Following my last minute item in Newsletter 110 - Aromatherapy: does it work? - I was amused to read in The Sunday Times shortly afterwards the somewhat tongue-in-cheek comment of Justine Picardie, who obviously isn’t too bothered that aromatherapy might not actually work. If it smells good enough to eat, who cares? 

Impressed with the Aromacologie products of Sylvie Chantecaille, French beauty guru to the stars, Justine suggests that.....Good skin care is good therapy, especially if it makes you smell of flowers.  That way, you start thinking that life is a rose garden, even when it’s raining.....Call me naive, but I find that simply looking at the ingredients and labels improves my mood.  She concludes.....So yes, aromatherapy is probably all in the mind: but since when did the mind not matter when it comes to feeling better?  She has a point.

Sylvie Chantecaille, who has done much of her own research into aromatherapy, believes that it can have an incredible ability to balance emotions and is using Aromacologie, a new range of skincare products made from flowers, to mobilise the mind in order to help heal the spirit and therefore the body.....Women always say they’re tired. “I’m exhausted” is the password for modern women.....and so she decided that they needed a supportive skincare line, full of soothing botanical essences. Sounds scrumptious!

Fathoming Fibromyalgia.
Sylvie’s comment about women saying that they are always tired prompted me to look more closely at FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome), because many women complain of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and there is substantial system overlap with FMS.

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which the cause is still unknown.  Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. I recollect that FMS used to be called fibrositis, implying that there was inflammation in the muscles, but research later proved that inflammation did not exist.  Most people with fibromyalgia say that they ache all over, and feel devoid of energy.  While the severity of symptoms fluctuate from person to person, FMS may resemble a post-viral state and that is why several experts in the field of FMS and CFS believe that these two syndromes are one and the same.

In general, routine laboratory testing reveals nothing about fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.  However, upon physical examination, the fibromyalgia patient will be sensitive to pressure in certain areas of the body called tender points. To meet the diagnostic criteria, patients must have widespread pain in all four quadrants of their body for a minimum of three months and at least 11 of the 18 specified tender points. These 18 sites used for diagnosis cluster around the neck, shoulder, chest, hip, knee and elbow regions. Over 75 other tender points have been found to exist, but are not used for diagnostic purposes.

Although the above criteria focuses on tender point count, a consensus of 35 FMS experts published a report in 1996 saying that a person does not need to have the required 11 tender points to be diagnosed and treated for FMS. Many people may still have FMS so long as they have widespread pain and many of the common symptoms associated with FMS [e.g. fatigue, irritable bowel, sleep disorder, chronic headaches, jaw pain, cognitive or memory impairment, post-exertional malaise and muscle pain, morning stiffness, menstrual cramping, numbness and tingling sensations, dizziness and lightheadedness, and skin and chemical sensitivities].

Chronic fatigue syndrome is diagnosed using the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 1994 guidelines published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine 121 (12): 953-959 [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/defined.htm].  To meet the criteria, patients must have severe, unexplained fatigue that is not relieved by rest, which can cause disability and which has an identifiable onset (i.e. not lifelong fatigue) and is persistent or relapsing fatigue that lasts for at least six or more consecutive months, and four or more of the following symptoms: impaired memory or concentration problems, tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes in the neck region, sore throat, muscle pain, multi-joint pain (but not arthritis), new onset headaches (tension-type or migraine), unrefreshing sleep, and post-exertional malaise.

Whilst on the subject, it is worth noting that some researchers think that FMS, CFS, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome (MCS), myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), and other conditions form a family of overlapping syndromes. In fact, researcher Muhammed Yunus, of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, claims that most patients have more than one syndrome.  Thus, he views FMS and CFS as being part of a larger specctrum of conditions, which he calls Dysregulation Spectrum Syndrome (DSS).  Dr. Yunus uses the term dysregulation to mean biophysiological abnormalities, possibly in the neuro-hormonal system.

I am indebted to the Fibromyalgia Network, P.O. Box 31750, Tuscon, AZ 85751, USA for its help in the preparation of this piece [http://www.fmnetnews.com/pages/packets.htm].

Aromatherapy comment.
Whilst “mugging up” on fibromyalgia I happened to mention my interest to Ulla-Maija Grace, who I know has made quite a study of the subject. However I did not know that she has developed, together with and tested by fibromyalgia sufferers from the Fibromyalgia group of the Rheumatic Association of Turku, a product to relieve the many discomforts that this form of rheumatic disorder brings with it.

