AMERICAN EMU INDUSTRY HEATS UP FOR LONG, COLD WINTER

DALLAS (Nov. 7, 1998) -   A powerful storm system forecast to bring heavy snows into the Great Plains early next week is the nation's first sign of winter, and the American emu industry is gearing up.  Emu oil is a natural skin emollient produced by the emu, a cousin to the ostrich.  Dedicated emu producers are taking steps to bring emu oil to market in time to combat the elements of a cold winter. 

In the last decade, United States health professionals have become more familiar with this remedy for dry winter skin that has existed for thousands of years and is now a household staple in Australia.

Each winter, consumers seek solutions to combat skin problems that accompany drastic seasonal temperature changes.  Loss of skin's natural oil from cold temperatures, extreme winds and dry indoor heat can make skin parched, cracked and lose its smooth, natural healthy look.

AUSTRALIA'S SECRET COMES TO AMERICA

Indigenous to Australia, the emu was imported to the United years ago but has only recently grown in popularity for the healing properties of its oil. The oil is highly penetrating and non-comedogenic.  An excellent moisturizer, the thick, soothing oil is often used alone in its pure form or found in moisturizers and cosmetics.

Research conducted at the Occupational Dermatology Laboratory of the University of Texas Medical School at Houston concluded that emu oil consists mostly of oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty acid. 

MORE THAN A MOISTURIZER

Medical specialists discovering the benefits of emu oil are also adapting it into treatment techniques for relieving the symptoms of arthritis, preventing scars and treating eczema.  Emu oil is anti-inflammatory; in addition to reducing swelling and stiffness in joints, it reduces bruising and muscle pain.  Professional sports trainers and players recognize the benefits of emu oil and use it for sprains, pulled muscles, and sore joints.  Emu oil has also been proven to thicken the skin of the elderly by as much as 14 percent and is used widely to treat pressure sores.

Courtesy of the American Emu Association