Essential Oils – Celiac-Friendly Natural Resource

Afke ZonderlandResident Raw Foodie,’ Afke Zonderland shares how easy it is to live a whole-food philosophy and make the healthiest choices for yourself and your family. Her strategies and recipes are sure to provide you with plenty of food for thought! A shining star within the gluten-free and health conscious community in British Columbia and beyond, Afke is a Raw Food Chef and Co-Founder of Okanagan Rawsome.


Okanagan Rawsome Tasting

Okanagan Rawsome Tasting in Salmon Arm, British Columbia

I often write my column on Sunday and I committed to write about the first topic that showed up in my mailbox.  I had just arrived home from a lovely afternoon at Askews Uptown store. Askews was celebrating “Customer Appreciation Day” and I enjoyed being part of the fun with tastings and also to say thank you to our Okanagan Rawsome customers.


Essential Oils Okanagan Rawsome

Click to read ‘Essential Oils’ on www.OkanaganRawsome.com

Essential Oils

Essential oils are derived from volatile aromatic components found in plants. They can be distilled or extracted from the flower, bark, seed, leaves, or roots of plants or from the whole plant. They may also be derived from trees such as spruce. Canadian essential oil crops include dill, caraway, coriander, spearmint, peppermint, hyssop, bergamot, sage, tarragon, and basil. I had no idea that Canada is actually producing essential oils.

essential oils okanaga rawsomeMost of us place essential oils in India, Kazakhstan and Egypt. Clever Queen Cleopatra, bathed in milk and honey and caught the Italian Anthony in her fragrant web of essential oils (most of them aphrodisiacs.) Helen of Troy also described as one the most beautiful women of her time looked at essential oils to ward off “evil humours” and promptly started a war. Queen Victoria protected herself from disease with the wearing of scented gloves or to diffuse the offensive smell of unwashed bodies around her!

I have been meaning to learn more and write about the many benefits of essential oils since Christmas when I wrote my column on Frankincense and Myrrh. The heading; “Science is sweet on Lemon Oil to protect against certain types of cancer,”popped up on my desktop, so here we go.  I wanted to tell how a combination of these two wonderful oils had shrunk and healed a rather goofy bump above my right eyebrow, that simply did not heal and got worse instead. Of course this goofy bump could have been a completely innocent cyst, and I have no scientific proof that my essential oil applications did the trick.

I do believe that much will always be true without scientific proof, and much that has been proven true ends up being untrue after a few years or decades. It is not my intention to advocate essential oils as the cure all, and you should always have lumps and bumps and skin issues that do not heal over time checked by your doctor. What I have learned so far is that essential oils deserve to be in our medicine cabinet and be part of our cleaning materials as well as day to day self care essentials.

Lemon oil has long been recognized as a remedy for cold and respiratory symptoms due to its high Vitamin C and anti-oxidant content. More recently Lemon oil has been identified as possessing a wealth of nutrients that work together to target cancer cells, cervical cancer specifically. Cancer patients, so this article states have found relief from pain, anxiety and nausea by using lemon and other essential oils. There is not a rigorous amount of modern academic research on the efficacy of essential oils.

A common theme that does run through the available knowledge is that essential oils have a very small molecular structure and are therefore easily absorbed. Each oil has a unique chemical composition of active ingredients that are listed as anti-bacterial, anti fungal, anti-viral, antiseptic, immune stimulants, liver cleansing, and calming. I enjoyed reading the blogs from a self confessed “skeptic on essential oils” on the website www.intoxicatedonlife.com One thing is certain. Most Essential oils smell intoxicating, are good for something that ails you or work as a pro-active defense team. The trick is to find the right combination.


Orange sabayonOrange Sabayon – Uncooked and Yolk-less*

  • 3 cups soaked cashews
  • 2 cups freshly squeezed oranges, include pulp
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla
  • 6 drops of essential oil of orange
  • ¼ tsp himalayan salt
  • 3/4 cup melted coconut oil.

Rinse the soaked cashews thoroughly. Blend all the ingredients for the sabayon except the coconut butter. Add coconut butter last and blend well. Immediately pour mixture into martini glasses for a delicate dessert or layered in a sorbet glass with fresh berries. The sabayon will thicken as the coconut oil cools. This spread is awesome on our Flax Crisps!

*What is Sabayon


Also by Afke:

• Looking for Natural Relief from Allergies?
• Confused about Omegas?
• The Skinny on Fat
• Planting Gluten-Free Seeds for Your New Year’s Resolutions
• Almond Milk – Is it Everything It’s Cracked Up to Be?
• Is Kombucha Making a Comeback?
• View Afke’s Recipe Page


Afke Zonderland and Co-Founder/daughter Anna, have turned Okanagan apples and carrots into a made-in-BC success story.  They’ve mastered mixing what farmer’s grow in the Interior with carefully sourced spices and sprouted seeds, nuts and fruit. The tincture of time + low temperature results in convenient, portable power-packed crisps in four flavors! Great gluten-free fuel for the health conscious, celiacs and athletes alike! Watch the video!

Okanagan Rawsome

Choose from sweet, savory and even spicy crisps!

Purchase Okanagan Rawsome in Victoria and across Vancouver Island.

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Okanagan Rawsome is a proud Sponsor of the Canadian Celiac Association’s Classes for the Newly Diagnosed.

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