This is a reprint from the Offical Blog of Young Living Australia in its entirety! I thought the topic is also so relevant in the US, so I am sharing it in my blog as well! I was reminded of a saying I heard several years ago that says "It is expensive to be healthy, but it is even more expensive to be sick"! So when choosing an essential oil, remember that quality counts!
Here is the article
The Story Behind Essential Oil Prices: Why are Essential Oils Expensive?
Why are essential oils so expensive? It’s the question that probably pops into everyone’s mind, and you aren’t the first person to wonder why! Like most people, when you are looking into purchasing something for yourself or your home, you do the usual: you do a bit of research, you compare prices, look at the quality, find reviews or ask your friends.
You may have even seen much lower-priced essential oils in local shops and wonder how they compare to Young Living’s premium essential oils. Is the price difference really worth it when it comes to the quality of oils?
The answer is a definite YES. Let’s talk about why this is the case and what factors contribute to the cost of essential oils.
So why are some essential oils costly?
To understand why some essential oils are expensive, it’s important to know how essential oils are made. Essential oils are essentially (for lack of a better word!) plant extracts. They’re made by steaming distilling, resin tapping, or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves, or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance or essence. It can take several kilos of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil.
The price of essential oils ranges widely. Many factors contribute to why some are more expensive than others. This can include the ease of harvesting the plant, the botanical amount needed to produce the oil, plant time sensitivity, purity of the oil, the rarity of the plant, shipping costs, and more.
How much of a plant does it take to produce an essential oil?
Some plants produce less oil than others when distilled, meaning larger amounts of the plant are needed to produce the same amount of oil. For example, our lovely Rose essential oil is very valuable due to the great effort it takes to cultivate the flowers and all the raw botanical material it takes to produce the final product. Fun fact! It takes 9.98 kilos of rose petals to make ONE 5ml bottle of Rose essential oil! For one 15ml Lemon essential oil, 75 lemons are required.
Harvesting the plant
All plants are unique in several ways, which means they need different amounts of care and attention. Certain botanicals can be extremely sensitive requiring them to be harvested at a specific time of day, month, season, or time of year to ensure we are yielding the best quality of the oil. Melissa essential oil is a great example of this. The distillation of Mellissa is a time-sensitive process that must take place at the right time of the day and a precise moment of blossoming to harness its full potential.
Did you know that the difference between an early morning harvest and an afternoon harvest can be critical enough to decrease oil production by up to 90%! This leaves a tiny window of opportunity to get a proper harvest. Due to the sensitivity of the plant, immediate action after harvest must be taken to ensure viability as any drying of the plant material can severely limit or even destroy the amount of oil obtained from the process.
Rarity of the plant
Plants such as lavender and lemon are extremely common, while others are much scarcer. Blue Tansy is a rare, exotic plant that originates on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Perhaps Blue Tansy’s most unique feature, chamazulene is the naturally occurring constituent that provides the oil’s characteristically rich, deep-blue color, which appears only after steam distilling the tiny yellow flowers.
Shipping costs
The plants used to produce essential oils originate from different places due to having farms across the world. Shipping them from different countries such as Africa, France and Israel add transportation costs to the price of oil production. Helichrysum is native to coastal France, Italy, and Croatia. Its delicate flowers bloom in rocky soils before a painstakingly careful harvest. When you buy oils, it’s important to research where the botanicals were grown. Farming the plants in their natural environments or in habitats that replicate their native environments is crucial to producing the best-quality oil.
Why are other essential oils so cheap?
If you’ve browsed through different essential oil options offered online or in various other shops at your local shopping center, you’ve likely seen a wide range of prices. And prices that look way more appealing to the eye. Have you taken a look at the ingredients? Researched the company background? Know how they make their oils? Companies with lower-end pricing often use poor-quality oils and dilute them to achieve those cheaper price points.
When shopping for essential oils, double-check they don’t contain any synthetic fillers. Oils singles should only contain one ingredient – the oil itself. For oil blends, ensure that those ingredients are pure botanical oils. Of course, some high-quality blends may be diluted with a neutral carrier oil like jojoba or grapeseed, depending on the product’s intended application. For example, some of our blends, like those in our KidScents® and Animal Scents™ lines, are prediluted with natural oils and/or glycerin to make them safe for use around children and pets. However, as a rule of thumb, you’ll want to avoid additives and dilutions – especially the synthetic ones.
