Frankincense

Frankincense is an aromatic resin derived from the bark of a tree from the genus Boswellia. It's tapped by a process known as striping where the bark is slashed thus allowing the resin to ooze out and harden. When the back is slashed the tree oozes a milky juice which hardens due to the exposure to air. It left to ooze for three months and then it's harvested when it has formed he yellowish ‘tears’ The trees that produce the finest resin are found in Yemen and Somalia. Its quality is mainly based on age, aroma, purity and shape. It has white or pale rose flowers. The young trees gives the most valuable resin while older trees give clear glutinous fluid. It's been used for centuries as incense used during religious functions.

The frankincense oil has a spicy, woody, warm and pleasant smell. It's pale yellowish green in color. It's extracted by steam distillation from the resin

Uses

1. On the body

v  It calms the mind and helps to get rid of feelings of depression and stress. To give an emotional high use a few drops as perfume.

v  It's also used to improve one’s memory. You can do this by adding 1-2 drops of the oil to hot water then inhaling.

v  Its eases shortness of breath caused by asthma, colds, coughs or other respiratory tract infections.

v  It eases heavy menstruation since it's a tonic for the uterus. When applied to the lower back eases the pain of labor.

v  It can fade scars and stretch marks. Even scars caused by surgery. To do this dilute the oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or cocoa butter and apply to reduce the appearance of the marks.

v  For infected wounds add a drop of oil to warm water and let the infected part soak in it.

v  To clean cuts and scratches apply a drop to disinfect and clean.

v  Apply a drop on the nails to strengthen weak nails.

v  For stimulation of the immune system and for overall wellness dilute 1 teaspoon honey with a drop of the oil and consume daily to sustain a healthy body.

v  To improve the vision apply the oil to the area around the eye after a few months the vision improves.

v  For joint and muscle pain you can add it to your carrier oil since it alleviates inflammation and calms the muscles.

2. On the hair

v  It strengthens hair roots thus stopping premature hair loss.

3. On the skin

 It accelerates the rejuvenation of the skin and growth of healthy cells when mixed with lavender. To prevent wrinkles a few drops to the cream or lotion of your choice. The rule is six drops to one ounce of cream. Use more drops on body lotion and less drops on facial creams. This is due to the fact that the skin on the body is less sensitive than the skin on the face.