Flavorings, Nutrition, and Insect Repellent? - a look into Essential Oils on trail

[Trambo]

I'm a bit of an outlier when it comes to essential oil use. Generally, I just slather them on, or ingest them directly with no problem. Now, you've got to be super careful with some of the cinnamons. Earlier this week, I was filling some small 1.4 mL vials, and I had a gentlemanly itch. Needless to say, I now had Cassia oil in a very tender spot. A shower quickly ensued.

As for the oils, I don't plan to dilute them at all. I've got my tick oil mixture that is going to go probably on my skin by my ankles, but maybe just on my socks and my pants cuffs. With these oils, the carrier is the other oils that might not be as effective of a repellent. So, while I could have an effective concentration of one ingredient, I would rather have a blend of many.

[Trambo]

That's another thing that studies focusing on commercial repellents fail to account for. If a normal brand has 5% of an active ingredient, then how would we account for twenty different oils, each at 5% concentration, with each giving different repelling characteristics?

Let's also be honest about another reality. The studies that discuss Deet are not discussing someone slathering it on daily for a week straight without a shower. They're discussing the safety of using it in a single instance. We are all allowed to decide which is best for ourselves, however I am choosing to use DEET only as a last resort. I'd rather choose an edible ingredient for my skin applied insect repellent.

[Dogwood]

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition...assia-cinnamon

I suspect almost all the essential oils labeled cinnamonum are of the cassia or aromatic species, commonly referred to as Chinese cinnamon, rather than true cinnamon Cinnamomum verum or Ceylon cinnamon. I'd be aware C. cassia is a significant source of coumarin which is a blood thinner. Ceylon cinnamon has much much lower coumarin levels. If consistent edible cinnamon use is anticipated on trail I'd seek out Ceylon cinnamon. It's more mild flavor and more mild on the human body. You don't usually find it in main stream large grocery stores. And, if it doesn't say 100% Ceylon cinnamon it isn't. It's C. cassia. Expect to pay 3-5X more per dr oz for Ceylon. Both are quite beautiful tropical looking trees we grow in Hawaii. They can be mildly invasive.

Trambo, you might want to look further into why some 100% essential oils need to be or advised to be diluted before being applied topically or used as aromatics. I'm not sure about using as edibles. And, if I was I'd make sure I was consuming edible essential oils and varieties as some are not advised to be consumed regularly.

[Trambo]

As with any use of oils, one must test it for themselves. I have used all of these oils externally and internally for years (probably 7 years or so), with zero ill effects. This doesn't mean that everyone should attempt that, but that they need to test the oils that they desire to use on their own body. As for my oils, I pay extra to go with Doterra. I found that they are much cleaner of aromas and tastes compared to other brands. As for the cinnamon, I have both Cinnamon and Cassia oils. The cinnamon comes from Cinnamomum zeylanicum, aka the verum plant that you referenced.

As for the Doterra oils, they are all graded for internal use. As for not using 100% essential oils, that's just companies having to be careful with instructions, because customers are idiots. Test the oil on a very small part of your body, and then test in the most sensitive area that you will apply it to. In my opinion, an oil should be safe externally if it can be taken internally. The only thing needed to watch out for is skin irritation or burning, but that has to deal more with a person's individual reaction to a particular oil, than a hard rule for safety. You also have to understand that someone died because of misuse of product. A long distance endurance runner slathered wintergreen over their entire body, and died. I think that it was the salycillic acid that killed the runner. That doesn't mean that the oil is dangerous, just that there is the ability to misuse it. FYI, people can die from too much ingestion of any substance (even plain old water).

[Trambo]

Let me provide a little more information, because your claims (about not being able to use an oil undiluted), is very common and absolutely incorrect.

