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It seems that almost all products that are designed to improve the immune system and fight off bugs are now including wild oregano oil.   But why? What is so special about it? Why do many label it the ‘King of herbs’?

Firstly lets discuss some important facts about wild oregano. Oregano is a member of the mint family and is zesty, lemony and peppery to taste. There are over 60 plus species of oregano or oregano like plants but only a few of these actually contain medicinal properties. To be medicinal, the oregano species you are looking for is Origanum vulgare which is commonly known as European/Mediterranean Oregano or Mountain mint. The oregano that you purchase from the supermarket unfortunately is not one of the medicinal types.

The name oregano is derived from the Greek word ‘origanon’ which translates to ‘joy of mountains’.   Although oregano grows all over the world, it is best known in the Mediterranean and in North America growing wild in remote mountainous regions. It is the environment in which wild oregano grows that gives it it’s medicinal properties. The oil of wild oregano is produced using the leaves which are harvested when the plant is flowering. The leaves are then steam distilled to extract the beautiful beneficial properties that wild oregano oil is so well known for.

As with all essential oils, quality varies greatly depending on where the plant is grown, how and when it is harvested and how it is manufactured. All these variables affect the quantity of the four main chemical components in oregano oil. These chemical components are;

• Phenols (namely carvacrol and thymol which are antioxidant and antiseptic)
• Terpenes (pinene and terpinene which are antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic)
• Long chain alcohols (linalool and bonreol which are antiseptic and antiviral)
• Esters (linalyl acetate and geranyl acetate which are antifungal)

Carvarol is the primary component of oregano oil being at about 60 – 70% of the chemical component of the oil. Carvarol has been proven to be a more effective antibiotic than the strongest antibiotics known to modern medicine; penicillin, streptomycin and vancomycin.   So you may be asking why medicine doesn’t just make carvarol? Well like all plants, the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts, meaning that the synergistic combination of these four chemicals in the ratio that nature provided is more therapeutic than any of the chemical components in isolation. Carvarol in isolation is also very acidic and burns if it comes into contact with bodily tissue. This is why all therapeutic oregano oils are diluted using a carrier oil (namely olive oil).

Ok, now that we have the bland scientific part over, lets talk about why this is oil is so great! Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics which can create mutant, antibiotic resistant bacteria, oregano oil does not do this, nor does it have any negative side effects if taken as prescribed. Oregano oil is also selective in which bugs it kills unlike antibiotics. It feeds vitamins and minerals to the good bugs that our bodies need while killing the bugs that cause illness. What a clever oil!

Wild oregano oil is rich in many nutrients namely; calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, copper, boron, manganese, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin B3. It can be taken internally or used externally to treat numerous conditions such as;

• infections (caused by bacteria, fungus, parasites, moulds and viruses)
• hormonal irregularities (period pain and menopausal symptoms)
• headaches
• digestive disorders (indigestion, bloating, worms, constipation and diarrhoea)
• insect bites and acts as an insect repellent
• inflammatory conditions (such as arthritis, muscle pain, toothaches, earaches and gum disease)
• lung and sinus disorders (sinus pain, bronchitis, croup, asthma, coughs, colds and flus)
• skin conditions (psoriasis, acne, athletes foot, dandruff, rosacea, oily skin and varicose veins)

Oregano oil is very effective so tread carefully if you decide to take it. To use internally, start with one drop once daily and build up to one drop four times daily, in juice or mixed with agave.   Do this for no more than 15 days at a time. To use it externally dilute one drop in a teaspoon of a carrier oil (such as olive oil) and rub this mixture over the affected area or on the soles of the feet (where it can be absorbed into your bloodstream). Remember the higher the carvarol content of the oil, the more it burns so if you feel a tingle or a slight burn when you use the oil, add more carrier oil.

Amazing how one little oil can do so much! So next time you get hit with a nasty bug, reach for the oregano oil and get well sooner.

The answer is the same whether your diet is plant based or otherwise.

