March 25, 2011

Research Updates on Frankincense and Cancer

A life-threatening disease, Brain tumor is spoken widely because of its invasive and infiltrative character. This inherently serious disease is defined as abnormal growth of cells within the brain or the central spinal cord. One can find ‘n’ number of abstracts talking about the use of radiotherapy, treatment with dexamethasone to eradicate the tumor but usage of these have also pen down various side effects. A recent trail test uncovered several interesting studies we had not yet seen.

Highlights of the study:


• The boswellia serrata species of frankincense acts well on radiotherapy-related edema for treating tumor
• A number of studies shows that the boswellia serrata usage has the property of boosting the immunity system
• Boswellic acid, an extract of boswellia serrata has anti-neoplastic activity, in experimenting primary and secondary brain tumors.





Abstract:

The activity of Boswellia serrata in radiotherapy-related edema is monitored by conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, pilot trail. In this study measuring boswellia's efficacy against tumor, boswellia outperformed a placebo in reducing pain and improving knee mobility.

Background study:


Boswellia serrata(BS) are also commonly known as Indian frankincense as it originated from India and are also found in Africa and Middle East. The usage of Boswellia serrata has become more evident in modern times as Anti-Asthmatic, Wrinkle Reduction, Aromatherapy, Anti-Inflammatory, cancer treatment and tumor too because of its anti-neoplastic property. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Bowellia Serrata’s efficacy on cerebral edema in patients for brain tumor.

Method:


Sample Size: 44 patients with primary or secondary malignant cerebral tumors selected.
Sampling technique: Random sampling.
These chosen samples were assigned to radiotherapy plus and BS 4200 mg/day or placebo.

Analysis:

• The primary endpoint is the volume of cerebral edema in the T2-weighted MRI report.
• The Secondary endpoints are the toxicity, cognitive function, quality of life, and the need for dexamethasone medication.
• Serum concentration of boswellic acids were analysed in the blood samples taken.

Outcomes:

All these below mentioned results were observed immediately at the end of radiotherapy and BS/Placebo treatment and impact of antitumor can be seen.
Volume of Cerebral edema:

By Radiotherapy


• Observed reduction in the cerebral edema greater than 75 %
• More than 60 % of the patients reported the same

By Placebo/BS

• More than 26% of the patients reported
• No impact on cognitive function
• minor gastrointestinal discomfort seen in 6 patients

No traces of adverse effects.

No statistical difference in the dexamethasone dose during radiotherapy.

BS detected in the patients serum.

Conclusion:

The frankincense oil, an extract of BS was successful in achieving the following
• MRI reported reduction in the cerebral edema with the usage of Boswellia serrata
• BS acts as a steroid sparring patients receiving brain irradiation

March 20, 2011

Helping Heroes by Aromatherapy!!!




The UAE, not the beautiful Middle East Asian city we are talking about here, it stands for United Aromatherapy Effort. It is a specialized non-profit organization born out of September 11 tragedy in USA. The Organization is booked under 501(c) (3), and helps the relief workers and soldiers/ troops during emergencies and later on. All the remuneration received by them is collected and distributed to all those who are affected by the war or disaster in the way of chair massages and natural therapies.

The strong work done by the organization includes the tragedy under World Trade Center (2001), Florida Hurricanes of 2004, The Katrina and Rita hurricane hit coastal areas in 2005-06, California wildfires in 2007-08 and the Gulf Coast Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. And if this is not enough, the most recent help was done in 2009 for the military personal both at home in abroad at Afghanistan with wellness therapies and aromatherapy.




Different ways of helping:


1) Pledging a product by donating money for every unit sold.
2) Buying or directly donating aromatherapy products for the relief workers/soldiers.
3) Also products which can be useful for the emergency hit people can be donated.
4) Fire stations can be adopted thus helping them provide supplies of aromatherapy supply.

