I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds, and bowers:

Of April, May, of June, and July flowers.

I sing of May-poles, Hock-carts, wassails, wakes,

Of bride-grooms, brides, and of their bridal-cakes.

Robert Herrick 1591-1674: Hesperides (1648)

Looking out across our local village green towards the church I can picture exactly this idyllic country scene, but what on earth is a hock-cart?

I know that Hock-day, or Hock Tuesday, used to be a festival held on the second Tuesday after Easter, when money was levied, with a good deal of horse-play, on passers-by for pious uses, and landlords received an annual tribute called Hock-money, for allowing their tenants and serfs to commemorate the occasion.  It was traditionally believed to have been on that day that the English overcame the Danes.  

I had postulated that the hock-cart was perhaps the local butcher, with tasty joints aboard for the wassailing revellers, because on my drive here today every village through which I passed has a sign advertising a festival of some description, with the obligatory spit-roast! 

Well, let me assure you, there will be no spit-roast at our Slepe Randonnee! However, I fear there will be several brides, bridegrooms, and their bridal cakes in St. Ives that weekend, for there was not a bedroom to be had at Slepe Hall!  What is it about June and weddings?  Still, health and happiness to them all.

I learned later that the hock-cart was in fact the final load of the harvest.

Meanwhile, let me introduce our distinguished speakers for the Randonnee.......

Speakers off their subject!

Michi Naomoto, who has been assisting me in my quest for Japanese oils, has lived in the U.K. for more than ten years.  She graduated with an honours degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Middlesex University.  As part of the 5-year course she studied also Western medicine and worked in hospitals in Beijing. 

She now practises Traditional Chinese Medicine at a nearby local clinic, treating patients using acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and massage.  She is involved also with writing articles about English therapies for Japanese magazines and websites.

I was surprised to learn that there are many similarities between Chinese medicine and our own aromatherapy.  Not only do both use treatments based on plants, but aromatherapy massage often uses Chinese meridians and acupoints as well. Who better, therefore, to tell us about Traditional Chinese Medicine in Aromatherapy.

Glennis Rogerson, whom some may remember from our “John & Sal Day” a few years ago, was ill for 50 years, and unable to walk for 14 of them.  However, ten years ago, she was found to have numerous allergies and intolerances. She changed her diet and, at the instigation of her doctor, sought relief through Complementary Medicine.  Greatly impressed by the results, she began to study various therapies in depth and now has degrees and doctorates in several. Most recently she attended the International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy in Brisbane run by Sal Battaglia, from which she returned with a Diploma in Holistic Aromatherapy and a B.Sc. in Aromatherapy.  A qualified teacher, trained also in law and accountancy, she has written courses in Chinese Medicine and Herbal Medicine.

In my own mind, I had marked her down to speak about Nutrition, or Holistic Aromatherapy, or Chinese Medicine, or perhaps even Herbal Medicine, but not a bit of it! Coping with the Disabled, Deaf and Blind is more her bag because, although a little hard of hearing, still allergic to many chemicals and foods, and disabled with rheumatoid and osteo- arthritis, Glennis is a staunch supporter of Complementary Medicine - it has vastly improved her life.  She is a trainer for Hearing Concern and Disability Rights.

I did enjoy Jacqui’s talk: inspirational!  So nice to learn about, and smell, the more unusual oils!  Is she going to do another “Out of the Box” session?  And so, by popular demand.....

Jacqui Le Sueur is a traditional hands-on therapist, practising aromatherapy, reflexology, sports massage, Reiki and Indian head massage. In addition to her own practice and three corporate practices, she is also an independent training consultant. In other words, she will motivate and inspire us to utilize fully the skills and talents that are inherent within us.

At our last couple of events, she has “wowed” several with her prodigious work rate, unlimited enthusiasm, extensive knowledge, and intuitive use of the more unusual oils and carriers.  On this occasion, she intends to introduce us to the merits of Camellia, Macadamia, Meadowfoam, Cascarilla Bark, Hemp, Inula, Khella, Lavender Luisieri, Silver Fir, and a selection of Floral Waters.

I am asked often what is a good introductory guide to aromatherapy, and involuntarily reply Secrets of Aromatherapy.  For £4.99, I find this finely-illustrated, handbag-sized, jargon-free, little book a fine ready-reference for the newcomer to aromatherapy. 

Its author, Jennie Harding, has also titles on essential oils, crystal healing, herbs, stress management and natural beauty under her belt, and is currently working on an aromatherapy massage book to be published next year. Perhaps, therefore, she might like to say a word or two on the subject?  No!

