essential oil... clear and free and... absolutely wonderful.  White Fir...Abies concolor... clean, the scent of the deep woods.  Sagebrush... Artemesia tridentata.  I wish you could have seen T and I... I think we both got high just off the scent strips. We are both in love with the two conifers. The Sagebrush was a surprise, much deeper and more earthy than the Owyhee we offer, and I'm not sure yet whether or not I like it. After all, I'm a Yankee lady, and don't know what the scent of sagebrush is.  But I suspect our western friends will love it; and know that for ritual work it will be wonderful. Powerfully cleansing.  (Laraine suggests that it might be helpful in treating parasites, as well.)

These amazing oils are from trees gathered high in the Utah mountains, near Grand Staircase National Monument and Bryce Canyon.  The trees have either fallen naturally, or are scheduled for cutting for firebreaks or other conservation.   The distiller does not use power tools in gathering the branches for his still; hand saws, not chain saws, no power chipper ... just man power. Nothing to disturb the pristine environment where they grow.

Supplies of these rare and precious oils are quite limited. We will bring in all that he is willing to ship us to make available for you.  (The White Fir bows are not even wildcrafted; they are distilled from recycled Christmas Trees.)  The Balsam Fir has always been "my" Christmas scent, since it is the Christmas tree of my Boston childhood. I think those born and raised in the Rockies may find this crystal clear White Fir oil the scent of Christmas past.

We are also bringing in supplies of the hydrosols, for emotional and ritual work.  We can't wait for their arrival to make them available to you.  Watch for the announcement in our newsletter and on our Facebook page.  

We hope you will love them as much as we do!  I'm diffusing a tiny bit in my workroom even as I type.  The final touch to clear the lingering aromas from the recent flood, restoring both the air in this room, and my spirit as I type.