What makes Young Living different from other oil companies?
It can be summed up in one word. Quality. Companies – particularly those that have lower price points – often compromise on their sourcing, formulation, process, and other elements of production. Young Living focuses intensely on getting every element right, and you never have to second guess whether you are getting a high-quality product. We are proud to set the industry standard for quality with our strict Seed to Seal quality commitment. This commitment to naturally derived, plant-based products mean we oversee the making of our oils from start to finish. From the growing of the seeds to harvesting the plants, to obtaining their oils, to rigorously testing the final product. Any time you hold a bottle of Young Living’s powerful essential oils, you hold nature’s pure essence.
To see us in our Seed to Seal action, watch this video and view a day in the life at the Simiane la Rotonde Lavender Farm and Distillery.
Our Seed to Seal promise ensure that our essential oils are made with the highest quality in mind. This takes out all the guesswork, allowing you to live naturally without a second thought giving you and your family a peace of mind.
While we absolutely love our dearer oils, we understand that especially when building your collection, dropping a lot of your budget on a handful of essential oils may be a bit much. That’s why we’re suggesting some of our favorite, most versatile oils that you can add to your collection for under $30 each!
Check out our farms where our essential oils are grown. Learn more about how and why to focus on the quality of essential oils here. Are you curious about how to use essential oils? A good place to start is our beginner’s guide to essential oils.
Most of us already know that High Blood Pressure (HBP) is the root of many health issues, such as heart disease, stroke, or kidney failure. More evidence is now showing that high blood pressure in middle age people can increase the risk of dementia or poor brain health in later life.
So what Blood Pressure is considered high. The table below shows the ranges of Blood Pressure and their significance to hypertension.
So what can you do to lower your blood pressure? According to Suja Natarajan, people can follow some lifestyle changes such as:
- Maintain a healthy weight. An overweight person makes the heart work harder to pump blood and this can increase your blood pressure.
- Exercise ( you knew this was going to be in here!). Reduce your sitting time and increase your physical activity. Aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, bicycling, and swimming all can strengthen your heart and lower your blood pressure.
- Improve your diet. reduce your sodium (salt) intake and eat nitrate-rich foods such as beets, spinach, yogurt, and fatty fish.
- the last Lifestyle change is to support your body with Supplements. Not just any supplement, but those designed to help lower your blood pressure!
Recommended supplements
There is clinical evidence that supplements with magnesium, potassium, and Vitamins B, C, and E help the body produce nitric oxide that naturally lowers blood pressure and protects blood vessels which are key to brain and heart health.
Young Living provides several supplements that support lowing your blood pressure ...naturally. Given the Seed to Seal guarantee, I personally do not buy any other supplement! According to Jen O'Sullivan, the author of Supplement Desk Reference (4th edition page44), the following 10 supplements should be at the top of your consideration! In order of importance.....
1. Mineral Essence - potassium, magnesium. and chloride
2. Super Cal Plus - calcium, magnesium, K2, D3
3. Super C - chewable or tablets antioxidants
4. OmegaGize3 - DHA, EPA, and COQ10
5. Essentialzymes4 - papain and bromelain
6. Super Vitamin D - blood pressure protector
7. Super B - methylated B complex for vital energy
8. NingXia Red - high antioxidants with immune-supporting Quercetin
9. MultiGreens - phytonutrients, amino acids, and choline
10. Life 9 or KidScents Mighty Pro - gut health probiotics
There are also several Young Living essential oils you can use to help maintain a healthy blood pressure:
* Ylang Ylang
* Majoram
* Helichrysum
* Neroli
* Lavender
* Bergamot
Now you are armed with information on what High Blood Pressure is, what lifestyle changes you can make, and what Young Living Supplements can help lower and maintain healthy blood pressure. If you are experiencing a blood pressure problem, please consider the above supplements. You can shop directly from my website (www.garyrathbun.com) as well!
Please visit my website (www.garyrathbun.com) for other blog articles concerning health and wellness
I recently read an ad in a magazine where I came across an advertisement about the wonders of a nighttime “Sleep Aid” that “helps reduce difficulty in falling asleep”. Well, I don’t have any difficulty sleeping soundly through the night…but was curious about what the ingredients were in the Over Counter (OTC) and if they were really “Safe”.