Fibromix is a balanced blend of carefully chosen essential oils [ylang-ylang, chamomile roman, petitgrain, mandarin, lavender, melissa, black pepper, ravensara, sandalwood, and ginger] in sunflower, grapeseed and jojoba. 

An interesting mix: chamomile roman and lavender to ease pain and to help with sleeping problems; ginger and black pepper to improve circulation; ravensara and petitgrain for muscular fatigue; and ylang-ylang and sandalwood to improve mood and lift depression.

Aimed at soothing pain, reducing inflammation, improving the venous and lymphatic circulation, and to calm and help gain restful sleep, Fibromix can be used to support other forms of treatment.  Several tests and experiences by users confirm that Fibromix relieves pain, calms and assists in falling asleep. They also find that it comforts and relaxes, and improves metabolism.

Ulla-Maija tells me that those suffering from fibromyalgia are said to share some common personality traits.  They are conscientious, lack the abilty to relax and are perfectionists.  They generally also suffer from fluid retention due to poor lymphatic circulation. Would you agree?

Meanwhile, whilst I am not afflicted with fibromyalgia, I do suffer sporadically from very painful joints (particularly when it is damp). Ulla-Maija suggested that I might like to try Fibromix.  Easy to use, with its rollerball action, I simply apply it to the painful joint two or three times a day. Magic: pain gone!  Give it a try!

Cassella calms concern.
Following a lecture by Dr. John Cassella of the University of Derby on Research in Essential Oils, given at the Professional Therapy Day on April 29th, I received the odd letter of concern and requests to look into the matter further.  Most concern seems to centre around Dr. Cassella’s comments about Tea Tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia).

I quote from one of the letters received.....Their preliminary results (and they stressed they were preliminary) showed that when compared to two known toxic oils (which I’m afraid I didn’t take note of) Lavender was safe but Tea Tree was definitely borderline or above .....I must admit that for most of the lecture I was blinded by science but when they said this I was completely taken aback and it was only later that the true enormity of what they had said sunk in.....I must stress that I may not have written down everything correctly or understood everything absolutely but if there is any doubt about Tea Tree’s safety we must be informed now.....

Concerned that my correspondent may have got hold of the wrong end of the stick, I emailed Dr. Cassella.  He could not have been more helpful.
He explained that he and his wife Sally, both professional biomedical scientists, had performed some preliminary studies to look at the potential mutagenic effects of Tea Tree and Lavender.....The effects of long-term use of essential oils need much more research if they can be unequivocally considered safe for use not just by clients but also by practitioners, he said.

Mutagenesis suggests an ability of a compound to change the genetic make-up of an organism, be it a micro-organism or a human. We all have DNA strands made up of four chemicals or bases [adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine]. These four chemicals are set in a particular sequence, and act as a blueprint for life. When these four chemicals become mixed and out of sequence, health problems can occur. This is a mutagenic effect.  It does not suggest a cancer or carcinogenic effect but mutagenesis can lead to carcinogenesis.

The Ames Test is the worldwide accepted test used to assess the mutagenicity of chemicals. It has a predictive success rate of 83% and is cheap and inexpensive to do. Named after its developer Bruce Ames of the University of California, who used bacteria to screen and evaluate the mutagenicity of chemicals and pollutants, it is based on the assumption that any substance that is mutagenic has the potential to be carcinogenic.

Basically it uses a bacterium which has a genetic make-up that lacks the ability to make a chemical it needs to live. This chemical is histidine, or a-amino-b-imidazolproprionic acid, which is one of the basic amino-acids occurring in the hydrolysis products of proteins, and particularly of the basic proteins, the protamines and histones. It is an essential constituent of the food of animals.  If the bacterium is to live and grow on the culture medium histidine MUST be added because the bacterium cannot make it itself.

If the chemical, or essential oil in this case, added is mutagenic it will change the DNA sequence of the bacterium and allow it to make its own histidine.  This means that the bacterium will grow on the culture medium without histidine being added. Also, in order to simulate human metabolism more accurately, Ames added liver enzymes to the test to activate the mutagenic chemical because in most instances the chemical is accumulated in the liver of most mammals and is degraded by liver enzymes: thus causing activation.

Using sassafras and calamus essential oils as controls, because these once-used oils are now considered extremely mutagenic and dangerous, Dr. Cassella demonstrated with the use of slides how these oils caused the bacteria in the Ames test to mutate and make their own histidine. Lavender oil did not mutate the bacteria into making their own histidine and therefore can be considered non-mutagenic. Tea Tree oil, on the other hand, has a trend that is suggestive of a degree of mutagenic potential. However Dr. Cassella reiterates that these are only preliminary tests. Why do them?

