Essential Oil Case Study on Type Two Diabetes
Effects of Geranium, Cinnamon Leaf, Ylang Ylang and Rose Essential Oils on Type Two Diabetes
Today’s Date: June 5, 2020
Client Introduction and History:
The returning client is a 69-year-old male suffering from Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Anxiety, Asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). He is currently taking the following medications as prescribed by his doctors: Tamsulosin for prostate health, Paroxetine (Generic for Paxil) for depression, Montelukast Sodium (Generic for Singulair) for breathing problems, Metoprolol Tartrate (Generic for Lopressor) for high blood pressure, Metformin (Generic for Glucophage) for diabetes, Isosorbide Mononitrate (Generic for Immure Er) for chest pain, Fluticasone Propionate for allergies, Dapagliflozin Propanediaol (Farxiga) for diabetes, Mometasone/Formoterol (Dulera) for breathing problems, Clonazepam for anxiety, Atorvastatin Calcium (Generic for Lipitor) for high cholesterol, Olmesartan Medoxomil (Generic for Benicar) for high blood pressure, and Amlodipine Besylate (Generic for Norvasc) for high blood pressure. Frustrated with lack of progress with his lowering blood sugar with medication, he would like to attempt to lower it using essential oils. His skin is becoming paper thin due to age and medications for which he also has concerns.
The client has been utilizing several complementary methods in addition to traditional modalities which includes but is not limited to diet, supplements, exercise, chiropractic adjustments and massage. Several years ago, the client reduced his weight from 290 pounds to 230 pounds after which he was diagnosed with Type Two Diabetes. He recently used an essential oil blend to successfully reduce his use of Clonazepam from two or three times a day, down to once or twice weekly. The client decided he would like to continue using essential oils to try to address his blood sugar. His exercise program includes walking a minimum of 2-3 times a week, and using a home gym incorporating weights. He spends a great deal of time outdoors enjoying golf, landscaping and helping friends.
Essential Oils selected: Geranium, Cinnamon Leaf, Geranium and Rose
Botanical Name: Pelargonium graveolens L’Her syn. Pelargonium x asperum Ehrhart ex Willdenow; Cinnamomum xanthoneurum Blume; Cananga odorata (Lam.)Hook.f. & Thomson; Rosa x damascena Herrm
Details of Blend: A 3% dilution including x drops Geranium, x drops Cinnamon Leaf, x drops Ylang Ylang, x drops Rose combined in 1 ounce (30 ml) of carrier oil blend, consisting of Prunus armeniaca L. (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Prunus dulcis (Mill) D.A..Webb (Sweet Almond) Oil, and Corylus avellana. L. (Hazelnut) Seed Oil, with Tocopherol, from Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. The carrier blend was chosen for its light, non-greasy formulation, which hydrates, and is calming, and nourishing for the skin, reducing the aging process (Hargis, 2015) for which the client also has concerns.
Treatment:
The blend was placed in a rollerball to apply over the pancreas after each meal since the pancreas plays a large role in digestion and in regulating blood sugar (John Hopkins Medicine). Morning and night it was also applied to the reflexology points on the bottoms of the feet. A reflexology chart as outlined per Hargis (2015) was used to identify the points on the feet related to the pancreas. After applying the oil and rubbing it in with his hands, the client was also instructed to cup his hands over his nose and mouth and inhale deeply several times. Inhalation is one of the routes by which benefits are experienced with essential oils (Stiles, 2017)) and the client experienced a reduction of anxiety with inhalation in a previous study which, we desired to maintain. The client also agreed to monitor and record blood sugar and blood pressure levels each morning and evening and report changes to his doctor.
Rational:
A previous non-published study with this client entailed the use of the same essential oils with a different ratio of oils in the blend with the primary focus of addressing his anxiety and decreasing medications. A reduction of medications was experienced and anxiety was reduced. The client also measured blood pressure and blood sugar at intervals while using the first blend although it was a secondary concern at that point. After less than four weeks use, the client noticed that he felt calmer and his doctor noted that a time‐integrated marker of glycemic control, referred to as A1C (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018), came down almost one full point, dropping from 7.8 down to 6.9. The client’s doctor would like to see his A1C below 6.5.
Table A, shows the client’s blood sugar levels, morning and night, along with the weekly average, before using essential oils and prior to surgeries. Table B, records his blood sugar levels morning and night, and weekly average, using the essential oil blend for his anxiety, from a prior study. It had a positive effect on his blood sugar, lowering it, which was also noted by his doctor when using the time-integrated marker referred to as A1C. However, after the two minor surgeries, complications followed with the inability for the client to exercise for several weeks and the addition of additional short-term medications. The client did not recall the names of those medications and since he was no longer taking them, we proceeded with the blend and did not need to be concerned about contraindications. Blood sugar and blood pressure levels increased after the surgeries and the client asked to continue with aromatherapy to see if more progress could be made. The client loved the smell of the initial blend so much, that he requested that we stay with the same oils if possible. I made a blend, increasing the amount of Geranium and decreasing Ylang Ylang. The goal was to maintain the state of reduced anxiety while attempting to decrease his blood sugar. Increasing Geranium would increase the constituent’s citronellol and geraniol in the blend, hopefully bringing about the desired change, while maintaining enough of the sesquiterpenes and esters from the Ylang Ylang to maintain his lowered state of anxiety.