Their ad says Trouble Falling Asleep”. Their product (192 tablets):
- helps reduce difficulty in falling asleep
- Just one tablet per dose
- Compare to the active ingredients in Unisom Sleep tabs
Even though the advertisement did not list all of their ingredients, they did list the main one “Doxylamine Succinate Tablets (25mg). If you know me, I can hardly pronounce the name but I can google it…..so I did!
Are you sitting down?
Here is the information I found about “Doxylamine Succinate” from webmd.com
Definition and Uses
Doxylamine is an antihistamine, used to relieve symptoms of allergy, hay fever, and the common cold. This medication works by blocking certain natural substances (histamine, acetylcholine) that your body makes. This effect helps to relieve allergy/cold symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing. Cough and cold products have not been shown to be safe or effective in children younger than 6 years.
But is it SAFE for adults? Read below and you make your own conclusion! Information provided by webmd.com
Side Effects
Drowsiness, dizziness, headache, constipation, stomach upset, blurred vision, decreased coordination, or dry mouth/nose/throat may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including mental/mood changes (such as hallucinations, irritability, nervousness, confusion), ringing in the ears, trouble urinating, easy bruising/bleeding, fast/irregular heartbeat.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
Additional Health Hazards
Although this is not an exhaustive list (might as well be as it is 51 characteristics long) but my goodness: Again, these hazards are listed from Webmd.com
- An Increase In The Thickness of Lung Secretions
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- A Type of Blood Disorder where the Red Blood Cells Burst Called Hemolytic Anemia
- A Blood Disorder
- Extra Heartbeats
- Low Blood Pressure
- Hallucinations
- Seizures A Significant Type of Allergic Reaction Called Anaphylaxis
- Confusion
- Over Excitement
- Nightmares
- An Extreme Sense of Wellbeing Called Euphoria
- A Migraine Headache
- Double Vision
- Blurred Vision
- A Change in Vision
- Ringing In the Ears
- Dryness Of the Nose
- Dry Mouth
- Constipation
- Increased Sensitivity of The Skin To The Sun
- Itching
- Hives
- Sensation Of Spinning or Whirling
- Difficulty Sleeping (say what?)
- Low Energy
- Excessive Sweating
- Chills
- Muscle Tremors
- Loss Of Muscle Coordination
- A Skin Rash
- Decreased Appetite
- Headache
- Throat Dryness
- Heart Throbbing or Pounding
- Trouble Breathing
- Diarrhea
- Difficult Or Painful Urination
- An Increased Need to Urinate Often
- Abdominal Bloating
- Nervousness
- A Feeling of Pins and Needles On Skin
- A Feeling of General Discomfort Called Malaise
- Irritability
- Intense Abdominal Pain
- A Type of Bumpy Skin Rash Called A Maculopapular Rash
- Chest Discomfort
- Anxious Feelings
- Fast Heartbeat
DID YOU NOTICE? One of the health hazards of Doxylamine Succinate is difficulty in Sleeping? Isn’t that what the Sleep aid is supposed to help with?
With over 50+ side effects or health hazards in this ONE ingredient in this produce….why in the world would you take it!
Side question: Is counting sheep a hallucination?
What I use
At the beginning of this blog article, I mentioned that I did not have any difficulty falling or staying asleep at night. Want to know what I use to help me sleep if I need something Only 1 product and it is called “Sleepessence” by Young Living.
SleepEssence™ contains melatonin and four powerful essential oils to help promote restful sleep and support the body's natural sleep rhythm. It is an all-natural plant-based product that contains:
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Vetiver Essential Oil
- Valerian Essential Oil
- Tangerine Essential Oil
- Rue Essential Oil
That’s it…….night night until the sun comes up!
To me, there is no way I am going to take a sleep aid that can have known health risks. If I need to take anything it will be Sleepessence . What say YOU?
If you are convinced to try Sleepessence to help you have a better restful night’s sleep, become a member of Young Living and take advantage of 24% off of retail prices. You can do that via my website: www.garyrathbun.com . Sign up, become a member, have Sleepessence delivered to your door, and grab your blankee….because you are going to have a restful night!