Dr. Cassella explains.....Well as complementary practitioners you need to know that the oils you are applying to your clients are safe to them and you....Fundamentally it is therapists who are exposed to oils more frequently and at higher concentrations than clients....The long-term effect on them is of equal concern to us as is the effect on the public....We are keen to repeat as necessary our research but funding is very difficult to obtain....We appreciate that research into this area and research design is problematic for many reasons....We are addressing this by open and frank discussion with as many people who are willing to become involved as possible....By getting involved in the research process, therapists can ensure that the issues of most importance to them are not overlooked in the drive for scientific validation.

The Australian aspect.
I suggested to Dr. Cassella that, if had not already done so, he might like to contact the Australian Tea Tree Oil Research Institute (ATTORI), which was created in 1996 to provide a focal point for co-ordinated research on all aspects of this commercially important oil.

Whilst much is known about the chemistry, biochemistry, in vitro efficacy and toxicity of Tea Tree oil, additional data are still required if the oil is to become a recognised and creditable     therapeutic agent.  ATTORI has established collaborative and contractual research initiatives with various institutions covering areas such as plant genetics, propagation, production and extraction, through to product formulation, efficacy in vitro and in vivo and clinical trials for acne, tinea, dandruff and candida and probably, by now, much more as I have been out of touch with the Tea Tree heartland for some while.

To support the use of tea tree as a recognised therapeutic agent for topical applications the issues of toxicity and skin irritancy and sensitivity are of crucial importance. Animal toxicity data suggest that Tea Tree oil is moderately toxic, a suggestion supported by more recent cell-line cytotoxicity studies [Hayes et al. (1997). In vitro cytotoxicity of Australian tea tree oil using human cell lines.].  Of the five cell-lines tested with Tea Tree oil, epithelial (HeLa) were most robust, whilst liver (HepG2) cells were the most susceptible. These data support the topical use of Tea Tree oil and confirm that this oil, like most terpene essential oils, is hepatotoxic and hence should not be ingested. Testing important pure components from Tea Tree oil revealed that terpinen-4-ol and a-terpineol are more toxic than 1,8-cineole.

A personal view.
Personally, although I am always reluctant to dismiss concern lightly, I think that Tea Tree oil is probably one of the best researched oils in the world, and the research is ongoing, and therefore I am disinclined at this stage to be too concerned about Dr. Cassella’s preliminary tests.  That said, I do agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Cassella’s sentiments.....To allow ourselves to be pressured into supporting the use, or indeed introduction, of ANY treatment, orthodox or complementary, that cannot be shown to have the benefits claimed would be an abdication of responsibility to our fellow human beings.

Mastic and other matters.
Some years ago I wrote a short piece about mastic (Pistacia lentiscus L.). At the time I remember thinking how odd that it should be cultivated in the Greek island of Chios, where tapping of the trees to obtain the resin, or more correctly the oleoresin, was limited by law to the period 15 July to 15 October.  Does this law still exist, I wonder?

This small evergreen dioecious shrub occurs throughout much of the Mediterranean region, and is also found in North Africa. It produces the natural oleoresin from the trunk which, in Chios, is obtained by wounding the trunk and larger branches with a gougelike instrument which makes an incision about 2cm long and 3mm deep.  Each plant is tapped repeatedly for about 5 or 6 weeks, receiving in all about 200-300 wounds.  The base of the shrub is cleared of weeds, flattened and covered with a special white soil to receive some of the flow.  A special tool is then used for removing the tears which harden on the plant and the flat plates of mastic which collect on the ground. These are graded by the collector and regraded, washed and dried in a central depot before being exported. At one time Chios was exporting 250,000kg annually.

Mastic occurs in yellow or greenish-yellow rounded or pear-shaped tears about 3mm in diameter.  The tears are brittle but become plastic when chewed. The resin has been used for chewing since the time of Theophrastus, and is also used in varnishes for oil paintings, in quelling halitosis and as a filler for caries. It is also an ingredient in the aniseed-flavoured spirit ouzo. Furthermore I believe that it is part of the unique habitat of the Sardinian warbler, which is only found near fruiting shrubs of this species.

Sardinia’s rocky slopes are everywhere covered with a thick layer of Mediterranean maquis, known on the island as macchia.  This invasive scrub flourishes after fire or the felling of ancient forests and also colonizes abandoned cultivated land. Tangled, heavily scented and richly colourful, macchia includes, as well as mastic, juniper, myrtle and arbutus (strawberry trees).  Leaves here are often thick and gummy to help prevent water loss, which raises an interesting point.

