My unexpected love story with the king of oils

The king I am referring to does not wear a cape or crown, but comes in a small bottle with a wood-colored label. Frankincense. Or as the Boswellia tree probably prefers to be called: Boss.

I have to be honest: I was deeply skeptical about essential oils. I am a scientist by training – health sciences, peer-reviewed research. Then my body started throwing curveballs that conventional medicine handled poorly.

Perimenopause. What a delightfully euphemistic term for what amounts to your hormones deciding to throw a party without telling you. The hot flashes were manageable. The sleep disruption was annoying. But the brain fog was something else entirely.

Being a scientist, I went down the research rabbit hole first. Boswellic acids – the active compounds in frankincense – have documented anti-inflammatory properties. Research shows promising results for cognitive function and neuroinflammation. Traditional use spanning thousands of years across multiple cultures always makes me pay attention.

I started with frankincense applied topically and diffused. The brain fog lifted noticeably within two weeks. Not dramatically, but enough to make a real difference.

More surprising was its effect on groundedness. There is something about the scent – earthy, warm, slightly medicinal – that creates a mental anchor. On difficult days, one inhale seems to reset the nervous system.

I remain a scientist. I cannot tell you definitively whether this is pharmacological or psychological. But it works, and the research supports the plausibility. The king earned his crown.