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USE CAUTION WITH ESSENTIAL OILS -- Essential oils should be treated as medicines and used accordingly. There are proper and improper uses for different oils. Some are caustic and should only be used when diluted with a pure vegetable oil. Others may be used neat, which means undiluted, in topical and other forms of applications. Some oils should never be used by pregnant women, whereas other oils are safe even in pregnancy. It is important when applying essential oils medicinally that proper procedures be followed for their safe and effective use. Always skin test an essential oil before using it. Each person's body is different, so apply oils to a small area first. Apply one oil or blend at a time. When layering oils that are new to you, allow enough time (3 to 5 minutes) for the body to respond before applying a second oil. Exercise caution when applying essential oils to skin that has been exposed to cosmetics, personal care products, soaps, and cleansers containing synthetic chemicals. Some of the synthetic chemicals - especially petroleum based chemicals - can penetrate and remain in the skin and fatty tissues for days or even weeks after use. Essential oils may react with such chemicals and cause skin irritation, nausea, headaches, or other uncomfortable effects. Essential oils can also react with toxins built up in the body from chemicals that have come from food, water, and the work environment. If you experience a reaction to an essential oil, it may be wise to temporarily discontinue its use and start an internal cleansing program before resuming a regular use of that essential oil again.

FIVE TIPS TO STAYING THIN -- Here are some proven strategies that took a famous chef from plump to svelte without skimping, starving, or steering clear of the kitchen (which is impossible for a chef). Follow these rules and you will lose weight: 1. Stop eating as soon as you feel satisfied, not stuffed; 2. Eat only when you are hungry, regardless of the hour; 3. Drink six to eight large glasses of water daily; 4. Between meals, sip antioxidant-rich green tea, since its grassy note can curb your appetite; 5. Never shop for food when you are hungry, as you are inclined to make unhealthy choices; 6. Consider letting your body rest a full 12 hours between dinner and breakfast. If you finished at 9 p.m., wait until 9 a.m. before you eat again.

BUY YOUR SALMON BY THE BOTTLE -- United States Department of Agriculture researchers have found that a fish-oil supplement may give the same health benefits as a diet high in fish. Ten men were given 6 grams of an oil rich in the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily for 3 months. That is equivalent to 11 pounds of salmon a day. At the end of the study, the men's good HDL cholesterol levels were 26 percent higher, and their triglyceride levels were 15 percent lower. "Since DHA appears to be more potent in its pure form, it may be even more effective as a supplemental pill than in fish," says Gary J. Nelson, Ph.D., the study's author. "Look for supplements that are labeled "DHA" not just "omega-3 fatty acids."" See http://www.aomega.com/ahs/e4033a.htm for information about a high-quality DHA fatty acid supplement called EPA Plus.

FOOD ALLERGIES -- Eight foods are responsible for 90 percent of all food allergies: milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, tree nuts, soy, shellfish, and fish. Food allergies can develop at any age but are most common in childhood and, with the exception of peanut and tree nut allergies, tend to dissipate with age. Fortunately, although many children and adults report adverse reactions to various foods, only about two percent of adults, and from two to eight percent of children, have true food allergies. When a food allergy exists, some food substance, usually a protein, has come to be seen as a "threat" by the body. In response, the body produces antibodies to halt the "invasion." As the battle rages, symptoms appear that usually involve the skin (itching, burning, hives), respiratory tract (difficulty breathing), and / or gastrointestinal tract (swelling and tenderness of the mouth, diarrhea, or vomiting). If you suspect that you or a family member has a food allergy, see your physician to have the proper diagnostic tests performed. If an allergy is confirmed, avoid the offending food.

PEANUTS, LIFE-THREATENING? -- Concerns about health problems associated with eating peanuts is no joke to the estimated 1.1 percent of the world's population with peanut and tree nut allergies. While most experience only some discomfort and hives, a few risk a life-threatening situation called anaphylaxis when exposed to the lowly legume. Anaphylaxis is a violent allergic reaction involving a number of body systems simultaneously. Like most allergic reactions, anaphylaxis does not usually occur the first time a particular food is eaten, but after the body has begun to build a response to the antigen (offending component) in the food. Although any food can trigger this type of serious reaction, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, milk, eggs, and fish are the most common culprits. As little as one-fifth to one-five-thousandth of a teaspoon of the offending food can cause death! Signs of anaphylaxis include difficulty breathing, swelling of the mouth and throat, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. Any person experiencing these symptoms should be taken to a hospital emergency room immediately, even if symptoms seem to subside on their own.

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WELLNESS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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** Q & A #1:
What are partially hydrogenated oils that are found in many foods?

Hydrogenation is the process of liquid fats such as sunflower, safflower, or soybean oil being hardened via the process of hydrogenation (heating oil and passing hydrogen bubbles through it). The fat that is formed as a result is called trans fatty acids. The fatty acids in the oil then acquire some of the hydrogen, which makes it denser. If you fully hydrogenate, you create a solid (a fat) out of oil. But if you stop part way, you have semi-solid partially hydrogenated oil that has a consistency like butter. This process alters the structure of some of the polyunsaturated fatty acids so that their effect on blood cholesterol is similar to that of saturated fatty acids.

