Older Folks: Why Those Veggies in Your Freezer Can Make You Sick

Source:  FDA

A recent recall of over 350 frozen vegetable and fruits products should have you hunting in your freezer.  Consuming this produce could land you in your local hospital ER with unpleasant results.

The Food & Drug Association (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Listeria that has been tracked back to frozen products produced by CRF Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington.  These frozen veggies and fruits are sold under 42 different brands including Wellsley Farms, McCain, Great Value, and Wild Oats. To date, seven people have been hospitalized due to Listeria.  Click here for a complete listing of the brands that were recalled. 

It is currently unknown how these frozen foods were contaminated with this bacteria.  If any of these frozen foods are in your home either throw them away or bring them back to the store where you purchased them.

Listeria is the third leading cause of death from food poisoning.  Even more seriously, at least 90 percent of people who are infected with listeria are folks age 65 years and older; those with a weakened immune system, including those with medical conditions such as liver or kidney disease, diabetes, alcoholism, and HIV/AIDS;  and pregnant women and their infants.   While pregnant women are typically alerted to their risk as it can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, and newborn deaths, older folks often don’t know of the higher risk for the complications of Listeria. 

According to the CDC, individuals 65 years of age and older are four times more likely to be at risk for getting Listeria compared to younger folks.  In older adults, Listeria can enter your bloodstream, cause meningitis, and lead to death.

Listeria is a tricky pathogen to curtail as it can grow rapidly in your refrigerator and also contaminate foods that are typically consumed without cooking.  In 2011, an outbreak of contaminated cantaloupes in 28 states sickened 147 folks and caused 33 deaths, mostly among those who were over 65 years of age, according to the CDC.


The foods with the highest risk of housing Listeria are:

Source:  CDC

To reduce your risk of getting Listeria, follow these tips from the FDA:

Meats

Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, other deli meats such as bologna, or fermented or dry sausages unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or are steaming hot just before serving them to kill the bacteria.

To prevent cross contamination, avoid getting the fluid from hot dog and lunch meat packages to drip on other foods, utensils.  Be sure to wash your hands after touching hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats.

Do not eat refrigerated pâté or meat spreads.   Canned or shelf-stable pâté and meat spreads are pasteurized so are safe to eat.

Soft Cheeses

Do not eat soft cheese such as feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or panela (queso panela) unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk. Make sure the label states that it is made with pasteurized milk on the label.   However, be aware that Mexican-style cheeses made from pasteurized milk, such as queso fresco, which were likely contaminated during cheese-making, have been shown to cause Listeria infections in the past.

Seafood

Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, and mackerel, which is most often labeled as nova-style, lox, kippered, smoked, or jerky.  These fish are typically found in the refrigerated section or sold at the seafood and deli sections of the store.  Canned, self-stable tuna, salmon, and other fish products are safe to eat.

Melons

Wash your hands with running, warm water, and soap before and after handling any whole melons such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew.  Scrub the surface of the melons with a clean produce brush under running water and dry them with a clean paper towel before cutting into them.  Sanitize that scrub brush after each use.

Refrigerator cut up melon promptly and toss it after 7 days.  If cut melon has been sitting at room temperature, discard it after 4 hours.

A few smart tips in your food handling can help you stay healthy.

Be well, Joan


Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake

Why Employees Need To Break Bread Together

The old saying that the “families that eat together, stay together,” may soon be the mantra at the workplace based on a new study from Cornell University.

Cornell researchers investigated how shared meals among city firefighters in more than 50 firehouses helped foster greater collaboration and bonding.  Using interviews and surveys of firefighters and supervisors, the researchers were able to show that the firefighters who ate and cooked meals together scored higher on surveys measuring cooperative behavior and better work-group performance. In essence, the employees that eat together, work better together.

 “Employers should consider introducing spaces for employee mealtime in order to improve cooperation and performance among workers,” suggests lead author Kevin Kniffin, PhD, of Cornell University’s Dyson School of Applied Economics.  This study could not have come at a better time as a news consumer survey by the Hartman Group shows that desktop dining is the new norm as over 45 percent of American are eating lunch alone.

