Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:30 pm
I'll try to piece together a more cohesive answer than this a bit later, but in a nutshell, SleepGuy's explanation just about nails it.SleepGuy wrote: perhaps dr bandage or others could chime in here
I've spoken to a few myself, including an ENT and a pulmonologist. At any rate, I've yet to meet a medical professional who has expressed any concern at all. I suspect most would share this opinion, but I haven't actually asked most, so who knows. Docs don't agree 100% on anything, as we all are aware, but on some things you certainly can get a consensus. I think this would likely be one of those things, from the things I know about the medical mind, and the reactions that I've seen thus far.SleepGuy wrote: Several have posted on this thread that they have presented this idea to their doctors, including a lung doctor, and none of them expressed safety concerns with it.
It doesn't "prove" anything of course, but we can say is that the amounts ingested are not on a grand scale, even if used eight hours every day. Yes, that name (oil) is a bit unfortunate, as it may (and has) mislead some who may not appreciate what is happening on the molecular level.
An oil "essentially" can be any of numerous mineral, animal, vegetable, and synthetic substances that are generally slippery, combustible, viscous, liquid at room temperature, soluble in various organic solvents (such as ether), but not in water. Oil and water don't mix, literally. Oil is referred to as hydrophobic, because it separates from water. SG's potion meets some criteria for being called an oil, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Many substances that the body needs fit that same criteria.
Now, where did I put my Cod Liver oil?
All liquids evaportate. Airborne molecules (including H20) are simply wayward formerly liquid borne molecules that have flown the coop. And, the fact that molecules in a liquid can actually fly the coop is a good thing. (Consider why we have that liquid water sitting in direct contact with the air in the humidifier reservoir.) The way that happens is that (at differing rates, depending on the liquid and the temperature), the molecules in the liquid are always in motion, and some get going so darn fast that they actually launch themselves free of their liquid neighbors and take a quick spin into the gas that is their neighbor, i.e. the atmosphere. Most will never return to their liquid buddies , as they just get carried off into the great wide beyond, floating away as airborne molecules, like Dorothy and Toto leaving Kansas, bound for Oz.
Fast forward to the inhalation stage.
Bottom line is that we are inhaling air all day long with all sorts of nasty airborne molecules in it, as well as chunkier stuff like pollens and pollutants. Most airborne molecules are absorbed by tissue in the nasal cavity, pharynx, and trachea long before they even get to the lungs.
And if they do make it to the lungs, they get absorbed there, or rolled up by cilia and stuck into mucus. That in turn is "moved" out of the lungs and leaves the body as mucus (a.k.a. snot), either through spitting it out or swallowing it and pooping it out. Yuck. Gross.
The nose allows you to make scents of what's going on in the world around you.
Up on the roof of the nasal cavity is the olfactory epithelium. The olfactory epithelium contains special receptors that are sensitive to odor molecules that travel through the air. There are literally millions of these receptors in your nasal passages, and there are literally thousands of different types of odor receptors, each with the ability to sense certain odor molecules. An odor molecule potentially can stimulate several different kinds of receptors. The brain then interprets the unique combination of receptors to recognize any one of about 10,000 different smells. (often less in husbands and boyfriends . . . )
When the smell receptors are stimulated, signals travel along the olfactory nerve to the olfactory bulb in the brain, just above the nasal cavity. Signals then are "scent" from the olfactory bulb to other parts of the brain to be interpreted as a smell you may recognize on a conscious level, and then you decide what you want to do about that odor, e.g. seek the source, flee, or tolerate it. Additionally, the brain may recognize these molecules on a subconsious level, in which case the brain makes up it's own mind (if you know what I mean) about what it wants to do about the stimulation.
It's important to recognize that he lungs are not a closed system (e.g bottle with a cap on it) where the airborne molecules are able to return to their original liquid form. So, no fear that they may somehow "coat" the tissue. Chunky stuff, (e.g. asbestos) though, is far bigger than a molecule, and may get stuck in the lung tissue as we all know. Not good.
The body, however, absorbs airborne molecules all the live long day, and for the most part it processes them and discards them back into the blood which then is filtered by the kidneys, which in turn produces urine, and out they go. Or, they may be snatched out of the blood stream as the blood courses through the liver, our own version of a filter. The liver sends the stuff out, too.
Anyway, SleepGuy's contraption requires that we pour the liquid from the bottle, and then let it reside on the little cotton thingy. Eventually, these molecules do get airborne, and fortunately we can smell them. (SG, please consider chocolate chip cookie essence. Obviously, there is some combo of molecules that fits the bill, as I've had that particular molecular structure grace my olfactory epithelium.) Ultimately, over time, all of the molecules are going to get launched, and as that is happening, the smell eventually fades away. Time to reload. Then shampoo, rinse, repeat.
SleepGuy gets my good housekeeping seal of approval for something that certainly appears to be perfectly safe when used as described, and seems to very helpful for lots of people, if the feedback on this message board is any barometer.
Of course, some would be loathe to inhale anything other than fresh, pure air if given the choice. But then, you gotta live a little on the edge sometimes to really enjoy life. As Dirty Harry pointed out, "you gotta ask yourself, punk: do you feel lucky?"
And as far as potential toxicity, it does not concern me in the least. But, then I'm just the kinda guy that sleeps in a bed, despite the known risk of falling out and onto the floor. Of course, it's only me, and dissenters may surface.
But ignore them.
drB
