As the sun sinks over the horizon, I lower my binoculars. 

Originally alerted by the frantic twittering of a dissimulation of small birds I have for the past two hours been trying to outstare a little owl (Athene noctua), which has recently adopted us, but I have failed. The twin yellow orbs continue to gaze blankly back.  Even the aerial antics of a pair of bats fail to elicit the merest blink. I rub feverishly my rheumy eyes.  That’s that! 

There will hopefully be the chance for a return match on another balmy evening.  I return to the long-discarded morning’s mail.

As the writer of a newsletter, I do enjoy thoroughly reading the newsletters of others.  In fact, I would say that I positively look forward to them and, therefore, I am a little alarmed to read amongst my mail the announcement of a drastic reduction in the frequency of one of my favourites: from four issues per year to two.

In this particular case - a rather esoteric publication with currently only fifty subscribers -  the cost of production and circulation is possibly a factor.  The Editor points out that generation of articles has been proving a problem, in terms of filling four issues a year, and that over the past two years only three issues per year have appeared. I had noticed. Still, it seems a tad insensitive to tell me this having taken already the renewal of my subscription, and at an increased price.

When I started first to write the newsletter twelve years ago it was all a bit of a chore, and I often missed my deadline and, occasionally, the odd issue did not materialise at all.  Upon reflection, I could ill afford such dilletantism because I only had about 500 readers.  It was only when I realised that some really looked forward to receiving it that I took myself in hand.  I had made a commitment, and I had to stick to it. 

In fact, as the years have rolled by, the commercial aspect of the newsletter has hopefully waned in favour of more personal ramblings.  Many still prefer this personal approach, and chastise me gently if I wax too technical, but I have now more than 30,000 readers and have to be a little more diverse in my mutterings - Mungu, parrots, little owls and bats I fear are not fare for all.  Meanwhile, methinks that the aforementioned editor would do well to persevere! 
I’ve started, and so I’ll finish.
Fortunately, and with sincere thanks to many of you, I do not have any problem at the moment with the generation of articles. 
 
Last month I enquired if there was an acupuncturist anywhere who had heard of dystonias, spasmodic dysphonia in particular, let alone treated them.
 
Reference Dystonia & recent Newsletters - Carol Garforth would be pleased to know that there is a most excellent acupuncturist in Middlesborough who does treat clients with dystonias, wrote Mavis Fielding. He is trained in acupuncture via Northern School, York, and China, and is also a fully qualified Chinese herbalist.  In addition he teaches martial arts.  Obviously not a man to argue with!  [If anyone would like his details, just drop me a line.]

Tim Stillwell, an acupuncturist, e-mailed: Acupuncture can be of enormous benefit with problems involving excess muscle tension and spasm, and is also capable of having a powerful effect on problems of speech. However in the first instance, if presented with a case of spasmodic dysphonia, I would send the sufferer to see Jacob Lieberman in south London.  He is an osteopath whose area of specialisation is the voice. He pops up in the press every so often and is normally referred to as “The Voice Doctor”, or the vocal osteopath. [I do have Mr. Lieberman’s practice address.]

Hello from Florida.  I read your piece in the July newsletter [about spasmodic dysphonia]. I too suffer from a similar condition which I have alleviated using two throat chakra oils, e-mailed Peter O’Rourke. A professional herbalist, Peter’s quantities may be a little heady for traditional aromatherapists........

Sufi Throat Chakra blend: 12 drops Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.): 25 drops Sandalwood (Santalum album L.): 10 drops Violet Leaf Absolute (Viola odorata L.): 8 drops Chamomile Blue (Matricaria recutita L.). Top up to 30ml with Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C. Schneider).

Celtic Throat Chakra blend: 60 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.): 60 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.): 30 drops Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea L.): 30 drops Spruce (Picea mariana Mill.): 10 drops Blue Cypress (Callitris intratropica Baker & Smith).Top up to 30ml with Jojoba oil.

To use?  Anoint throat Chakra and two points on the sternocleidomastoid muscle - the one just under the left ear, and the other at the junction of the neck and shoulder on the right. The throat chakra rotation is elliptical, and by anointing all three points one achieves most benefit.
Peter comments that Castor oil packs (Ricinus communis L.) are also indicated as helpful with the condition, and so some may wish to try castor oil rather than jojoba as the carrier.

