subject: Practical Aromatherapy: Using The Amazing Benefits Of Frankincense [print this page] Practical Aromatherapy: Using The Amazing Benefits Of Frankincense
Deeply revered for many thousands of years, Frankincense has perhaps the greatest association with spiritual practice of any natural plant material on earth. In many great ancient cultures, including the Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Hebrew, Greek and Roman civilizations, it has played a role in religious and domestic life. Frankincense resin has been sought after by kings, valued as highly as gold, and offered as a gift at the birth of one of history's most revered prophets. More recently, the essential oil is gaining popularity with spiritual seekers and natural healers alike - what's so unique about the rich smelling resin and it's essential oil, and how might we use it for our own benefit? "Frankincense" refers to the dried resin of the Olibanum tree or shrub. A great many varieties of the essential oil are available, from 3 different species and two distillation technologies. The resin is typically collected in the wild -- no need to worry about finding a "certified organic source, as wild-crafting produces the purest, cleanest of all natural medicines. The most popular botanical variety is Boswellia carteri, the species also with the greatest amount of scientific research backing its medicinal use. The aroma is lovely, with fruity and woody notes combining to make a very uplifting scent. Boswellia seratta from India produces an oil with a deep and mysterious scent, treasured for its great aroma-therapeutic value. The essential oil is distilled from these dried drops of resin, which are also known as "tears" or "pearls". Modern technology is producing a different essential oil than was available only a few years ago. Now the aromatherapy shopper will find an almost dizzying array of Frankincense varieties at well-stocked online merchants. Distillation processes are know producing what are known as "CO2's", in addition to the more common steam distillates. The CO2 extracted oils are considered by leading medical aromatherapists to have important medicinal qualities. The extraction process results in some larger molecules making the transition from resin to oil than are normally found in the essential oil, and these larger molecules are highly-valued for their therapeutic effects. The very wide range of therapeutic applications is one of the most appealing features of Frankincense. First off, it is highly revered for its use in skin care, particularly for mature skin that may be prematurely aging due so sun exposure. The desert-source of the plant material makes this use almost obvious. Extracts of the resin have even been the subject of double-blind studies, where one have of each participant's face received the preparation with the "active ingredient". The result was a significant improvement in skin texture (a measurable decrease in roughness), as well as a reduction in the appearance of fine lines. To benefit from the oil this way, you could add 4 to 12 drops per ounce to a cream or lotion you're already using, or if making up a new formula, use the essential oil at a concentration between .5% and 2%. Boswellic-acid creams are becoming popular in over-the-counter topical pain relieving formulas. These are simple extracts of Frankincense resin, which are available to you in the form of the CO2 distillations. The extracts are highly anti-inflammatory and analgesic, and can be excellent ingredients in massage formulas for any sort of joint pain. The oil will blend in a synergistic manner with other pain relieving and anti-inflammatory essential oils such as Helichrysum, Ginger, Black Pepper and Marjoram. Simply mixing all these oils together, using a 1 to 2 percent concentration of each in any carrier oil, will make a fine arthritis care recipe. Perhaps the most impressive therapeutic potential of Frankincense lay in its now extensively researched anti-cancer activity. The resin and its extracts have been shown to specifically target cancer cells in a number of different organs, causing apoptosis (normal cell death, which doesn't "normally" occur in cancer cells) to the cancerous cells, leaving healthy ones unaffected. While treatment protocols are still a ways off, it is possible to include daily doses of Frankincense as a protective measure. The essential oil is rapidly absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream -- small doses can also reasonably be ingested with the guide of a natural health professional. Not to be overlooked, the aroma-therapy aspect of the essential oil is just as impressive as the rest of its uses. The aroma of the carteri species has uplifting citrus and woody notes, and is considered an excellent antidepressant. That of the seratta is grounding and calming, lending itself to meditative use and deep introspection. Leading therapists have discussed the ability of the aroma to slow the breath, actually deepening it so that more air transpires, and fewer breaths per minute are taken. This has interesting implications, noting that some physicians believe the human lifespan can be counted in the number of breaths taken, rather than the number of heartbeats. Either way, the stress-relieving effect of the oil is almost certain to lead one to better health! With the incredible history Frankincense has as a natural healer, we are especially fortunate at this time to have it readily available to us in many forms. The new CO2 extracts make it especially easy to utilize for every one of is therapeutic actions. This form is a wonderful way to add a little of this highly revered medicine to your life, to the potential benefit of your mind, body and soul.
