We know that essential oils have been in use since time immemorial, and that each oil offers a set of unique benefits to the user. Well, today, we are going to talk about a less-popular essential oil – frankincense essential oil.
What is Frankincense?
Frankincense is a herbal oil derived from two types of trees – Boswellia carterii and Boswellia sacra. These trees are indigenous to Somalia, Oman, Yemen, and Ethiopia, and they thrive in these dry and arid regions.
This is because these trees are capable of surviving with very little soil nutrition and can withstand harsh conditions.
The sap from these trees (frankincense) is allowed to ooze out and harden over a couple of days after which the dry resin is scraped off the bark.
Uses and Benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil
Just like any other essential oil, frankincense has its own set of special properties that we can use to better our daily lives. You just need to know how to make use of this potent oil, and you can use it solve a host of problems.
Here are a few ways in which frankincense oil can help you:
1) Fight Stress
Through aromatherapy, essential oils are known to induce a feeling of relaxation and happiness. Frankincense oil is especially effective in fighting stress and getting rid of anxiety.
To effectively use this oil, you may want to consider purchasing a diffuser. This is a device that allows you to spread the fragrance of any oil that you pour into it. Simply pour a portion of frankincense oil into the diffuser and switch it on. The device will diffuse the fumes into the air, allowing you to create a more relaxed and stress-free environment at home.
Another way to fight stress with frankincense oil is to run some hot water and pour frankincense oil into the tub. This will help you create a warm, relaxing bath that’s sure to alleviate stress and bring you peace.
2) Clean Indoors
Besides relieving stress and promoting an anxiety-free environment, frankincense oil also helps to remove pollutants from the atmosphere. In the same manner as mentioned above, put some frankincense oil into your diffuser and switch it on for a while.
The vapours are sure to kill harmful germs in the room, improving the quality of the air you breathe. The vapours released by burning frankincense help to deodorize the room and clean up your immediate environment.
So if you’ve got guests coming over and you’ve recently cooked a smelly meal, you may want to consider setting off some frankincense oil to get rid of the smell!
3) Oral Hygiene
Frankincense oil can be effectively used to promote oral hygiene, thanks to its antibacterial properties. To effectively clean your mouth, consider buying toothpaste made with frankincense oil. You can even make your own paste by mixing frankincense oil with baking soda.
Frankincense oil, being an effective cleanser, helps to rid your mouth of harmful germs and bacteria. This helps to prevent tooth decay and damage to the gums. With the help of frankincense oil, you can also keep bad breath at bay and help to improve your oral hygiene.
Be careful not to swallow too much oil though. It’s extremely potent and should be used only in the smallest doses.
4) Skin Care
Before using frankincense oil on your skin, apply a little oil to a small area of your skin to check for allergic reactions.
If your skin seems alright after 24 hours, and you haven’t experienced any rashes or itchiness, you may proceed and use the oil on your skin.
Frankincense oil benefits to reduce the occurrence of acne and can even reverse the onset of acne. All you have to do is apply a small portion of it to the affected area. But that’s not all.
Frankincense oil is a powerful astringent and antioxidant, making it an excellent substance to apply on your skin. This oil helps to reduce stretch marks by lifting and tightening the skin on your body. As a result, it’s the ideal solution to wrinkles. All you have to do is apply some of the oil to your skin, and within weeks your wrinkles will start to disappear.
When applying this oil to your skin, be sure to dilute it beforehand, to reduce the potency. For this you can use another mild, carrier oil such as sunflower oil or sesame oil. Mix six portions of the carrier oil to one portion of frankincense for the ideal solution.
5) Relieve Symptoms of Indigestion
Surprisingly, frankincense oil also helps to get rid of any indigestion related symptoms like gas and constipation. All you have to do is mix 8 measures of water with 1 measure of frankincense essential oil and ingest this mix to help relieve your gastrointestinal tract.
But gas isn’t the only problem cured by this special solution.
All kinds of distress in the digestive system can be relieved with the help of frankincense oil. This includes things like constipation, stomach aches, irritable bowel syndrome, PMS, cramps, and any other sort of gastrointestinal discomfort.
This special oil even gives your digestive enzymes a boost, helping to speed up the digestive process.
Of course, when ingesting frankincense oil, you need to be sure that it’s 100% pure oil and not some fake or perfumed version.
6) Respiratory Relief
If you’re ever sniffling, coughing, or sneezing, frankincense oil can help relieve these irritable symptoms. All you have to do is apply a dash of the oil to a cloth or handkerchief and breathe in through the cloth for 15 minutes. Take a break and repeat the process till you feel some relief.
This oil helps to clear out the phlegm in your nose and throat and eliminates nasal blockages.
Frankincense even acts as an anti-inflammatory, destroying the viruses and bacteria in your nasal cavity and reducing inflammation. This helps to bring relief to anyone suffering from a cold, flu, or a fever.
7) Helps Muscles Relax
Frankincense oil also acts as an effective remedy for muscles cramps, stiffness, and soreness. Let’s say you’ve been pumping weights at the gym and you happen to pull a muscle. While you’re recovering, apply some frankincense oil to the injured area and you’re sure to help speed up the recovery.
The oil will help reduce inflammation and promote blood flow, helping your body to heal faster.
For people with problems like arthritis, joint pains, and general muscle aches, frankincense oil acts as an effective pain reliever.
Instead of massaging it into your body, you can even pour a few drops into a cloth and inhale the oil to help relieve muscle pain and fatigue.
These are just a few of the many uses of frankincense essential oil. Besides these benefits, this oil helps to improve and strengthen your immune system. In some cases, frankincense has also reduced the risk of cancer and even reversed some of its symptoms.
Besides this, it also helps cancer patients to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.
Even right now, as we speak, researchers are developing more and more uses of essential oils so we can replace pharmaceutical drugs with these natural, safe remedies. Essential oils are the future of medicine and the most effective way to ensure our health and well being.
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