Long range identification!
I do like a bit of detective work!

Near where I live on the Moray Firth there are some mysterious, beautiful, brilliant, but palish purple and highly perfumed, fields to be seen just now. I have never seen them before, and nor has anyone else I ask. I know what flax looks like, but this is nothing similar. The flowers, at first sight, look round but are in fact spiral-shaped with very spiky stamens that have sort of pinheads at the ends.  Above all is the smell....it’s so strong, and the closest I can compare it with is orange blossom. Any ideas or know who might? asked Sarah Ashton.

For some unknown reason, my immediate thought was Echium vulgare L., Viper’s Bugloss. Strange really, because I hadn’t a clue what it looked like.

Viper’s Bugloss was said of old to be an expellent of poisons and venom, and to cure the bites of a viper, hence its name.  The name Bugloss, which is of Greek origin, signifies an Ox’s tongue, and was applied to it from the roughness and shape of the leaves.      
  
Having consulted a few books, I thought that I might be on the right track.  It does have violet (or some might call it purple, depending upon where they are in the colour spectrum, because upon their first opening they are bright rose-coloured and turn to a brilliant blue) clusters of flowers in dense spikes and, on closer examination of the drawings, with “sort of pinheads at the ends”. They are in bloom throughout June and July, and are much visited by bees.  Most references, however, suggest that they smell a little like marijuana. Nevertheless I wasn’t going to let this deter my investigations, because who knows what marijuana might smell like on the Moray Firth! 

An abundantly hairy perennial, it grows up to 1m.  Native to Europe, Echium is commonly found on uncultivated land, by roadsides, and in low-lying coastal districts.

A member of the Boraginaceae, it is similar in many respects to borage (Borago officinalis L.) in that both herbs have a sweat-inducing and diuretic effect if taken internally. 

It has also been used to treat chest conditions, as its mucilage soothes dry coughs and encourages expectoration.  The significant mucilage has also proved helpful in treating skin conditions. Prepared in a plaster or poultice, it is an effective balm for boils and carbuncles.

Echium contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, allantoin and alkannins.  The allantoin helps wounds to heal and alkannins are antimicrobial.  However, in recent times, it has fallen out of use, due partly to lack of interest in its medicinal potential, and partly to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which in isolation are toxic. Nevertheless it may be safely used externally, but not internally.

Therefore why do I even think of Echium? Well, blackcurrant seed oil (Ribes nigrum L.) is used in cases of dry, flaky skin and in post-sunburn products. It is known to be a rich source of a polyunsaturated fatty acid, steariodonic acid, which the human body is unable to synthesise and has to obtain through ingestion. 

It is also known that, under stimulation of UVB radiation, cell enzymes release strongly inflammatory leukotriene B4 and prostaglandin E2.  Research shows, however, that topical application of lipids rich in steariodonic acid reduces the release of prostaglandin E2 by 40-50% with a corresponding reduction in inflammatory response.

In searching for alternative natural sources of steariodonic acid researchers identified Echium plantagineum L., and found that the oil from seeds cultivated in the Northern hemisphere yield 12% steariodonic acid [those grown in New Zealand contain 15%] compared to 2% in blackcurrant seed. The Moray Firth strikes me as a likely place to cultivate it.  Could I be correct?

No!  Having plucked up the courage to ask some people living next to the fields, Sarah tells me that it is Phacelia.  It is being grown as a natural fertiliser, and apparently has a natural inbuilt weedkiller. 

The Hydrophyllaceae is a smallish but widely distributed family of herbs and small shrubs containing several attractive temperate garden plants, amongst which are species of Phacelia.  Some of the more attractive phacelias are the violet Phacelia parryi Torr., the blue Phacelia campanularia A. Gray, commonly known as California bluebell, and the oddly named fiddleneck, or blue Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.

All are North American, and the plant was introduced first to the U.K. in 1826.  All are poisonous to mammals.   
 
I have read before that it is used as a “green”manure, and is widely cultivated as bee-fodder, but I know nothing of its weed killing properties. Any information would be most welcome.

