[lou_lou]

Essential oils are often referred to as "volatile," a chemical property that explains some of the intense healing power of the oils.

It is because of their volatile nature that many oils are able to help in deep healing of the cells and that some oils appear to cross the blood-brain barrier and affect the emotions and the brain.
What Does Volatile Mean?

Essential Oils Evaporate Easily
The dictionary definition of "volatile" is "evaporating rapidly; passing off readily in the form of vapor." (Dictionary.com, accessed April 29, 2008) In chemistry, volatile chemicals are those that evaporate into gas at room temperature or that "flash off" quickly into the air.These chemicals often have strong fragrances because their strong presence in the air can be easily smelled.Any real, unmodified essential oil contains hundreds of different chemical molecules of varying sizes and shapes. Some of these chemicals – like esters and monoterpenes - are small, volatile chemicals, and some are heavier compounds such as sesquiterpenes or diterpenes.

Essential Oils and the Cell
Although most of the components of an essential oil have the power to heal, it is often the lightest chemicals that are able to penetrate first to the cells.Some, like the monoterpenols, carry oxygen, while others such as phenols help improve the functioning of the cells by removing wastes.


Essential Oils and the Brain
One of the most important implications of the light, volatile molecules in an essential oil is how it impacts the health of the brain. Most medications are unable to directly affect the brain: the blood-brain barrier filters most chemicals in the blood, blocking them from entering the brain.The light, small molecules in an essential oil are different: able to cross over the blood-brain barrier, they are used therapeutically to help students, those with memory loss or other brain disorders, Alzheimer's, depression, ADD/ADHD, heavy metal toxicity, and more.

Volatile Essential Oils Usually Smell Different After Exposure to Air
When using pure essential oils with no additives or artificial stabilizers, it is important to avoid leaving oil bottles open, or the chemical composition of the oil can change. Chemical compounds in the oil will evaporate straight out of an open bottle, starting with the most volatile, until only the heavier molecules are left.Because it is the synergy of the ingredients in an oil that enable it to heal with no side effects, keeping bottle caps tightly done up prevents wasting an essential oil or creating a different chemistry than the one that nature intended.

Reference:
Essential Science Publishing, Essential Oils Desk Reference, 2nd Edition; 2001

[lou_lou]

it is called
BERGAMOT (citrus aurantium bergamia)

It’s aroma is uplifting, spicy, sweet; like orange and lemons with floral overtones. Inhaled, it relaxes the nervous system and acts as a digestive. Also used as an expectorant, gargle for a sore throat, inhaled for anxiety and depression, used for a variety of skin problems. It may be used as an inhalation for respiratory tract infections. It is a valuable antiseptic for the urinary tract and infections and inflammation such as cystitis.

http://www.earthapothecary.net/index-9.html

I drink organic earl grey -
Organic Earl Grey
Story has it that in 1830 Englishman Charles Earl Grey (the second Earl Grey,1764-1845) was on a diplomatic mission to China when a mandarin presented him with the recipe for making this distinctive tea. Now it is the most famous scented tea in the Western world. For our Organic Earl Grey tea, we've blended organic Assam black and green teas with pure bergamot, an oil pressed from a pear-shaped Mediterranean citrus about the size of an orange.

Assam is the birthplace of Indian tea and the largest tea growing area in the world with more than 2000 tea gardens. Our Organic Assam black and green teas come from the Sewpur Tea Estate in the Tinsukia district of Assam. Sewpur began producing tea in 1906 and now produces 100 metric tons of Organic tea each year. The Assam valley floods every year during the monsoon season when the heat and humidity turn the entire region into a giant greenhouse. It's a challenging environment due to the hot weather and flooding, but is a perfect place to grow tea. Sewpur's teas are certified by the renowned "Institute for MarketEcology" in Switzerland, which is an IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) member, recognized worldwide.

The organic Assam black tea is characterized by distinctive malty flavor, which the best Assams are known for. This full-bodied tea has a warm reddish brown color in the cup, and an invigorating taste that refreshes the body and spirit. The organic green Assam is characterized by a silver tint on the underside of the tea leaf which signifies strength, freshness and sparkle which are prominent in Assam teas.

While other citrus fruits are grown in many countries, bergamot is cultivated exclusively in a narrow strip of coastal land in the Reggio Calabria province of Southern Italy. Bergamot or Citrus Bergamia Risso, also called the "prince's pear", is inedible, but its precious and fragrant oil is an ingredient in both perfume and food products. Bergamot is hand-picked in winter when the fruit is not quite ripe. The bergamot essence is extracted by a cold-pressed method using special "peeling" machines. The fragrant cold-pressed oil is then stored in special containers for a year or longer before sale.


http://www.stashtea.com/w-113084.htm

[lou_lou]

Herbal drinks taste good, are good for you, and within a year of making your own drinks, you will have saved enough money to buy yourself a vacation plane ticket! Do your body and your pocketbook a favor, start creating your own healthy herbal drinks.

Herbal Fruity Wine Punch
1 bottle of white, rose, or blush wine
1 quart of pink lemonade
1 cup rose water
1 cup lemon balm tea
2 cups fresh or frozen berries
1 teaspoon cardamom pods

Mix everything together and let sit for several hours before serving chilled

Lavender Lemonade
2 quarts lavender tea
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice or one can of frozen lemonade concentrate
½ cup honey

Making the lavender tea:
8 tablespoons fresh or dried lavender
2 quarts water

Put lavender and water into pot with the lid on and bring to a boil. Once it has boiled, turn off the heat and let sit for one half hour. Strain the lavender from the water and you now have a lavender tea to be used as the base for your lavender lemonade

Elder Flower Delight
4 cups water
3 tablespoons elder flowers
1 tablespoon spearmint
1 tablespoon rose petals
½ cup rose water
½ cup fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice
Maple syrup to taste (about 3 tablespoons is good)

The herbs to make this tea can be either fresh or dried. Put water and herbs into a pot with the lid on and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn off the heat and let sit for one half hour. Strain the herbs out.
Add maple syrup, rose water and fresh squeezed lemon or lime as directed or change the proportions to fit your taste buds!

Herbal Chai
10 cups water
2 tablespoons orange peel
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon cardamom
1 tablespoons fennel
1 teaspoon clove
1 teaspoon black pepper

Put water and herbs into a large pot. Turn on the lowest heat setting on the stove with the lid on. Simmer for fifteen minutes, turn off the heat and let everything cool down for one half hour.
Strain out the herbs and add milk and honey to taste. Drink cool or re-heat.

http://www.livingawareness.com/Drinks.aspx

[lou_lou]

FYI -

my sister is married to a Frenchman and lives in France,
when she visits the USA every year, I get to see what they eat over in Europe!
she bought me Wild Violet Jelly and it was good!
when Americans think of flowers they forget they are for more than putting in a vase, however to use fleurs in cooking you must know that organic flowers or wild flowers are to be used,never ever use flowers from your florist!