Their affiliation:


The organization’s good intentions can be clearly seen by the affiliation it holds with different NGO and private org. They are connected with Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy, Carolina Emergency Response Team, Florida Immediate Response Stress Team, Response Emergency Stress Team of Alaska, Response Emergency Stress Team of United Kingdom and Safe Horizon.

Latest Work:


Every time the needy are required to be helped, the UAE comes with a unique way of helping them. The latest of this is for the soldiers in Afghanistan.
The team is trying to contact all the soldiers who are in need or can help the needy soldiers there. What they need to do is just mail the team with their details and the requirement. The UAE team will be ready with the aromatic supplies. Their motto for this work say’s it all, "We serve because you do....until you all come home".
The team was started because of 9/11 event, but has managed to be a source of support for many other disasters/ wars which have affected millions in the World. And without a doubt, it will stand for long and help all for many more years ahead.

click here to know about this organization or perhaps a little donation?



Inhalation aromatherapy in children and adolescents undergoing stem cell infusion




The power of herbs and essential oils to travel through the blood stream in order to react with the hormones and enzymes gives birth to another healing process called Aromatherapy.

We all have heard a lot about the Stem cell transplantation used for treatments of various blood disorders. The exquisite property of SCT also makes it useful for treating some cancers when the bone marrow of the patient is destroyed because of the high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

What are stem cells?

These are unspecialized cells from which other multiple specialized cells can be derived.



Origination of stem cells:

Stem cells used can be one’s own cell or donors. Best stem cells are found in embryos and fetuses which withstand transplantation unlike those derived from child and adults.

Precautions for SCT:

• Stem cells derived from one’s own should be collected before chemotherapy or radiation
• Risk of infection if WBC is destroyed or reduced in number by radiation

Alternative therapy:

Stem cell transplantation is often seen as a life saving attempt but it is discommode as well, thus comes aromatherapy. It seems to be catching importance in every field. It has now attempted to rejuvenate and heal cancer by pairing up with SCT. Its healing, calming and energizing compound makes it an excellent healer. A trail project was conducted to evaluate the respiratory administration of bergamot essential oil on the anxiety, nausea, and pain.

Sample size: 37 patients with malignant and non-malignant disorders undergoing stem cell infusion and their parents were chosen as samples.

Sampling technique: Random sampling method chosen to select the samples.

Analysis:

One hour post-infusion:
• Greater anxiety and nausea observed amongst children and adolescent
• No pain felt in both groups
• Anxiety declined amongst parents but failed to reach statistical value

Post-infusion:


• Transitory anxiety predicted in Child’s monitoring coping style

Last words:

Though the test or the trial was not very successful in fighting the anxiety, nausea or pain, it provided a very concrete first of its kind experiment rather than the usual descriptive report of testing. But the future test may explore the cutaneous applications of essential oils via massage and psycho educational counseling among parents with better anxiety level and patients with more info seeking copying styles during SCT.





March 17, 2011

Advanced Graduate Program (10-day chemsitry course) March and April




Have you ever heard of fun with Chemistry? I know to most of them chemistry sounds like colorful liquids in boiling point. How about making wonders with essential oils! This professional program will give you a complete insight to the chemistry, aroma and therapeutic uses of over 30 unique essential oils and more than 25 specific essential oil components, their structures, and therapeutic behaviors. Sounds like a MAGIC! Right? This workshop could be fun learning as you would get to experiment your ideas and blend your knowledge of aromatherapy to give birth to a new technique.

Eligibility criteria:

Certified Aroma-therapists or equivalent training who have an existing base of essential oils, medicinal blending and essential oil chemistry should opt for this course. A foundation is essential for detailed understanding of chemistry which would be taught in the class.




Venue:

This program is taking place in two different locations in order to cover maximum crowd possible. This is taking place in Sarasota, Florida and Ithaca, NY for over a period of 5 days.