What on earth is going on?
Following my brief report [based on their press release] of the Aromatherapy Regulation Working Group (ARWG) AGM, it seems that things may be more awry than meets the eye.

I am wholly disappointed that a group of people elected/designated or whatever to represent a caring profession cannot find it in themselves to understand each other and work towards the resolution of a common goal....is one view that I have seen expressed.  It is extremely sad that I have a sackful of others in similar vein.

What ails them?

Oils on test.
Not being an aromatherapist, I have very little opportunity to test essential oils and carriers myself and, therefore, tend to leave the trial to others. Fortunately Jacqui Le Sueur is a very diligent tester.

Camellia Oil (Camellia sasanqua Thunb.) - I don’t think that I have encountered such a soft, easily absorbed carrier oil that is so hydrating.  Ideal as an oil for facial problems (dry, mature skin, eczema, etc.), and for those who don’t like the “feel” that Argan or Marula leave on the skin.

Yellow Mustard Seed Oil (Brassica nigra (L.) Koch) - Surprisingly gentle on the skin and in its action.  Very warming and comforting.  I am currently using it with Plai for joint pains (particularly shoulders and knees).

Which Mint? - For a long time I have used Chinese Peppermint (Mentha arvensis L.), as I love its glacial feel. It is an extraordinary febrifuge and is wonderful in foot creams and foot baths.  It is my oil of choice, either by itself or blended with May Chang (Litsea cubeba Lour.), for the cream I use at the end of reflexology treatments.

You will recall, however, my acquisition of a Black Peppermint plant (Mentha x piperita L. nm. piperita) and my request to you for its essential oil, as the aroma of this herb is really magnificent - warm, minty, fruity. [The nothomorph (nm.) ‘Piperita’, black peppermint, is used in tea]. 
You recommended Mitcham Mint (Mentha x piperita L. nm. officinalis). [I did indeed, but I am still unsure that I have my nothomorphs correct: ‘Officinalis’ is white peppermint].  What an unusual mint this is - warm yet cool.  Soft yet hard.  Physical yet spiritual. Calming in small doses, immensely stimulating in large ones. Yet another oil with a schizophrenic personality!

I have to say that my regular patients prefer Chinese mint on their feet, but I have been using the Mitcham Mint in massage with Plai and either Lavender or Bergamot with some success.

I would not normally massage with Mint due to its potential as a dermal irritant, but decided that I would give this ‘soft’ Mitcham Mint a try on tight, ‘blocked’muscles where much of the tension is mentally held: hence the reason for blending with Plai (anti-inflammatory), and either Lavender (relaxing), or Bergamot (mentally cleansing and uplifting).

Not only do both of these blends have sensational aromas but in action they are powerful too. I would recommend them.

A menopausal body oil - I am often asked by ladies of a certain age if I have any suggestions to improve the condition of their skin.  Well, as I haven’t, I asked Jacqui.

In 250ml - 1 part Blackcurrant Seed oil (high GLA content, very emollient), 4 parts Linseed oil (high content of a-linolenic acid similar to the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oils), and 5 parts Sweet Almond oil (as a reasonably priced, reasonably emollient bulk carrying agent) - 20 drops Chastetree (Vitex agnus castus L.) (hormonal adaptogen, uterine tonic), 5 drops Yarrow (Achillea millefolium All.) (antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and balancing), 15 drops Chamomile Roman (Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All.) (excellent for dull muscular pain, menstrual balancer, soothes anxiety and tension), 10 drops Plai (Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.) (the ultimate anti-inflammatory and analgesic for muscular spasm), and 5 drops Linden Blossom (Tilia cordata Mill.) (the spiritual, feminine, lunar aspect of the blend, relaxing, soothing). Wow! That’s quite a cocktail!  However, watch for the considerable difference in the elasticity and integrity of your skin.

Lucky I didn’t know it then!
A few of your fund of anecdotes would be nice to relieve the heavy “scientific” stuff, e-mailed my old amigo Roy Gunn. 

I fear that he cajoles me, but a recent letter - Dental phobia and sedation - to PROOF! magazine did prompt a few memories.

Have you any positive/negative experiences or results from patients who had dental procedures with intravenous sedation? wrote a very nervous patient.