In his book, Slim by Design, Brain Wansink, PhD, professor and director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, and also one of the researchers in the Cornell study, provides science-based strategies for employers to make workplace environments healthier and more appealing places for employees to bond and break bread together.   According to Wansink, if  the lunchroom exudes the chilling atmosphere of an interrogation room with ugly furniture, work safety signs doubling as art, and “a microwave with brown stains from burrito explosions,” it’s no wonder the employees are exiting the building at lunchtime in hunt of a fast food joint.

Rather, employers can inexpensively makeover their employees’ lunchroom to encourage communal eating.  For example, Wansink worked with company and advised them to repaint the drab lunchroom room, adding better lightening, new appliances, comfy chairs, a nice dining table, and eye-appealing wall hangings.  They also replaced some of the options in the vending machine with healthier lunch and snack options.   As an additional carrot to get the employees to bond together at lunch, Wansink recommended that there be free fresh fruit daily in the lunchroom. The company purchased inexpensive bananas, placed them in a decorative bowl in the middle of the table, and with a month, the lunchroom become busier than Macy’s on Black Friday.   The lunchroom become the place to enjoy lunch, bond with their co-workers, and get a free serving of fruit to boot.

Bottom line:  Sprucing up the employee lunchroom and adding some healthy food options may actually help improve a company’s bottom line.  Throwing in a bunch of free bananas wouldn’t hurt either.


Be well, Joan

Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake

Celery Seed Essential Oil

Celery is absolutely yummy. And its seeds are really good for you. So it should come as no surprise that celery seed essential oil has amazing health benefits. Let's learn more.

Quick Glance at Celery Seed Essential Oil
Pros: It is antioxidant, chemo-preventive, antimicrobial, and insecticidal.
Cons: Celery seed essential oil should be avoided during pregnancy.
Precautions: Consult your doctor before using this essential oil.

Properties of Celery Seed Essential Oil

It is incredibly important to learn about essential oils before you use them. So here are a few properties of celery seed essential oil that you should know.

Name

The botanical name for celery is Apium graveolens. Be sure to check for this name when buying the essential oil.

Color & Scent

Typically, celery seed essential oil has an almost colorless to pale yellow color. And it has an earthy, spicy, almost flowery smell.

Compounds

The main compound in this essential oil is limonene. It can make up anywhere from 40% to 80% of the oil. Other compounds in the oil include: selinene, sedanenolide, sedanonic anhydride, caryophyllene, linalool, p-dimethylstyrene, dihydrocarvone, trepinene-4-ol, 3‐n‐butyl phthalide, p-menth-2,8-diene-1-ol, alpha-terpineol, perialdehyde and thymol.

Those are some complex compounds. But they all add to the tremendous benefits of celery seed essential oil.

Benefits of Celery Seed Essential Oil

Here are some of the amazing benefits of celery seed essential oil.

1. It may have chemo-preventive benefits

A 2009 animal study looked at the chemo-preventive effects of several compounds in celery seed essential oil, including limonene, p-menth-2,8-diene-1-ol, 3‐n‐butyl phthalide and sedanolide.

The researchers found that the number of tumors in the mice under investigation decreased by more than 50% after treatment with sedanolide and by 30% after treatment with 3‐n‐butyl phthalide. These compounds also significantly reduced (>60%) the spreading of the tumors.

Therefore, celery seed essential oil and sedanolide may have significant anti-tumor and chemo-preventive benefits.

2. It is antioxidant

Studies have also proved that celery seed essential oil has antioxidant benefits. Here's a study published in 2007 that shows this.

The study examined the antioxidant activity of thirteen essential oils including jasmine, celery seed, parsley seed, ylang ylang and patchouli essential oil. While celery seed was not the most antioxidant oil tested, it did show good results. And limonene was identified as the compound responsible for these antioxidant benefits.

