There’s a first time for everything, and last month was the first time that we have failed to make it to the office. Sincere apologies to all those who tried to contact us during the worst of the recent snowstorms. It was just impossible to get out of our local village, even with a 4WD vehicle. Still, it was only for a couple of days and I hope that you were not too much inconvenienced.

When we returned to the office I was greatly saddened by an e-mail that awaited me from my old Australian friend Mike von Berg, advising me of the death of Don Miller. Without Don’s support and encouragement, it is most unlikely that EOL would have ever seen the light of day. Friends for almost forty years, it was Don who suggested that we export Tea Tree to Europe from his property in Australia, then the largest producer of the oil in the world. In fact, Essentially Oils started out originally as simply part of his company, The Bungawalbyn Pastoral Company.

A ‘simple baker’, as he was always wont to describe himself, Don was a pretty raw Australian when we were first introduced by Mike, but he had the idea to make the British eat daily-fresh bread. Soon Don Miller’s Hot Bread Kitchens were a familiar sight on most high streets. Such success changed him little, but he always yearned for a ‘lump of land’ back in his homeland. Therefore, when the opportunity arose, he sold Don Miller’s and invested the proceeds in Main Camp, 75,000 acres of virgin bush in northern New South Wales. Nevertheless, he returned a far more refined and cosmopolitan Australian than when he left, which sometimes did not always pass muster with those who had never left the outback. Mind you, feeding the cattle out of the back of a white Rolls-Royce can have hardly helped.

Whatever, he thought that a ‘real’ Englishman might be able to assist, although I suspected that he was actually helping me out during a very difficult time. All the same, Jan, Justin and I left Spain for Australia, by which time Don had acquired another ‘patch of dirt’, but in Queensland. They were exciting times and, what’s more, being a ‘real’ Englishman could actually assist on occasions. Don was a true friend and will be deeply missed, but did I really know him? Attached to Mike’s e-mail there was a clipping from the Australian Herald Sun, which was an even greater shock than the news of his death.

Whilst I knew that Don had been grappling with cancer for many years I never knew to what extent. Whenever I enquired how he was getting on he would only say that he was fine: “it’s just like having a limp, you can live with it”. I now learn that he lived with it for two-thirds of his life. He became a medical marvel after beating testicular cancer, which was first diagnosed in 1964, two different breast cancers, nipple cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and cancer of the head over the past 44 years. Having just celebrated his 70th birthday, he was not able to overcome a recurrence of his eighth cancer - neuroendocrine cancer. What a tough and brave man.

Although I thought that I knew him as well as most, I had barely an inkling of what he was going through. Undoubtedly Kay, his wife of 43 years, was a great motivation. Don would do anything for Kay, and she for him, and the chance of a few more years together would have made him fight all the harder. Also, Don attributed a lot of his survival to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne,Australia: “It didn’t matter what he had or where we were, we had to go to ‘The Peter Mac’ because he just had the confidence that they had the recipe for success”, says  Kay.

Mind over Cancer.
Perchance, as I was mulling over Don’s incredible resolution, I stumbled across a report in the February edition of What Doctors Don’t Tell You about how cancer can sometimes regress or go into remission on its own. Of particular interest was a study by the Institute of Noetic Sciences.

If we accept that the mind and the body are inextricably linked, profound changes in our attitudes and outlook may also affect our physiological status.

Institute of Noetic Sciences researchers have identified the following eight changes that may play an important role in bringing about the spontaneous regression they identified [O’Regan, B., Hirschberg, C. Spontaneous Remission: An Annotated Bibliography. Petaluma, CA: Institute of Noetic Sciences, 1993].

1. A shift from dependency to autonomy combined with activities,        attitudes and behaviours that promote increased autonomy and increased awareness of themselves, of others and their environment, and also increase love, joy, playfulness, satisfaction, laughter and humour.

2. Facing the crisis and having the power to find a new way of life that is fulfilling and meaningful.

3. Taking control of their lives, including personal, professional, emotional, spiritual and medical aspects, and reappraising old beliefs that are no longer appropriate or adequate.

4. Becoming comfortable with, and expressing, positive and negative emotions, and finding the ability to say ‘no’ when necessary for their wellbeing.