Firstly, you need have blood tests to determine your nutritional levels. Go to your local doctor and ask, in addition to the routine tests (such as full blood count, electrolyte balance, thyroid, kidney and liver function), to test for Vitamin D, Zinc, Iron Studies, Magnesium, Calcium, Active B₁₂, Folate, Fasting Cholesterol and Blood Sugar.

When you receive the results, look at how your results correspond with the “normal” reference range. If your levels lie close to the middle of the range, there is no need to supplement with this nutrient. If your levels lie outside the reference range or at an extreme end (high or low end) further investigation is advised. Such results may indicate a current or potential illness which may require vitamin supplementation.

However, the usefulness of supplements is also dependent on how deficient you are, what your diet is like and how well your body absorbs particular nutrients. These issues should be discussed with your health care professional, who can monitor your nutritional levels during period(s) of supplementation.

Without a medical illness proving otherwise, your diet should be able to provide the vitamins and minerals you require. However sometimes you may need a little boost from a supplement until your diet can maintain these optimal levels. The exception to this rule is B₁₂ as this nutrient can be hard to come by. For more information on B₁₂, go to B12 INFORMATION.

Generally speaking, different coloured foods provide different nutrients. Eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, lentils, beans etc from each colour of the rainbow daily will provide the broadest range of vitamins and minerals. The most nutritious food is organic and fresh, not frozen or canned. It holds more nutritional value if it is consumed raw, or cooked by lightly steaming, stir frying, stewing, or souping.

If you are eating a sufficient amount of nutrient rich foods and still find it hard to maintain optimal nutritional levels, it may be due to an absorption issue which should be investigated by a health care professional.

Have any questions about nutrition or health? Ask me by emailing Candace@northcotenaturaltherapies.com

We can’t open a magazine today with out seeing the word ‘diet’ flashed across the page. Once such ‘diet’ getting particular traction with celebrities is the vegan ‘diet’. So what is veganism and what do you need to know about it?

In 1944 Donald Watson coined the term vegan as a word to define a lifestyle that didn’t exploit animals for food, clothing or entertainment. He used the word vegan, as it was the beginning and end of vegetarian stating “veganism starts with vegetarianism and carries it through to its logical conclusion.”  Since then, veganism has been on the rise and it is currently estimated that 5% of the population are vegan and many more are vegetarian or have vegan meals weekly.

So what does it mean to be vegan? Being vegan is a lifestyle, not just a dietary choice. It means not consuming any animal or animal derived products. This includes meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, and also includes gelatin, animal broths, honey (yes even honey), any colourings/food additives and/or vitamins that are animal derived (click here for a complete list). Being vegan also means not wearing any animal derived clothing (silk, wool, leather, fur, feathers, reptile skins, cashmere, shoes that contain glue of animal origin) or using them in your beauty products (ingredient lists of what sneaky ingredients are actually animal derived look here and here). It also means not using products that have been tested on animals (complete list here) and not visiting places that use animals for entertainment (zoos, aquariums, theme parks like SeaWorld, circuses and petting zoos).

It all sounds too hard right? With all these requirements to be vegan, how is it on the increase? Health, the environment and animal welfare are the major reasons for the increase in veganism.

In the last 5 years, health professionals of many disciplines have started recommending the vegan diet for various health conditions. This is because the vegan diet tends to be lower in saturated fats, higher in essential nutrients and is safe in all ages (even in pregnancy). Health is also the biggest reason why people don’t stick to veganism. Sometimes when people go vegan, they find themselves eating a lot more fruit and vegetables and with this increase in fiber, they can experience ‘detoxing’ like symptoms (such as headaches, bloating and skin breakouts). If this occurs, they should contact their health care professional who will explain why this is occurring and offer them solutions to combat these symptoms (such as drinking more water, taking a probiotic or looking at food combining – i.e. what are they eating, what are they eating it with and when they are eating it). For a list of vegan friendly practitioners click here or here. These symptoms are not your body telling you it misses meat or dairy.   Instead it is your body’s way of cleansing your system of fats, hormones, antibiotics and chemicals that you didn’t realise you were consuming. As a result, the biggest side effect of veganism is weight loss.

