What You Need To Know About Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense holds a special place in the world of natural medicine. It has been prized for hundreds of years, being a part of both spiritual and therapeutic practices for nearly every major ancient culture on the world. Even at present, scientists around the world are investigating the myriad of health benefits of Frankincense, ranging from pain relief and swelling reduction, to immune system stimulation and cancer killing activity.
The term Frankincense refers to the resin from any one of four trees or shrubs of the Boswellia genus. The most typical are Boswellia carteri and Boswellia seratta. The carteri species is considered by some to produce the highest grade raw materials; the essential oil has lovely, unexpected citrus notes and is very uplifting. The seratta produces an oil with a deeper, richer aroma, considered the finest of the scents by some aromatherapy specialists, and lending itself to meditative and spiritual practices.
The essential oils are actually distilled from the dried drops of resin, also known as "tears". Modern technology is producing another pure essential oil than was available just a few years ago. Now the aromatherapy shopper will find an almost dizzying array of Frankincense kinds at well-stocked on-line merchants. Distillation processes are now producing what are often known as "CO2's", in addition to the more common steam distillates. The CO2 extracted oils are considered by leading medical aromatherapists to have essential medicinal qualities.
The very wide range of therapeutic applications is one of the most appealing features of Frankincense essential oil. First of all, it is highly revered for its use in skincare, especially for mature skin that may be prematurely getting old due to sun exposure. Extracts of the resin have even been the subject of double-blind research, where 1/2 of each participant's face received the preparation with the "active ingredient". The end result was a significant improvement in skin texture, as well as a reduction in the appearance of fine lines. To benefit from the oil this way, you could add four to twelve drops per ounce to a cream or lotion you're already using, or to any skin care formulation you're preparing.
Resin extracts are finding their way into many pain relieving creams too, often with the labels indicating the tree genus "Boswellia" on the label. Boswellic acids have potent anti-inflammatory and painkilling effects, specifically by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. Including a CO2-distilled oil in massage formulas for relief of joint pain is a wonderful idea.
Perhaps the most amazing therapeutic potential of Frankincense lay in its now extensively studied anti-cancer activity. The resin and its extracts have been shown to specifically target cancer cells in a lot of totally different organs, causing normal cell death (which doesn't "normally" happen in cancer, leaving healthy ones unaffected.
The traditional "aromatherapy" uses of the essential oil to focus on its antidepressant and grounding nature. Salvatore Battaglia in "The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy" notes that it actually "has the ability to deepen the breath -- that is, to slow down the rate of inhaling and exhaling, and increase the amplitude of breathing. This is a perfect choice for someone with an asthmatic condition associated with nervousness".
As you can see, Frankincense has an exceptionally worthy diverse collection of therapeutic activity -- so much so that the addition to your collection of oils is extremely worth considering. Whether for skin care, pain relief, improved immune system function, cancer prevention, or mood and emotional support, using this incredible medicine revered all through history is a brilliant choice for the natural health enthusiast.
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