Blog - Essential Oxygen

5 Essential Oils Every Household Needs!

July 6, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

By: Jessica Davis-Thompson

Whether it’s for the common cold or the common household mess, these 5 essential oils will take care of all your needs!

1. Cinnamon: One of the oldest spices known, cinnamon has been used for medicine and spice throughout the ages. It’s warming and vibrant quality make it useful for mental and physical rejuvenation. And because cinnamon leaf oil contains 80 percent phenols (mainly eugenol), it is widely used for its anesthetic, antiseptic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. it’s low content of cinnamaldehyde also make it great as an insect repellent!

2. Clove Bud: This popular and effective essential oil is derived from the clove tree, a tree native to Southeast Asia. It has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, as well as by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Due to its high content of eugenol (60 – 90%) it’s also popular in dentistry to help treat infection and pain due to it’s anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. However, it’s benefits don’t end there! Not only does it have an incredibly high amount of eugenol, but it has the highest ORAC value of all superfoods, making it one of the most potent antioxidant oils! Because of it’s amazing properties, this oil is used to address a wide variety of issues: respiratory problems, infections, fungus, acne, digestive issues, and even the flu!

3. Eucalyptus Oil: There are over 700 different types of Eucalyptus species in the world, and many different uses for each type of oil derived. The two most common types are eucalyptus globulus and eucalyptus radiata, also known as blue gum oil and black peppermint oil. These fresh and clearing oils are known popularly for their ability to help address mental fatigue and help stimulate the mind, as well as for their ability to help support respiratory issues such as asthma, congestion, or colds. Their high content of the compound Eucalyptol (also known as 1,8 cineole), has been shown to have antifungal, antibacterial, and anesthetic properties. In dentistry, it’s antibacterial properties are often used against tooth decaying bacteria!

4. Lemon: This essential oil is one of the most widely used essential oils for cleaning and disinfecting, and can be found in most household cleaners. But what most don’t know is that because lemons are so nutrient dense, it’s uses are widespread! It’s anti-inflammatory properties can help inhibit inflammation, and its antibacterial properties make it excellent to fight against respiratory infections such as bronchitis, sore throats, and strep throat. It’s known as a strong detoxifier, and can help rid the body of unwanted toxins!

5. Rosemary: Once considered sacred, and used to fight off evil spirits and disease, Rosemary is one of the most widely used oils across the ages. It’s clear, refreshing scent makes it popular for use in aromatherapy, as a means to provide clarity. However, it’s properties are expansive: it’s known to have analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antispasmodic, and expectorant properties. It’s no wonder that Rosemary is so popular! From fighting bronchial infections, helping to ease pain, and reducing anxiety, this essential oil is a must have!

These naturally powerful tools to optimize our health and households can be found in Essential Oxygen’s Organic Brushing Rinse. They play an important role in why the Brushing Rinse has been proven to be an highly effective and clean way to brush our teeth!

Six Ways To Get Your Kids To Brush Their Best

June 9, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

Consistent and proper oral hygiene is crucial to establish early on in kids. Not only does it affect your dental bills and their overall health, it sets a routine for a healthy smile for the rest of their life!

It can be difficult to get kids excited about brushing and flossing, but it doesn’t have to be. Dentists recommend brushing for two minutes in the morning and before bed, and it can be more fun for the whole family if you try these tips:

Be a good example. Children look up to their moms and dads and like to copy their behavior. If you get excited to brush and floss, your kids will be too. Make your oral care routine a fun family event and your little ones will benefit twofold: by having a healthy mouth and spending quality time with you.
Make it a party. Create a fun playlist of your children’s favorite songs or music videos and play one each time they brush and floss. Mix up the songs/videos daily to keep the brushing routine interesting and fun for your kids. Make sure to motivate them to brush for the entire length of the song or video.
Take a video. Kids love to watch themselves being goofy. Filming your children brushing their teeth is an easy way to ensure they are making the 2 minute mark and reminds them that brushing equals a beautiful smile. The Organic Brushing Rinse foams up as you brush, so it makes some awesome and funny bubble-mouth videos!
Have a little friendly competition. Have a “battle of the brushes and floss-off” each night or once a week as a family. Whether between siblings or with parents, having a silly brushing competition is a great way to get everyone involved in the excitement and encourage all to brush and floss to their best ability. Maybe even think of some (non-candy) prizes to gift to the family member who is most enthusiastic during the brushing games each week.
Compliments and praise. By flattering your kids after they brush, you’re encouraging them to continue their healthy habits, smile more, and boosting their confidence. Complimenting their oral care routine will attach happy feelings to it, and they will enjoy it more and more each time.
Have a reward system. If your children brush for a full two minutes morning and night, and also floss regularly – allow them to have a special reward, such as watching a favorite video or extra time doing an activity they like.

