Boswellia Serrata: The Frankincense that Commanded the Price of Gold

Long before processed paper symbolized currency, the plants themselves directly moved from hand to hand in the economic exchange, acting in their own right through myriad displays of desirable qualities.  In days past, the Frankincense resin in particular held the power to take away pain, purify and electrify the air and senses, and buy the very allegiances of gods.

Boswellia Serrata, a small deciduous tree member of the Burseraceae Family, produces the Indian Frankincense Resin when wounded.

This gooey, intoxicating substance is secreted by the trees when they are wounded, and is a gift for any human to ever consume in turn, to ease the pain of our own wounds.

This is our raw material.

Pine Resin Drop

After growing these trees organically in India, our partners carefully harvest their resin and perform a Supercritical (CO2) extraction.  This process yields a potent concentration of the plants’ highly active terpenes, or volatile oils; the molecules responsible for the aroma that commanded the price of Gold.  You will not find another supercritically extracted Boswellia supplement in herbal commerce.  It’s too sticky.  No one but Tattva’s Herbs will give the time and attention necessary for this arduous task.

Boswellia Serrata, Indian frankincense or Salai is called Shallaki in Sanskrit.  While it is true that our Boswellia CO2 extract contains 257 mg of Boswellic Acid per capsule, the part of the plant studied for it’s effect on pain receptors, let us not mistake milligrams with United States currency.  Today one can purchase a 120 count bottle of Boswellia Serrata CO2 extract for $49.95 U.S., however this aromatic treasure still holds preeminence in religious rituals, has been offered as a sacred gift to royalty, and widely traded for riches such as gold and jewels throughout human history.

In our next edition, we will explore the medicinal applications of this precious substance Mother Earth so graciously loans us, along with Her stern instruction to use this medicine wisely and with gratitude.

Ayurvedic Relief for Muscles and Joints

Ouch!  In response to lifestyle, diet, and emotional pattern, our doshas; vata, pitta, and kapha, can easily move out of balance. These imbalances slow down agni, or digestive fire, resulting in the toxic by-product of inadequate digestion known as ama.

Vata, the main active dosha, brings ama into the colon.  From there, ama travels throughout the system, lodging in the bone tissue and joints, giving rise to the stiffness and pain characteristic of chronic joint disorders.

Ayurveda works through both diet and supplementation to remove ama from the joints and move it back to the colon, where the body can then eliminate it.  For this, we need to keep the colon clean and active.  Triphala is the most commonly used herb for cleansing the colon, or the combination of Triphala and Guggul.  Ayurveda recommends general techniques to increase the intensity of agni and burn up the toxins harming the body.  We begin with our food by adding more spices to the diet, such as turmeric, chilis, pepper, cardamom and cloves when cooking.  Herbal extractions of Turmeric Curcumin and Boswellia support a healthy inflammation response and ease of movement, while Ashwagandha helps balance all the doshas and reduce negative effects of stress in the body.

Various oils may be applied to the skin to help the body clear toxins, relieve pain and restore mobility.  Ayurveda has used two traditional oils in particular for thousands of years:  Maha Vishgarbha Oil and Maha Narayan Oil, both containing dozens of herbs in a sesame oil base. Massaging these oils into painful areas can improve flexibility, stiffness, muscle fatigue, circulation and ease pain. These oils when massaged into the skin can also assist in breaking up blockages. After oil application; warm heat, yoga, bath, and mild exercise can further relax and relieve the body.  Tattva’s Herbs Joint Care Oil, featuring Boswellia as a topical option, is also a potent and cooling application for both chronic and acute situations.

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