I have to admit that I have had a phobia of dentists since I was a very small boy, having been scared witless by an ex-army dentist with a treadle-operated drill.  The pain was excruciating, and the smouldering smell was even worse.  I vowed there and then never to go near a dentist again, and only relented many years later when I had a girlfriend who was a dental nurse.  However, by then, the damage had been done and my teeth were beyond redemption: have them out was the suggestion. Glory be!  I didn’t sleep for weeks, plagued by nightmares of the army dentist wielding the largest pair of pliers that you have ever seen.  In the end I decided to let them fall out of their own accord, but I was in increasing pain.

Fortuitously I happened across an article about a young Australian dentist, who had opened recently for business in London.  He offered intravenous sedation, about which there was quite hot debate.  Nevertheless, I thought him just the ticket and booked in for a preliminary examination.

I don’t quite know what I was expecting but it certainly was not a fresh-faced youth mending a skateboard (the first that I had seen) with a dental drill!  Anyhow he seemed a nice enough fellow. No worries, he assured me, you won’t feel a thing. I didn’t, and woke up 30 minutes later without a tooth in my head! 

After more than thirty years, I can say honestly that I have never rued the day. However I do wonder if I would have been quite so willing had I known then what I know today.          

According to PROOF!, intravenous sedation should not be used unless absolutely necessary. Risks range from minor discomfort to respiratory problems, drug reactions, paralysis, brain damage and, in rare cases, death. In which case, people with dental phobias would probably be better advised to contact a group called Beyond Fear (www.beyondfear.org; tel:0845 345 6961).

There is, however, a sequel to this tale.

Several years later, when living in southern Spain, my canine companion was Feather, a large, very bold, English Springer spaniel.  His grandfather had been an American Field Trial Champion and, honestly, he was quite a handful.  Quite how it happened I never discovered but, he ate my teeth!

I phoned my Aussie friend, by now a very successful dental surgeon with a flourishing and
lucrative practice.  I explained my predicament, and suggested that I fly immediately to London to have a new set fitted. You don’t need that expense, he drawled, just let it happen naturally.  Happen naturally? Follow the hound around for a couple of days!  Needless to say he was quite correct.  With the aid of a plastic modeller in Fuengirola (of all places), my reconstructed teeth gave a further ten years useful chomping.  What would PROOF! say of that?  A £25 Gift Voucher to the best suggestion! 

Heavy “scientific” stuff!
After that digression, I had better get back on the straight and narrow.....I have a rare thyroid dysfunction (my body doesn’t convert T4 to T3 properly) and I have to take quite large amounts of Armour Thyroid, but still have some symptoms of hypothyroidism.....I picked up something off the internet that virgin coconut oil is very good for sluggish metabolism: I presume you have to take it internally.....have you heard anything about this?.....I was asked a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately I know little about the ingestion, or nutrient value, of coconut oil (Cocos nucifera L.), except that the fractionated oil, which contains triacyglycerols with a medium chain length (mainly C12 and C14), is used in the diet of cystic fybrosis sufferers.  This is because the high proportion of medium chain fatty acids make the oil more easily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. 

Nevertheless treatment of hypothyroidism should begin with the optimization of the nutrients needed not only for thyroid hormone production, but also for the critical cellular conversion of T4 (tetraiodothyronine) to T3 (triiodothyronine).

Your diet should be low in goitrogens and high in foods rich in trace minerals needed for thyroid hormone production and activation. Goitrogens to be limited include brassica family foods (turnips, cabbages, greens, etc.).  Good sources of iodine include sea fish, iodized salt and sea vegetables (kelp, dulse, arame, etc.).  Good sources of zinc include seafood, beef, oatmeal, chicken, liver, spinach, nuts, and seeds.  Copper is found in liver and other organ meats, eggs, yeast, beans, nuts, and seeds.  Finally, the best sources of the B vitamins are yeast, whole grains, and liver. The best source of selenium is Brazil nuts, those that are unshelled our best. Organically grown foods are recommended due to their higher levels of trace minerals.

Of course you could simply try supplements - Zinc: 25/mg/day, Copper: 5mg/day, and Selenium: 200mcg/day.  How’s it all supposed to help?