5. Having at least one strong loving relationship, and a connection with an organization.

6. Working in partnership with their physician.

7. Finding meaning in the experience of cancer, and finding reasons to live and accepting the diagnosis, but not the prognosis, of cancer and believing in a positive outcome.

8. Choosing activities that promote awareness and reduce stress, and showing renewed spiritual awareness that can lead to a spiritual practice such as prayer and meditation.

Interestingly, I think Don adopted many of these changes when he was first diagnosed with testicular cancer, because at that time he and Kay were warned against marrying because they would never be able to have children. A year later they married and Don later fathered Michelle and Paul.

From cancer and no marriage, he went on to enjoy a wonderful 43 years of marriage, two children, three grandchildren, and countless adventures. What a superb example of mind over matter.

A rare hair loss.
Have you any oils to use for a rare hair loss in a woman? asked Joanne Webster the other day. It is called fibrosing frontal alopecia and there is redness and scarring and loss of pores. It seems to have started over 5 years ago after a major fall from an attic room and the loss of a mother.

Although I have never heard of fibrosing frontal alopecia before, I know that alopecia can be caused by severe emotional and physical stress. In some cases there is destruction of the hair follicles (scarring) resulting in permanent hair loss. Thus far, Joanne advises me, the doctors have only given strong corticosteroids for the inflammation to prevent further hair loss.

Whilst I don’t rightly know, I would have thought that there is little that can be done about the scarred area, but doubtless others will know more. Where the hair follicles remain intact (nonscarring alopecia) treatment of the underlying condition may produce hair regrowth.

Hair growth is a complex, cyclically driven biological process, coordinated by and dependent upon a variety of exogenous stimuli which have their origin outside the body, such as substances in the body that are derived from the diet rather than built up by the body’s own metabolic process, and endogenous signals that arise within or are derived from the body. Unlike in some mammals, hair loss and growth is not seasonal but occurs randomly and is a continual process. Most hair loss disorders are due to changes in these cycles, but knowledge of their causes is incomplete. It has been suggested that the sebaceous gland may play an important role in ensuring the shaft exits the skin; destruction of the gland is implicated in the pathogenesis of scarring alopecias [Stenn K.S. Hair follicle biology, the sebaceous gland and scarring alopecias. Arch. Dermatol. 1999; 135: 973-4].

Evidence for the efficacy of aromatherapy-based treatment is scant, but there has been one randomised controlled trial [Hay I.C., Jamieson M., & Ormerod A.D. Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Arch. Dermatol. 1998; 134: 1349-52]. Eighty-four patients with non-androgenic alopecia areata were randomised into two groups. The active group self-massaged an oil mixture of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia  Mill.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and cedarwood Atlas (Cedrus atlantica Manetti) blended into a jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C. Schneider) and grapeseed (Vitis vinifera L.) mix into the scalp each night for a period of seven months. The control group did the same thing using carrier oils only. There was a statistically significant improvement in the aromatherapy group. Although the study later received some criticism, it does illustrate that aromatherapy can assist some.

Therefore, it would not be unreasonable to assume that other vegetable and essential oils traditionally used in hair care might be of help, such as coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), tamanu (Callophyllum inophyllum L.), walnut (Juglans regia L.) camellia (Camellia sinensis Thunb.), etc., and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.), petitgrian (Citrus aurantium L.), YlangYlang (Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson), cedarwood Himalayan (Cedrus deodora (Roxb. ex D. Don) G. Don), etc. Fuirther, sage hydrosol (Salvia officinalis L.) could be worth consideration, as I have had several favourable reports about it in this regard.

Can’t smell it?
My husband often bought me freesias, which I thought were okay, but was puzzled when he said he chose them for their lovely smell. It is a sad state of affairs for an aromatherapist but to me they have no smell. Any comments? asks Jacky Mattam.