This is a reprint of an article found in Grand Season – March 2022 (www.grandseason.com) that resonated with me. Some very good tips on how to manage your life better and ENJOY THE MOMENT!
Patience is one of the most valuable tools that you have at your disposal. But patience is a skill that you need to continually cultivate. If you need to work on being more patient, work on cultivating it with these ideas!
Let go of the gas and slow down
When you catch yourself speeding through life, take action and slow down. Drive the speed limit and watch how others rush past you! Be spontaneous and take the long drive home to enjoy the journey.
Practice active listening
Really listen to the person in front of you, rather than already having pre-formulated responses in your mind. When you are patient and take the time to listen to others, you not only give yourself the opportunity to learn from them, but you also allow the person to be heard.
Take a “Deep” breath
If you catch yourself facing adversity, give yourself the space to take a step back and take a deep breath. Consciously choose how you react to the situation at hand by shifting your perception; try to look at the bigger picture. It’s only a bump in time, not forever!
Be aware of your surroundings
There may be a person in need of assistance nearby. You can practice patience by taking the time to stop and hold a door open for another person; to help a person carry their groceries to their car, or even send a smile their way to remind them they are not alone. Being of assistance to others is a great way to practice patience.
Practice gratitude
Take the time each day to practice gratitude. By making a list of 5 things you are grateful for from your day, you will start to see the gifts and synchronicities that come along your way. By practicing gratitude, you can begin to see that everything is interconnected, and when faced with adversity, you start to look at it as a learning opportunity rather than a “problem.”
This is a repost of an article by GreenMedInfo on February 24, 2022. I found it fascinating about how many ways "Lemon" can support your health....and taste good too! Do restaurants know about all of these benefits or do they just offer Lemon to augment the taste of water or tea?
Not too often though do we carry a Lemon in our wallet or purse, so the best way I found to have some "Lemon" around is to carry a small 5 ml bottle of pure lemon essential oil from Young Living. Easier to carry and a convenient way of having "Lemon" available when you are out and about!
Think of using Lemon all the time...not just in the morning!
Here is the article:
Did you know that lemons have more potassium than apples or grapes? This interesting fact is just one of the many reasons why drinking lemon juice every morning can impact your health.
Starting your day with lemon juice is an excellent way to boost vitality, increase energy and cleanse out your system. The first thing you put in your body each day can have a big impact on your productivity and mood.
That’s why it’s recommended to start the day with a warm jar of lemon water. You can use anywhere from one-half to a whole lemon each morning.
Note: for the Lemon Essential oil - just 2 drops does the same as a whole lemon
1. Boosts Your Immune System
Since lemon juice is filled with vitamin C, it provides a natural and powerful source of immune health. When you are tired, stressed or overworked Vitamin C levels are the first to go down.
2. Supports Digestion
In addition to supporting healthy digestion, lemon juice helps rid the intestinal tract of toxins. Lemons are filled with vitamins and minerals which help to alleviate things like heartburn and bloating.
3. Cleans Out Your System
Lemon juice is packed with powerful vitamins and minerals that flush harmful toxins from your system.
4. Decreases Inflammation
Much disease stems from inflammation and drinking lemon juice frequently helps reduce the acidity in your body and thus decreasing inflammation.
5. Helps Improve Weight Loss
Lemon juice contains a lot of pectin fiber which helps fight hunger cravings.
6. Clears Up Your Skin
Because lemon juice is high in antioxidants the Vitamin C helps to decrease blemishes and wrinkles. The overall detoxifying nature of lemons also contributes to clear skin.
7. Helps Fight Infections
A glass of warm lemon water is perfect to help fight off infections. Not only does it boost your immune system it helps to prevent things like sore throats brought on by viral infections.
8. Gives You an Energy Boost
As lemon juice improves digestion it provides your body with an energy boost when it enters your digestive tract.
9. Excellent Source of Potassium
Potassium is important for brain, nerve, and heart health and lemon juice is filled with it.
Add lemon water to your daily routine to start the day with a detoxifying and refreshing warm drink. You won’t regret incorporating this powerful anti-inflammatory beverage into your life. Trust us.
Don't have Lemon essential oil to carry in your purse? Visit my website: www.garyrathbun.com and clikc the "SHOP" button to get started!
