Product Review

Today's review is on the Frankincense Resin Burner, by Young Living.

My mom purchased this last week, and we use it several times a day upstairs. I have to share with you what I've experienced.

For the last several years I've suffered from a condition called Friedreich's Disease. It's a movement disorder that effects only the left side of my body. I've been having what we've labeled as night seizures on a regular basis for the past week or so. These episodes are annoying, can be painful, and downright exhausting. I have a stress ball on my nightstand to use so that I don't grab onto something {or someone} and hurt myself {or them}. When I was first diagnosed I was placed on anti-seizure meds to keep it under control {I was having episodes even during the day, and as a waitress, that meant dropping trays of food or drinks...not good}. I didn't do well with the meds, so I opted to go off of them, and deal with this thing on my own.

So far it's been fine, but as I said, this last week has been rough. So I started to go upstairs when the burner was on, and the weirdest things happened.

For the first few days, whenever the burner was on, I'd start to have tics. My muscles would tense up and twitch, like they do when an episode is going to start, but it never did....then last night came, and for the first time in over a week, no night seizures. Nothing. Not a twitch, a jerk, nothing. This morning I was up there with the burner on again, and I had a little bit of muscular tension, but not twitches.

We all know Frankincense from the three Wise men who visited Jesus in Jerusalem, but do you know what it was used for?? This is a piece of the article on Wikipedia about Frankincense's medicinal uses.

Standardized preparations of Indian frankincense from Boswellia serrata are being investigated in scientific studies as a treatment for chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and osteoarthritis. Initial clinical study results indicate efficacy of incense preparations for Crohn's disease. For therapy trials in ulcerative colitis, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis there are only isolated reports and pilot studies from which there is not yet sufficient evidence of safety and efficacy. Similarly, the long-term effects and side effects of taking frankincense has not yet been scientifically investigated. Boswelliac acid in vitro antiproliferative effects on various tumor cell lines (such as melanoma, glioblastomas, liver cancer) are based on induction of apoptosis. A positive effect has been found in the use of incense on the accompanying specimens of brain tumors, although in smaller clinical trials. Some scientists say the results are due to methodological flaws. The main active compound of Indian incense is viewed as being boswellic acid.

As of May 2008 FASEB Journal announced that Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have determined that frankincense smoke is a psychoactive drug that relieves depression and anxiety in mice. The researchers found that the chemical compound incensole  acitate is responsible for the effects.

In a different study, an enriched extract of "Indian Frankincense" (usually Boswellia serrata) was used in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of patients with osteoarthristis. Patients receiving the extract showed significant improvement in their arthritis in as little as seven days. The compound caused no major adverse effects and, according to the study authors, is safe for human consumption and long-term use.

The study was funded by a company which produces frankincense extract, and that the results have not yet been duplicated by another study.

In a study published in March 2009 by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center it was reported that "Frankincense oil appears to distinguish cancerous from normal bladder cells and suppress cancer cell viability."

I know of many different people who have used Frankincense oil topically for many varieties of reasons, and it has been helpful in more areas of health than this article talks about. I'm not saying that this is a miracle cure for every health problem out there, but one thing I know for sure is that since we started using it, my disease has been curbed, and that is HUGE for me.

For those who don't have any issues health wise, this also smells really nice. My mom says it smell like Arabia...{though she's never been} and I have to agree {no, I haven't been either, but I imagine Arabia smelling like this} I love it! Plus the burner is so neat looking. Here is a photo I took this morning of it.

If you are interested in purchasing this product, please contact Lauren Martin at lauren@casadelago.net. I promise it would be worth it!!