Because of the consistency, and because it is cheaper to produce that butter, hydrogenated oil is a big favorite as a butter substitute among "food" producers. It gives their products a richer flavor and texture, but does not cost as much as adding actual butter.

Hydrogenation makes a fat more saturated. It is thought that the use of trans fats is a more significant contributor to heart disease that the use of saturated fats. The best choice is margarine over butter, and the best margarine choices are those that list a liquid oil as the first ingredient, some margarine are now trans fat free. These products will be less saturated. Palm and coconut oils, as well as animal fats and butter, are high in saturated fats.

Dietary recommendations for the maximum percentage of daily calories from fat are: total fat calories should be no more than 30%, with the bulk of these calories coming from unsaturated fats and not more than 10 percent of total daily calories from saturated fats.

** Q & A #2:
Can you provide me with some information about Lyme disease?

Lyme disease was discovered in 1975 in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut. The disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bites of certain infected ticks, and the ticks are much smaller than the ticks that are commonly found on dogs or cattle. The two most important ticks in Lyme disease are the deer tick in the northeast and north central states, and the western black-legged tick in the West. Although the deer ticks that carry the disease are slowly expanding into new areas, there are three general areas in the U.S. that have the highest incidence rate of Lyme disease: the East-coastal states from Massachusetts to Maryland, the North-central states, particularly Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the West Coast, particularly Northern California. But within these areas, the level of infestation can vary widely.

In nature, the Lyme disease bacteria exist in a cycle that involves ticks and small animals. Particularly implicated in Lyme disease are the wild white-footed mouse in the east, and the wood rat in California. Once these rodents become infected, they can spread the disease to the many immature ticks that will likely feed upon them. Adult ticks prefer to feed upon the larger animals, instead of the rodents and small animals preferred by immature ticks. The adult ticks are particularly fond of deer, but as deer are resistant to Lyme infection, their function in the Lyme disease cycle is to carry ticks into new areas. Birds may also be responsible for transporting these ticks into new areas.

Lyme disease is not transmitted from person to person. It is only transmitted from ticks to humans, and the infected ticks can also transmit the disease to dogs, cats, and horses. These animals cannot transmit Lyme bacteria to humans, but they can carry ticks on their bodies, increasing their chances of getting infected by the ticks, and increasing the chances of those ticks infecting humans. Ask your veterinarian about appropriate products that will prevent tick infestation for your pet.

The first sign of Lyme disease in humans is usually a characteristic rash, called erythema migrans, which expand outward from the site of the tick bite between 3 and 30 days after the bite. The rash is flat, circular, and is often as large as 2 inches in diameter. As the rash expands, it may begin to take on the appearance of a bull's eye. Infected persons may also experience flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Persons treated with antibiotics at this stage of infection are likely to make a quick recovery and be completely cured. Persons who do not receive early treatment can develop problems involving the heart, joints and/or nervous system.

** Q & A #3:
I have been hearing bad things about a compound in gasoline called "MTBE." What is it, do I get exposed, and is it hazardous to my health?

MTBE is an acronym for methyl tertiary butyl ether. This compound is not naturally-occurring component of gasoline but is an additive which has been used since 1979. It was originally used to help gasoline burn more smoothly and efficiently after lead was phased-out of motor fuels. Starting in 1992 in cooperation with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, petroleum companies started adding it to gasoline to improve combustion and decrease harmful carbon monoxide emissions from motor vehicles, especially in the winter months. The goal is to improve the air quality in urban areas and to help cities meet the air quality standards set in the 1190 Clean Air Act Amendments.

Exposure to MTBE from gasoline can occur in the following situations: pumping of gasoline into motor vehicles; filling of gasoline-powered home maintenance equipment; residence near bulk gasoline loading and unloading facilities; and residence near facilities that can leak gasoline from the underground storage containers.

In most of these situations, the most important form of exposure is the inhalation of MTBE-contaminated air. However, it is also absorbed through the contact with the skin. Contamination of the groundwater near storage facilities can also result in exposure from the tap water. MTBE does not accumulate in the body. It is broken down and removed. In several areas using MTBE, there have been some complaints of nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, headaches, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. However, these symptoms have never been clearly linked to MTBE exposure. Human health effects of short-term exposures to large amounts of MTBE are not known. Animal studies have shown adverse effects on the nervous system ranging from hyperactivity and incoordination to convulsions and unconsciousness. Human health effects of long-term exposures to smaller amounts of MTBE also are not known. Animal studies have shown kidney damage and adverse effects on fetal development. There is also some indication of cancer development in animals. The levels of MTBE used for animal studies are many times higher than the levels seen for typical human exposures.

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THE HERBAL CORNER