A staple of the imported cut-flower industry since their hybridization started in earnest around 1898, freesias are loved by many for their strong perfume as well as their appearance. The wild species have yellow or white flowers and may grow about 30cm (12in) high: modern hybrids grow 45cm (18in) or more high and are available in a wide range of colours which includes blue, mauve, pink, red and purple. However, some of these large-flowered hybrids have no scent, but I doubt that Jacky’s husband would have bought any of these. The white-flowered  Freesia alba (G.L. Meyer) Gumbleton) is generally considered to have the best perfume. Nevertheless, as D.J. Mabberley comments in The Plant-Book, the ability to smell freesias varies and some find it hard to detect any scent at all.

Insensitivity to particular smells is called specific anosmia, the equivalent to being colour-blind.

The cause for specific anosmias is not yet known but in several cases they have been shown to be inherited. That is to say, they are passed on by the genes. A reasonable guess is that some of them result from mutations in genes for receptor proteins. Like all other proteins, each receptor protein in the nose is coded for by a gene. If someone has a mutation in one of these genes, a change in its DNA sequence, their corresponding receptor protein may be defective. This would in turn lead to a reduced ability to detect particular molecules, such as those in the scent of freesias. Thus our sensibility to smells depends on our repertoire of genes that code for receptor proteins. [Coen, E. 1999. The Art of Genes: How Organisms Make Themselves. p.185. ISBN:0198503431]

Getting around the problem.
BASF, the German chemical group, said recently that it had developed a new generation of genetically altered crops, by precisely manipulating the plant’s own DNA without inserting foreign genes. The technology, known as “directed mutagenesis”, produces new traits such as herbicide resistance, which are similar to those achieved through conventional genetic modification of plants. But because no genes are added, it is likely to avoid the political and regulatory objections that have delayed the introduction of GM crops, particularly in Europe.

Collaborating with Cibus, a privately owned US plant science company, which originally discovered how to carry out directed mutagenesis, the two companies have produced strains of canola [oilseed rape] (Brassica napus L.), which tolerate BASF’s Clearfield herbicides, to compete with Monsanto’s Roundup Ready seeds which dominate the GM business.

The idea being that farmers will sow herbicide-resistant canola and later spray the growing plants with Clearfield to kill weeds in the field without harming the crop.

Cibus technology uses the plant’s own genetic machinery to change its DNA in a specific way. For example, BASF scientists specified two ‘letters’ out of billions in canola’s genetic code, which they wanted to change to make the plants resistant to Clearfield herbicides. Directed mutagenesis  enabled them to do this within the year. BASF expects to have its new herbicide-resistant crops on the market as soon as 2013.

“Even in the countries such as the US, where GM is widely accepted, the regulatory process for GM crops can take several years longer than for directed mutagenesis,” said Stephen Evans-Freke, Cibus chairman. “In Europe, it can make the difference between approval and non-approval.”

Would you approve?

Meanwhile, I wonder if directed mutagenesis could assist those with a  specific anosmia!

Publication delayed.
Last month I suggested you watch out later this year for Joanna Hoare’s forthcoming book The Complete Aromatherapy Tutor, but I have now been told that the English edition of the book will not be released until March 2010, as it is being printed for France, Italy and other EU countries first. So much for English being the world’s predominant language. As it is, Joanna is most disappointed as she wanted it in Japanese and Chinese because she is lecturing there during this year. Facing such a dilemma, I can understand the publishers thinking French, German and Italian the easier option: we’ll just have to wait!

Cats at Large.
Can you suggest anything I might spray at cats which stalk the birds in my garden? I can’t use some of the deterrents on the market, because I have my own sweet-natured, small, timid cat. She doesn’t even attempt to chase other cats out any more, but it gets a bit much for her when they come in through the cat flap - I’ve even had them spraying in the house.

The subject of coping with cats at large is a frequently asked question, and I don’t think that I am any the wiser since I tried to answer it the last time. Still, cat predation is once again in the news and so here are a few ideas for Mandy Wilkinson.

Unfortunately, our outdoors has far more cats in it than nature intended. This population density leads to territorial aggression. Rodents and birds also live outdoors, and much as we want our cats to prey on one and not the other it’s not going to happen. Cat owners should control their cat, including predation, on and off their property but, in my view, few do.

