The King and Queen of Essential Oils
There is an overwhelming selection of essential oils on the market. How will you know which one to use for yourself or your child? Perhaps you have read other essential oil books or references but you still feel overwhelmed by the multitude of options.
Parents, I have made this as easy as it can be. In my E-book, The Evidence-Based Guide to Essential Oils, I go into detail about 14 single essential oils with which to stock your cabinets to manage all forms of ailments! Most of these oils are affordable, and all are long-lasting and well worth the investment.
Here, I will review 2 oils that are an absolute MUST for both adults and children.
Remember: When an oil is pure, it is potent. All you need is 1-3 drops in order to get a therapeutic effect.
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii, serrata, or sacra)
Frankincense Resin
This is the King of essential oils, rightly so, and one of the most expensive oils on the list. However, it is well worth every dollar spent. It is also one of the most highly researched essential oils on the market (lavender and tea tree being the others). Frankincense is extracted from the resin of the bark of Boswellia carterii tree (and others). It has a very earthy, rich, grounding aroma. Its main constituents vary in concentration depending on the species, but consist of a-pinene, actanol, linalool, octyl acetate, bornyl acetate, incensolem, and incensole acetate.
Frankincense has been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine since at least 500 B.C. Frankincense has also been used in the Indian Ayurvedic traditional medicine for many years (ayur: life, veda: knowledge). (1)
A well-known Biblical oil, frankincense has been used for thousands of years in religious ceremonies and was given to the Christ Child at His birth. Frankincense has many amazing properties, which are backed by research. It has known anti-inflammatory properties, acts as an immune modulator, demonstrates cytotoxic (anti-cancer) activities, and increases skin cell turnover. 2,3
Moreover, clinical studies have shown that it promotes relaxation/decreases anxiety and perhaps even improves memory. 4,5 Frankincense resin has also demonstrated benefits in asthma, collagenous colitis, Crohn's disease, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. 6
All of the above being said however, Frankincense essential oil is different than Frankincense resin extract and/or oil which contains the active substance Boswellic Acid (the essential oil does not). Be careful when you read about the claims of Frankincense Essential oil. While many are valid, some are over-generalizations...even some of my statements above are not entirely about the essential oil itself! I discuss this in much more detail in my E-Book, The Evidence-Based Guide to Essential Oils.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
If Frankincense is the king, then Lavender is the Queen of essential oils. It is by far the most scientifically researched essential oil. Its uses are seemingly endless--many of which are backed by science. There are 39 known species of lavender. It is important that you purchase 100% pure Lavandula angustifolia. This is the “true lavender” with the most therapeutic effects. The main constituents of lavender are linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole B-ocimene, terpinen-4-ol, and camphor. Lavender has been used for thousands of years and is steam distilled from the beautiful flowers of the plant.
It was used for mummification in Ancient Egypt and during medieval times to freshen and add scent to clothing and linen. Lavender is most well-known for its calming effects.
Lavender also has many benefits for the skin, including treating small wounds 1,2,3,4 and burns (5) (healing and pain relief) and relieving the itch of insect bites and stings. It also can repel insects. 6 It has also been demonstrated to help with pain. 7
Lavender has strong antibacterial and antifungal properties. 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 It has even been shown to alleviate symptoms of colic. 15
Recently some concern came up regarding lavender and whether it was associated with gynecomastia in boys (development of breasts); however, that has since been discredited. 16
Next week, I will review why we should consider essential oils in the treatment of Common Childhood Ailments.
meet Laura. woman. mother. physician. yogini. teacher. writer. lover of all things life.
Download my E-book, The Evidence-Based Guide to Essential Oils: What Parents Need to Know to Manage Common Childhood Ailments and learn more now!
***Join me next week and in the weeks to come to learn more about alternative and integrative therapies for children and adults alike!
In general, doctors don’t know much about essential oils with regards to the actual existing research and evidence, and, in my honest experience, neither do most essential oils sales users! I’m going to be providing some well researched insights and hope you will join or continue with me on this journey to learn more about when, how, and IF to use essential oils!
Can’t wait to learn it all? Check out my e-book, The Evidence Based Guide to Essential Oils: What Parents Need to Know to Safely Manage Common Childhood Ailments. You can purchase it online now for 25% the retail price with the Promo Code FF919 at checkout!
