The Emu

The emu is the great flightless bird of Australia. It's the second largest bird in the world, smaller only than the ostrich. It stands about 5-feet tall and weighs in at around 120 pounds. Although its flesh is extremely low in fat content, it does carry a large amount of fat on the top of its back. This fat is built up in preparation for nesting season, when the male bird will sit on the nest without eating or drinking for eight weeks.

Absorbent

Wrinkles

More useful information about emu oil: Emu oil is a good moisturiser and many people use emu oil to help remove wrinkles from the face and other body areas. This ability to fluff up the skin has been picked up on by the cosmetics industry and emu oil is starting to find its way into face, body, and hand creams, and wrinkle reducers.

Application

The application of emu oil is a traditional Australian aboriginal method for relieving pain for arthritis, tendonitis, tennis elbow, muscle and joint aches, sprains, strains, and bruising. It may be able to assist in speeding tissue repair injuries caused by trauma and burns and is effective as a moisturizer and anti-wrinkle oil. Emu oil is also rapidly absorbed by the skin, which makes it ideal to transfer the healing properties of natural herbs and plants. Although studies have yet to show exactly how emu oil helps the body, years of its use indicate its value as one of Mother Nature's remedies.

Aboriginal Use of Emu Oil

The emu has been valued for thousands of years by Australian aborigines due to its value as a food and medicinal resource. The emu is a large bird that can be found almost anywhere there is open country, and being a large bird provides a large amount of food when caught. The fat on its back, however, provides just as valuable a resource due to its medicinal value. Aborigines have used emu oil to relieve muscle aches, sore joints and inflammation for thousands of years.

For more information on the properties of emu oil, see this site's other emu oil tips!

Fatty Acids

Emu oil, which is the product derived from the rendered fat of the emu, naturally contains a high level of linolecic acid (a substance known to ease muscle ache and joint pain) and oleic acid, which provides a local anti-inflammatory effect. Emu oil has been successfully used in the healing process of burns, bruises, and muscle pain and a significant reduction in sports related muscle strains with pre- and post-exercise emu oil massage.

Burns