With my recent proclamations of my devotion to our beloved bugs and my exaltation of essential oils, I have provided evidence that these two subjects can be united into a powerful duo that has many health benefits. This means we want to make sure we don’t make either of them work harder by allowing our bodies to be a “toxic dumping ground!”

 

I officially came out of the “buggy” closet with my latest postings expressing my adoration for the two topics that are closest to my heart. It’s true, I love essential oils and I love our tiny friends that line our insides and outsides!

The coolest thing is that these two subjects fit together like birds of a feather… essential oils can benefit the microbiome in our bellies, and in our brain, and both are supportive of healthy bodies!

In case you missed my two-part article series, “Ode to Essential Oils and the Microbiome in My Brain,” here’s what you missed:

In Part I, I reviewed the holistic wellness properties of essential oils, how they impact our gut health, and that they have the potential to enhance the beneficial impact of balanced belly bugs.

In Part II, I discuss why the microbiome is always in my brain and how essential oils may be linked to “healthy, happy, buggy brains!”  Yes, our brains have bugs too! (Brings a whole new meaning to eating worms, right?) I’m predicting this discovery will bring a second research explosion on the microbiome!

Tonight, I just had a meeting with two of my top oils leaders in preparation for the free online webinar that we will be presenting on May 23rd. The topic covers how to trade in harmful chemicals with drops of essential (oils) hope. (You can learn more about it and how to listen-in here.)

At this point, many are aware that common personal “care” and household “cleaning” products are actually toxic time bombs to our health!!! (Melodrama added for truth!)

Furthermore, I learned that some of these chemicals have evidence that they actually effect our microbiome by shifting it to resistant buggies to the toxin, leading to negative consequences systemically!

Uh-oh, you don’t want to mess with the microbiome!

An article from 2011 in Environmental Health Prospectives states:

The agents we now know as bacteria have been known for centuries to play a key role in certain kinds of illnesses and ailments. But aside from infectious diseases, the communities of microbes we carry in specific parts of our bodies—our microbiomes—are a relatively new topic in human health. Now this field of study has taken an evolutionary leap forward with new research showing human microbiomes may play a far greater role in environmental health than ever imagined.

The excitement around this field was obvious at a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) workshop on the interplay of the microbiomes, environ-ental agents, and human health held 27–28 April 2011,1 where talks by researchers working in this area inspired numerous “eureka!” moments. New findings about the ways in which human microbiomes transform arsenic and mercury—two of our most prevalent and well-defined external human health hazards—suggest the role of commensal bacteria may equal or exceed that of genetic polymorphisms that regulate metal transformations within the body, says Ellen Silbergeld, a professor of environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The implications of these new insights are staggering. Environmental health scientists may need to expand the toxicokinetics of metals and other environmental agents, as well as associated biomarkers, to include the microbial component. “This is a huge thing that has never been thought of before in environmental health sciences,” Silbergeld told workshop attendees.

It’s known that critters are resilient little buggers, so short-term shifts may be hard to measure with chemicals. Alarmingly, we seem to just be discovering the downstream implications. What we do know now is that shifting them with accumulations of disruptions over time can make the bad guys come out to not-nice-play!

So, rather than using things that can expose our microbiome and bodies to harm, why not build up our bodies and health using products that support both!

I’ll be continuing with this topic in upcoming blogs. This is in order to empower you with healthy alternatives for a safer home and healthier family.

Click here to learn more about a series I created for healthier homes and consider taking the challenge!

References:

  • Betts KS. A Study in Balance: How Microbiomes Are Changing the Shape of Environmental Health. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2011;119(8):a340-a346. doi:10.1289/ehp.119-a340.
  • Relman DA. The human microbiome: ecosystem resilience and health. Nutrition reviews. 2012;70(Suppl 1):S2-S9. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2012.00489.x.

 

Disclaimer: This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.

This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. (Affiliation link.)