Emu Oil Health Benefits
Emu oil is not a new product to those in the Outback. The Australian Aborigines used it as treatment for many of their physical ailments. The emu was almost a sacred bird. It provided food, clothing and healing to the natives of Australia. However, the legends and folk medicine may prove to be effective treatments. Emu oil is now undergoing many different tests to see if the medicinal properties of the oil prove beneficial for a variety of conditions.
Probably the best-known use is as a
skin cream. The emu oil penetrates the skin. Scientists believe it's because the chemical make up of the emu oil is similar to our own skin. While many oils contain phospholipids,
emu oil has none, just like our own skin. Since the skin has preset programming to prevent foreign substances from entering the body, the skin blocks absorption of any oils or substances with phospholipids. Like our skin, emu oil contains none of the substances foreign to our skin and is easily absorbed.
The emu oil also contains oleic fatty acid. Many cosmetics use this substance to transport active ingredients into the skin. It's an enhancer and allows all the nutrients in emu oil to penetrate the skin so the body can use the nutrients in the oil. In addition, it doesn't clog pores and is hypoallergenic.
Besides the obvious use as a beauty treatment and wrinkle remover, small studies show it's effective in helping burns and infections heal. Diabetes is a common cause of foot infections and amputations. Several people with slow healing and infected sores due to diabetes received treatment at the site of the infection with emu oil when no other treatment seemed to help. Almost immediately, the breakdown of the skin slowed and came to a halt. Within a week, the sores showed signs of healing and had completely healed after several weeks.
Burn victims also benefit from the healing power of emu oil. Rather than causing additional pain, the emu oil soothes the burn area and speeds the recovery and healing time. It also keeps scarring at a minimum.
Studies also show that emu oil helps people with painful arthritis. In one relatively young study conducted by Dr. Thom Leahey from the Arthritis Clinic in Ardmore, Oklahoma, they've had remarkable results with emu oil. The study only involved 20 volunteers with painful arthritis. The volunteers agreed to use the oil on their arthritic hands. Eight of the group used simple mineral oil as a placebo and the other twelve used emu oil. The reported relief from pain amazed Dr. Leahy. Seven of twelve using emu oil reported improvement, while only one of the eight using mineral oil said they felt more relief from the pain. The doctor believes the anti-inflammatory properties of emu oil give the patients relief.
Ingesting emu oil may also help your cholesterol levels. A study on hamsters fed emu oil showed that it not only lowered the LDL levels by as much as 25 percent, it also increased the HDL, the good cholesterol, levels by a whopping 27 percent. Although scientists need to investigate further before testing the oil on humans, it seems emu oil could be the next big supplement for coronary and vascular care.
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