The health benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties like anti septic, disinfectant, astringent, carminative, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, digestive, diuretic, emenagogue, expectorant, sedative, tonic, uterine and vulnerary.
Frankincense Oil is extracted from gum or resin of Frankincense or Olibanum tree, whose scientific name is Boswellia Carteri. Main components of this essential oil are Alpha Pinene, Actanol, Bornyl Acetate, Linalool, Octyl Acetate, Incensole and Incensyl Acetate. Frankincense has been a popular ingredient of cosmetics and incense burners since ages. Its instances have been found in the remains of ancient Egyptian and Anglo-Saxon civilizations. It is also associated with religious activities.
Apart from being used as a cosmetic and as a fragrance, it has numerous medicinal uses, which are summarized as under.
- Anti Septic & Disinfectant: Frankincense Oil is good as an anti septic. Even the fume or smoke obtained on its burning has anti septic and disinfectant qualities and eliminates the germs in the whole place affected with fume. It can be applied on wounds without any harm or side effect to protect them from tetanus and being septic. It is equally good on internal wounds and protects them from infections.
- Astringent: The astringent property of Frankincense Oil has many benefits. It strengthens gums, hair roots, tones and lifts skin, contracts muscles, intestines and blood vessels, thereby giving protection from untimely fall of tooth and hair, wrinkles, loss of firmness of intestines and muscles of abdominal area and limbs associated with age and above all, helps stop flow of blood from wounds and cuts. This astringent property also helps cure diarrhea of certain types.
- Carminative: Frankincense oil drives away gas and also prevents its formation. This removal of gases from intestines also gives relief from associated problems such as stomach ache, pain in the abdominal region and chest, abnormal sweating, uneasiness, indigestion and many such.
- Cicatrisant: This is an interesting property of Frankincense Oil. It makes the scars and after marks of boils, acne and pox etc. on the skin to fade away. This includes fading of stretch marks and surgery marks, fat cracks etc. associated with pregnancy and delivery.
- Cytophylactic: Being a Cytophylactic, Frankincense Oil promotes regeneration of healthy cells and also keeps the existing cells and tissues healthy.
- Digestive: Suffering from indigestion due to that turkey last night? A patient of chronic indigestion and acidity? Fed up of those antacids? Then you are the right person to try Frankincense Oil. I am sure you will benefit. This oil has digestive properties without any side effects. It facilitates digestion the way a medicine should, not like the common antacids which only suppress the symptoms. This oil speeds up secretion of digestive juices (gastric juices, bile and acids) in the stomach and facilitates movement of food stuff in the intestines by stimulating peristaltic motion, thereby aiding all round digestion of food. Its other properties, like being a carminative also helps in digestion.
- Diuretic: If you thought that Lasix and its variants were the only drugs that could help you lose water from the body through urination, you were wrong. They may be instant, but not at all safe. Here is a natural and safe alternative. Yes! The Frankincense Essential Oil. It promotes urination and helps you lose some extra water, fats, sodium, uric acid and some other toxins from the body, with the added advantage of lowering blood pressure. The best part about this is that this oil is totally safe and has no adverse side effects.
- Emenagogue: Opens up obstructed and delayed menstruation and delays menopause. It also helps curing other symptoms associated with menses and Post Menstrual Syndrome, such as pain in the abdominal region, nausea, headache, fatigue etc.
- Expectorant: Drives away cough and phlegm deposited in the respiratory tracts and lungs. Also gives relief in bronchitis and congestion of nasal tract, larynx and pharynx, bronchi and lungs. It also gives relief from body pain, headache, toothache and rise in body temperature associated with cold.
- Sedative: Frankincense Oil is very effective as a sedative. It induces a feeling of mental peace, relaxation, satisfaction and spirituality. It also awakens insight, makes you introvert and ends anxiety, anger and stress.
- Tonic: Frankincense Oil tones and boosts health and therefore is a tonic. It tones up all the systems operating in the body, including respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system and excretory system and also gives strength by aiding absorption of nutrients in the body. It strengthens immune system too and keeps you strong and safe for long.
- Uterine: This oil is very good for uterine health. Since it regulates production of estrogen hormone, it reduces the chances of post-menopause tumor or cyst formation in the uterus, also known as uterine cancer. In pre-menopause period too, it keeps uterus healthy by maintaining proper menstrual cycles.
- Vulnerary: Just apply a diluted solution of this oil on wounds, or use it blended with a skin cream, and get your wounds heal faster and protected from infections. This oil is equally beneficial in healing internal wounds, cuts and ulcers.
- Other Benefits: It keeps skin healthy and young, relieves pain associated with rheumatism, arthritis etc. It helps heal boils, rotten wounds, acne, circulatory problems, insomnia and inflammation.
Few Words of Caution: No known adverse side effects at all. Still, should not be used during pregnancy, being an emenagogue and astringent.
Blending: Frankincense Oil blends well with Lime, Lemon, Orange and other Citrus oils as well as Benzoin, Bergamot, Lavender, Myrrh, Pine and Sandalwood oil.
This article was contributed by Aparup Mukherjee
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