"According to Kurt Schnaubelt, author of Advanced Aromatherapy and Medical Aromatherapy: “It appears that most, if not all, of the sweeping generalizations are not inspired by a thorough analysis of potential toxicity, but by a sentiment to err on the side of safety. The aim is to establish simply rules which would prevent a public, often perceived as less than intelligent, from incurring any and all adverse reactions with essential oils”. He recommends that a more balanced approach be adopted based upon individual essential oils and their therapeutic efficacy and safety." from - https://aromaticstudies.com/undilute...ssential-oils/

Let me also provide this link to the doterra information showing that some oils are able to be used "neat" (aka undiluted). If the rule was never undiluted (like many blogs claim), then the oil company would never suggest undiluted use. https://www.doterra.com/US/en/brochu...essential-oils

The best information on this controversy is at the first link that I gave. The second link proves that even manufacturers agree that undiluted use is allowed. This is absolute proof that anyone claiming that oils must always be diluted is absolutely incorrect. i'll stay with the information of a multi-million dollar oil company, than what some people believe and say .... because do they have any knowledge, or are they simply parroting what someone else has said ..... it's the same situation as with DEET. Our understanding of these topics increase over time, so we must be careful which information we spread. Is it antiquated? Is it based upon evidence? Is it to the best of our knowledge?

As for oils, I think that it all boils down to personal experience and body chemistry. That first link describes how people with fairer skin have a more difficult time with sensitivity. This makes sense, and I'm sure there are more personal variables that we aren't considering. In the end, all I know is that I've created my system for use of oils. I know how they react to my skin, and I only purchase from one known company. I know nothing other than my own personal experience.

Edit to add this third link https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/h...essential-oils The previously linked doterra article was pulled from a magazine brochure. This link is a basic guide to using oils, and they discuss using oils undiluted. That basic guide then gives a link to their article which talks about carrier oils and dilution rates. https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/h...f-carrier-oils Here they give a list of oils that need diluted (saying that the rest are neat aka undiluted).

When it comes to using essential oils topically, doTERRA oils are organized into three specific categories. Neat, Dilute, and Sensitive. Oils that are in the Dilute category are those that are high in constituents that are particularly strong, such as phenols. Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Oregano, and Thyme all belong in this designation.

For children and those with sensitive skin, the Sensitive category is especially important to pay attention to. Always dilute oils in this category when using them on your skin for the first time. Oils in the Sensitive category include:


Bergamot
Black Pepper
doTERRA Breathe®
Cedarwood
doTERRA Cheer®
Copaiba
Deep Blue®
Eucalyptus
Fennel
doTERRA Forgive®
Geranium
Ginger
Lemongrass
Lime
doTERRA Motivate®
doTERRA On Guard®
doTERRA Passion®
Peppermint
Petitgrain
Slim & Sassy®
Spearmint
Wintergreen
The rest of the doTERRA oils are categorized as Neat if they are meant for topical application. If an oil is categorized as Neat, for most people these will not cause sensitivity. However, if you want to be safe when trying an oil for the first time, you can always test it by diluting it in a carrier oil and putting it on a small patch of your skin.


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I hope that this shows you that people who write blogs about essential oils might not have a clue what they are talking about. Incorrect information is really bad in our internet society, because one "expert" can spread tons of disinformation. Saying that you CAN'T do something is very different from saying that you should BE CAREFUL when doing something.

[Dogwood]

https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/h...f-carrier-oils

As said, "some 100% essential oils need to be or advised to be diluted before being applied topically or used as aromatics." One can personally determine this by testing.

I am familiar with Doterra and their site. Thanks for posting.

[Trambo]

https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/h...f-carrier-oils

As said, "some 100% essential oils need to be or advised to be diluted before being applied topically or used as aromatics." One can personally determine this by testing.

I am familiar with Doterra and their site. Thanks for posting.

Understood. I find it important to spell things out, because others reading this thread won't have the understanding. This is more as a refutation to the "NEVER EVER USE UNDILUTED" school of thought. There's even a theory that they want you to use more, to sell more oils. I'm sorry... not me... I'm going full strength for full repelency. But, it's not as though any single drop will contain 100% of a single oil. I'll have the correct diultion percentages of each oil in each drop (if done correctly).