3. It's antibacterial

Celery seed essential oil also has antibacterial effects.

A 2002 study explored the effects of 96 essential oils on four types of bacteria - including Escherichia coli and Campylobacter jejuni. Celery seed essential oil was found to be most active against Campylobacter jejuni, the bacteria that causes food poisoning.

That being said, celery seed still isn't one of the most antimicrobial essential oils out there.

4. It's anti-fungal

Celery seed essential oil has greater effects on fungi than on bacteria. And a 1999 study validates this. The study showed that celery seed essential oil was able to inhibit the fungi, Candida albicans, at concentrations of one milligram per liter.

That's pretty amazing!

5. Celery seed essential oil is insecticidal

Celery seed essential oil has exhibited great larvicidal, repellent and insecticidal benefits. And there are several studies that prove it.

A 2015 study looked at the activity of twelve essential oils against the larvae of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Of the twelve essential oils, seven killed over 90% of the larvae at concentrations of 0.1 mg/L. Yes that's 0.1 mg/L! The seven were ajowan, caraway, carrot seed, celery seed, cumin, dill, and parsley. The study went on to suggest limonene was the compound responsible for celery seed's larvicidal benefits.

Another study published in 2014 noted that this essential oil exhibited 'remarkable' repellent action against the Aedes aegypti mosquito. In fact, the oil was found to have 100% repellent protection for over one and a half hours. And paper soaked with the essential oil at a concentration of 10% was able to 'knock down' adult mosquitoes. So celery seed essential oil didn't just repel the mosquitoes, it debilitated them too!

Summary
Isn't this essential oil just incredible? Here's a quick summary of the benefits of celery seed essential oil that we've covered:

Uses of Celery Seed Essential Oil

Celery seed essential oil has great benefits. But how can you use it? Well let's look at a few ways to do so.

Inhaling

You can add celery seed essential oil to your diffuser for a spicy scent. This oil also blends well other spicy and floral oils like black pepper, ginger, tea tree and lavender essential oil.

You can also diffuse the oil with citronella and other insecticidal essential oils to keep bugs away.

Massaging

Celery seed essential oil can also be used - diluted - on your skin. Don't forget to patch test first. And don't use a blend that is more concentrated than 5%. That means you can add up to 5 drops of this essential oil to 5 mL of your favorite carrier oil before applying the blend to your skin.

More Precautions

It is highly recommended to avoid celery seed essential oil while pregnant. In fact, if you are breastfeeding; suffering from any ailments; or are taking any medications, consult with your doctor before using this oil. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Get Celery Seed Essential Oil:

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How to Make Coconut Oil

How to make coconut oil? Well, it's not as hard as you think! And what better way to guarantee you're getting pure coconut oil than to make it yourself... at home... in your pjs?

All you need are brown coconuts, a few tools, some time and a little patience. The results - homemade coconut oil your skin will love.

So... are you ready to see how to make to coconut oil?

How to Make Coconut Oil: Summary

Prep Time: more than 12 hours
Cook Time: less than 1 hour (**optional**)

Ingredients:

• brown or mature coconuts [5 - 6 makes roughly 1 cup of oil]

Tools/ equipment:

• cleaver or hammer
• several bowls
• sturdy knife
• grating equipment [for example: a rough grater, coconut scraper, blender, food processor, or juicer]
• straining equipment [for example: a simple strainer, cheese cloth, or any clean cloth]
• spoons
• clean bottles or containers for coconut oil
• heavy bottomed pot [for example: cast iron pot] (**optional**)

Steps:

1. Buy brown or mature coconuts.
2. Crack them open.
3. Remove the coconut meat (also called copra or 'flesh').
4. Grate/ shred the extracted coconut meat.
5. Squeeze the grated meat to extract coconut milk. Add water if necessary.
6. Strain the coconut milk.
7. Leave the milk overnight in a cool place to separate.
8. Once separated, carefully scoop coconut oil from the top and bottle the oil.
   This is cold pressed, virgin coconut oil, which is sometimes called coconut cream or curd. And it typically contains some moisture.