The environment is also a large motivator for the vegan way of life. This is because animal agriculture has a greater negative impact on the environment than any other industry! A great documentary on this (with facts and figures that will blow your mind), is Cowspiracy or for a website with Australian facts head to Terrastendo.

Lastly, people go vegan for the animals. This is usually the biggest contributor to people staying vegan. Animal welfare is a huge topic (too big to discuss here) but the long and short of it lies with the fact that many people love animals and wouldn’t do anything intentionally to hurt them. They couldn’t kill an animal to eat it and once they make that realisation, they soon conclude that they can’t pay anyone to do it for them. What about all the ethically raised animals, you may ask. If you want to know if it is humane or ethical, ask yourself would you do it to your pet? For more information on how animals are treated both in Australia and overseas you may want to watch Lucent and Earthlings or visit ALV.

With a supermarket full of beautiful healthy food at our disposal, being vegan has never been easier. There are now vegan versions of everything you can imagine from chocolates to cheeses and even fast food take away (for those times you feel like an unhealthy meal).

No matter what you choose to eat, whether you are vegan, vegetarian, paleo, omnivore or otherwise, it is recommended that you have yearly blood tests to see what your nutritional levels are. Of particular importance in Australia (due to our soil quality and climate), are vitamin D, electrolytes zinc, active B12, spot iodine, folate, iron, magnesium, copper, calcium, selenium, cholesterol and blood sugar. It is also important to test your kidney, liver and thyroid function.

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Have you ever gone to the pharmacy and found yourself staring at the great wall of supplements wondering which to choose? Do your eyes get drawn to the ones Michelle Bridges or Jennifer Hawkins tells you she takes or maybe those that have the big ‘special’ sign on them? Do you find yourself thinking, ‘any mutli will do because, all brands the same, aren’t they?’

Unfortunately quality differs greatly between brands. The forms of the nutrients and herbs, how they are manufactured and the hidden ingredients in the supplement all influence how effective the supplement will be for you.

Did you know the form of a nutrient determines how well you will absorb it and therefore how beneficial it will be for you? For example magnesium comes in many forms two of which are magnesium oxide and magnesium amino acid chelate. Magnesium oxide is considered a bowel irritant, (which is why it is found in that awful colonoscopy bowel preparation), while magnesium amino acid chelate is gentler and absorbed better.

This is also true of medicinal herbs. The quality of the soil they are grown and how they are harvested will affect their medicinal and nutritional properties. Just with forms of a nutrient, not all plants are the same. Did you know there are 9 Echinacea plants, however only two are considered medicinal? Or that Dandelion root is used for the liver while the leaf is used for the kidneys?

As with anything, how it is manufactured determines how long it will last on the ‘shelf’. Oils such as fish oils, probiotics and fat soluble vitamins (A, D & E) oxidise or go off easily. As a result, a more delicate manufacturing process is required for these supplements to ensure their shelf life stability.

If this wasn’t enough to make you question your current multi, supplements may have binders, fillers, additives, flavours and colours that can be damaging to your health long term. This is why you may have taken a supplement in the past and felt it ‘did nothing’ for you, or worse, made you feel more unwell.

So which do you choose? Unfortunately there is no hard and fast rule for which supplement is the best for everyone. Typically, the practitioner range supplements are far superior to retail brands. Supplements in powder or liquid form are absorbed better than tablets or capsules. However before you start throwing your money away on supplements you may not need, get your health assessed by your primary health care professional. They will look at your current medication (should you be on any) and tell you what is safe to take with that medication. They will also inform you of the form and amount of a nutrient you require, how long you should take it for and also which herbs compliment your current medication and health goals. For a list of health care professionals in your area who are knowledgeable on herbal medicine visit www.nhaa.org.au.

Have any questions about nutrition or health? Ask me by emailing Candace@northcotenaturaltherapies.com