Credentials:

• This 400-hour Scholar’s Program is an Alliance of International Aroma-therapists (AIA) approved program.
• This program is also approved in Florida by 70 Massage CEU’s and Nationally for 70 CEU’s.
At the end of the program, you will carry:
• Products worth $400 like body butters, essential oil inhalers, steam blends, bath salts, lotions, etc.
• One year free access to advanced database of research components and properties of essential oil worth $500.
• A 250 page manual.
• In depth knowledge on various Aromatherapy organizations and journals.
• Practical exposure to the use of 100 different therapeutic-grade essential oils.

Program overview:


• Detailed review of the chemical families.
• Advance study of the structures and behavior of the essential oils.
• Detail insight to the essential oils grown in different parts of the world like India, Madagascar, Nepal, Spain, Hungary, Brazil, Canada, etc.
• Research on the genes, Species and Chemotype of individual oil components.
• 10 case studies to enrich your knowledge.


Upcoming classes:

The classes are held in three sessions to cater to the feasibility and availability of the students interested in enrolling for the same.
• Mar 23-27, 2011 - 125 hours | Cost: $1,450 |
• Aug 24-28, 2011 - 125 hours | Cost: $1,450 |
• Mar 14-18, 2012 - 125 hours | Cost: $1,450 |

Instructor:

Andrea Butje, is a Clinical Aromatherapy Expert who is an author, instructor and a business owner. She owns a blog on essential oils and an educational newsletter called Essential News. She will be heading this program with her expertise.


Tuition Fee:


This Institute offers flexible mode of payment i.e. one can pay full amount ($1450) or a payment plan is also available for students. An initial deposit of $350 is a must to register for the course. The balance payment can be made according to the payment plan available. For further assistance, please contact Aromahead Institute






March 15, 2011

Aroma and Mind March 19 - 20, 2011




Growing importance of Aromatherapy in today’s world has made it very daunting to select the right school for learning’s and practice. Despite this, East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies has made it very simple by designing various events and live classes as per an individual’s needs.

Aromas and Mind Certificate program will inspire one to integrate aromatherapy into his existing profession. This has been framed for professionals like massage therapists, estheticians, nurses, healthcare providers and individuals who are keen in exploring the benefits of essential oils. This certificate program is also designed into various advanced modules for people who would like to master in a particular subject matter.



This is a certified program by the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and at the end of the program; one will be awarded with the Certificate of Achievement which will add on to his credentials.

Target audiences:


Students who are interested in learning the psychological and physiological impact of aromas on the mind thus upgrading themselves with the application of aromatherapy for emotional health and well being should take this program. This is an advance level training program.

Eligibility criteria:

A foundation of basic aromatherapy knowledge or an equivalent program is a must. This will help in better understanding of the specialized module.

Tutor:

Jade Shutes, is a graduate from Simmons College with a B.A. in Business Management. It was in England that she discovered her connection with the natural world. She was blessed to live in the country side where she developed her interest towards aromatherapy and has done wonders in the same field. Jade herself is an extensive wealth of information and acts as a mentor and an advisor to all her students constantly by staying in touch with them.

Class timings & Duration:

This certificate program is booked for March 19th & 20th. The timings stretched between 9.30am to 4.30pm. On the whole, it is a 14 hour learning session.

Fee:

This course has been customized keeping an individual’s constraints in mind. The tuition fee for this advance certificate module is $280.00 including the CEU’s. Review by EWSHAS graduate will cost you only $125.00 and a distance learning program will be charged only at $185.00. Payments can be done via paypal, check, credit card.
This fee is inclusive of learning manuals, handouts, exams and all blends and products made in the class.

Location:

These weekend classes are held at O’Malley and Potter, Country Village, Bothell, WA.

email info@theida.com for further info






Aroma- Herbalism March 20-25, 2011




Aroma-Herbalism is the art of healing people with the fragrance of the herbs. Each herb is said to have its own “material medica” which identifies the healing plants. For example: garden sage, lemon balm, etc. Herbs are strongly scented things which impart their medicinal value and healing effects to the patient. A perfect blend of herbs and essential oils are combined modalities for improving overall health.