**Optional** - Processing further
9. Heat the coconut curd in a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat.
10. Stir continuously until the coconut oil and curd separate.
11. Strain the oil.
12. Carefully squeeze the curd particles to remove as much oil as possible. Bottle the oil.
    This is 100% pure coconut oil so it doesn't contain any moisture.

How to Make Coconut Oil: Details

Step #1: Buy brown/ mature coconuts

You can get brown coconuts at your local farmers' market, big box stores and specialty groceries. Ask them when they restock so you can get the coconuts at their freshest. Also verify that they are organic nuts if you want to make organic coconut oil.

How many brown coconuts you should get will depend on how much oil you want to make. Typically, five to six nuts will give you one cup of coconut oil. But the actual yield will depend on the size, quality and 'freshness' of the brown coconuts.

So choosing the right nut is important. When you're at the store, you want to get coconuts that are brown on the outside, feel heavy, have no signs of mold, and when you shake them, you can hear liquid sloshing around inside. These coconuts are usually 'fresher' and are more likely to make better quality coconut oil. Coconuts that are lighter, grayish, moldy, or don't have much liquid in them are older and may be rancid. These will make poor quality coconut oil.

Still, you will only know if a coconut is truly good when you crack it open.

Step #2: Open the coconuts

To open the brown coconuts, you'll need a cleaver or hammer and a bowl or two. You may also have use for a corkscrew or sturdy paring knife.

Before cracking open the nut, you can use the corkscrew or paring knife to dig holes into the coconut's darker spots or 'eyes.' Empty the coconut water out of these holes into a bowl. You can drink this water or use it later to help extract the coconut milk. But this is all optional since the water isn't necessary for making the oil.

To crack open a coconut, place a bowl under it to collect the water (if you didn't empty it already). You can also do this over your kitchen sink too. Holding the coconut in one hand, use a hammer or the back of a cleaver to tap the center of the coconut (against its grain). Rotate and repeat as necessary until the coconut shell breaks. Be careful with your fingers!

If you are keeping the coconut water, make sure to strain and empty the water into a separate bowl before cracking open the next nut, just in case you got any bad coconuts.

Bad coconuts smell rancid and their meat can be slimy, runny, and gross. Discard them! Good coconuts (like the ones below) do not smell and their kernels or meat are hard and white. These are perfect for making coconut oil.

Step #3: Remove the coconut meat

If you are using a manual or electric coconut scraper, you can skip this step.

To remove the coconut meat, you will still need the cleaver or hammer and a sturdy knife. Use the back of the cleaver or hammer to gently tap the shell of the coconut. Sometimes, the coconut shell will pop right out. If it doesn't then insert the sturdy knife between the meat and shell and twist it slightly.

Note, the coconut shells can be a little unstable so be very careful when tapping and using the knife.

Separated coconut meat:

You can peel the brown 'skins' off the coconut meat before grating but this isn't necessary.

You can discard the coconut shells or use them to make cute bowls and decorations. You can also add the smaller pieces to your garden.

Step #4: Grate/ shred the coconut meat

With the manual or electric coconut scrapers, you can shred the coconut meat directly from the coconut shell. Be sure to place a bowl under the scrapers to collect all the gratings. It can get messy!

If you don't have these scrapers, you can simply use the rough side of your grater to shred the extracted coconut meat. It takes a while to get done and you can accidentally grate your finger, but still, it is one of the best ways to get coconut meat into a really fine consistency.

You can save time and your fingers by using a blender or a food processor. But you will need to cut the meat into small pieces to make it easier for your appliances. You may also have to add water to ensure the coconut meat blends properly. Note, by adding water, you will end up with a slurry-like consistency.

I, personally, don't like adding too much water in this step because my cold-pressed coconut oil tends to have more moisture when I do. That's why I prefer manually grating the coconut meat.