Herbicide sprayed on to plants does not do as much good as farmers would like to think - it turns out that most bounces straight off again because of the waxy outer layer of the plants’leaves. Nature intended the waxy layer to repel raindrops. When it repels herbicides instead, the results can be damaging because the chemicals are absorbed by the soil and eventually contaminate water supplies.

A group of French scientists report in Physics World how they have been working to develop a sugar-based additive that increases “elongational viscosity”of the droplets. This makes them spread out when they land on the leaves and stay on better.  Be this the case, it strikes me that the plants of the macchia know a thing or two: Nature is clever! 

An essential oil is produced by steam distillation from the oleoresin or occasionally directly from the leaves and branches.  Considered antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, astringent, decongestant (lymphatic, venous, prostate), expectorant and stimulant, Messieurs Franchomme and Pénoël suggest that it can assist cardiovascular problems, rheumatic endocarditis and thrombo-phlebitis [Encyclopédie de l’utilisation thérapeutique des huiles essentielles, p.390], but only under medical direction I would have thought.  It also seems to be useful for assisting bronchitis, coughs and colds, and muscular aches and pains.

Franchomme and Pénoël suggest that the principal actives of the oil are a-pinene (6.5-20%), myrcene (4-15%), sabinene (1.5-15%), and d-3-carene (0.2-0.8%). The Aromatherapy Practitioner Reference Manual contra-indicates its use during pregnancy because of the sabinene content: however I have just analysed a sample of oil from the flowering twigs of Corsican Pistacia lentiscus and it contains no sabinene.  A review of the published literature reveals that this is probably not too unusual as the oil’s chemical composition seems to vary quite widely.  A fascinating oil, and one which I shall stock.

And now for something completely different....
Here I am at last, with a brief aide-memoire about our chat the other week, emailed Richard Helyer.  Richard, apart from being a demon Go player [a Japanese board game of territorial possession and capture, which Justin reliably informs me is probably the most difficult board game known], is a very interesting fellow and I always look forward to his occasional visits to the office.

A physicist, Richard maintains that all physicists do is dream up a crazy idea from nowhere, make the idea fit a few flimsy facts, and then go look for corroboration. Well here’s his flimsy idea, without evidence as yet, and he seeks your help in the corroboration work.

We had been chatting about magnesium [Mg.].  The Mg++ ion is used in about 300 energy-release mechanisms in the body, usually in conjunction with vitamin B1 and a suitable protein.  We had been speaking about the depletion which women experience during PMT, and Richard mentioned that the shortage of available energy in diabetics would produce symptoms of rage not dissimilar to those experienced by some with PMT. Of course this is simply conjecture, as PMT rage may be due to an entirely different cause, but it is interesting to consider Richard’s prognosis: Mg++ shortage...poorer glucose utilisation...rage manifestation. 

He also mentioned that alcoholics are poor at harvesting magnesium.  This may start the psychologically alternative energy cycle which begins by using alcohol as a source of rapid carbohydrate, but which in later stages of alcohol abuse militates against the alcohol user.  There is a double whammy here, since the onset of too much alcohol mediates the availability of K+ [potassium] ions, which is what causes the failure of human motor function as alcohol concentration increases.

Oh, by the way, Richard commends Boots “Cream of Magnesia” as by far the cheapest of all sources of Mg++. When consumed as part of a diet including K+ (from bananas and kiwi fruit, inter alia), the energy level of many people rises.  It is not a dramatic “pinging”sort of energy rise, as with one who is abusing caffeine or certain recreational drugs: it is more to do with staying power.  Well, Richard has boundless energy and staying power and so I don’t know what cocktail he is on, but it certainly seems to work.  I can barely wait for the next episode of Helyer’s Helpful Healthy Hints!

Craniosacral Therapy explained.
Another interesting fellow who used to pop into the office from time to time is Geoffrey Magnay.  However, when he departed to Herefordshire, I lost contact with him.  Therefore I was pleasantly surprised, when leafing through the latest edition of Richard Briers’ Green Life Directory, to stumble across an article by Geoffrey about Cranio Sacral Therapy (CST): I had never realised that he was Craniosacral Therapist!  Fascinated, and knowing absolutely nothing about CST, I asked Geoffrey if he would pen me a few words on the subject.

Craniosacral Therapy came from some sharp observations by William Garner Sutherland who, when studying the bones of a human skull some hundred years ago, came to an astonishing realisation. What he saw were the special joints and edges of these bones - realising they must be shaped to provide movement. This flew in the face of established medical teaching and it took until 1996 before Grays Anatomy acknowledged this movement.