Good Tooth Gone Bad! What Do You Do?

June 8, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

Last week we emphasized the importance of taking a toothache seriously, because oral infection can be life threatening. This week we want to go over what you can do if you do indeed have an abscessed AKA infected tooth.

So what are your options?

1. Do Nothing. If you leave the rotting tooth in your mouth, you are literally risking death. Nearly 1 Million Americans visit the E.R. each year due to dental issues. Even in this day of advanced oral care, way too many people are losing their lives to oral infection.

2. Pulling / Extraction. Having the tooth pulled comes with multiple risks. The first and most serious issue that can result from pulling a tooth is infection. The big hole left from the vacant tooth can breed a nasty bit of infection. The bone below can get infected and die which is called a cavitation. This dead bone tissue festering in the body can lead to many problems. Additional issues with extraction are that your other teeth will migrate to one degree or another. It is difficult to chew with a missing tooth and it throws off your bite. The last major concern is that you have one less anchor to stabilize your other teeth.

3. Root Canal. Many dentists say to never have a root canal because they feel the tooth cannot be cleaned well enough to avoid infection from the anaerobic bacteria festering in the catacombs of your teeth roots. Researchers are finding all kinds of diseases living in teeth roots, like Tuberculous for example. Some dentists, who use substances like laser and ozone, are more confident about their ability to minimize the harmful bacteria. The good thing about root canals is that your tooth remains in place and helps the stability of the mouth, your teeth remain aligned, and you can still chew with it! There is a lot more to be said on root canals, and there ARE more and less enlightened ways to do them, so stay tuned for our upcoming blog on root canals.

4. Bridge. Using the teeth on either side of an extracted dead tooth, an artificial tooth “bridge” can fill the gap. You can avoid migrating teeth, and can still chew with a bridge. This option becomes tricky when you lose multiple teeth and don’t have support for the bridge.

5. Pop-In. Similar to a bridge, a pop-in is a removable artificial tooth made to fit in the space where the extracted tooth once was. The main issue with these are, they can pop-in, but also pop-out!

6. Tooth Removal + Implant. An implant is a matter of having an artificial tooth screwed into your bone. This option depends on having or creating adequate bone structure. Some people are good candidates for bone implants which creates an anchor space for the tooth implant. The process can take many months just to prepare the mouth for a dental implant. Some will not have adequate bone to be candidates for implants. If you have your supportive bone issue worked out, then you have to decide what type of implant to go for. Most dentists use titanium implants that are composed of metal. There are quite a number of problematic issues surrounding metal implants. For one, having more than one type of metal in your mouth can create a battery reaction in your mouth and mess with your electrical system among other things. Dr. Hal Huggins, one of the foremost researchers on oral procedures, felt that all metal implants will inevitably lead to autoimmune disease. More progressive dentists prefer Zirconium implants that are made of ceramic. These are more expensive, but are generally regarded as a healthier option. If price is a pressing concern, you can consider getting the work done at a dental school or out of the country in a place like Mexico for instance.

Every person and every mouth are different, so make sure to weigh your options and choose what you and your dentist believe is right for your situation. Consult a holistic or biological dentist to hear the full range of healthier options. Most importantly, keep your living teeth ALIVE and healthy by swishing with our Organic Brushing Rinse regularly to maintain a healthy oral ecosystem!

Don’t Ignore A Toothache ~ Your Life May Depend On It.

June 1, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

CBS/Istock photo

A toothache is extremely unpleasant.

That throbbing pain deep in your gum is most likely an indication that the nerve in the center of your tooth is inflamed, infected, and most likely, on it’s death bed. If we are lucky, we can address the infection quickly and reverse it. But many times, the ache persists for several days and the tooth dies.

When the tooth dies, the pain can cease and we might think that we have defeated the infection and are good to go. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that this is not the case. Once dead, the nerve starts to rot and we may literally be in mortal peril if we don’t do something about it.

Bottom line: If you get a toothache, even if the pain goes away, it is critical to visit your dentist for an assessment.

Next week we will go over your options for what to do if you get the news that your tooth has died and shed some light on a confusing territory.

Is Your Morning Ritual Poisoning You?

May 11, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

While we sleep at night our bodies are in cleanse cycle and our saliva doesn’t circulate. Consequently, we wake up in the morning with a mouth full of bad oral bacteria and yucky breath.

