EMU OIL FOR PAIN RELIEF

Have you ever heard of emu oil?

Emu oil, a traditional food of indigenous Australians, contains significant amounts of K2-MK4 a component of nearly every bodily function including brain function (it can cross the blood-brain barrier) and in utero. K2 MK-4 is the only form of K2 that comes exclusively from animal foods.

In 1860 emu oil’s traditional use was first recorded to heal wounds, reduce pain and relieve joint and muscular disorders.

In the 1930’s, Dr. Weston A. Price traveled the world analyzing diets of primitive people. He found primitive diets were consistently rich in micronutrients: vitamins, activators (activates nutritional profiles of other nutrients), and minerals. He also found that primitive people consumed a diet containing “at least ten times the fat-soluble activators compared to the typical American diet of his day.” Price considered these fat-soluble vitamins to be the key components to healthy diets.

The male emu sits on eggs for 54 days, never getting up to eat or drink. All nutritional requirements come from his fat. Hibernating animals such as bears, hedgehogs, snakes, and penguins also accumulate this type of nutrient dense fat, seasonably built up and depleted. The emu is the only known warm-blooded animal able to provide this type of life-sustaining fat on a commercial basis. It is a nutrient dense superfood! Used topically and orally, emu oil possesses anti-inflammatory properties that help treat muscle pain, migraines and skin conditions.

Benefits

1. Reduces Inflammation and Pain
Emu oil is an anti-inflammatory agent and natural painkiller, relieving muscle and joint pain and improving wound recovery. A study published in Inflammopharmacology found that when used topically, emu oil’s anti-inflammatory properties were as effective as oral administration of ibuprofen in rats. Thanks in part to its polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, this oil is has been shown to help combat inflammation.

Emu oil is also made up of eicosanoids (signaling molecules that exert complex control over many bodily systems). Eicosanoids act as messengers in the central nervous system, controlling growth during and after physical activity, along with inflammation as a result of exposure to toxins or pathogens. Eicosanoids are formed primarily from omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, found in the tissue of mammals, like the emu.

3. Improves Skin
Emu oil absorbs into skin easily because it contains fat lipids similar to those found in the top layer of the skin. The oil can break through the barrier of the skin and moisturize deeply. Because of emu oil’s anti-inflammatory properties, it can reduce swelling, psoriasis and eczema. It stimulates skin cell regeneration and circulation, addressing thinning skin, bed sores, scars, burns, stretch marks, wrinkles and sun damage.

3. Promotes Healthy Hair and Nails
The oil contains vitamins E (anti-aging agent, strengthens capillary walls in skin, improves moisture and elasticity, balances cholesterol, fights free radical damage) and A (antioxidant that maintains healthy skin and reduces inflammation, boosts immunity, fights common cold, cough or flu).

Therapeutic qualities of emu oil come from unsaturated fatty acids (about 70% of its composition). Studies suggest the combining omega-9, 6 and 3 fatty acids bring about emu oil’s anti-inflammatory and other beneficial actions. It also contains variable levels of several compounds with antioxidant properties. Its benefits lie in the high levels of essential fatty acids and vitamins, including:

• Oleic Acid — a monounsaturated, omega-9 fatty acid. Associated with decreased LDL cholesterol and possibly increased HDL cholesterol. In emu oil, the oleic acid helps transport the bioactive compounds into the skin, allowing the oil to absorb quickly when it’s applied topically.
• Linoleic Acid — a polyunsaturated, omega-6 fatty acid. Boosts skin health by reducing the appearance of sun spots or aging when it’s applied topically. Studies have shown that linoleic acid helps lighten ultraviolet-induced hyperpigmentation of the skin by inhibiting melanin production.
• Linolenic Acid — an omega-3 fatty acid that helps reduce inflammation prevents chronic diseases like heart disease and arthritis. Consumed, omega-3 fatty acids boost brain health and aid growth and development.