Zinc, vitamin E and vitamin A function together in many body processes including the manufacture of thyroid hormone.  A deficiency of any of these nutrients would result in lower levels of active thyroid hormone being produced. Low zinc levels are common in the elderly, as is hypothyroidism. There may be a correlation.  The B vitamins riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), and vitamin C are also necessary for normal thyroid hormone manufacture.

The trace minerals zinc, copper and selenium are the required cofactors for iodothyronine iodinase, the enzyme which converts T4 to the far more active T3.  There are several forms of this enzyme, each requiring a different trace mineral.  Supplementation with zinc (the second most common mineral deficiency) has been shown to re-establish normal thyroid function in hypothyroid patients who were zinc-deficient, even though they had normal T4 levels.

Similarly, selenium supplementation may be important, as those living in areas of the world where selenium is deficient have a greater incidence of thyroid disease. Of particular interest is the fact that while a selenium deficiency does not decrease the conversion of T4 to T3 in the thyroid or pituitary, it does result in a great decrease in this conversion in other cells of the body.

People with deficiency of selenium have elevated levels of T4 and TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). Supplementation with selenium results in a decrease in T4 and TSH and normalization of thyroid activity. Selenium is deficient in about 50% of people’s diets, which may account for the large number of people with low thyroid activity.

How all this stacks up with the consumption of Armour Thyroid (a natural thyroid hormone derived from pigs, which contains both T4 and T3) I don’t know: perhaps the next lady can tell me?
One amazing lady.
Some may remember, at our “Open Day with John & Sal” in Oxford a few years ago, a most amazing lady - Dr. Glennis Rogerson.

Despite being disabled, Glennis has achieved a great many things.  She has degrees and doctorates in many subjects and initially trained as a lawyer and accountant before going into the teaching profession.  Her staggering collection of more than six thousand books, all catalogued, always makes me think that I still have a long way to go!

Glennis, who has been ill for more than 50 years, suffers from food intolerance and is allergic to many medicines and drugs.  So she set about looking at alternatives which resulted in an in depth study. In 1999, she gained her Doctor of Naturopathy and Doctor of Natural Health Sciences qualifications and, two years later, was awarded a Ph.D. for her thesis “Connection between allergies and intolerances and autoimmune disease”.

Most recently she attended the International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy in Brisbane, Australia, from which she returned with a Diploma in Holistic Aromatherapy and a B.Sc. in Aromatherapy. 

What, you might think, is she doing with all this knowledge? Well, quite a lot she tells me.

For a start she has two most comprehensive courses - Chinese Medical Theory and Master Herbalist Diploma - on the books at the long-distance learning Stonebridge College. Why not check them out at <www.stonebridge.uk.com>, or give them a call on 01288 356300?  Alternatively you can contact Glennis herself at <malcolm.d.rogerson@btinternet.com>, or telehone her on 01754 610726, to find out more.   

Finally......
I am extremely grateful to Steve Hickock and Marlene Plimley for putting me straight on a couple of things.

In May I wrote a piece about honey, and attributed a paper “Honey - a remedy rediscovered” to Zumala, A. and A. Lulat.  In actual fact the correct spelling is Zumla, and this person is none other than Professor Alimuddin Zumla, Ph.D., F.R.C.P. (Lon.), F.R.C.P. (Edin.), who is Director, Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health, University College, London. My sincere apologies.

This distinguished and eminent gentleman has also recently been named PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT CHAMPION in the 2003 Windrush Awards.  Steve and Marlene are acquainted with Professor Zumla as he is one of the major advocates of the use of Enhanced Nutritional Intervention (ENI) in the treatment of HIV/AIDS.  He has written extensively of the effects of bio available zinc in stimulating the TH1 helper cells; the key to all immune function.

Steve and Marlene’s company Remedy Research has developed and patented the unique charged metalo zinc ion electrolyte delivery system which has been the key to successful ENI HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa.

Secondly, regarding my recent article about Doggy Dermatitis, Marlene tells me that she was told by her Pet Insurer that giving your pet Pilchards in tomato sauce does the trick. However it has to be tomato sauce and, therefore, Marlene deduces that it is the combination of the lycopene in the tomatoes and the Omega 3 in the fish that delivers the goods. Well I never! 


charles@essentiallyoils.com
 

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