Step #5: Extract the coconut milk

There are a few ways you can extract coconut milk from the meat. You can use a strainer, cheese cloth, or ... a juicer!

I love using the juicer because I don't have to add a lot of water. I simply load the chute with my grated coconut meat and switch on the appliance. The milk pours right out and the coconut meat left is really, really dry. Some powerful juicers can get the meat to an almost powdery texture, which is awesome since you'll get all the milk out. Note, you can also add the coconut meat slurry from your blender to your juicer.

With my juicer, I run it once, collect the dry coconut meat, mix it with a little water and add it back to the chute. I double juice :) ... Here's after first run:

If you don't have a juicer, no worries. All you need to do is add a little water to the grated coconut and squeeze the coconut meat. You'll start seeing the water turning white. That's your coconut milk. And the more you squeeze the meat, the more milk you'll get out.

You can also work the slurry from your blender in the same way.

Step #6: Strain the coconut milk

You'll need a strainer, or cheese cloth or any cloth for this step.

The coconut milk and meat from your juicer, blender or gratings must be properly strained to remove any particles from the coconut milk. You can double strain and triple strain if necessary. And make sure you squeeze out as much milk as possible from the meat.

You can eat the coconut meat that is left behind. It is a great source of fiber. You can also add it to your garden as an all-natural fertilizer.

Step #7: Leave the coconut milk to sit overnight

Once you're sure the coconut milk is properly strained, place it in a large bowl and let it sit undisturbed in a cool place overnight. Sometimes I put it in the fridge to make sure it stays cool. If it does get warm, your milk will start to smell a little rancid and the odor does transfer to the oil. So it is important to keep the milk in a cool place.

You can also cover your milk with a thin cloth when leaving it overnight.

Step #8: Scoop out cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil

By morning, you will find your coconut milk has separated into a solid, white layer on top and clear-ish liquid below. Using a spoon, gently remove the solid, white layer. This is your cold-pressed, extra virgin coconut oil! It's also called coconut cream or coconut curd.

You will notice your oil will have a slight watery feel to it. That's because there is still water in the oil layer. But over time, the water will evaporate out. You can bottle the oil and store it in a cool place or in the fridge. If it is always cool, it will be good for several months to a year.

Here's my cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil/ coconut curd/ coconut cream:

How to Make Pure Coconut Oil

To make pure coconut oil, you have to process the cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil/ coconut curd further to remove the excess water. To do this you have to:

Step #9: Heat the coconut curd

Add the coconut curd to a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir continuously to prevent the curd from sticking. After 10 - 15 minutes, you will see the curd will separate into light colored oil and white particles.

After a few more minutes, you will notice the oil changes to a pale yellow color and the particles become brown. You can turn off the heat at this point.

Step #10: Strain the coconut oil

While the oil is still hot, carefully strain it using a cheese cloth or any other type of cloth. If you don't strain the oil, you may find tiny brown specks settling in it.

Step #11: Extract as much oil as possible

The brown curd particles also contain a lot of oil so it's a good idea to squeeze as much oil out of them too... Carefully! And while they're still hot. If they get cold, the oil will solidify around the particles and you won't get it out.

So you can strain the hot curd particles in a few ways. For instance, you can twist your cheese cloth at its ends and continue twisting until you get some oil out. You can also place the cheese cloth on a slotted spoon, and squeeze down on the cloth using another spoon or something heavy. Either way, get as much oil as you can out without getting burned. It is oil after all.

Your final products are 100% pure coconut oil and brown curd particles. I used 3 coconuts and got about 90 milliliters of coconut oil. If kept in cool conditions, the oil will turn white and last for a few months to a year.

Note #1: The brown curd particles will still have some oil in them and they are great additions to your skin scrubs.

Note #2: You can use the pure coconut oil for oil pulling and cooking. Plus it's great for all your skin care and beauty regimes.

Note #3: So there's an old saying about making coconut oil and full moon. According to my mom - among others - you can get a higher yield of coconut oil when you make it on or around the date of full moon. Try it at different times and tell me if you got more or the same amount.