Objective:


The theme of this workshop is to focus on the growing women’s health issues and supportive therapies such as stress reliving, chakra balancing and essential oil blending.



Venue:

Relax yourself in the paradise of Mexico during March 20th – 25th, 2011. Thoughtfully created, Guerrero, an authentic destination in Mexico offers you the opportunity of complete mind and body rejuvenation by pampering your day after the scheduled classes with a massage, a beach side walk, healthy Spa cuisine and an aromatic glass of wine at Present Moment Retreat Centre, Troncones Beach, North of Acapulco, Mexico.

Tutor:

An aromatherapist, educator, esthetician, massage therapist, founding member of the American Herbalists Guild and an Entrepreneur, Mindy Green is ruling the industry with 35 years of vast experience. She is a passionate writer and a lecturer who constantly thrive to learn the healing power of the plants and their essential oils. She believes in sharing her experiences through teaching, writing and consulting.

Class Schedule:

It is a five day luxurious workshop. Scheduled below is the detailed time table:

Sunday, March 20, 6:30-8:00pm -
Orientation and introductions; basics of herbalism and essential oil therapies.

Monday, March 21, 2:00-5:00pm -
Nourishing the nervous system with aroma-herbalism, supporting the adrenals, teas and aromatic baths, techniques for de-stressing, and more.

Tuesday, March 22, 2:00-5:00pm -
Formulations for PMS, cramps, yeast, menopause, uterine fibroids, post natal depression and other disorders related to women' health.

Wednesday, March 23, 2:00-5:00pm -
Principles of blending; chakra balancing; creating your own formulations.

Thursday, March 24, 10:00am-12:00pm -
Review, Q&A, facials and sharing of blends.

Optional Classes:

Greet your day with a gourmet breakfast followed by an interactive Present Moment Wellness Class. These classes are charged at $12 per class.
8:00am – Guided Meditation
9:00am – Vinyasa Yoga
1:00pm – Qigong
4:00pm – Gently Yoga
6:00pm – Sunset Dance and/or Drumming

Tuition fee:


The fee varies depending on the occupancy. A single occupancy is charged at $1395 whereas a double occupancy would cost around $995. The fee gives you the benefit of 5 nights stay at Oceanfront Bungalow, Aroma-herbalism workshop, 3 meals a day and one present moment Wellness class daily. Optional classes are also available at $12. The fee is exclusive of tax and transportation.

please goto http://www.presentmomentretreat.com to register.




Aromatherapy for Animals

Did you know that keepers at Devon's Paignton Zoo are using aromatherapy to simulate animals' minds and bodies?





When a men and a women can get carried away by fragrance, why not an animal? What a constructive way to pamper your animals let it be a lion too….. Perplexed? Environmental enrichment helps in keeping your pets and animals contented in captivity. Odor helps enrich any mammals’ life as most of them are scent oriented. We are here talking about controlling the animals mood and behavior with the help of Aromatherapy. Research shows that animals respond positively to scent. They get emotionally bonded with the trainer too. There are real lifetime trail projects too undertaken to stimulate the minds and bodies of the animals. One such trail project was taken at Paignton Zoo in Devon.


Aromatherapy utilizes essential oils extracted from a variety of plants to be applied externally and internally or inhaled. It has been noticed that big cats respond well to such alternative therapies.



A lioness at the zoo finds her best companion in the form of a pillow infused with peppermint oil, whereas a tapir, pampers herself with the luxurious back massage of almond oil. The senior zoo keeper says that they use these alternative therapies for physical and psychological benefits.

Though the essential oils used have a very few side effects, it is important to monitor such treatments. Such trail projects are administered by placing diluted fragrant oil drops around animals’ paddocks and pens. This creates varied responses from the patients. Lavender is considered as a relaxing agent for any human being but when it comes to cats, they get excited and the novelty gets them going. It has been seen that the cats tend to play with the hessian sack filled with hay when they are fragrances with a few drops of lavender oil. As the cats have very strong smell-sensitive cells in their nose and also an extra organ on the roof of their mouths, they generally tend to smell sharp.

