I have never in my life heard of Hong Kuai. If you asked me what it was, I’d guess that it was a city in the far east. Nope, not quite. It’s the name of one of the largest and oldest species of trees in existence. These gentle giants can live up to 2000 years old. They grow predominately in Taiwan at higher elevations and you are not allowed to cut them down. They are harvested after they naturally fall during monsoon season. And just to give you a visual reference of their size, it takes 15 grown men standing hand to hand all the way around a lot of these gorgeous trees. They are every bit and larger than our sequoias out west. And another super interesting fact about them, you know those Asian temples with all the ornate decoration on front of them? The ones with dragon symbols, gold leaf, and green clay tiles? Yep, they use Hong Kuai wood to make those. It’s a very strong, sturdy wood but also soft and great for carving ornate decorations into. Hong Kuai trees also have the added benefit of being naturally bug and fungi resistant. That’s the reason they can live so long. Let’s talk about how Hong Kaui essential oil will help you stand tall and strong just like them.

You guys know by now how much I loooovvvveeee Cedarwood EO, right? One for its smell, of course (Heavenly!) but two for its ability to help us mentally! Well, up until this past weekend, it contained what I thought was the highest sesquiterpene content EO in existence. Not anymore… Welcome Hong Kuai. Cedarwood is a 95% threshold, where Hong Kuai is a 98%. For those of you that are not familiar with the wonders of Sesquiterpenes, go here and this explains it all.

“When we inhale the fragrance of an essential oil, the odor molecules travel up the nose where they’re registered by the nerves of the olfactory membranes in the nose lining. The odor molecules stimulate this lining of nerve cells and trigger electrical impulses to the olfactory bulb in the brain. The olfactory bulb then transmits the impulses to the amygdala – where emotional memories are stored – and to other parts of the limbic system of the brain. Because the limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance, essential oils can have profound physiological and psychological effects.  Olfactory responses to odors induce the brain to stimulate the release of hormones and neurochemicals that in turn alter the body’s physiology and behavior.”

-Taken from the Essential Oil Desk Reference, 4th Edition

So, Hong Kuai EO has the ability to help us mentally and physically. And why are you not already using Essential oils? Hong Kuai’s chemical make-up actually reprograms our emotional center to calm and soothe us, also instilling mental fortitude and confidence. I would most definitely diffuse this oil before you have an important meeting, job interview, really any kind of demanding life event where you want to be on top of your game. This is kind of an all-in-one mental boost kind of EO. Maybe add some Peppermint EO to help your mental recall or some lavender to give some extra help in the calming department. And if needed, put a drop in your palm, rub your hands together and just inhale. An idea I also found, was to put three or four drops on a handkerchief and wear it around your neck or wrist and just smell it as needed. When no one’s looking, of course. 🙂

Hong Kuai would also be great during your time of prayer and/or study with the Lord. With its ability to positively affect your amygdala, which is also thought to be your “third eye” or spiritual center, this EO with Frankincense would help deepen your connection to God during this time. That’s the main reason they burned Frankincense resin in the temples. I stumbled across a great way to use both oils, as well, while studying Hong Kuai EO. Put a drop between the pages of your bible. Every time you open it, your automatically begin to smell it and induce a calm, reverent state.

Another way Hong Kuai EO helps us, as we read above, because it can help soothe us mentally, it helps us physically. We all know what stress can do to your body. Especially prolonged stress. It will literally kill you. So, Hong Kaui is also an immune booster. The immediate decrease in your stressed mental state translate to the cortisol production in your body, dropping the levels immediately. Continued use of this soothing EO will improve your health exponentially. I would diffuse this with orange EO which scientifically shown to reduce anxiety by way of reducing cortisol levels, as well. Especially in children. This combo would be fantastic for those little ones with Autism that affects them emotionally or any children that are having a hard time with anxiety and emotional centering.

And lastly, we talked about how Hong Kuai is naturally bug and fungi resistant. This EO is great when diffused while you’re sick. Not only will it help to clear the air of germs, when inhaled, it will also help to fight off the bacteria in your lungs, helping you get better faster. Any time we can use EOs when we’re sick, it’s a documented fact that we drastically reduce the time we are infected. I would recommend a combo of Hong Kuai and Ravintsara for immune support. Either diffused or put directly on your chest, with a carrier oil, of course. Add in a few drops of Myrtle, too, to help expel any mucus build-up.

Well, that’s all for now, for Hong Kuai EO! I have a feeling we’ll be back to visit this fantastic EO in the future… Until then, Happy Oiling!

Hey, do you have questions about oils and how to use them? Leave me a comment right here and I’ll get right back with you or email me directly at thecurrentoilco@gmail.com.