Also known as Indian Frankincense, boswellia is a fragrant resin with the capacity to support the body in naturally regulating a healthy inflammatory response. While inflammation can be healthy, normal and helpful in acute cases like that of a sprained ankle, prolonged inflammation inside the body – which we cannot see and often do not know about until symptoms occur – can lead to many chronic issues.
BoswelliaAyurvedically speaking, Boswellia has the dual energetics of being both heating and cooling at the same time. As a heating herb, Boswellia supports circulation, while as a cooling herb, it supports the body in cooling inflammation.
As we age, an enzyme in the body called 5-lypoxygenase – or 5-LOX – can potentially reach excess levels, and set in motion degenerative changes that have been linked to numerous health issues in aging individuals. Healthy aging requires controlled levels of 5-LOX in the blood.
The good news is that the extract of the Indian plant Boswellia serrata has been shown to inhibit 5-LOX. Used for centuries to support joint, muscle and gut health, Boswellia acts a natural 5-LOX inhibitor, intervening at the cellular level to block its unwanted effects.
This resin has a particular affinity for the joints – supporting comfortable and pain-free joint mobility – as well as the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and skin. Boswellia can also be used to support and hasten the body’s natural healing of wounds, bones, and bruises.
Benefits have also been long-observed in the gynecological and reproductive spheres – where Ayurveda has used Boswellia’s potent resin for regulating normal and comfortable menses, clearing congestion in the uterus, enhancing circulation in the the reproductive organs, and as an aphrodisiac.
Energetics of Boswellia
Taste (Rasa): Bitter, pungent, astringent, sweet
Energy (Virya): Heating and cooling
Post-digestive quality (Vipaka): Pungent
Quality (Guna): Dry, light, penetrating
Constitution Effect (Dosa): May aggravate either pitta or vata in excess
Tissue (Dhatu): Plasma, blood, muscle, fat, Bone, nerve, reproductive
Channel (Srotas): Circulatory, nervous, reproductive
Need Support?
- Have Dr. Douillard design an herbal program for you with a phone consultation.
- Get started healing with the 28-Day Ayurveda Challenge eCourse
- Shop by Health Topics in the LifeSpa Store
Need Supplements?
Boswellia Joints Plus: Traditionally, boswellia was combined with other Ayurvedic herbs to enhance its bio-availability and joint health. Boswellia is a resin and therefore hard to digest and absorb. Herbs like ginger, turmeric and ashwagandha were used for thousands of years along with boswellia to boost the absorption of the heavy boswellic acids. LifeSpa’s Boswellia Joints Plus draws on this ancient wisdom, blending these herbs in their proper ratios for the most synergistically effective formula we could bring you.