A few years ago I was having serious problems with our neighbour’s cats. Not only did they lay waste my cherished bird population but they also left their faeces everywhere. At first, I thought that I could control the situation with an enormous water pistol and my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Mung. After a couple of near-drenchings, for I did not really wish to do them harm, the pair of pesky toms, aware that I wasn’t actually aiming directly at them, carried on their feline flaunting with disdain. Dear old Mung was no help either, as he had no inclination whatever to chase the invaders off. I could only conclude that, as a dog bred originally to hunt lions, humble moggies were way beneath his dignity. However, with the arrival of Mick the terrier things began to change; there was no way he was having some cat strutting its stuff on his territory. In fact, he must have scared the daylights out of them to such an extent that they even ceased their night-time shenanigans. 

All the same, not everyone wants to own a canine cat-chaser, particularly if they already have a cat in the household, but I do feel sorry for those who derive considerable pleasure from the birds in their garden. Only the other day I was discussing this matter with an elderly lady at the local animal feed store, where she was stocking up with bags of wild bird seed and peanuts. “We’ll never stop them dear, it’s their nature to kill things.” How pragmatic, I thought. “But you can take precautions you know, like in my village.”  I didn’t know.

It appears that she and a few of her, doubtless formidable, friends have set up a sort of Neighbourhood Bird Protection Watch. In her village, woe betide you if your cat goes out without its red collar on, as red is the hue birds see best. Also, make sure there is a bell or two hanging from the collar to ensure that birds have warning of the cat’s approach. Keep your cat in at dawn and dusk, especially when birds are breeding. Train your cat to lose interest in birds by unobtrusively stealing its catch, secretly inserting mustard under the breast skin, and giving this loaded corpse back to it. Nasty!

If you wish to protect the birds in your garden, you are recommended to construct a temporary climbing-barrier around the trunk of a tree where birds are nesting. I suspected that she might specify razor wire, but was assured that a sheaf of thorny twigs should do the trick. Obviously site nest-boxes out of the cat’s reach, and resite trellises, furniture and the car, if necessary, so that swallow and martin nests cannot be raided, and that adult birds have a clear, safe route to and fro. That’s all very well, I thought to myself, but these relentless bombers still manage to hit the car wherever I put it. Make sure the bird-table is cat-proof and located in an open space. Did she mean a minefield I wondered, because I was sure that this “bird protection” group meant business. Hang bird feeders over water, I was tersely told, or at the end of very thin twigs, well away from potential launch-pads. Good Lord! For a second, I thought that she was going to propose a missile site. All the same, I think that I shall ignore this concise instruction, as I feel none too comfortable on either the end of a ladder or a punt pole!     

What about cat owners who have problems with other cats, which enter through the cat flap and spray urine in their home to reinforce exactly who is territorial king?, I asked. Quick as a flash, she grabbed from a nearby shelf a magnetized cat flap that only opens when it is triggered by your own cat’s collar. Now that’s an idea, because Mick always seems to be the wrong side of the door!

Worming out the facts.
Mention of mustard under the skin of the corpse made me recollect a fact that I had not previously known.

This month UK gardeners and nature lovers are being asked to record earthworm populations, essential to the health of our soils.

The project is part of a three-year initiative encouraging people to carry out research into subjects such as biodiversity and climate change. It is run by Open Air Laboratories, a National Lottery-funded partnership of institutions including the Natural History Museum.

There are 26 species of earthworms in Britain, of which about 15 are common, but virtually nothing is known about where they live and the types of soil they prefer. There has been little research into their habits since Charles Darwin first identified their vital importance to soil function in the mid-19th century.

Participants will receive full instructions including an identification chart and a sachet of mustard- apparently essential to getting worms to come to the surface. Results can be entered onto the survey website, where they will be added to an interactive map showing population distributions and soil types [www.opalexplorenature.org].

I’m in a quandary. Due to Mick’s unrelenting vigilance I can boast one of the best bird populations in the local neighbourhood, and it is very partial to worms. Therefore, if I am to beat my feathered friends at their own game and participate in the survey, never has the old adage the early bird catches the worm been more apt, but I think that I will ‘hold the mustard’, as they say in restaurants, to give me an edge. Now,where do I start digging?!

Finally.....

I am delighted by the response for this year’s workshops. For those who want to know more about Jennie Harding’s courses, visit her website at www.jennieharding.com





charles@essentiallyoils.com

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