The health benefits of Thuja Essential Oil includes providing relief from Rheumatism, acts as an astringent, helps improve metabolism and hormone synthesis, helps alleviate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, helps repel disease causing insects and it also helps restore health. Other benefits includes relieving nasal congestion, assisting in weight management, eliminating parasitic worms and aiding in skin care.
What is Thuja Essential Oil?
The thuja essential oil is derived from the Thuja plant, also called the tree of life and is native to the North and east of Canada, but has slowly spread to other places including the United States.
The thuja essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of the leaves of the tree and history suggests that the leaves of this tree were burnt as a sacrifice to God. The thuja essential oil was used in traditional Chinese medicine to heal and is now widely cultivated and used for decorative purposes as well as for its restorative values.
11 Amazing Benefits of Thuja Essential Oil
1. May Provide Relief From Rheumatism
Rheumatism may occur due to blocked blood and lymph flow to the muscles and joints or as a result of a build-up of uric acid, or as far as being caused by an auto-immune disorder that causes immune cells to attack joint and muscles. Thuja essential oil may be able to provide relief from rheumatism, since it is able to detoxify the body, increasing the need to urinate (diuresis) and expelling harmful substances from the body via urine. The thuja essential oil achieves this because it is diuretic in nature, hence it speeds up the excretion of toxic substances via urine. It may also act as a stimulant by enhancing blood and lymph flow to the muscles and joints, and inhibit the action and accumulation of uric acid in the joints.
2. May Act As An Astringent
An astringent helps shrink or contract the tissues of the body, with thuja essential oil being a good example of an astringent as it promotes localized constriction both internally and externally, especially when included in the diet.
Thuja essential oil when consumed in this manner is said to have an anti-flammatory.effect, as it shrinks tissue that may be inflamed (for example, hemorrhoids), but at the same time may cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels. Vasoconstriction needs to be kept in check, especially if suffering from hypertension of blood flow disorders. Besides that, applying locally to the skin makes it great for minimizing acne scars and reducing pore size.
3. May Help Improve Metabolism And Hormone Synthesis
Thuja essential oil may prove useful for its functions in stimulating the endocrine glands to secrete hormones that contribute to the general well being of the body and it may also have regenerative properties thus, initiating cell and tissue repair. This action of this essential oil may then increase the rate of metabolic activities of almost all body systems including the digestive and nervous system which may lead to proper growth and development of the body. This is also noticeable on the thyroid gland, which dictates or metabolic rate to a large extent. Increased production of thyroid hormone indices weight loss, increased energy levels and improved brain function.
4. Help Alleviate Symptoms Of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Thuja essential oil has a rich blend of ingredients that help ease the discomfort felt before menstruation begins. When it is gently massaged onto the area where the pain is felt (typically the abdomen) or added to bathing water, it is said to be able to clear any obstruction that may prevent the regular flow of blood during menstruation and is packed with ingredients that may ease the pain of cramps or any feeling of weakness and nausea. The fragrance of the thuja essential oil may also help in improving the mood and eliminate any sign of emotional imbalance or mood swings, all of which occur before and during the menstrual period.
5. May Help Repel Disease-Causing Insects
Insect repellents stop insects from reaching a surface, and a natural repellent is the thuja essential oil. This essential oil has a high toxicity level, which may explain how it is able to keep insects like mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and bedbugs away from a household or individual, and prevent the spread of insect-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria. In fact, it may even be a cheaper substitute for the expensive, manmade chemical repellents in the market today that typically contain much more harmful substances.
6. May Help Restore Health
The thuja essential oil may effectively function as a tonic and help to restore health, beings able to do this by protecting the body against attacks from foreign invaders that cause infection, as well as enhancing the chemical reactions that drive life (metabolism). With regular use, the thuja essential oil improves the overall functions of the organs and systems in the body including the stomach, the liver, the excretory and the nervous systems, ensuring that there is no lag in carrying out their functions. Optimal functioning of these organs becomes even more important as we age and these processes slow down.
7. May Help Relieve Nasal Congestion
Nasal congestion occurs as a result of swollen (or dilated) blood vessels, which require a vasoconstrictor to be relieved. In order to clear nasal congestion, natural sources like thuja essential oil may be used. When inhaled, this essential oil may help clear excess mucus from the nasal airways and thus, ease breathing. But it is also a vasoconstrictor, as previously mentioned, which shrink the obstructing vessels and allow ease of respiration. Thuja essential oil also contains thujone, a toxic compound that is associated with numerous adverse effects, so be sure to get a purified version free of this compound.
8. Assist In Weight Management
The diuretic property of thuja essential oil is also important in weight management since it is able to act as a diuretic; removing excess water weight. Though this is not the means to an end, it also stimulates the metabolism, which equates to a greater amount of calories burned to perform basic processes. In theory, this means that you utilize more calories doing absolutely nothing, though exercise is advised is you wish to see sizable weight loss.
9. Help Eliminate Parasitic Worms
The multiplication of infectious worms in the body may give rise to chronic diseases and nutritional deficiency, warranting their elimination before they are able to cause disease. Thuja essential oil may help prevent the rapid division of these infectious worms by virtue of its high toxicity.
Thujone, a known poison, is responsible for the toxic level of the thuja essential oil and its presence kills infectious worms including hookworms and tapeworms that may cause chronic health conditions if not properly checked. Thuja may be an attractive option for someone looking for a more natural anti-helminthic supplement.
10. Thuja Essential Oil May Help Beautify The Skin
The thuja essential oil may act as a stimulant when applied onto the skin, as it is able to induce a slight inflammation and redness that promotes dilation of the capillaries and circulation of blood to the skin surface. Hence, it may be referred to as a rubefacient. When the thuja essential oil is applied topically, it actively promotes the formation of new skin cells to replace the older surface cells and leaves the skin looking radiant and youthful.
11. May Boost Immune System Function
Thuja essential oil may help improve the function of the immune system, especially in times of stress. It may do this by increasing the production of the T cells that help protect the body from harmful agents by regulating the white blood cell production in the body. Thuja Essential oil also possesses anti-microbial properties which reduce exposure to infectious organisms, adding another layer of safety.
Conclusion
The thuja tree should not just be remembered as an ornamental tree but as an essential plant that produces an essential oil. Though it contains a poisonous component in the compound thujone, this can be overcome by good purification techniques. Thujone is only really necessary when actively trying to kill organisms, such as parasitic worms.