Burdock Oil benefits includes preserving skin health, preventing cancer, relieving respiratory conditions, improving kidney function and helping in managing arthritic disease. Other health benefits include managing or preventing diabetes, assisting in liver function, promoting hair health, protection against a wide range of bacteria, fungi as well as viruses. Burdock Oil also help to regulate blood pressure as well as reducing symptoms of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
What is Burdock Oil?
Burdock oil is still relatively unknown in Western Nations, though it has a storied history in its native regions of Africa, Europe and Asia, collectively referred to as the “old world”.
Burdock oil is extracted from both the roots and leaves of the burdock plant, all which fall within the species arctium. In fact, all parts of the burdock plant can be used for one thing or another, though its oil is the primary component in use today, owing to its versatility and numerous benefits observed from usage.
Interestingly, the burdock plant was the inspiration for the development of Velcro fasteners, based on the mechanism by which its nettles interlocked and formed a strong adhesive bond.
11 impressive Health Benefits of Burdock Oil
1. Can Be Used To Preserve Skin Health
Burdock oil, like many plant based oils, are excellent moisturizers with a high fat content, Vitamin E and many anti-oxidant compounds. This helps prevent water loss from skin, helping treat dry skin conditions, reflect UV damage from the sun and buffer oxidative damage caused by excessive exposure, while its anti-oxidants can help prevent wrinkles, premature aging and keep the skin in an overall excellent state.
2. Can Help Prevent Cancer
Many cases of cancer come about as a result of excessive oxidative and inflammatory processes, making it essential that we consume a variety of natural plant based products that can help to negate these unwanted effects. It is particularly effective in helping to reduce risk exposure of skin cancers, owing to its high Vitamin E content. Burdock oil is rich in tannins, various flavonoids and other phytocompounds which play a role in cancer prevention.
3. Can Be Used To Soothe Respiratory Conditions
Placing burdock oil into an oil diffuser or vaporizer is an excellent way to relieve symptoms of respiratory illness or the common cold, such as chest congestion, nasal congestion and even inflamed throats. The oil can be used before bed to help you sleep when it is difficult due to the inability to properly breathe. It can also help to relieve sinus pressure and reduce mucus secretion, easing coughing in the process.
4. Help Improve Kidney Function
Extracts made from burdock root are said to have diuretic properties which help to increase urine output and kidney efficiency. It shows particular promise in reducing the likelihood of kidney stone formation, as removal of water based metabolites in urine in a timely manner significantly decreases the likelihood of an oxalate residue crystallizing in the kidney apparatus.
5. Help In Management Of Arthritic Disease
Arthritic disease has an underlying inflammatory component to it that usually results in chronic pain and tenderness in the affected joints. This is why treatments that make use of anti-inflammatory agents, such as Burdock oil. Applying topically to the affected joints, in conjunction with small daily consumption of the oil has been shown to significantly reduce the severity of pain and swelling associated with the underlying disease.
6. Help Prevent Or Manage Diabetes
Diabetes is preventable given that you follow a healthy diet and lifestyle, but if you already have the disease, it is much more difficult to manage. Luckily you can still help to virtually reverse your diabetes with the same principles, and a little help from burdock oil. The oil and roots are rich in a compound known as inulin, a prebiotic fiber that improves gut and intestinal health, slowing down the speed of glucose absorption, signaling insulin and reducing the amount required to process sugar. In an ideal world, this is how your body should be functioning, with as small an insulin response as possible. Burdock oil also helps minimize the likelihood of diabetic complications, such as peripheral neuropathy (numbness) and retinopathy (vision deterioration).
7. Assists With Liver Function
The liver is an important organ that is ultimately responsible for safeguarding you from endless toxins you may come into contact with on a daily basis, but may become overwhelmed from time to time. Liver enzymes become elevated, do not function as they should and start to cause liver failure or inflammation of this organ. This occurs frequently in alcoholics who place their liver under extremely high pressure, on conjunction with its typical quota of work. Burdock oil, similar to milk thistle or silymarin, is effective at supporting liver health by resetting enzyme levels and reducing oxidative stress. Burdock oil is also effective in removing toxic heavy metals from the blood, which typically embed themselves deep in fat tissue.
8. Burdock Oil Promotes Hair Health
If you think you have exhausted most of your options when it comes to improving the health of your hair, but are yet to see a change, burdock oil can very well be your saving grace. Burdock oil has been studies for its role in preventing the death of hair follicles, for reasons such as impaired blood flow, helps to stimulate the growth phase of hair, and improves blood flow to the scalp, allowing oxygen and essential nutrients to reach the target of follicles. In particular, it reduces the effect of oxidative stress on the follicles, which cause hair loss, premature greying and poor quality hair. Reversing these adverse changes will almost certainly improve the state of your hair. Be sure to massage on to the scalp, as well as consume a bit of the oil daily for best results.
9. Possesses Anti-Microbial Properties
Burdock oil has properties that kill a range of bacteria, fungi and viruses, but does not harm human immune cells, according to findings of a study carried out in Brazil. Burdock oil can be used both internally and externally, making it useful for open wounds, as it speeds up healing and reducing microbial colonization. It can even be used as an oral rinse, helping to preserve the health of gum and keeping teeth clean, reducing plaque deposits and bacterial growth.
10. Help Reduce Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Both of these disease result in inflammation of parts of the gastrointestinal tract, but most commonly at the point of the large intestines. The result is sometimes poor absorption of food, constipation or more frequently diarrhea, frequent gas and cramps as a result of gas pressure, blood in the stool and even cancer in severe cases. Burdock oil can help reduce the inflammatory processes, reducing frequency and severity of symptoms. Used daily, many persons can come to live a pretty close to normal life, not having to worry about the runs in the middle of a trip to the supermarket, and being able to enjoy time spent outdoors.
11. Help Regulate Blood Pressure
Burdock oil has numerous compounds that help preserve blood vessel wall flexibility, along with minerals such as potassium which has vasodilatory actions on the arteries. Its large anti-oxidant profile also helps to prevent plaque deposits of the vessel walls, which can adversely affect blood pressure and lead to increased risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Conclusion
Burdock oil is a convenient way to take advantage of many of the health benefits the burdock plant has to offer, but without the need to prepare extravagant meals. However, it is still advised that you consume parts of the actual plant, as there are many other nutrients that are not found in the oil. Though it is not very well known, it is available in many parts of the world today, as its utility is only growing as time goes by.