Jennie came to aromatherapy in the late 1980s from a career in marketing. She trained at the Tisserand Institute and went on to teach Essential Oil Therapeutics there for thirteen years, but she practises now the Japanese gentle healing art of Jin Shin Jyutsu - The Art of the Creator through the Man of Compassion - which is sometimes referred to as “The Art of Benevolence, The Art of Happiness and The Art of Longevity”.  Jennie will be giving us A taste of Jin Shin Jyutsu.

A rare opportunity!  Book now, before it’s too late!

Discerning dermatological diseases.A friend of mine has a condition Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) which causes painful sores and very dry skin. There doesn’t seem to be any treatment.  Can you suggest how I might be able to help? e-mailed Pat Webb from Manchester.

Good heavens!  Following upon last month’s query about Bullous pemphigoid, I wonder why I didn’t train as a dermatologist! The skin is subject to such a wide range of lesions - Acne, Alopecia, Burns, Darier’s disease, Dermatitis herpetiformis, Drug-induced skin reactions, Eczema, Epidermolysis bullosa, Erythema multiforme, Hyperhidrosis, Ichthyosis, Keratinisation disorders, Lichen planus, Pemphigus and pemphigoid, Pigmentation disorders, Pruritus, Psoriasis, Pyoderma gangrenosum, Rosacea, Seborrhoeic dermatitis, Urticaria and angioedema, Warts, Wounds and ulcers - where to begin?

For a start, some may be characteristic of specific systemic diseases and fade as the disease regresses. Some are caused by specific local infections and are best treated by the appropriate antimicrobial. The skin is also subject to damage from environmental hazards. Exposure to solar radiation is associated with malignant neoplasms of the skin.  Many skin disorders are side-effects of therapeutic and other agents, ranging from mild hypersensitivity to the life- threatening Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis.  There is also a wide range of skin disorders whose aetiology is poorly understood. 

Then there is the question of the distribution and morphological description of the lesion - its shape, colour, and surface characteristics are important in the diagnosis. However, there are many terms used to describe skin lesions and my uneducated glossary of ‘pimples’, ‘rashes’ ‘sores’ and ‘spots’ gets me nowhere in my dermatological quest.  Be more specific, urge the experts. Specific? 

Abcess, bulla, comedo, ecchymosis, erythema, fissure, horn, keratosis, lichenification, macule, nodule, papilloma, papule, petechia, plaque, purpura, pustule, scale, stria, telangiectasia, vesicle, wheal.....you know! Well, as a matter of fact, I don’t!  Where’s that medical dictionary?

Examining Epidermolysis bullosa.

Epidermolysis bullosa consists of a group of similar congenital disorders characterised by severe blistering of the skin.  Sometimes the mucosae, especially of the mouth and oesophagus, are also affected. The blistering may be caused by various structural and metabolic defects and occurs at different levels in the skin.  Blistering, which may resemble bullous pemphigoid, can follow even a minor wound or injury or can arise spontaneously. In some patients blistering and scarring can cause marked tissue loss of the affected areas and the most severe forms are fatal in early infancy due to infection of the blisters. Milder forms may be managed by avoiding injury and keeping the blisters clean and dry, but there is no truly effective treatment for the severe forms. Therefore the best that can probably be achieved is short-term healing of skin and mucous membrane lesions, longer term disease remission, and improvement of quality of life with minimal adverse effects.

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is an acquired form of the disease, and it too is difficult to treat [Fine, J-D. Management of acquired bullous skin diseases. N. Engl. J. Med. 1995; 333: 1475-84]. 

Allopathic medicine may try corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, and individual patients have responded to high-dose intravenous immunoglobulins or extracorporeal photochemo- therapy, but I doubt that this is the way that Pat wants to go! 

Alternative treatment?
I have few suggestions for such a rare disease (estimated annual incidence of 0.22 per million population in Western Europe), but Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis L.) might be worth a try though evidence in favour of a useful therapeutic effect is poor. Also, I have a sneaking feeling that Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) might assist, because it does seem extremely effective for some skin conditions.

The berries are the active part of the plant.  They contain a juicy, sticky fruit mass, which is edible and which in fresh state is used for syrup or jam. Products based on fruit pulp or juice are rich in vitamin C, provitamin A and other vitamins, especially of the B group. Moreover they contain fruit acids and sugars as well as glycosides of kaempferol, isorhamnetin and quercetin.  They are considered to have a tonic activity, preventing deficiency disease and strengthening antibodies.

