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Cancer & Essential Oils

Jul 01, 2017

Cancer and Essential Oils, Discussion #2 and Spearmint Oil.

Hi Everyone, Today we are going to continue our discussion on this topic and we will bring Spearmint Essential Oil into this discussion.

Many times we tend to not think a whole lot about Spearmint Essential Oil and rarely ever discuss it. We really are missing out on this refreshing oil. One of the most popular uses of Spearmint is in gum. But it is also distilled into essential oil and really is a very safe essential oil to use. Recently I had to do some research on a few of the individual constituents that are in Spearmint essential oil and ended up spending a lot of time as I began to be even more fascinated with it. One reason why I got into the studying of it was because of a man I have known for a number of years has discovered that he has an issue that he has to deal with and that is prostate cancer. So he was asking me what he could use among the lines of essential oils to help himself. So I discussed with him what I had recently discovered. I have never worked with Spearmint oil in a situation where it is being used to work with cancer. So I just can only go off of the research and discuss that with you.

In Tisserand's book under Spearmint and the section that deals with Systemic effects and carcinogenic/anticarcinogenic potential he cites several studies. In one study, Zu et al 2010, it talks about how Spearmint was cytotoxic to human prostrate cancer cells with an IC50 value of 0.09%, but was not cytotoxic to human lung and human breast cancer cells. In another study, Manosroi et al 2005, Spearmint oil was more effective than three of four control drugs. (It does not list the drugs). Spearmint oil also showed significant chemopreventative activity against human mouth carcinoma (KB), in the same study.

So does Spearmint oil cure cancer? Not really, But most of these studies suggest that it does help, at least in theory, in the struggle. What is interesting is in this one study it showed that it is cytotoxic to prostrate cancer cells but not to lung and breast cancer cells. Cytotoxic means that it is toxic to malignant cells but not healthy cells. So the moral of this little section is that when a person is into a heavy discussion about using essential oils for cancer issues, it is not that if an oil antagonistic against one type of cancer cell it does not mean that is it across the board on all cancers. This is where well meaning people can really mess some one up. They hear that this one person with cancer used this particular oil and it cured them of cancer. So they think, hey this cures cancer, thinking that all cancers are the same. They are not and just because of one oil is thought or believed to be effective against one type does not mean that it is for all types. This is why it is necessary that if a person wants to use essential oils as part of their rehabilitation process. they really need to properly identify what type they have and then make a selection based on the findings. generally those findings require the care and supervision of a health care professional and extensive lab work. Now that is for people that have an identifiable and observable issue going on. What about a person that isn't dealing with a diagnosis of this level of seriousness?

Now this is where we start to deal with the Lifestyle activity aspect as it applies to Aromatherapy. I didn't really really coin this phrase. To my knowledge it was coined as it applies to Aromatherapy by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt. It was through him that I received my certifications in aromatherapy, as did Leiann. But then she went on to do the big ARC test, I chose not to. So I have chosen to discuss aromatherapy in that lifestyle aspect rather than try to do the clinical aspect or the play doctor thing. Of course some people takes the route of mystics and what some people call foo foo aromatherapy. I just can't go there. Well if the discussion is in quantum physics, that can be strange, but I can go there. lol. Just can't go foo foo. So I use the scientific approach and that is why I don't have a problem saying that sometimes you need to visit with some one such as a healthcare provider.

So with the use of a life style use of essential oils, as you understand the scientific applications then you can work with issues on yourself. Now an interesting aspect to this research into Spearmint essential oil I did not find anything that suggests that it has anything to do with blood pressure. I mean haven't we heard a lot of stuff about Spearmint lowering and Peppermint raising??? But what has been discovered over time in lifestyle use and large number of people have reported that it helps to lower blood pressure, in their opinion.

So in light of opinion type of information, you end up having to decide for yourself if something would work for you. However, it does take some personal responsibility on your part to choose for yourself.

Another observation I noticed quite often in the summary or concerns parts of many of the oils and individual constituents of the oils in Tisserand's book was that yes, some oils can be harmful if used wrongly. Many times we hear of various negative reactions with a person such as kicking the bucket after have taken some oil. In all of these he says that when essential oils are used or as used in aromatherapy there is not concern with toxicity. It is when used in extreme excess that they can be. For example in some places where they are referencing when some one died when using some oil, it will say, we concluded that these 2 cases or what ever the number was, that it must have been a case of suicide as it is not normal for a person to "accidentally" ingest 250 ml of essential oil, that is roughly 8 ounces. Many times a serious result was cited in one accidental negative reaction, then in the next, with the all factors being the same, the person fully recovered within a short period of time.
So if a person learns how to utilize an lifestyle approach with aromatherapy, a lot of good things can happen with very little or no negative side affects. In fact in a study as cited in Tisserand's book, Frosch et al 2002b, claims that Spearmint oil, tested at 2% in consecutive dermatitis patients, induced allergic responses in 13 of 1,606 (0.8%) of the patients. So yes some people respond less than positive, but that is common with any oil, but pretty slim numbers of those that do.

Now as we close, one of the best ways to utilize an aromatherapy lifestyle program in your personal life is with a program like the aroma share club. This helps to introduce you to oils in a fun and safe manner and gives you a number of options to work with. Another is to utilize the oils that is suggested to be used with each of the healthy body packs. The thing about essential oils, they really make whatever you are doing work even better. In a paper I was reading lately it made mention that when a person is emotionally feeling good, the therapy program that they are involved in works a lot better and they have an extremely better outcome at the end as compared to the others that are not feeling good emotionally.

If you feel good emotionally, life can be a whole lot better for you.

 

Written by Kent King.

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