Taking a big gulp of water first thing in the morning leads to swallowing this bacteria that your body worked so hard on removing the night before. Rather than re-ingesting this bacteria and taxing your immune system when you wake up, we suggest following our morning mouth protocol.

First thing when you wake up, think to yourself “Don’t Swallow.” Get out of bed, go to the bathroom, and spit your bacteria-on-steroids saliva in the sink. Squirt approximately ⅓ of an ounce of Organic Brushing Rinse in your mouth and swish for about 60 seconds while you do what you do first thing in the morning in the bathroom.

With the rinse still in your mouth, tilt your head back and brush each tooth carefully, and also your tongue. The Brushing Rinse will foam like mad because the bacteria count is so high. Spit it out and swish with water to stop the foaming.

Your mouth and your immune system will thank you!

Mother’s Day Green Gift Guide

May 3, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

This Mother’s Day, keep Mother Earth in mind and get your mom something eco-friendly. After you’ve chosen a gift, don’t forget: Momma Gaia will be thankful if you choose up-cycled/reused wrapping or none at all!

For Busy Moms

Light of Day Organic Tea
- Help mom check everything off her to-do list with the gift of small batch handcrafted certified organic tea, grown and packaged in Northern Michigan. Light of Day teas exceptionally high quality botanicals are hand-harvested and packaged with love. The loose-leaf teas come in domestically manufactured polished silver tins and they use local sources for soy-based ink labels and other packaging needs using eco-friendly sustainable materials.
Organic Grocery Delivery – Thrive
- Help busy busy moms save time by sparing them the inevitably long lines at the grocery store. Thrive Market is a great option for organic and healthy groceries, and a one year subscription makes a great gift to save not only time but money thanks to their jaw-dropping low prices.

For Fashionista Moms

Movable Boutique
- Handcrafted, eco-conscious goods from all over the world can be found at The Movable Boutique, an ever-relocating boutique located in an iconic renovated Airstream. From sustainably sourced feather jewelry to fair trade hand beaded necklaces from the Zulu Tribe of Africa, you will find the most unique and beautiful pieces for moms of any style type.
Indosole Shoes
- Your mom will get a lot of miles out of her new Indosole shoes because they’re made with re-purposed tires from third world countries and seem to last forever! If your mom hangs out at the yacht club get her the Prahu style, and we love the Ikhanna sandals paired with a summer dress. As a certified B-Corp, Indosole purchases are helping the greater good of people and planet in many ways.

For New Moms

Amber Artisans Necklaces
- Baltic Amber soothes teething babies and has been a growing trend lately for natural teething remedies. Perfect for new moms, this gift is both functional for their teething little ones and a beautiful hand-made jewelry piece.
Babysitting Services / Prenatal or Postnatal Massages
- Gifting services like massage or child care are the best gifts new or expecting moms can receive. New moms cherish time to do something for themselves, especially something like the pampering and healing touch of massage.

For Green Thumb Moms

DIY Gardening Apron
- Call upon your crafting skills to make mom an up-cycled apron with pockets for tools and seeds. You can find aprons and extra cloth to make the pockets at second hand stores to give a second life to, and the gardening apron will also help protect mom’s attire from gardening stains.

For Cleanliness-is-Godliness Moms

Essential Oxygen 3% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (FGHP)
- Moms love FGHP because it’s the cleanest way to clean EVERYTHING! It’s great for cleaning baby toys, washing produce, doing laundry, and disinfecting the house the all-natural, non-toxic way so your surfaces, food, and textiles remain chemical and bacteria free.

For EVERY Mom

Farm Girl Flowers
- By far the most beautiful flowers we have seen, Farm Girl Flowers are purchased fresh daily from small, local farmers all over the country. They’re delivered via bike or scooter and are sure to bring a big smile to mom’s face. We truly can’t get over how amazing they are, they’re stunning, seriously!

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

Love,

Emmi at Essential Oxygen

Secrets Under The Sink

April 28, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post By Laura DeMattis of Poison In The Pantry

Photo credit: napo-gpc.org

Clean, dirty or deadly! What’s under your sink?

Over 70,000 synthetic chemicals have been developed in the last 50 years and over 1,000 are created every year. It is estimated that only 7% have been tested for toxicity. There is no federal law requiring pre-market testing for toxicity of household cleaners.

It’s also estimated that over 95% of most cancers are caused by environmental toxicity, including exposure to chemicals. The average household air is often 100 times more polluted than outside air.

