Myrrh Gum And Your Health
Myrrh gum is a resin obtained from different tree species that belong to the torchwood family. It is one of the resinous gums that have been in use in the East and the West. In Greek and roman antiquity it was utilized in a diverse variety of uses in the food and medicine industries. It was added to food and beverages as preservatives in addition to its more common use as an antimicrobial applied to wounds. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is reputed for its anti-inflammatory effects that are believed to reduce blood clotting and increase blood flow. For the same reasons, it is prescribed by Ayurvedic physicians to relieve symptoms of arthritis and allergies.
Myrrh gum has a long association with herbal medicine, but only recently has scientific research begun to discover its other health benefits. Studies point to its expectorant properties that help remove phlegm from the upper respiratory tract and relieve ailments of the respiratory system. Its anti-inflammatory properties are often attributed to its interactions with endogenous chemicals that are also responsible for excessive platelet aggregation, the reason why the Chinese use them in treatment of blood stasis.
Myrrh Gum and Blood Health
Lowers Bad Cholesterol
One of the studies concerning the effects of myrrh gum on human health investigated its ability to lower bad cholesterol. Research that followed has come to a conclusion that it does have an effect on the productions and releases of low-density lipoproteins, or bad cholesterol. Lipoproteins are the primary transports of cholesterol in the water-based circulatory system as the latter enters the bloodstream and delivers lipid to the cells throughout the body. Triglycerides are the main constituent of lipoproteins, being present in large quantities in low-density lipoproteins but in much lower amounts in high-density lipoproteins. Myrrh gum not only lowers low-density lipoproteins but also increases high-density lipoproteins, dubbed good cholesterol.
Improves Glucose Tolerance
There have been numerous accounts about the benefits of myrrh gum to patients suffering from diabetes, and this has been the subject of several studies well underway. In earlier studies, this resinous gum was observed to lower blood glucose levels. In one animal study, researchers were excited by preliminary results that point to a significant improvement in the uptake of sugar by individual cells in both normal and diabetic rats. While more studies are needed, myrrh gum is now a common remedy for type 2 diabetes in the Middle East and surrounding regions.
Produces Analgesic Effects
Myrrh gum is an excellent medication for gum problems, skin conditions, and gastrointestinal disturbances. For one, it interferes with brain chemicals responsible for the perception of pain. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties are believed to be so potent that it kills most known bacteria that cause infections in skin and digestive ailments. It also appears to speed up the rate of healing of ulcerations of body surfaces, making it an ideal preparation for open wounds and other skin lesions.
Myrrh Gum
Myrrh gum is available in capsule or liquid extract forms. Give your body a health boost with Myrrh gum today!