Seabuckthorn berries are also a raw material source for interesting and rare lipids, which show noticeable physiological characteristics. The oil of the pulp and the oil of the seed, however, have to be considered separately because they have a completely different composition. While western Europe consumes mainly the hydrophilic juice products, in Scandinavia and Russia the oils are well documented in literature and can be found in products for dermatological use.

From Russian publications Tode [Tode, A: Sanddorn in der russischen Medizin. Dtsch. Apoth. Ztg. 136, Suppl. 14. Jan., 4 (1991)] cites the following activities on the skin: It enhances the formation of cell tissue and accelerates wound healing; it strengthens granulation and has a pain killing effect. For this reason Seabuckthorn is used to prevent skin damage due to high energy radiation, either in case of sunburn or for radiotherapy of the larynx or the gullet.  During the Soviet-Afghan war it was used in the Russian camp for the treatment of burns. It is useful for the treatment of pressure sores, necrotic wounds or abcesses after antibiotic pretreatment, and has been used successfully for oral, genital and anal affections.  Seabuckthorn oil also shows activity against phlegmonic acne.

Unfortunately the cited publications do not differentiate between pulp and seed oil and, in all likelihood, a combination of the two was used. Many years ago, when I first started to import Seabuckthorn oil from Russia, I never knew what to expect.  Often it was a maceration from the berries, which had little activity because its composition contained few of the vital lipids.

The activity of Seabuckthorn pulp oil can be explained by the high (22-33%) content of palmitoleic acid (C16:1).  This fatty acid is rare in the plant world, is a component of human skin fat and thus can support the formation of cell tissue and wound healing.  In pharmacy, the oil is considered useful for the treatment of damaged skin and mucous membranes; in cosmetics, for skin preparations, wound healing, and increasing skin granulation; and, in sun creams, for the alleviation of sunburn.

Seed oil, on the other hand, is composed of 34-39% linoleic (C18:2) and 24-32% linolenic acid (C18:3).  These unsaturated fatty acids are physiologically active, are already recognized for the treatment of atopical eczemas and can replace cortisone preparations in less severe cases.  Their activity is supported by unsaponifiable components including tocopherols, phytosterols, carotenoids, alkanes and alkanols.  Externally, it is used in skin preparations for the treatment of neurodermatitis, skin impurities and regeneration and, internally, as a food supplement in case of fatty acid deficiency, for regulation of fat metabolism, prevention of arterial affection, and treatment of skin allergy and skin impurities.

Finally, there is fair clinical evidence that acupuncture can assist dermatological problems.   

A line on linseed.
Several kindly responded to Barbara Snowball’s plea for help in my last Newsletter [146]: interestingly, others have suffered similar allergic reactions to latex, essential oils, and even some non-prescription drugs.

Nevertheless, I was not entirely surprised that some suggested honey as a possible curative, because it does have an enviable reputation for healing cuts and sores.  However I would not have thought to mix it 50:50 with linseed/flaxseed oil (Linum usitatissimum L.), as someone suggested, although flaxseed’s specific name is so coined to acknowledge its great utility.

The use of bruised linseed was a recommended medicament of Hippocrates.  Among the medicinal uses of flax are emollients, the crushed seeds have been used as a poultice, and the whole seed as a laxative.  The word liniment, describing a topical application, has its origin from ‘line’.  Medically, linen has been used for bandages and dressings and linen ligatures have been popular for surgically securing large blood vessels. All of which leads neatly to a favourite subject of mine - etymology.  

Etymological inquiry often reveals certain, albeit speculative, traces that the past has left.  The Compact Oxford Dictionary is considered as the most reliable source on the linguistic origins of words; it provides several for flax. One simple example is the origin of the word linnet, which appears to be old French, and means “the bird which hovers feeding on seeds over flax fields”, an image secured by common observation.  The fact that the language of origin is old French, implies that flax (and linnets) were commonly seen in old France. 

Alternatively, linguistic diversity leaves common traces.  The word ‘line’ has many linguistic roots, Old English, Old High German, Middle High German, Old Norse, Swedish and Gothic, all implying its descendance from a Latin or Greek ancestor, linum, meaning flax. A common origin and antiquity are clearly implied.  

Flaxseed has a long tradition of use in  folk medicine; internally flax was used as a cure for gastric disorders: indigestion, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and diarrhoea.  Its laxative properties have been confirmed in well-controlled human trials [Cunnane, S.C.M. et al. 1995. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61:62].  The mucilage, abundant in the seed, is thought to be the active ingredient in such applications.