How clean is your home? …Or how deadly?

For the first time in history future generations face a shorter life expectancy than the current adult population.

We live in a toxic world. Most everyone is aware of the chemical pollution from industry emissions that include plastics manufacturing and coal fired plants, pollution from vehicles, and toxic waste dumps, but how many are aware of the toxic pollution inside our homes?

The average home has 12 to 20 (some homes have up to 100) highly toxic chemicals at arms reach, many of them deadly, all of them toxic. Most of these poisons are under the sink. We wipe killer chemicals on our counters and tabletops, smear cancer causing agents on our floors, spray toxic fumes in the air and flush mutagenic chemicals to our waterways.

We bombard our homes with cancer causing chemicals in the name of cleanliness. This clean and sterile world has a very high price. Our health and longevity are marred by thousands of untested toxic chemicals that we spray on countertops and wipe on all surfaces.

Many household cleaners contain chemicals that are highly regulated as toxic waste in their disposal, but allowed on your countertop. Some actually warn you to wipe with potable water after cleaning. This isn’t clean, this is deadly.

One popular kitchen cleaner contains 2-Butoxyethanol, which according to the MSDS is a poison that is harmful if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed by the skin. It affects the central nervous system, blood and blood forming organs, liver and kidneys. Lab protection equipment includes goggles with a shield, lab coat and apron, vent hood and gloves and a Class B fire extinguisher. This is a cleaner you spray on your countertop in the kitchen!

Have you ever used one of these cleansers on the kitchen counter, thinking it was clean, dropped a slice of apple on the counter and then put that very apple in the mouth of your child?

Does your child suffer from asthma? Notice if their symptoms are worse on cleaning day. Do you suffer from chronic headaches? See if there is a correlation to using cleansers, perfumes or air fresheners in your home and onset of headaches.

How does this happen? That, my friend, is the dirty little secret.

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Get more information on toxic chemicals in your home from the “Poison in the Pantry” series, “Secrets Under the Sink”. Available on Kindle or order direct from www.poisoninthepantry.com

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A NOTE FROM ESSENTIAL OXYGEN

If you’re looking for an effective and non-toxic way to clean your home, try our 3% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide. It’s the cleanest way to clean… everything! It has no heavy metal stabilizers like the non-food-grade hydrogen peroxide variety, so it is safe to use on baby toys, kitchen counters, bathrooms, and almost anything else.

Learn more about our multi-purpose Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide here. Don’t put yourself or your family in danger of toxic chemical exposure, clean the eco-friendly way with clear conscious!

Oral Health and Overall Health: The Mouth – Body Connection

April 19, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

Every day more medical researchers publish reports indicating a strong connection between our oral health and our body, linking periodontal disease and internal disease.

Add 6.4 Years to Your Life

Keeping your teeth and gums healthy can add 6.4 years to your life, according to Dr Michael Roizen, Cleveland Internist and author of the award-winning books RealAge and You: Staying Young. Roizen suggests that, “Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the gums and that bacterium can travel into the bloodstream, putting a person’s health at risk.”

MOUTH-BODY BACTERIA TRANSFER

Many people believe that what happens in our mouth stays in our mouth. Our mouth is typically viewed as separate from the rest of our body. In truth, oral bacteria enter the body in a number of ways. Bad oral bacteria can be swallowed. Because the body has been in cleanse cycle all night and saliva hasn’t been circulating, the highest levels of oral bacteria are ingested when we take our first swig of water in the morning.

Because it is lined with mucus membranes and has a high concentration of capillaries near the surface, the mouth is one of the body’s most absorbent organs. According to Journal of Periodontology, “The mouth can be a major source of chronic or permanent release of toxic bacterial components in the bloodstream during normal oral functions.” This phenomenon is exacerbated when oral plaque hardens to tartar and rubs against our gums. Our thinned gums allow bad oral bacteria to enter our veins and arteries more easily. The presence of oral bacteria in our circulatory system can trigger the immune response of inflammation. The swelling caused by inflammation restricts our cardiovascular flow and promotes aging and disease.

This is one of the many ways that current research is connecting bad oral bacteria with a variety of health issues including heart disease, strokes, diabetes, respiratory problems, pregnancy complications, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and even memory loss. “Physicians are taking a more holistic approach to their patients’ overall health,” says Sally Cram, DDS, PC, consumer adviser for the American Dental Association. A recent study found that sufferers of advanced periodontal disease were 40% more likely to have a chronic condition as well.