So now you know how to make coconut oil! Leave a comment and let me know how your oil turned out. :)

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Do You Need More Vitamin C to See?

Maybe.  While we grew up thinking carrots are good for vision, new research suggest that you may also need to look to citrus foods for your eyes.

A recent study published in the Journal Ophthalmology, highlighted that the diet, especially vitamin C, may play an important role in protecting against cataracts.  This study looking at the diets of 1,000 female twins uncovered that those with initial diets with vitamin C-rich foods, but not supplements, were associated with a 20 percent reduction in the risk for cataract.  After a decade of following these twins, the researchers found that those women who consumed more vitamin C-rich foods had over a 30 percent risk reduction in the progression of cataracts.  In this study, an intake of 55 to 230 milligrams daily, which can easily be consumed in a healthy diet, was shown to be protective.  It is thought that vitamin C, which baths the lens of the eye, may act as act antioxidant protecting your vision. 

Cataracts cloud the lens of your eyes and can be a life altering condition that inhibits individuals to appropriately see the world around them.  The ability to clearly see can affect even the simplest tasks of everyday living.  Reading, driving a car, watching television, and making your meals can all becoming very cloudy and inhibit your ability to perform these activities. 

The first photo is an image being seen by folks with good vision.  The second photo is the same image viewed through the lens of a person with cataracts. 

Photo Source: NIH

 

 

Approximately, 20 million people have cataracts and is the leading cause of blindness globally.  While the progression of cataracts can start as early as you in your 40s, you typically won’t see an affect on your vision until after age 60.   By the time you turn 80 years old, there is a 50 percent chance that you will either have a cataract or have undergone cataract surgery according to the National Eye Institute.  

"The most important finding was that vitamin C intake from foods seemed to protect against cataract progression," said study author Christopher Hammond, MD, professor of ophthalmology at King's College in London.  "While we cannot totally avoid developing cataracts, we may be able to delay their onset and keep them from worsening significantly by eating a diet rich in vitamin C."  Hammond also notes that vitamin C may be just one of the protective factors within a healthy diet that are good for your eyes.

Americans, on average, should be consuming about 4 ½ cup of fruits and veggies daily, many are falling short of their daily produce goal.   Adding just a few servings of vitamin C-rich choices daily may be the best defense in protecting your eyes: 

Source: NIH

When it comes to long-term good vision, look to a healthy diet with adequate amounts of vitamin-C rich foods. 

Be well, Joan

Twitter: @JoanSalgeBlake

Cedarwood (Virginia) Essential Oil

Cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil is pretty unique. The oil comes from the red cedar or eastern red cedar tree, which actually belongs to the genus Juniperus. That's why it's sometimes called Virginian juniper. Let's learn more about this essential oil.

Quick Glance at Cedarwood (Virginia) Essential Oil
Pros: This essential oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and insecticidal.
Cons: -
Precautions: Consult your doctor before trying this or any other essential oil.

Properties of Cedarwood (Virginia) Essential Oil

Here's a look at some of the properties of this essential oil.

Name

Cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil comes from the Juniperus virginiana tree. Now, this oil can get confused with juniper essential oil, but that oil comes from another species within the same genus (Juniperus). So if you're looking to buy cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil, look out for the botanical name: Juniperus virginiana or simply ask for Juniperus virginiana essential oil.

You should also know that cedarwood (Virginia) is sometimes called eastern red cedar, Virginian juniper, and pencil cedar. So you can use any of these names when buying the oil too.

Color & Scent

This essential oil ranges from a light yellow to amber to almost red-brown color. And it has a beautiful woody, slightly balsamic smell.

Compounds

The compounds in cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil are pretty consistent. The oil mainly contains varying amounts of cedrol, thujopsene, alpha-cedrene, beta-cedrene, widdrol, alpha-selinene, and cuparene.

