Petrochemicals, Free Radicals, and Essential Oils

September 17, 2009 in Anti-Aging, Antioxidant, Chemicals / Toxic, Eco-Friendly, Family Health, Hormones, Lifestyle, Natural Health, ORAC / S-ORAC, Progesterone Cream, Wellness, Young Living Distributor by Tammy Baile | No comments

Article contributed by Shayla.

It is said that in today’s society, the average individual is faced with up to 300 times more petrochemicals then our grandparents were exposed to in their entire lives. There are thousands of petrochemicals everywhere you look. They are in ink, crayons, bubble gum, household cleaning products, personal hygiene products, toothpaste, ammonia, and even our food. Some more major sources include city air, and city water. In agriculture areas farm pesticides put them in the air, ground toxic-products-cleaner and water. So what is the big deal and why is this so bad?

Petrochemicals are a major source of free radicals. If you do not know what free radicals are and you just pictured in your mind’s eye a bunch of “dude’s” running around setting flags on fire and causing chaos, you are closer then you realize to understanding what free radicals are! This is what free radicals are, only on a molecular-make that atom- level. Free radicals in a nutshell are atoms that are unpaired, or mismatched. In layman terms they are kind of like Frankenstein with a bubonic plague; they go around the body damaging cells which in turn go on to damage other cells, thus creating a chain reaction like dominoes. Cancer and heart disease are good example’s of what free radical damage does. Free radicals are already a by product of cell function, however the healthy body is equipped to deal with free radicals on this level. Our bodies are not naturally equipped to deal with them on a mass level as we are getting today.

Another damaging by product of petrochemicals is xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are chemical estrogens, and are very bad for us. They are major hormone disruptors, disrupting the endocrine system and increasing risks of cancer and birth defects. They are absorbed by men, women, and children alike. Xenoestrogen-producing petrochemicals are being poured into the environment, food, and everything around us, for example the plastics we put our food in and the bottled water we drink is loaded with them, as well as the Clorox products we use to clean with. They are everywhere. Consider the following: over the course of the last fifty years little girls have begun developing at what was unheard of ages 50 years ago. It is also said that over the last twenty years breast cancer alone has claimed more American women’s lives then the Vietnam, and the Korean wars, as well as World Wars I and II all combined, and cancer mortality rates have risen from 1 in 4 persons in 1960 to 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women now. Although modern medicine has spent billions looking for clues, cures, and ways to win this war, we are statistically losing. Obviously, there is room to consider what more can be done to protect ourselves and our families.

As we go about discussing ways to protect our bodies, the first avenue is clearly the obvious, try to avoid petrochemicals in every way possible. Use glass jars to store food in-especially hot food since warm food leaches xenoestrogens out much faster. Use natural hygiene products-at the School of Natural Healing we were taught not to put things on our body that we wouldn’t eat because the skin absorbs everything! When it comes to cooking, try to cook healthy, whole, organic foods from scratch, using only stainless steel and glass cookware. Don’t clean your home with regular household cleaning products, use natural “Green” or environmentally safe products. Start reading labels on products you buy, and simply try to avoid chemicals. Think twice about things like having your hair colored as this is a major source of toxic chemicals going into the body.

To combat free radical damage and xenoestrogens we have a couple major “guns” on our side. According to the Essential Oils Desk Reference, natural progesterone creams are natural ways to combat the xenoestrogens and balance hormones. Dr. John R. Lee, international authority on natural progesterone cream and author of many books has said that men, women and children alike should be using progesterone cream. Young Living does carry some natural progesterone creams, called Progessence and Prenolone Cream. They contain hormone balancing essential oils, and herbs with natural progesterone. Therapeutic grade essential oils that are high in antioxidants are another way we can combat xenoestrogens and free radicals since antioxidants fight free radical damage (see more on this below). Anything less then therapeutic grade can actually compound the problem as essential oils that are not therapeutic grade can contain heavy metals, synthetic chemicals and other toxicities, hence, it is important to stick with only the best. Young Living Oils are all therapeutic grade and taken through rigorous testing to insure purity and potency. Essential oils such as Clary Sage, geranium, and blends such as Dragon Time for Women and Mister for men, as well as Transformation, Lady Sclareol, SclarEssence, and supplements like PD80/20 are natural ways that people have found of benefit in supporting balance.

When it comes to free radicals, we have antioxidants. Antioxidants serve to deactivate free radicals, and some sources of antioxidants include, pomegranates, red wine, dark chocolate, and vitamins like A, C, and E, as well as diets rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, cantaloupe, and mangoes. With all the petrochemicals and free radicals we are faced with, this still may not be enough for some people. Additional mega sources of antioxidants are actually found in essential oils, and wolfberries. Young Living’s Clove essential oil, as well as their blend called Longevity, and their delicious wolfberry drink called NingXia Red are some of the greatest sources of antioxidants known. Below is a small chart of what some of Young Living’s Therapeutic grade oils measure on the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) scale:

Clove 1,078,700
Myrrh 379,800
Citronella 312,000
Clary Sage 221,000

To put things into perspective, here are what some foods measure

Blueberries 2,400
Xango Juice 1,644
Broccoli 890

I personally, like to try to make sure my children get a good dose of NingXia Red daily (not a problem, they LOVE it). I dilute essential oils such as clove and Longevity, and massage the members of my family with it (note, clove as well as Longevity can overstimulate the skin creating a temporary burning sensation, and must always be diluted with some V-6 mixing oil or olive oil). Longevity also comes in pills, and my family and I like to take these every other day or more. I have Young Living’s Progessence and we use this as recommended by Dr. John R. Lee. In addition to nourishing the body with antioxidant rich and hormone balancing substances as listed above, it is possible according to health authorities to assist healing of free radical damage and help our bodies eliminate toxins such as xenoestrogens and more by detoxifying the body. By creating a lifestyle of consistently detoxing and nourishing the body with whole foods and antioxidant rich supplements, and enzymes and minerals, it is taught by those in the know that this will give our bodies a far greater chance in the prevention of devastating health crises that plague people of today.

Learn more abo ut the Health-Beauty connection here!

Learn more about the powerful antioxidant drink, NingXia Red.

Learn how to clean your home the “Green”, natural way!

Select a Distributor to Purchase Young Livings Essential Oils and Products Here.

Learn how to order Young Living Products at wholesale costs!

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