PERIODONTAL DISEASE EPIDEMIC

Findings from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that, “One out of every two American adults aged 30 and over has periodontal disease. The study estimates that 47.2 percent of the US population or 64.7 million adults have mild, moderate or severe periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. In adults 65 and older, prevalence rates increase to 70.1 percent.” Mind you, these statistics don’t reflect the population who has gingivitis. Co-author Robert Genco, DDS, PhD, Distinguished Professor at The State University of New York at Buffalo and Past President of the American Association for Dental Research and the International Association for Dental Research, believes these findings elevate periodontal disease as a public health concern. “We now know that periodontal disease is one of the most prevalent non-communicable chronic diseases in our population,” says Genco.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE

The good news about this relatively new found connection between our mouth and our body is that we may be a lot more in control of our health than we previously thought. While genetics and other environmental factors may also play a role in the development of these diseases, oral hygiene is something we can control. The ADA says, “Given the potential link between periodontitis and systemic health problems, prevention may be an important step in maintaining overall health.”

Eat well: consume lots of veggies and avoid sugars and simple carbohydrates that feed oral bacteria.
Floss and use brush picks to remove debris and plaque between teeth.
Brush 2-3x / day and swish after meals with Essential Oxygen Organic Brushing Rinse.
Swish and brush first thing to get a rid of excess morning bacteria before swallowing, eating or drinking.

One thing is clear: the body and mouth are intricately entwined. “Your body can affect your mouth and likewise, your mouth can affect your body,” says Dr. Pamela McClain, DDS, and president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “Taking good care of your teeth and gums can really help you live well longer,” McClain adds. Proper dental care won’t just save your smile; it may save your life!

Not All Aloe Vera is Created Equal

April 10, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

While aloe is a wonderful ingredient with healing properties that work on arthritis, acne, liver toxicity, burns, psoriasis, high cholesterol and much more, folks should be weary of the quality of aloe they’re using. Aloe can become a negative ingredient when it is not processed in a toxic-free way, or if it is compromised by hidden preservatives.

The irksome issue is that companies are typically not required to list the secondary ingredients, so “aloe” in an ingredient list should be approached with caution. Only the inner filet, or gel of the aloe plant is known to generate rapid healthy cell growth and deliver over 200 vital nutrients directly into cells. Processing any other part of the plant, or adding preservatives like sodium benzoate, sodium sulfite, potassium sorbate and citric acid can compromise the effectiveness and cleanliness of the aloe.

Essential Oxygen uses highly effective and clean therapeutic grade aloe vera pure inner filet with no additional ingredients, and it is certified organic. We always strive for transparency in all we do, especially regarding our ingredients, so if you want to know more about our ingredients than what we have room to list on our bottles – check them out here: https://essentialoxygen.com/products/ingredients/.

Stay Healthy Friends!

Essential Oxygen

INFOGRAPHIC How Ocean Pollution Affects Humans

April 6, 2016 By Essential Oxygen

By Andrew Dilevics of Dive In

The ocean is the most magnificent, abundant and diverse ecosystem on the planet. It spans across 72% of the world’s surface and accounts for 70% of the oxygen we breathe and over 97% of the planet’s water supply. Without the ocean, life on earth would not exist.

However, everyday the oceans are coming under attack from manmade and natural pollution. One of the largest factors of pollution is plastic. We are literally drowning in an ocean of plastic. Plastic makes up a huge part of our lives, nearly everything we purchase is either wrapped, made of or has components that are plastic. What happens with this plastic once we are done with it? It usually ends up in the ocean. Did you know that over 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into the ocean every year? Plastic has a devastating impact on marine life and their habitats.

Making a change to our daily lifestyles and consumer habits can have a great affect on our oceans and the environment. Spending a ludicrous amount of money on cleaning products does not only affect our bank balance, it is also extremely damaging to our environment, if the plastic bottles are not recycled properly.

However, Essential Oxygen is changing the way we clean by creating a BPA-free 32 oz. bottle of Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide meant to reduce plastic waste and toxic chemical use. Unlike other ‘brown bottle’ hydrogen peroxide retailers, Essential Oxygen prides themselves on creating Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide that contains no toxic heavy metal stabilizers. This makes it the perfect item to replace all of the plastic bottles of other cleaning chemicals you have, and only ever need to buy one, big, eco-economical product for all your cleaning needs. The 32 oz. size is designed to refill your smaller container(s), reducing your environmental impact and reducing plastic waste.

If you would like to learn more about ocean pollution and how it affects marine life and mankind, then take a look at the incredible infographic below, created by the team at Dive In – visit their site to learn more.