Benefits of Cedarwood (Virginia) Essential Oil

Unfortunately, there aren't many studies exploring the benefits of cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil. Nevertheless, here's what's been proven so far.

1. It is anti-inflammatory

A 2013 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food proved cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil has anti-inflammatory benefits.

The in vivo study used the essential oil obtained from heartwood samples of the Juniperus virginiana tree and compared with other essential oils from the Juniperus genus. The results showed that Juniperus virginiana essential oil was the most effective anti-inflammatory oil tested.

That means cedarwood (Virginia) oil can be used to reduce skin redness, irritation and more. And, according to the study, this essential oil has helpful wound-healing benefits too. Awesome!

2. It is anti-fungal

There are studies dating back to the 1970s that show cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil has anti-fungal benefits.

And those studies went further to point to cedrol as the compound responsible for these effects.

3. It has insecticidal benefits

Again there are studies from the 1970s like this one that showed cedrol and cedrene can disrupt the reproductive and developmental cycles of several insects, like the peanut trash bug, the Indian meal moth and the forage mite.

A more recent study from 2004 showed cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil and, more specifically, cedrol and widdrol were also toxic to termites.

Clearly, this oil is a great, all-natural insecticide. So the next time you whip up a batch of your homemade bug spray, why not add a few drops of this essential oil?

There it is... the few proven benefits of cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil.

Uses of Cedarwood (Virginia) Essential Oil

Ok so you have seen the benefits of this essential oil. But what about its uses? Well here are a few ways to use cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil.

Inhaling

If you're looking for a beautiful woody smell, then try this essential oil. Just add one to two drops of the oil to your diffuser or to a tissue and inhale deeply.

Cedarwood (Virginia) oil also blends well with other woody, earthy tones. So mix it with sandalwood, vetiver, cypress, juniper, carrot seed, rosemary, frankincense, and patchouli essential oils.

Massaging

You can absolutely use cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil in your massage blends too. But before you do, make sure you patch test. To do this, mix a 5% blend with your favorite carrier oil. That works up to be 5 drops of cedarwood (Virginia) added to 5 milliliters of your carrier oil.

Dab a bit of the mixture on the inside of your elbow and behind your ear. Monitor the areas for several hours. If they get red, irritated or start burning, then wash the areas immediately. You may be sensitive to the oil and shouldn't use it on your skin.

If you don't see any effects, then you can use the essential oil in your blends. Don't forget though... 5% blends should be the most concentrated essential oil mixtures you use on your skin.

More Precautions

Finally, like with all essential oils, consult with your doctor or health care professional before trying cedarwood (Virginia) essential oil. This is especially important if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, suffering from any ailments or using certain medications.

Get Cedarwood (Virginia) Essential Oil:

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Carrot Seed Essential Oil

Carrot seed essential oil isn't the same as carrot oil. Let's get that clear! Carrot seed essential oil comes from the seeds of the wild carrot plant (which you may know as Queen Anne's lace or bishop's lace)... It doesn't come from the carrots we love to eat.

Actually, the carrots we eat are a subspecies of the wild carrot plant. So yes the two are related. But the properties of carrot seed essential oil and carrot oil are very different.

In fact, let's get into the properties, benefits and uses of carrot seed essential oil right now.

Quick Glance at Carrot Seed Essential Oil
Pros: Carrot seed essential oil is antibacterial, antifungal and larvicidal.
Cons: -
Precautions: This oil isn't advised for use by pregnant women. And, as with all other oils, check with your doctor before using this essential oil.

Properties of Carrot Seed Essential Oil

It's important to know about the properties of this essential oil. So here's a little more about its names, color, smell and chemical composition.

Name

You've already seen that we are talking about wild carrot here and not the vegetable. And you've also seen wild carrot is sometimes called Queen Anne's lace and bishop's lace.

But you should also look out for the botanical name when buying this essential oil. Wild carrot's botanical name is Daucus carota.

Note: the carrots we eat are a subspecies of wild carrot so its botanical name is similar. It is Daucus carota subsp. sativus.

