Gary Young beside a Frankincense tree in Oman

Gary Young beside a typical Frankincense tree in Oman. Courtesy Young Living

 

This next series of posts I look at an essential oil that has been in use for thousands of years – Frankincense (also known as Olibanum). Archaeological digs in the Tigris-Euphrates date it back to 5000 B.C. [1] The Ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans used it extensively. It was also used in Ancient India and China as well. The oil comes from a resin in a tree that almost exclusively grows in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea) and the Southern Arabian peninsula (Yemen, Oman and Saudi Arabia).  The resin from the tree is still harvested the way it has been for thousands of years – by cutting into the side of the tree and releasing the sap (see photo below)

 

 

Frankincense Tree

Releasing the sap from the Frankincense Tree. Photo courtesy of Young Living

 

Most people remember it as one of the gifts brought to the Christ child by the Balthasar, one of the Three Wise Men and as the substance that is burned in churches and temples to this day. It’s also used as a fixative in perfumes. The Encyclopedia Britannica points out that “it was used as both an internal and an external remedy, but, according to modern Western medical theory, it has no special value.” [2] This is an extraordinary claim and yet not surprising.

An extraordinary claim because as I’ll show you, there have been a number of studies showing Frankincense’s efficacy in treating a variety of illnesses. Not surprising because the current social/scientific paradigm (which writers such as John Anthony West call the ‘Church of Progress’) believes ancient man to have been governed solely by ignorance and superstition and that modern man is the pinnacle of intellectual and scientific achievement (this despite the fact that we still have no idea how the Ancients were able to construct many of their giant monuments, aka the Great Pyramid). Not surprising because modern medicine is still governed by the belief that medicine created in the laboratory, costing millions of dollars and many man-hours is far superior to that created by mother nature and utilised by humans for thousands of years.

We are expected to believe that ancient cultures utilised something (such as Frankincense)which didn’t work, for thousands of years. Fortunately, not all scientists are as ignorant as this.

Recent Studies and breakthroughs

A number of recent studies have found that Frankincense can be effective in treating a number of illnesses:

  • A team of scientists from the University of Oklahoma, along with immunologist Dr  Mahmoud Suhail have discovered that Frankincense appears to be able to stop cancer cells from reproducing and to correct a cell’s DNA code. [3]
  • Studies at Cairo’s King Faisal University show Frankincense to exhibit a strong immuno-stimulant capability. [4]
  • Studies at Weber State University in the U.S. claim that Frankincense is effective in dissolving petrochemicals in the blood and preventing DNA breakdown. [5]
  • A joint study by 3 Indian universities found that patients with osteoarthritis experienced reduced pain and stiffness and less difficulty in performing daily activities. [6]

So much for showing no special value. In Part Two, we will look in more detail at some uses for this valuable essential oil.

Till Next time

Cheers

Anthony

Disclaimer: Please remember that anything discussed here does not
constitute medical advice and cannot substitute for appropriate medical care. Where essential oils are mentioned, it’s recommended you use only pure, unadulterated therapeutic grade essential oils and follow the safety directions of the manufacturer.

[1] Frankincense, Oman’s Gift to the World (Book Review), by Rhona Wells, Middle East, March 2007, Issue 376, p54-57

[2] ” frankincense .” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, . Web.     <http://www.library.eb.com.au/eb/article-9035179>.

[3] BBC News – Frankincense – a cure for cancer?

[4] “Frankincense Futures”, By Juliet Highet, The Middle East, November 2007, Issue 383, p55-56

[5] Ibid

[6] Ibid

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