References
FRANKINCENSE
1 Kirtikar KRBB. Indian Medicinal Plants; Periodical Experts, Delhi,1935 [No Link]
2 Al-Yasiry AR, Kiczorowska B. Frankincense--therapeutic properties. Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online). 2016 Jan 4;70:380-91. [PubMed]
3 Moussaieff A, Mechoulam R. Boswellia resin: from religious ceremonies to medical uses; a review of in-vitro, in-vivo and clinical trials. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2009 Oct;61(10):1281-93. [PubMed]
4 Hamidpour R, Hamidpour S, Hamidpour M, Shahlari M. Frankincense ( rǔ xiāng; boswellia species): from the selection of traditional applications to the novel phytotherapy for the prevention and treatment of serious diseases. J Tradit Complement Med. 2013 Oct;3(4):221-6. [PubMed]
5 Moussaieff A, Mechoulam R. Boswellia resin: from religious ceremonies to medical uses; a review of in-vitro, in-vivo and clinical trials. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2009 Oct;61(10):1281-93. [PubMed]
6 Ernst E. Frankincense: A systematic review. BMJ. 2008 Dec 17;337 [PubMed]
LAVENDER
1 Vakilian K, Atarha M, Bekhradi R et al. Healing advantages of lavender essential oil during episiotomy recovery: a clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2011 17:50-53. [PubMed]
2 Hartman D, Coetzee JC. Two US practitioners’ experience of using essential oils for wound care. Journal of Wound Care 2002 11(8):317-320. [PubMed]
3 Kerr J. The use of essential oils in wound healing. The International Journal of Aromatherapy 2002. 12(4):202-206 [Abstract Link]
4 Guba R. Wound healing A pilot study using an essential oil-based cream to heal dermal wounds and ulcers. International Journal of Aromatherapy 1998-1999. 9(2): 67-74. [Science Direct]
5 Gattefossé RM 1993 Gattefossé’s aromatherapy. CW Daniel, Saffron Walden, page 87 [No Link]
6 Adams TF, Wongchai C, Chaidee A, Pfeiffer W. "Singing in the Tube"--audiovisual assay of plant oil repellent activity against mosquitoes (Culex pipiens). Parasitol Res. 2016 Jan;115(1):225-39. [PubMed]
7 Ghelardini C, Galeotti N, Salvatore G et al. Local anaesthetic activity of the essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia. Planta Medica 1999. 65:700-703. [PubMed]
8 Edwards-Jones V, Buck R, Shawcross SG et al. The effect of essential oils on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using a dressing model. Burns. 2004. 30:772-777 [PubMed]
9 Zu Y, Yu H, Liang L et al. Activities of ten essential oils towards Propionibacterium acnes and PC-3, A-549 and MCF-7 cancer cells. Molecules 2010. 15:3200-3210. [PubMed]
10 Cassella S, Cassella JP, Smith I. Synergistic antifungal activity of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oils against dermatophyte infection. The International Journal of Aromatherapy 2002. 12(1):2-15. [Science Direct]
11 D’Auria FD, Tecca M, Strippoli V et al. Antifungal activity of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil against Candida albicans yeast and mycelial form. Medical Mycology 2005. 43:391-396. [PubMed]
12 Kunicka-Styczyńska A, Sikora M, Kalemba D. Antimicrobial activity of lavender, tea tree and lemon oils in cosmetic preservative systems. Journal of Applied Microbiology 2009. 107:1903-1911. [PubMed]
13 Kunicka-Styczyńska A, Sikora M, Kalemba D. Lavender, tea tree and lemon oils as antimicrobials in washing liquids and soft body balms. International Journal of Cosmetic Science 2011 33:53-61. [PubMed]
14 Soković M, Glamočlija J, Marin PD et al. Antibacterial effects of the essential oils of commonly consumed medicinal herbs using an in vitro model. Molecules 2010. 15:7532-7546. [PubMed]
15 Çetinkaya B, Başbakkal Z. The effectiveness of aromatherapy massage using lavender oil as a treatment for infantile colic. Int J Nurs Pract. 2012 Apr;18(2):164-9. [PubMed]
16 Tisserand, R. Lavender oil is not estrogenic. 2013. [Link]