Color & Scent

Carrot seed essential oil typically has a yellow to light brown color. And it has a unique scent. You can say it's more earthy and woody.

Compounds

The chemical composition of carrot seed essential oil varies considerably. In a 2007 report, carrot seed essential oil was found to contain over 66% of carotol as well as daucene, alpha-farnesene, germacrene-D, trans-alpha-bergamotene and beta-selinene. In another study done in 2013, it was reported carrot seed oil contained almost 40% of beta-bisabolene together with sabinene, geranyl acetate, and elemicin.

So it is clear there is tremendous variability in the chemical composition of carrot seed essential oil.

Benefits of Carrot Seed Essential Oil

There are only a handful of studies that specifically look at the benefits of wild carrot seed essential oil.

But there are also a few that explore the benefits of wild carrot oil extract (like this one) and extracts of wild carrot seeds (like this one). But here's the thing. Wild carrot oil extract or even extracts of the seeds aren't the same as wild carrot seed essential oil. I mean essential oils contain the volatile components whereas the oil extracts can contain these plus heavier, non-volatile compounds. So they can't all be grouped as the same thing.

That doesn't mean wild carrot seed essential oil won't have some of the benefits as wild carrot oil extract or extract of wild carrot seeds. It just means it hasn't been proven yet.

That being said, here are a few scientifically proven benefits specific to carrot seed essential oil.

1. It is antibacterial

There are several studies that demonstrate carrot seed's antibacterial benefits.

For instance, a 1999 study showed that carrot seed essential oil (at concentrations under 2mg/L) was effective against multi-drug resistant bacteria like Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus.

But, carrot seed isn't among the most powerful antibacterial essential oils... It's no lemongrass or oregano.

Still, another more recent study in 2002 showed carrot seed oil was active against the bacteria: Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. The study went on to identify geranyl acetate as the compound that may be responsible for these effects.

2. It is anti-fungal

Here's another benefit of carrot seed essential oil... It's anti-fungal. That is according to the 1999 study mentioned above and this 2013 study.

Both studies investigated the effects of the oil against the yeast, Candida albicans. And both showed that carrot seed essential oil was pretty effective against the fungi species.

3. It is larvicidal

A 2015 study explored the effects of 12 essential oils on the larvae of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus).

Of the essential oils tested, carrot seed along with ajowan, caraway, celery, cumin, dill and parsley essential oils had the most impressive results. These oils killed over 90% of the larvae at concentrations of 0.1 mg/mL.

That's 0.1! So clearly, carrot seed essential oil is a pretty potent larvicide. The study went on to identify carotol as the compound responsible for these benefits.

Note:

Other studies using wild carrot oil extracts and extracts from wild carrot seeds have shown antioxidant and anti-cancer benefits. But remember, we can't say that those benefits translate to the seed essential oil. It just doesn't work that way.

So the confirmed, scientifically proven, irrefutable benefits of carrot seed essential oil are it's antibacterial, anti-fungal and larvicidal.

Uses of Carrot Seed Essential Oil

The proven benefits of carrot seed essential oil are a little limited. But that's ok you can still use the oil in your diffuser or in your massage blend. Here's more...

Inhaling

You can add 2-3 drops of carrot seed essential oil to your diffuser for an earthy, woody smell. Carrot seed also pairs well with many other essential oils, especially citrus, floral and spicy oils. That means you can blend lemon, lime, bergamot, and even lavender and geranium essential oils with carrot seed.

Massaging

Of course, you can also add carrot seed essential oil to your massage blends... But the oil (like all other essential oils) must be 'patch-tested' and properly diluted. A 5% concentration should be the strongest blend you apply to your skin. That works up to be about 5 drops per 5mL of carrier oil like jojoba or apricot kernel oil.

More Precautions

Carrot seed essential oil isn't advised for pregnant women. So be sure to check with your health care professional before using this or any other essential oil. This is very important for nursing women as well along with anyone taking medications. Be safe!

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