The most prominent essential oil in the blend is Geranium, which is in the Alcohol Chemical Family. Oils in the Alcohol family are regarded as good oils to use on the elderly with low risk for skin irritation (Hargis, 2015). Since the client is considered elderly and had concerns with regards to his thinning skin, he appreciated this aspect. Geranium also decreased blood serum glucose significantly when administered orally to rats (Boukhris et al. 2012). The study noted that Geranium may be helpful in the prevention of diabetic complications associated with oxidative stress, which contributes to the progression of diabetes for which the client also has concerns. It has also been noted that essential oils such as Geranium may help some diabetics when used in conjunction with massage therapy and through inhalation (Pandey et al. 2011). Since the client enjoys the smell of this blend, continuing the inhalation aspect was well received by the client.
Geranium, a monoterpene, has several key constituents, two of which are citronellol and geraniol (Hargis, 2015; Tisserand 2014). Various monoterpenes are surmised to be responsible for a number of properties including the ability to suppress inflammation associated with diabetes and lower lipid levels. Both were specifically mentioned in a study conducted with living organisms with positive results. These two constituents improved the insulin levels, showing a decrease in plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1C (Habtermariam, 2018).
Cinnamon Leaf belongs to the Phenol Chemical Family (Hargis, 2015). One of its key constituents is eugenol at 68.6-87% (Tisserand, 2014). Eugenol appears to have a dual mode of action with lowering blood glucose (Singh et al. 2016). It inhibits α-glucosidase activity (the breakdown of starch to simple sugars) and also inhibits the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE). High levels of AGE are harmful compounds linked to many diseases including diabetes. Eugenol’s ability to inhibit these two processes may make it useful for diabetic management (Brown, 2019). Eugenol was also asserted to possess cholesterol-lowering benefits in addition to its anti-diabetic effectiveness (Khalil et al. 2017), which is also a concern for my client.
Ylang Ylang has shown a wide variety of bioactivities including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic (Tan et al. 2015). It is also useful in treating depression, high blood pressure and anxiety, all of which are exhibited by the client. Ylang Ylang is comprised of monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing monoterpenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing sesquiterpenes, benzenoids, acetates, benzoates, and phenols (Tan, 2015; Tisserand, 2014). The benefits of such a profile per Hargis (2015) would include anti-inflammatory, antiallergenic, bactericidal, antiseptic, and calming. Phenol properties include bactericidal, antifungal, antiviral and ability to kill parasites. Parasitic infections could damage pancreatic cells and contribute to the onset of a diabetic condition (Moudgil et al. 2019). Since we have no idea if parasites are complicating or precipitated the client’s diabetic condition, this provided another potential benefit.
Rose essential oil is also listed as having anti-diabetic properties (Boskabady et al. 2010) as well as antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-depressant properties (Mahboubi, 2016). Citronellol and geraniol are the main constituents (Hargis, 2015; Tisserand, 2014) providing the benefits as previously mentioned above. Other benefits include being emotionally balancing, lower cholesterol, and are excellent for dry skin (Hargis, 2015). Considering the possible synergistic benefits it was included for additional support for the client.
Client Response To Treatment:
Table C records the client’s most recent set of blood sugar readings taken in the morning and at night with the new essential oil blend. You will notice that the averages are lower than the readings in Table A, which was prior to all essential oil use. His evening blood sugar readings are also lower in the morning, than those in Table B. Table B was prior to his surgeries. The clients’s evening readings are higher in Table C than those in Table B. The client indicated that his blood sugar levels were higher while hospitalized and while recovering. It was during this recovery time that he was unable to exercise and and he had been forgetting to take some of his medications as directed. He also failed to record his blood sugar on two evenings during this particular week.
Encouraged by the notable decrease in sugar readings, between Table A and Table C, the client will try to be better about remembering to take his medications, and continue with the essential oil blend. He has not been back to his doctor to see if his A1C has continued to drop to a level below 6.5 which would be ideal, according to his doctor. According to Mayo Clinic, a normal blood glucose level, two hours after drinking a glucose solution would be lower than 140 mg/dL. A blood glucose level between 140 and 100 mg/dL would be considered impaired glucose tolerance or pre-diabetes. A blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher may indicate diabetes.
The client has been extremely happy with the results of his new blend and continues to say that he hasn’t felt this good in 40 years. Over the years, he has incorporated exercise, healthy eating, weight loss, and supplements into his health management plan with the latest modality being essential oils. Being tickled with his results, his curiosity has been tickled with the possibility of incorporating more complimentary modalities such as flower essences and continuing his journey of wellness.
6 months after completing this case study, the client continued with the blend and his doctor took him off 3 more medications and said that his asthma no longer existed. The asthma was not even a condition we were attempting to influence. The body is most certainly a remarkable creation with the ability to heal itself.
References:
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