The Magic of Essential Oils
I was recently treated to a very special essential oils technique (thanks Hilary) which opened my eyes to their power. Essentially, the technique involves having small amounts of various essential oils placed along the region of the spine and then massaged in. The technique, called Raindrop Therapy, was originated by Young Living essential oils founder Gary Young.
Essential oils can be used in a multitude of ways including in massage, aromatherapy (putting a few drops in a vaporizer is a great way to do this) and in your bath water. They are
available in a variety of retail products including hair care products and creams.
Essential oils have been used therapuetically for thousands of years by many cultures including the Egyptians and ancient Greeks. In Europe today, essential oil therapy is considered an effective adjunct to conventional medical treatment and is reimbursable by insurance companies.
While researching for this post I read several articles on the internet referencing double – blind studies conducted on essential oils which eliminated the possibility of the placebo effect, demonstrating their effectiveness as healing agents. Unfortunately, most of these studies were conducted outside of the United States, and the U.S. has been slow to embrace the healing potential of essential oils. However, the information, products, and practioners are available for those willing to do a little research.
It should come as no surprise that essential oils contain powerful healing properites. Approximately 25% of the prescription medicines used today come from the 1% of the known plant species which have been thoroughly tested for medical applications. Essential oils are powerful, concentrated sources of naturally occurring chemical compounds.
Advice to Food Lovers
Love to eat? Eat less. The research indicates you’ll live a lot 
longer – so you’ll be around to enjoy more meals. Maybe more importantly, the quality of your health will be better as well.
Exhaustive research conducted over the last seven decades proves conclusively that animals put on a calorie restricted diet live longer, healthier lives than when given unrestricted food access.
In the 1930′s, Dr. Clive McKay of Cornell University initiated modern life extension research when he doubled the lifespan of rats by simply cutting their calorie intake in half. Research conducted since then has verified the findings. Clinical trials are underway with humans, and all the data so far shows that the same anti-aging effect found in animals extends to humans as well.
In 2004 researcher Dr. Richard Spindler was acknowledged for his research on middle aged mice which made them biologically younger while extending their lifespans. This was achieved by putting the mice on a calorie restricted diet. Some of his more notable findings:
- Calorie restriction results in a number of healthy cellular changes including the destruction of pre-cancerous cells.
- Helps protect the cells from toxins and carcinogens.
- Improves cardiovascular health.
Click here to view a summary of Dr. Spindler’s research.
Through our late teens we go through numerous growth spurts. By the time we reach our mid twenties, our metabolism has shifted from growth to repair and maintenance. However, most people continue eating as if they were still teenagers.
The key to extracting everything this miraculous ap proach has to offer is eating less while making what you eat count. Eat the most nutritious food you can find. However, the single most important principle to walk away with is simply eat less. Eat slowly and consciously – chew your food well. Enjoy the subtle tastes and textures your food has to offer. Heed the biblical injunction “never eat unto fullness.”
Happily, researchers have found that even older animals, when put on calorie restricted diets, get most of the benefits of a restricted calorie diet. It’s never too late to start!
The Strangest Secret Meets Quantum Physics
Over a half century ago a successful businessman named Earl Nightingale
released an audio recording titled The Strangest Secret. It went on to become the most successful audio recording of all time, being the first and still only audio recording to sell over a million copies.
So what is The Strangest Secret? Like many profound truths, at first it seems obvious. The Strangest Secret is… we become what we think about. In all likelihood, Mr. Nightingale was speaking from a personal development perspective. However, it turns out that this may be true in a literal sense.
In a classic quantum physics demonstration, the double slit experiment shows that merely observing a quantum particle changes its behavior. (Quantum physics explains how matter behaves at the the subatomic level). It turns out that physical reality exists as potential – as a probability. It may show up as matter (a particle) or a wave (energy) or… not at all. If consciousness is the programming language of the universe, as has been said in countless ways throughout the ages – our consciousness may hold more power than we ever dreamed possible.
Mr. Nightingale suggests that we become what we think about and then poses the question what do you think about all day long? Good question. What do you think about all day long?
To check out the double slit experiment for yourself, watch the following short (and fun) YouTube video.
