The Burn That Changed History Forever
Star Anise
Dear YL community,
Let me share a touching story with you that changed history and the nature of natural medicine forever.
In 1910 a French scholar and cosmetic chemist, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, burned his hand badly in an explosion while working in his lab one day. Knowing he had to cool the temperature, he plunged his hand into what he thought was a jug of water but was in fact pure lavender oil.
He analysed the oil to understand how it completely healed his third degree burn without a trace of a scar and gave his findings to his medical doctor in Paris, Dr Jean Valet, who ignored it until World War II when he was working with war victims who were losing their limbs to gangrene because the antibiotics weren't working. Dr Jean Valet, out of desperation and as a last resort, started using the lavender oil on the patients and in doing so saved every single patient.
While the use of essential oils can be dated back through ancient writings from as early as 4500BC, it was the successful use of lavender oil by Dr Jean Valet on WW2 war victims that ignited the renaissance of aromatherapy as it's called today. Scientific research then started in 1967. Since then essential oils have gained mainstream popularity in recent times and their demand has exploded in the last 3 years as more and more people are becoming frustrated with the conventional pharmaceutically funded health care model and are demanding natural, safer, options for their family.
I feel so blessed to have these powerful plant botanicals at my fingertips and feel comforted knowing that I have options that are safe, pure, powerful, and effective made by an company that is ethical and is a steward of the planet.
For future reference, you can find this information in the section called “History of essential oils” in the Essential Oils 101 guide found on the password protected Member Resources page of my website (P.S. if you don’t know the password to this page please email your wellness mentor / support person or email me to send it to you).
Love Soulla xx