Flaxseed oil is used in the treatment of skin conditions, such as eczema, acne, and skin dryness, and is also used in skin cleansers and liquid soaps.  Flaxseed oil was also used in folk medicine for burn treatment (mixed with calcium oxide).

A decade or so ago, SmithKline Beecham patented a cosmetic preparation based on flaxseed mucilage as a topical application for the skin or mucous membranes. They claim a very broad range of application, including use as artificial mucous and/or lubricant for the skin surface, the ocular, nasal, oral, vaginal, and anal cavities. The preparation may be used for treatment of dry-eye, xerostomia, and radiotherapy-induced secretory cell disorders.    

Ingesting linseed oil - make sure it’s fresh!

Linseed oil contains mainly Omega-3, and some Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids. It is a rich natural source of the Omega-3 essential fatty acid alpha linolenic acid (ALA) which can, to a small extent, be converted by the body into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  These are the Omega-3 polyunsaturates found in fish oils.

Flaxseed was used as a food by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.  The Egyptians have consumed the oil in their traditional food from the time of the Pharaohs to the present day. The people of India consume flaxseed oil in cooking, and the people of China also consume flaxseed domestically in the diet - predominantly as oil.  If all these ancient cultures have traditionally used flaxseed, why have the Europeans incorporated it less frequently into their diet? 

Can the answer to this question lie in the varied additives used to hasten drying properties of flaxseed oil for industrial use and hence the seed’s guilt by association? Owing to the oil’s ability to bind with oxygen to form a hard film, it is called a ‘drying oil’, which makes it of use in paints, varnishes, printing inks, brake linings and linoleum (oil of lin)!  Boiled linseed oil dries more quickly than the cold-pressed oil because boiling partially oxidises the oil.

This could, in the absence of comprehensive labelling, present a potential health hazard to the unwitting consumer.

However, despite the interest from the health foods market, there are significant difficulties associated with processing traditional flaxseed to obtain a high quality oil for human consumption. Although processing and bottling steps now minimise exposure of the purified oil to heat and oxygen, the rapid rate of oxidation and rancidity on storage at room temperature means that the consumer has to take special precautions to avoid intake of an elevated level of peroxides. 

Linseed deteriorates much faster than other oils and, even when kept cool and tightly sealed, will lose its nutrients after four months. Light, air and high temperatures destroy its ALA very rapidly, and ideally linseed oil should be kept in the fridge and used within six weeks of opening.  Ultimately, this problem will probably continue to restrict the market for bottled flaxseed oil but should not affect the use of encapsulated flaxseed oil by those choosing this product for health reasons.

Another helpful hint for Barbara.
I can’t suggest anything to prevent the latex dermatitis and ongoing sensitivity but I can pass on something which I used for years as a Midwife for cracked nipples! These can get very bad indeed - deep, painful and very resistant to healing - a bit like cracks on fingers. I used a purified lanolin which you can now buy under the name “Lansinoh”.

All I can say is that it does work on bad cracks, using the ‘moist wound healing’ process, which keeps the skin flexible while allowing healing.  And yes....I have used it myself, as a breastfeeding mother of four.  Might be sensible to put a dressing on affected parts to keep cream in situ.  Could use polythene (not latex!) gloves overnight, taped around the wrists, if it is very resistant. Perhaps this will help Barbara, e-mailed Mel Mothership.

Looking at Lanolin.
We do not stock Lanolin or incorporate it in any of our products because it is animal-derived, but it is still worthy of consideration.  In truth, I tend to be a little ambivalent about products such as wool fat and beeswax.

Lanolin (Wool Fat) is a purified anhydrous waxy substance obtained from the wool of the sheep (Ovis aries).  It is a pale yellow unctuous substance with a characteristic odour; melted wool fat is a clear or almost clear, yellow liquid.  Drop point and melting range 38 to 44.  It may contain a suitable antioxidant.  10g absorbs not less than 20ml water.

Wool fat is used in the formulation of water-in-oil creams and ointments.  When mixed with a suitable vegetable oil or with soft paraffin it gives emollient creams which penetrate the skin.  It can absorb about 30% of water.

Derivatives and modifications of wool fat include poloxyl lanolin (ethoxylated lanolin), isopropyl lanolate, lanolin oil, and lanolin wax.  Hydrogenated wool fat (hydrogenated lanolin) is a mixture of higher aliphatic alcohols and sterols obtained from the hydrogenation of wool fat [Barnett, G. Lanolin and derivatives. Cosmet. Toilet. 1986; 101 (Mar): 23-44).

