Many of the essential oils we use today can actually be considered ancient. Take frankincense essential oil, for instance. This aromatic substance has been around for over 5,000 years and has been used mainly for its medicinal benefits. Many centuries later, frankincense essential oil is still one of the most sought after ingredients used for cosmetics and aromatherapy.
What Is Frankincense Essential Oil?
Frankincense essential oil, also referred to as olibanum, is derived from the resin of Boswellia, a moderate-sized dioecious flowering plant that’s native to both Asia and Africa. It is produced through steam distillation, a special type of separation process that uses a current of steam to purify liquid. Frankincense is traditionally used as incense and has a very significant meaning in the Christian religion, being one of the gifts of the magi to the child Jesus. Due to its balsamic fragrance, it was also used to fumigate and cleanse clothes in Dhofar. Not only that, its charcoaled remains were also ground into powder and mixed with oils, waxes, and other ingredients to create Kohl eyeliner that was believed to be protect and improve the vision of Egyptian women. Today, frankincense is steam distilled to produce frankincense essential oil that’s very popular for its many practical uses and numerous health benefits.
Common Uses
Oil derived from frankincense has long been used in religious ceremonies, particularly as anointing oil. Today, this essential oil is mostly used in aromatherapy where it is diffused using a vaporizer or directly inhaled. Those who practice aromatherapy find frankincense essential oil to be very relaxing when inhaled, and can promote feelings of peace and satisfaction, as well as relieve stress, anxiety, and anger.
In some households, frankincense oil is used as natural cleaner due to its antiseptic properties. It is used as a deodorizer to eliminate bad odor caused by bacteria, as well as get rid of viruses indoors. Via an essential oil diffuser, it is also utilized to reduce pollution from inside the home. Not only that, frankincense oil is used as ingredient for various hygiene products, too. It can be mixed with baking soda to create homemade toothpaste that can help treat dental problems including oral infections, bad breath, and tooth decay. Due to its healing properties, frankincense oil can also be found in many cosmetic products nowadays, mainly as an agent to promote cell regeneration and to fight signs of skin aging.
10 Health Benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil
Perhaps what makes frankincense essential oil very popular in our generation today and even in the past are its numerous health benefits. We’ve listed here the top 10 benefits you can enjoy by using this remarkable ancient medicine.
Helps Avert Illnesses
Studies show that frankincense has antiseptic properties that may help eliminate bacteria and viruses that often cause common illnesses that affect today’s society. It can help prevent infections from occurring by strengthening the body’s immune system. A report published by Phytotherapy Research shows that when mice were given 1 to 10 mg of Indian frankincense, their immune systems were boosted and several levels including cytokines, immunoglobulin, and t-cell interactions were stimulated. Two ways frankincense can boost the immune system is by multiplying the growth of white blood cells and fighting inflammation.
Acts As A Natural Painkiller
Frankincense is also an effective natural painkiller. A placebo-controlled study done among 70 osteoarthritis patients proves this. In the study, the patients were given 5-LOXIN Boswellia for 90 days. As early as seven days, pain reduction was observed among the patients. This was not the only study done to test the painkilling effects of frankincense. In a similar study, 30 patients who also had osteoarthritis in the knees were given 100 mg of Aflapin® Boswellia extract. After only 5 days, researchers already noticed a significant improvement in pain.
Promotes Uterine Health
Frankincense is excellent for uterine health. It helps regulate the production of estrogen and reduces the chances of cyst formation, as well as menopause tutor growth, in the uterus. It also helps regulate menstrual cycles in women, thus, keeping the uterus healthy. Moreover, it helps treat and regulate gynecologic issues that have the potential to result to more serious dysfunctions in some women.
Prevents Premature Teeth Loss
Since frankincense is a natural astringent, it has the ability to prevent dental issues that usually lead to the untimely loss of teeth. It’s a great addition to your oral hygiene routine as it also helps strengthen the gums while fighting bad breath at the same time.
Serves As An Emenagogue
Another health benefit of frankincense essential oil is that it serves as a great emenagogue. It helps stimulate menstrual flow in women, as well as delay the onset of menopause. Not only that, but it also helps cure symptoms associated with PMS or Post Menstrual Syndrome, including mood swings, headache, fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Protects The Digestive System
If you always suffer from indigestion, gastrointestinal discomfort, and other health problems connected to the digestive system, you should consider frankincense essential oil. It can promote secretion of digestive juices and can stimulate peristaltic motion, encouraging efficient movement of food in the intestines. What’s interesting is that it works better than most antacids and without the negative side effects.
Encourages Fast Healing of Wounds
Frankincense is considered a vulnerary type of plant, which means it can be used in the healing of wounds. Due to its antiseptic qualities, it can actually help your wounds to heal faster while protecting them from further infection at the same time. Frankincense oil is not only good for healing external wounds, but also for healing internal wounds such as ulcers. The best news about this substance is that it doesn’t only heal your wounds, but also sees to it that the scar left by the wound is also taken care of. Yes, frankincense oil can help lessen the appearance of scars and dark spots.
Strengthens The Respiratory System
For people with respiratory health problems, frankincense essential oil may also be of use. Its anti-inflammatory properties help the breathing passages relax, reducing the dangers associated with asthma attacks. It can also provide relief from the congestion of the nasal tract, as well as of the lungs, larynx, and the pharynx.
Induces Feelings of Peace
Frankincense oil has sedative effects and can easily induce feelings of relaxation, satisfaction, and mental peace. Like most essential oils, it can also help lower feelings of stress, anger, and anxiety, and is very effective to use when you’re stressed or depressed. This is partly due to the fact that it can open the breathing passages as well as improve blood circulation. Some in the religious circle even believe that frankincense can help you become more introspective, increase your intuition, and heighten your spiritual senses.
May Help Treat Cancer
Perhaps the most groundbreaking discovery about frankincense essential oil is that it may have the potential to treat cancer, as well as the effects of chemotherapy. In 2013, a report published at the University of Leicester stated that frankincense could target cancer cells in ovarian cancer patients, and this due to due to AKBA, or acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid it contains. Moreover, the ability of this essential oil to work at a cellular level may make it effective against other types of cancer as well. What’s even more interesting is that frankincense does not only fight cancer cells, but also helps promote the health of non-cancerous cells around it at the same time!
BONUS:
Helps Invigorate The Body
Frankincense is considered a tonic, as it can benefit almost all of the systems of the human body. As mentioned, it can boost the immune system, protect the digestive system, strengthen the respiratory system, and even help prevent cancer. For this reason, frankincense essential oil is effective in invigorating the body. But, not only that, because it can also invigorate the mind and the soul, making it a very versatile essential oil.
Is Frankincense Essential Oil Safe For Human Use?
For many centuries, frankincense essential oil has been used by people for health improvement without any known side effects. However, just as it is with any other health substance, the key to using this essential oil is moderation, especially since in some very rare cases, it has been said to cause nausea, stomach pain, hyperacidity, and skin rashes. It’s also very important to talk to your family doctor to find out whether your medical history tells you that it’s not safe for you to use this substance at all.
Conclusion
One way you can tell the effectiveness of any substance used in promoting health is by checking its consistency. If there is one botanical substance that has remained consistent not just over the years, but over the centuries, it has got to be frankincense essential oil!
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