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The Many Profound Benefits Of Frankincense Essential Oil

By: Caroline Ashton

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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?
The term Frankincense refers to the resin from any one of four trees or shrubs of the Boswellia genus. The most common are Boswellia carteri and Boswellia seratta -- and these actually have significantly different chemical (and therapeutic) properties. The carteri species is considered by some to produce the highest grade raw material; 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 professionals, and lending itself to meditative and spiritual practices. The resin is collected from the Olibanum trees and shrubs without doing damage to the plants -- in this way the highly revered medicine can be harvested in the wild without diminishing the long-term availability of the natural resource.
The most medicinally efficacious essential oil is possibly the "super-critical carbon dioxide" distillation of Boswellia carteri -- this fancy new distillation method makes a more complex, thicker, and possibly more healing oil than the classic steam distillation. One of the advantages is that the plant material is not heated nearly as much as it would be if processed with steam, the result being a product closer to the original in chemical formulation. Some prominent aromatherapists who didn't particularly care for this extraction method with other plants have given it the "thumb's up" when used with Frankincense.
One of the simplest therapeutic applications is that of skin care. Frankincense is noted in many texts as one of the premier oils for care of mature skin. An extract of the resin had been the subject of scientific investigation to improve skin texture and appearance -- and that it did. For study participants, the half of their face receiving Frankincense was smoother, and the fine lines were significantly less noticeable. To easily add this to your routine, you can just add a few drops to any lotion, cream or oil you're already using: anywhere 4 to 12 drops per fluid ounce of your product is about the right concentration. Want to mix up something special? Here's an extra fine formula: 12 drops Boswellia carteri, 6 drops Neroli, 4 drops Rose Otto and 8 drops Sandalwood in a base of 20% Rosehip Seed, 20% Evening Primrose, 20% virgin Coconut and 40% Jojoba. Your skin will be smooth as silk!
Resin extracts are finding their way into many pain relieving creams as well, often with the labels indicating the tree genus "Boswellia" on the label. Boswellic acids have potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, specifically by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. Including a CO2-distilled oil in massage formulas for relief of joint pain is an excellent idea. This will blend well with any number of other essential oils with similar effects, including for example, Helichrysum, Plai, and Ginger. These oils could all be formulated together at equal concentrations (1 or 2 percent) in any carrier oil.
What tends to be the most impressive feature of Frankincense is its anticancer properties. The oil has been the subject of more research in this area than any other, with profound results. Frankincense extracts have been shown to target cancerous cells specifically, while leaving normal healthy cells untouched. This happens in a number of different physiological systems; not just the colon or liver for example, but in cell lines representing nearly all our organs. While scientists have not developed treatment protocols yet, it may be possible for the aromatherapy practitioner to utilize Frankincense essential oil in such a way as to be a preventative measure. A consultation with an experienced natural health professional will enable one to develop a protocol most suited to the individual interested in using the essential oil this way.
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.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

The author utilizes pure essential oils for aromatherapy. More information is available through The Ananda Apothecary at www.anandaapothecary.com.

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