Who Knew - Cypress

It isn't often that I get blind-sided about the uses or properties of a "classic" essential oil.  But I recently was.    

In an email discussion with my French Mentor and sometimes supplier about an oil I had never experienced. I asked what it is used for.  "As a substitute for Cypress when you don't want the hormonal effects."   "WHAT hormonal effects???"   This casual comment by my friend lead to a LOT of research.   


Google is not much help.  Googling "hormonal effects of Cypress Essential Oil" brings up blank. Remove the quotes and one finds a LOT of information about Clary Sage and Geranium, etc.   So I turned to my library.

And yes, Sylla Shappard-Hanger, in The Aromatherapy Practitioner's Reference Manual does mention "can act as female hormone stimulant" but she questions that information.  She also states "induces menstruation, eases painful periods, menopausal hot flashes & tension, cramps, PMS, regulates menstrual cycle."  

Who KNEW???  not me!

More reading (picture me pulling books off shelves, checking indexes, discarding or frantically checking pages...nothing.)

AHA..  Maria Lis-Balchin, in Aromatherapy Science, A guide for healthcare professionals, says that "There are virtually no bioactivity data available for this essential oil, and herbal usage, which is mainly using the water-soluble component and, at best, an alcoholic extract containing very little essential oil can not be taken as an indication of essential oil effects.  There is, therefore, little justification for the use of cypress essential oil in aromatherapy."   hmmmmm

I don't like this answer.  But I do know that very often the herbal uses of a plant are attributed wrongly to the EO.  So...more research. On to the big guns:

Peter Holmes, The Energetics of Western Herbs.  AHA!!!  Page 746:  USE: The most practical, effective administration method for Cypress Tip is the distilled essential oil, followed by the tincture. Both are suitable for internal and topical use.

Holmes goes on to indicate that Cypress Oil regulates menstruation and menopause, increases hormones, that Cypress's comprehensive action - endocrine, neural and tissular- engages in a number of gynecological conditions characterized by blood congestion, fluid congestion and tension.  He recommends its use for heavy periods, intermenstrual bleeding, even for fibroids and cysts, endometritis, and for gynecological conditions arising from emotional causes.

He recommends either internal uses (1 to 3 drops in a gel cap, topped off with some Olive Oil, or the use of a homemade pessarie.)  I may give directions for those another day; right now I am off to rewrite our online description of Cypress Essential Oil.  Who knew?

Who  knew?

Clean hands and allergies

We recently shared with our Facebook friends a study released by Johns Hopkins Children's Center, indicating that frequent use of Triclosan, a common antibacterial ingredient in hand sanitizers, antibacterial soaps, mouthwashes, and toothpaste, has been linked to increasing allergies in children.  Frequent exposure to the various parabens was also cited.

The results of the study didn't seem to indicate that the Triclosan or parabens were directly linked to the allergies in a cause and effect relationship, but higher urine levels of these products (indicating that the body has absorbed and is excreting more of the chemicals) seemed directly linked to higher allergy markers in the bloodstream.

 If you are concerned about the overuse of these chemicals in your child's environment (or in your environment!) you might want to consider using our KleenHandz Gel.

Our Mercy Gel is laboratory tested to kill MRSA bacteria in vitro, in a petri dish.  Years ago I read of a case study in an elementary school.  Ravintsara, in aloe gel, used  three times a day by all the children in one classroom.  A dab of the gel on their hands when they entered the classroom,  when they lined up to go to lunch, and before leaving for the school bus in the afternoon.  The absenteeism rate in that one class room was dramatically lower than that of the school as a whole.

We combined the two concepts above, adding our gentler antiviral essential oil, Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora) from Madagascar to our Mercy Treatment Gel.

We can't call it a hand sanitizer.  There are all sorts of governmental regulations and testing that must be done to use that term.  So we call it "Kleen Handz."   Most hand sanitizers have an alcohol base. Alcohol is effective, but also dries your hands.  Kleen Handz gentle aloe vera base soothes your hands, while Lavender and Tea Tree kill bacteria and Ravintsara repels viruses.

It's a more natural alternative to keeping your family germ free.

One consideration.  The results of the study above may be related to what is called the "hygiene hypothesis".... the theory that too much cleanliness, too little exposure to normal environmental pathogens may be what is disrupting children's immune systems and causing the geometric increase in childhood allergies in developed countries today.  In trying to keep our children germ free and safe from all possible bacteria we are preventing their immune systems from developing as Mother Nature intended.

With that in mind, this Grandma says "let them get dirty"... but use Kleen Handz afterwards!