Apart from the fragrance property of essential oils which stimulates mind and body, it is also used as a healing herb because of its medicinal property. Dry skins are treated with almond oil and water. All such reinforcement has enabled this zoo to bag many awards. They are constantly trying to stimulate mental and physical activity by techniques such as wind chimes and background music. Snack treat is a latest technique they are coming up with, in order to prevent any left out feeling to be occurred amongst other animals.

We have seen that essential oils, because of its therapeutic value are used to instigate and stabilize one’s moods and emotions, treat infections, modify immune responses and so on. Fragrance associated with the essential oils has the power to influence one’s emotions because they enter olfactory system which is directly connected to the limbic system of the brain, a region that controls the control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, hormone balance and so on. Aromatherapy has the property of healing a body, which can be practiced even at home.

Related article:
Aromatherapy for Pet



Detect Early Parkinson’s Disease with Aromatherapy


Does Aromatherapy can be used to diagnose Parkinson’s disease? I think that might be. Here is the research about how ability of someone's smell has something to do with Parkinson’s Diagnose.




Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the Central Nervous system disorder in the brain which results in difficulty in muscles movement. The muscle movements in any body are controlled with the help of a chemical called Dopamine which is secreted by the nerve cells in the brain. With the absence of dopamine, nerve cells are unable to send messages which results in loss of movement. This also affects the speech and mood of a person causing behavioral problems too. This disorder generally occurs after the age of 50 and the number of functions lost may vary.

It gets very tough for a health care provider to diagnose Parkinson’s disease at a very early stage. One can diagnose this disease based only on the symptoms and physical examination.



Though there is no cure for this disorder, the ultimate goal of a doctor is to control the symptoms. Lots of research is being carried out in this interest. One of the recent studies by Dr. Silke Nuber, speaks that her team has discovered an element which could be an important tool to sort people who are likely to develop this disease. She spoke about this tool in a conference which focuses on the ability of a person to smell.

This tool will help treat this disease at a very early stage. This experiment was first tested on transgenic mice where the alpha-syncline, protein which develops Parkinsonism was turned off. The mice initially showed signs of alpha-syncline in the olfactory bulb which resulted in smell related behavioral changes. The team was successful in meeting its chronic first stage i.e. developing the initial signs of PD of a human in that of mice.
The sense of smell in transgenic mice was noticed to be blocked. This expressed the variation in the dopamine levels of middle-aged mice to that of normal mice. An olfactorial dopamine deficit was observed without any additional abnormalities in the nigrostriatal pathway. The Nigrostriatal pathway controls the muscular movement in a body. Substantia nigra, located in the midbrain, starts losing dopaminergic neurons but these results only in the variation of smell behavior with the motor symptoms showing no change until the half of dopamine function is lost. This ability to trace the early symptoms of PD is a jackpot in treating the same.

A small variation in the above test was also done and carried out, namely, fear related smell test. In this test the mice were exposed to their predator’s smell but in vain, they showed less anxiety. A suppression in the sense of smell results in hyperactivity and increased exploratory behavior which in turn diminishes the anxiety and depressive signs. This is very natural to be found in the mice lacking sense of smell. As there as sings of depressiveness seen, it could be interesting to watch if an anti-depressive drug is cable of increasing the odour sensitivity in the parkinson’s patients.

A standardised test should be developed for testing the smell functions. Tests have not been done yet to check if the existing drugs used at a later stage in PD are effective at early stages of this disease. After all these tests, the diagnosis of PD should not solely depend on the motor symptoms. The olfactory detections should help in early diagnoses of PD and also strategizing different treatment methods for the same.

An efficient preclinical therapy can be developed by functional analysis paralleled to that of the behavioral studies in the mouse model. This therapy can be used to put a stop to the massive dopaminergic neurodegeneration that takes place in PD patients.





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