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Borage Seed Carrier Oil
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NHT Price: Starting at $18.75
Product Options
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Organic cold pressed Borage
Seed Oil is a very therapeutic, healing oil for skin care, as well as
joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. There is a
great body of research on Borage Seed Oil, as it is one of the highest
known sources of GLA, an essential fat who's deficiency is associated
with inflammatory conditions of the skin and throughout the body. The
research is highly positive, and we recommend including Borage oil in
many types of formulas.
Borage seed oil is the highest source of GLA, or Gamma Linolenic Acid of any known plant source. GLA
is an omega-6 essential fatty acid, known primarily for its
anti-inflammatory activity, used both in skin care as well as for joint
and muscle pain and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. GLA being an
essential fat, it cannot be made by the body, but must be obtained from
dietary sources. It's deficiency has appeared as a number of
inflammation-related conditions, which can be supported through its
topical application as well as ingestiton.
In the Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews (2011 Feb 16;(2):CD002948) a study titled "Herbal therapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis" noted that oils containing GLA show evidence of relief of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. In the journal of Rheumatology (2011 Jun 6. Epub ahead of print), a review of evidence titled
"Evidence for the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicines in the management of rheumatoid arthritis" also noted studies involving Borage oil have been positive, and warrant further review.
One can blend Borage oil with anti-inflammatory essential
oils such as Helichrysum, Ginger, Frankincense and others to potentially
enhance the effect, and blend with other carrier oils also noted for this activity (Tamanu and Virgin Coconut, for example).
The oil has been researched for its positive effects for a
number of skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, acne,
and premature aging due to overexposure to sunlight (UV rays). In
some cases, it may be effective for atopic dermatitis in children --
that is, a type of eczema where the direct cause appears unknown --
though it is likely due to an overexposure to environmental toxins that
the child's detoxification systems cannot otherwise manage.
One study, interesting because of its unique testing technique, was published in the European Journal of Dermatology (2007 Sep-Oct;17(5):448-9. Epub 2007 Aug 2.) titled "Undershirts coated with borage oil alleviate the symptoms of atopic dermatitis in children".
In the controled study, one group of infants with atopic dermatitis
wore undershirts coated with the oil, and showed significant improvement
in symptoms.
A review of the research presented on Pubmed.gov for the oil brings up 124 references for "Borage Oil", and the list of positive results is long.
As a carrier oil, Borage seed oil can be applied at 100%
strength for inflammation relief, though is generally included at around
20% of a carrier oil base. Where the blend is for premature
aging of the skin, it's important to understand that inflammation on a
cellular level is one of the "pillars of aging", and limiting this
process is just as crucial as limiting the activity of oxidative
radicals. We highly recommend its use for this purpose, or other carrier
oils noted for their anti-inflammatory properties (as noted above,
Tamanu and Virgin Coconut are highly active in this way).
Recipes
Borage seed oil can be included in formulas for skin care or
arthritis care at any concentration -- we recommend it make up 1/5th to
1/3rd of the base. For childhood atopic dermatitis, one can use
only Borage oil, and perhaps 3 drops per ounce of German Chamomile CO2
and Lavender essential oils.
For arthritis support, blend with Tamanu and Virgin Coconut, and include up to 15% Helichrysum essential oil, and 1 to 2% each of Ginger CO2, Frankincense CO2, and up to 5% Plai essential oil.
For skin care addressing psoriasis and eczema, blend also
with Tamanu, Coconut, and Hazelnut oils, and include SMALL amounts of
essential oils such as Lavender, German Chamomile, Sea
Buckthorn and Calendula. Really no more than 2% total concentration of
essential oils is best -- this is approximately 22 drops essential oil
per ounce of carrier formula. LESS IS MORE with the oils, as there's no need to irritate the skin further. Many therapists believe higher concentrations of these anti-inflammatory essential oils may actually be pro-inflammatory.
For skin other skin care formulas, include as a portion of
your base and add up to a total of 5% essential oil concentration,
selecting the oils on the skin condition you are addressing.
A 'carrier oil' is a seed or nut oil, molecularity different
than an 'essential oil'. They're comprised of long-chain fatty acids,
and have an 'oily' texture you're familiar with like Olive oil. They are called 'carriers', as they're meant to carry essential oils into the skin and body.
Carrier oils each have their own therapeutic properties, as to essential oils.
Browse to each carrier oil to review these. Some are excellent for
healing skin care uses, and others are great for massage and
reflexology. Almond Oil, for example, is taught to massage therapy
students, and they use it extensively for full-body massage (it's
texture has a nice 'glide'). Other oils like Tamanu are complex,
somewhat rare, and have incredible healing properties for the skin -
Tamanu is great for nearly every skin care application, from anti-aging
blends, to anti-infectious formulas.
Our high grade carrier oils are suitable for all aromatherapy, massage and cosmetic applications. We only supply cold and expeller pressed oils, never those extracted using solvents.
Our carrier oils are shipped in high-grade, lined aluminum bottles,
designed to safely store your carrier oils without light interaction.
And they look really great
In many recipes, you'll see a percentage of essential oil to
be blended in carrier oils. The amount of essential oil necessary to
achieve any desired concentration is very easy to calculate:
each 1% essential oil is equal to 11 drops essential oil per 1 fluid
ounce of carrier oil. So, for example, a 2% concentration of Rosemary
essential oil in 1 ounce of carrier is 22 drops. In 4 ounces, it is 4
ounces x 2 percent x 11 drops = 88 drops. |
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