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The health benefits of Palma Rosa Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties like anti septic, anti viral, bactericide, cytophylactic, digestive, febrifuge and hydrating.
Palma Rosa is a grass whose botanical name is Cymbopogon Martini. It has two varieties (also called chemotypes), namely, Motia & Sofia, which differ slightly in their aroma. Different producers give preference to different chemotypes as per the demand of the market. Extraction of essential oil is done by steam distillation of dried grass which is harvested before flowering. The chief constituents of this oil are geraniol, geranyl acetate, dipentene, linalool, limonene and myrcene. This oil smells like Rose Oil and hence got its name Palma Rosa. This is why it is sometimes used in place of Rose Oil and many a times adulterated with Rose Oil, being cheaper.
This oil is widely used as a flavouring agent in the food & beverages, soap, perfume, oil and cosmetics industries. It also has many medicinal uses which we shall see now.
- Anti Septic: We are very much familiar with the word “Septic” but we do not seem to understand its gravity, as most of us have not experienced it. It is a very painful situation caused due to infection in wounds (wounds are most prone to infections, being open and unprotected) and vulnerable internal organs such as urinary tracts, urinary bladder, urethra, colon, kidneys etc. It does not only trigger sudden, acute and unbearable pain but also gives cramps and convulsions. So, it is always advisable to take care of the wounds and any type of infection in the genitor-urinary organs. This can be done with the help of this oil. Applied externally on wounds, it protects them from infections and also kills the bacteria which have already grown on them. Taken internally, it inhibits the bacterial growth in the genitor-urinary tracts and gives effective protection against septic.
- Anti Viral: Dealing with the viruses is not at all an easy task. This is not like killing bacteria. Viruses develop a protective coating on them, called cyst, which protects them from extremities in the surrounding and is so tough that it can withstand almost anything. Virus remains dormant within its cyst and whenever it finds a host, the cyst opens up and the virus relives and starts multiplying. It is at this stage that the Essential Oil of Palma Rosa checks and inhibits this duplicating of virus and eliminates them.
- Bactericide: The Essential Oil of Palma Rosa is bactericidal in nature and inhibits bacterial growth by killing them. It is good in curing internal bacterial infections like colitis and those in colon, stomach, urinary bladder, prostrate, urethra & urinary tracts and kidneys etc. and external bacterial infections on skin, armpits, head, eyebrows & eyelids, ears etc.
- Cytophylactic: The Palma Rosa Oil is cytophylactic in nature. That means, it promotes growth of cells and recycling of the cellular matter. Thus it helps repair the damages (wear & tear) done to the body by ageing, wounds and various other reasons and also in the overall growth of the body. Since it also promotes growth of the defensive cells of the body, therefore it strengthens the immune system also.
- Digestive: Aiding digestion is yet another beneficial property of this oil. The secretion of digestive juices into the stomach is aggravated by this oil, thereby promoting digestion. It also aids absorption of the nutrients from the food.
- Febrifuge: The Essential Oil of Palma Rosa is capable of reducing fever by virtue of it anti viral, anti bacterial and anti septic properties. So, whether the fever is due to viral infection or due to bacteria, this oil can help you cool it down.
- Hydrating: This is one of the soothing properties of Palma Rosa Essential Oil. It helps retain the moisture in the tissues and maintains the moisture balance. So, this can give relief from inflammation and certain other symptoms of dehydration and is particularly good for the skin. It keeps the skin soft and moist.
- Other Benefits: When used in aromatherapy, it relaxes the muscles and nerves, fights depression, fatigue, anxiety, anger and nervousness and has an uplifting effect on the mind. Further, it helps cure sores, cracks on skin and Athlete’s Foot.
Few Words of Caution: This oil is considered totally safe, being non irritant, non sensitizing and non toxic.
Blending: The essential oils of geranium, bergamot, rosemary, lime and ylang-ylang blend well with the Essential Oil of Palm Rosa.
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This article was contributed by Aparup Mukherjee.
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