Sutherland spent many years researching his subject, noting that his clients tended to show certain disease patterns in direct relation to the restrictions he was able to feel in the cranial bones. It followed then that if he was able to remove somehow the cranial bone restriction the disease pattern would cease.  This was the beginning of what we now call Craniosacral Therapy.

The cerebro-spinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord has a tidal flow with a cycle of about 8-10 seconds. As the “tide” rises into the head, the skull bones move, widening the head, with the motion diving forward towards the ethmoid bone at the back of the nasal area.  As the tide subsides the expansion reverses with the pelvis widening. This is happening all the time in all of us. When restrictions occur, such as from injury, birth compression, trauma or chronic disease states, the movements are compromised and these are palpable by the therapist.

By following the existing pattern of movement and allowing the body to re-establish the “original intention”, i.e. wellness, relief is obtained and the desired health returns.  Sometimes the state of imbalance is such that some light intervention is needed, to “remind”the body of its needs. There is no manipulation as such and CST is both safe and effective with many conditions: headache and migraine being amongst the most common in Geoffrey’s experience.

Digestive disorders, depression, post-operative trauma, chronic fatigue and M.E. (where the body is often fighting against itself to overcome restriction), hearing and visual disturbances, and spinal problems can all respond well.  Babies respond particularly well: colic, irritability, and prolonged crying can often resolve in a matter of days. Hyperactive children are also reported to benefit greatly from this therapy.
 
CST  works not only with head-related issues: it is effective with work on the limbs, persistent hand and foot problems, knee, elbow and shoulder pains, sacro-iliac trouble, effects of stroke, and much more. 

Thanks for that Geoffrey! 

Meanwhile the official CranioSacral Association website [www.craniosacral.co.uk] is worth a visit and has a list of UK and overseas practitioners, or ring 07000 784735 for a brochure.  Alternatively, Geoffrey would be happy to chat with any who would like to know more about CST. He often works with other complementary practitioners, when a combination of therapies is needed [Tel: 01432 851040].

At last!
To hit my desk today is a review copy of Suzanne Catty’s Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy.  This is one of the most anticipated books in the world of holistic health because it introduces a revolutionary new use of essential oils in aromatic treatment.

Hydrosols, or hydrolates, are the pure, water-based solutions created when essential oils are steam distilled. Through this process, a potent, yet subtle form of medicine is created, one that is able to be ingested as well as applied directly to the skin, unlike most pure essential oils.  In fact, hydrosols are considered the homoeopathic version of aromatherapy, and as such are ideal for use with children, pregnant women, animals, and those with fragile immune systems.

Suzanne Catty details the specifics of 67 hydrosols, provides formulas to treat more than 50 health concerns, and offers 40 delicious recipes in which hydrosols can be used.  Her section on pets will help owners deal with urinary tract and digestive problems as well as grooming and odour issues.

Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy puts aromatherapy in its safest form at the disposal of every interested enthusiast. The sheer wealth of carefully assembled empirical data will answer many hitherto unanswered questions about how to use hydrosols for many different conditions.  While this contribution of Hydrosols is of obvious benefit to the reader, there is an equally important - and for those in the field, maybe even more exhilarating - aspect to Hydrosols: it alters the evolution of aromatherapy itself.....Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D.

This book is really a must for every aromatherapist who longs for this “missing link”.....Daniel Pénoël, M.D.

What more can I say? Buy it!

Finally....
It seems impossible to keep Colloidal Silver out of the news!  This week’s edition of Now [Naughty Nicole: The star learns that life without Tom can be fun!], hardly my usual reading, reveals that cult Crème de la Mer [fans include Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, Cher and Mrs. Beckham] has some new stablemates, all set to make the beautiful people even more gorgeous. *Cleansing Lotion*Cleansing Gel*Tonic*Oil-Absorbing Tonic and Mist - all created with the latest technology and ingredients, including magnetized tourmaline, which is said to act as a water softener; colloidal silver, a natural mineral that may reduce potentially irritating preservative levels, and deconstructed waters, described as mineral-enriched water with declustered molecules that energise and deep-cleanse the skin without irritation. Wow! How much? Prices start at £45! I could hardly believe it.

Here I am sitting with colloidal silver, wonderful Cotswold water, and the technology to make cream.  A quick word with our talented cosmetologist and - hey presto! - a fine cream, brimming with jojoba, coconut, vitamins C and E and, with colloidal silver as the preservative, totally parabens free!!  Microbiological tests of this first pilot batch confirm that the product has the lowest possible yeast, fungal and bacterial counts.

Simply add your own oils, and join the stars!   


 

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