We are so lucky to have some great research just published in 2015 on Hong Kuai and Hinoki essential oils. I’ll share the Abstract and help interpret their results. When I get a copy of the paper, I’ll insert another post to let you know the details. Ready?
“The Effect of Hinoki and Meniki Essential Oils on Human Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Mood States” is a great research report. Meniki is the Japanese name for Hong Kuai (Hong Kuai is Mandarin Chinese). So this research paper discusses Hong Kuai essential oil activity on HUMANS.
“After inhaling Meniki (Hong Kuai) essential oil, participant’s systolic blood pressure and heart rate decreased….” Systolic blood pressure is the first number listed for your blood pressure reading. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure your blood exerts on your arteries during the heart contraction to push blood into the arteries.
Note on the chart that systolic blood pressure is a key indicator of HIGH ANXIETY and HYPERTENSION. Stress is a common word too. Reducing systolic blood pressure is good. When you are stressed your systolic blood pressure rises. Hong Kuai essential oil helps to REDUCE your systolic blood pressure and REDUCE your stress. This is why I call Hong Kuai my “Liquid Confidence”.
Stress with kids, stress at work, stress with finances, stress with your spouse, and stress to give presentations are common. The older one gets the easier it is to handle stress. However, our blood vessels become less elastic with age, so this also causes increased systolic blood pressure. Hong Kuai essential oil can help to reduce STRESS and REDUCE systolic blood pressure.
Hong Kuai also decreased heart rate. This is a calming effect on the body. It is automatic. It is the automatic response of the Autonomic Nervous System. Hong Kuai helps calm the body and emotions. That’s why it is my “Liquid Confidence”.
They also reported for Hong Kuai: “In addition, the Sympathetic Nervous Activity was SIGNIFICANTLY decreased (lower Fight or Flight response), and Parasympathetic Activity was SIGNIFICANTLY increased (higher Rest & Digest response).” Hong Kuai automatically triggers the body’s REST & DIGEST response to reduce blood pressure, constricts eye pupils, stimulates saliva, constricts airways, stimulates activity in stomach, and stimulates activity in intestines.
Hinoki Essential Oil had the opposite effect on Autonomic Nervous System. “On the other hand, after inhaling Hinoki essential oil…Parasympathetic Nervous Activity (Rest & Digest response)…decreased, whereas Sympathetic Nervous Activity (Fight or Flight response) was increased. So Hinoki automatically triggers the human Fight or Flight response, the opposite of Hong Kuai.
The study continues, “Furthermore, in the Profile of Mood States test, both Meniki (Hong Kuai) and Hinoki wood essential oils stimulated a pleasant mood status.” Hong Kuai essential oil can be used to flip your emotional mood – from unpleasant to pleasant. All you have to do is inhale Hong Kuai.
They concluded, “Our results strongly suggest that Meniki (Hong Kuai) and Hinoki essential oils could be suitable agents for the development of regulators of sympathetic nervous system dysfunctions.” In other words, when you are STRESSED OUT, inhale Hong Kuai essential oil. It will help you FOCUS, RELAX, ENVISION the FUTURE, MEDITATE, Deal with the IMPORTANT issues, and feel CONFIDENT.
My conclusions: Hong Kuai is good for STRESSFUL situations, for the AGING, for HEART health, for RESPIRATORY concerns, calming one’s MOOD, to help RELAX the body, to help FOCUS the mind, and achieve CONFIDENCE.
Source: Dr. Cole Woolley