Rebel Science

Bloggity blog blog. Are you still reading or it just me, here writing? Good to see you dear reader. You are a waning audience made up of those who still observe. Are you listening? Because no one else is. Or are they? There must be a reason anemic bookstores and 3+ paragraph blogs still exist. Is it you? Are you one who dares venture 4 sentences to deepen what pools of raw knowledge there still exist. Hello, is it me you’re looking for?

I have been teaching biology for the better part of a decade. I am, ahem, conventionally educated and hold degrees in history, with a minor in political science, and a master’s degree in science education. For me, I used that precious lab and library time to quietly test limits of belief and challenge truth, albeit, mostly in my own mind. The goal of science after all, is to hold truth to the fire. The unburnt prevails. I drink (coffee) and I know stuff. (moving on from obligatory Game of Thrones references). But seriously folks….my point is that I have some legit academic cred and tried and true DIY experience which means I adhere to good old science when it comes to the big things like germ theory, evolution, general relativity etc. but there is some age old wisdom being deep sixed by “the man” for all the reasons you can imagine and more (Another whole blog will be devoted to this debacle). Before there was a pharmaceutical-government complex, there was nature and it has some tested, solid healing properties. Evidence based solutions always turn me on and empirical facts just titillate the noodle but it’s more.

During a particularly eventful year in my early 20’s, my Dad said to me, “Jill, you know what your problem is? You’re always looking for the eff you.” Yea, I do have a rebel heart. I mean, first world style rebel. I’m not staging coups but I do love a good buck the system scenario. The freedom/independence themes always give me the feels so DIY anything appeals. But I couldn’t justify abandoning conventional products just to make a statement. First of all, no one cares what I use. Second, as a Mom of 4 and a public educator, I am responsible for a whole lot of wellness. Enter the research.

The ancient smarties got some of their ethics and science wrong but despite geocentric universe talk, flat earth claims, and slanted gladiator fights fixed by Roger Goodell, there are some hard facts they had spot on. One being that science and natural remedies are not diametrically opposed; they do exist harmoniously. French chemists are given the credit for discovering the antibacterial properties of essential oils in 1887, when chemist Rene-Maurice Gattass successfully treated his laboratory burn with lavender oil. During World War II, Dr. Jean Valnet used essential oils to treat battle wound. Ancient Chinese Buddhist, Greek, and roman ‘skooled’ men are proven to have used “aromatic plants” to promote the big 3 H’s of health, healing, and hygiene. Clinical studies in Europe, Australia, Japan, India, China, Canada and the USA specifically have shown that essential oils work when healing infections, pain, anxiety, depression, hormone imbalance, cancer, and many more shitty ailments.

Personally, I wanted to ease the suffering of my son who was scratching his eczema until he bled. None of the marketed lotions helped at all so I read, experimented, failed, had wine, tried again. My solution evolved into what is now sold as ‘Body Buttah’ and it is our most popular product to date. When I started ms.fresh, my goals were to create and educate people but not be an obnoxious a-hole about it. I don’t live in an organic bubble but making changes that I know make my family healthier right away. I could ramble on but, it may be that no one but me and my editor (ok, that’s me too) are the only ones reading this. If there is anything you’d like to know more about or products you’d like to see us develop please message me, comment, post, text, send a raven, etc. I am listening!