For me, it's important to show that there are claims to both sides of the debate. If there was only one side, then it would be clear. If two sides, then a person simply needs to look into the information themselves, and decide their own opinion. The ingestion of oils internally is widely debated. My favorite oil blend was equal parts of every single oil that I owned (over 60 varieties at that time). I would carry this in a tiny quarter dram vial, which made application simple. I just ran my finger tip over the hole when it was tilted, and a perfect amount comes out. I then put it right onto my tongue. The taste and sensation is hard to describe, but I enjoyed it much.

[Trambo]

Cassia on skin feels like the warm part of Icy-hot. If I was to make a copycat muscle rub like icy-hot, I would mix equal parts of my spicy mix and my cinnamon mix. This "might" be one of the mixes that I dilute with fractionated coconut oil. Then again, I'm planning on carrying regular coconut oil for cooking (as a butter replacement), and I love coconut oil for almost everything. I could simply carry the oil at full strength, warm up some coconut oil in my hand, add a drop of the muscle mix to it, and rub it in. On second thought, as I write this down .... it would be easier just keeping my spicy mix and mint mix separate, and then I could create muscle rub with the oil and addition of those two components when desired. The plus side, is this then fully leaves those oils open for cooking and nutritive use (spicy in oatmeal or dessert), Mint to flavor water, tea, maybe some mint cocoa (who knows).

Now that I think of it, I need to pick up a bottle of this citrus mix called citrus bliss. I loved putting a single drop of that into a glass of water. It made it taste similar to orange juice (just diluted).....but, I loved it. That would be much preferred than the flavoring squirts that I could buy to put into my water.

Also, my absolute favorite vegetable dish to cook was made with an essential oil. I would steam the broccoli just a little bit, while I'm sauteeing a little garlic and onion. The broccoli gets drained, and then sauteed with a little coconut oil. A little black pepper and sea salt is all that's added at this point. When the broccoli get's sauteed, pull it off the heat and let the hot oil cool down a little. Then add a drop of Oregano essential oil to the coconut oil in the pan. Add a little more coconut oil if needed, as you'll want a half tablespoon at least to transfer the flavor of this oil to the broccoli. Mix the oils well, and then toss all of the broccoli in it. I do the oils after the heat, so that I keep all of the flavor and nutrients as possible. For some reason the oregano and broccoli are just amazingly delicious together. You can keep the seasoning simple, and those two flavors together become the star.

Most people think that cooking is difficult. In reality, it's just one or two extra little steps to elevate the meal. Skill can sometimes be the deciding factor between decent and great, but often it's just patience. It intrigues me how many people say that they don't have the time to cook. I view cooking as part of my mental health, something keeping me occupied and sane. I am also going to be writing in a little journal as I gather my thoughts and unwind from the day.

Since more of my time is going to be around food, I need to make that priority of mine when making and breaking camp. The tarp should go up first, with my stove and cooking next. There will be plenty of time to set up the hammock and get camp ready while water is heating up, or something is baking. It's all about efficiency and timing when it comes to cooking. Some chefs would find it difficult to cook a thanksgiving dinner with a single oven. It's this dance of different temperatures for different lengths of time over the day. I excel at that task. This is why I will be able to bake some great meals, and be able to accomplish much in camp. Those 5 or 10 minutes while baking will be time for me to check for blisters, trim nails, examine for ticks etc.

I don't fault someone for thinking that cooking is too laborious of a process. I don't fault them for deciding to leave their stove at home. It's all about priorities, and I prioritize eating yummy food.

[Dogwood]

Understood. I find it important to spell things out, because others reading this thread won't have the understanding.

I feel ya. No matter the current level of understanding we can further learn from one another when we keep ourselves open to it. No one knows it all. Certainly not myself.

I've enjoyed your input. I've learned a few things. TU.

I will try adding oregano essential oil to coconut oil sautéed broccoli next time.

[zelph]

Thank you Trambo for your insight on essential oils, cooking and time management in camp.