Frankincense for Health

I just returned from Young Living Essential Oil's International Conference in Utah. Five thousand people attended coming from all over the world; Yemen, Japan, Madagascar, Kenya, Spain, Oman, France, Germany, Puerto Rico, and many more places.

The conference buzzed with the news of the frankincense research being conducted by Young Living labs, US University labs and foreign labs.

Omani frankincense (Boswellia Sacra) resins and the constituents of its essential oil play a key role in keeping the Omani population healthy.

Did you know that in Oman the cancer rate is 1-2 people report cancer every 2-3 years?

(Mark Schreuder, YLEO's Director of Research and Formulation) Those people diagnosed with cancer have generally traveled and lived outside Oman because of work.

Why are the statistics so low?

Dr H K Lin, PhD, at the University of Oklahoma, Health Science Department and author of over 59 published peer review research papers said in his preliminary research of five essential oils that might inhibit cancer cell growth, only frankincense was able to target and kill cancer cells while not affecting healthy cells. He is continuing his research but is very excited over the initial findings.

Frankincense has over 24 constituents that are being researched. Some are rare like incensol acetate. Some are unknown and need identification. Others are more familiar such as alpha pinene, limonene and boswellic acid. Boswellic acid is found primarily in the frankincense resins, but with proper distillation it is also found in the essential oil.

Boswellic acid has been researched and it was reported in the March 2005's medical journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics that Boswellic acid induces apoptosis, cell death, in myeloid leukemia cells. Other studies concur with frankincense's ability to causes cancer cell apoptosis. Dr. Lin and Mark Schreuder believe that all the constituents work in a synergistic way to keep healthy cells alive and create a condition where cancer cells die off.

There are more reasons for using frankincense. It may support the respiratory system, and may be used against anxiety and depression. It brings oxygen to the pineal and pituitary glands and supports the immune system. (Higley, Reference Guide for Essential Oils, 2006.)

Frankincense, if you haven't been using it, start now. The resins have been used as a gum or burned for over 8,000 years. The oils date back to Egypt. The Omani culture uses it to this day. Frankincense oil can be used topically, infused in an essential oil diffuser, or added few drops to smoothies, dressings, tea, or juice.

To your Health!!