Hydrous wool fat (hydrous lanolin) is an ointment basis prepared by the addition of water to wool fat. The European Pharmacopoeia specifies wool fat 75% and water 25%.

There have, however, been reports of pesticide residues in wool fat and comments on risks [Copeland, C.A. et al. Pesticide residue in lanolin. JAMA 1989; 261: 242 and 262: 613], but the United States Pharmacopoeia, under the title Modified Lanolin, includes a grade that has been processed to reduce the contents of free lanolin alcohols and detergent and pesticide residues.

Wool fat can also cause sensitivity reactions, but lanolin treated to remove both detergent and natural free fatty alcohols reduced the incidence of hypersensitivity in lanolin-sensitive patients to almost zero [Clark, E.W. et al. Lanolin with reduced sensitizing potential. Contact Dermatitis 1977; 3: 69-74]. 

Hot Topic!
I am in the process of collecting information for the PIP [Product Information Pack] for my range of aromatherapy products and have been advised to ask you for information regarding the 26 potential allergens that may be present in essential oils.....It seems that I then have to work out the percentage of the potential allergen in each of my products and then if it is present [at levels higher than those proposed] I have to declare it on the label.....I would imagine you are being swamped with similar requests e-mailed Sharon Murphy.

Directive 2003/15/EC amending the Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC (The 7th Amendment) must be enacted into national legislation by 11th September this year.  The DTI are currently drafting the legislation.  The Directive will affect aromatherapy products that fall under Cosmetics legislation, particularly with regard to the labelling of fragrance allergens.

Of the 26 fragrance ingredients which are considered an important cause of contact allergies, sixteen - benzyl alcohol, cinnamic alcohol, citral, eugenol, isoeugenol, benzyl salicylate, cinnamic aldehyde, coumarin, geraniol, anisyl alcohol, benzyl cinnamate, farnesol, linalool, benzyl benzoate, citronellol, d-limonene - are found naturally in essential oils commonly used in aromatherapy and aromatherapy products.

Many essential oils contain one - or often more - of the 16 chemicals listed above and at significantly higher concentrations than those proposed - 0.010% in rinse-off products like soap and shampoo and 0.001% in leave-on products such as colognes, creams and antiperspirants.

We have the analyses, who’s going to do the maths?!  Meanwhile keep an eye on the DTI website <www.dti.gov.uk> under the DTI Current Consultations section.

What to do?
I assume that it is as a result of numerous “relocation” programmes that I am receiving an increasing number of e-mails, in similar vein, from most pleasant parts of the world......

I’m thinking of starting a business here involving essential oils since I’m an aromatherapist and I am finding it difficult to find any local companies providing clear and honest info about their oils.....I think there’s a real market, but the oils I’ve seen and bought have been of low quality and 100% pure essential oils are not available in many shops yet.....I would like to set up a business supplying really good oils.....What do you think?

Glory be!  I know that I was once a UN advisor on Industrial Development, but essential oils and aromatherapy were not part of my bailiwick!

Nevertheless I would agree that there are emerging markets because we supply already several aromatherapists in such locations. However I know little about the true demand, and it is always worth checking if there is a “trade” journal or similar.  Failing that, and assuming that you are not on too remote an atoll, a skim through the Yellow Pages, or similar, in search of aromatherapists, essential oil suppliers, etc., can often yield a clue.  Also, it is wise perhaps to check that essential oils are not a banned substance in your Shangi-La and that the local witch doctor is not going to react too violently to the competition!  

Thinking about it however, it would probably be far easier to build an essential oil supply business off the back of practising and/or teaching the subject - I know several who have done just this.

Often they start with only about £100 worth of the most usual oils, pre-sell them to 10 others, we ship to order, and, before you know it, they are ordering £1,000 per month. Although this may not sound a lot, some tell me that they are clearing £30,000 per annum: not bad for a “hobby”!  None seems to become involved with retail operations - it is all personal referral.

Of course, in some cases, I suspect that they depend heavily upon tending to the expatriate population but in others I know that it is built totally on “local” business. A few well-placed notices in health shops, massage and health centres, hairdressing salons, etc., advertising a “self-help” aromatherapy course or similar, might not be a bad idea. If you haven’t the space yourself, you may find that some of the aforementioned outlets are keen to assist you so as to boost their own businesses or, failing that, you may discover a bounteous client who is only too prepared to have the course take place in her own home - a glorified coffee morning!

Finally.....

We’re happy to ship anywhere! 

charles@essentiallyoils.com
 

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