An article in The Atlantic earlier this year highlighted an important function of essential oils: their ability to kill pathogens. As a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist (BCST) who often uses essential oils with clients, I was happy to see that!
Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts of natural substances such as flowers, grasses, bark, and herbs. Many people associate essential oils with perfumes, air fresheners, and candles, but their potential ranges far beyond simply making us, and our environments, smell good. Essential oils (which contain a great many complex natural antioxidants and other compounds) actually are widely prescribed throughout Europe for medical purposes. Research has already shown them to be effective for migraines, nausea, scarring, bruising, depression, anxiety, and many other conditions. They also are valuable for their antibacterial and antifungal properties; some can even kill MRSA (multi-drug-resistant staphylococcus aureus), which is a growing problem in American hospitals. And some essential oils have anti-tumor properties; some very exciting research is showing that certain oils can kill human cancer cells.
It’s those antifungal and antibacterial properties, though, that are finally prompting the American food and medical establishments to start giving essential oils the respect that these remarkable substances deserve. Of particular concern is the gigantic use of antibiotics in animal feed of factory-farmed animals (including birds), and in their veterinary care. The cramped and unsanitary conditions in which the animals live (surprise, surprise!) promote disease, so the animals are regularly dosed with antibiotics in their feed, and are further dosed when they get sick; they also are routinely fed antibiotics in order to speed up their growth. Naturally, this has resulted in a massive surge of drug-resistant bacteria that kill both animals and humans.
Fortunately, some forward-looking farmers and researchers have discovered that essential oils can kill pathogens in farm animals without promoting resistance to the oils, damaging the animals’ health, or causing problems for people, as this article shows:
It has long been my pleasure to use pure, organic essential oils in my practice at reSource Wellness – and now I feel even better about doing so!