Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil has great antiseptic properties as well as being a valuable tonic, astringent, antacid, diuretic, emollient, hypotensive, anti-rheumatic and laxative. It can be used in a variety of ways to treat conditions ranging from digestive disorders to fighting infections. It can be used to treat skin complaints and improve conditions such as gingivitis.
Due to its antacid, diuretic and laxative properties Lemon can help to detoxify and cleanse the system and relieve symptoms of IBS and other digestive issues.
Lemons fresh citrus scent is not only a fantastic natural air freshener but it can also improve your mood, relieve anxiety and clear your mind. If that wasn’t enough, this versatile oil can also be added to homemade detergents to fragrance and improve the cleaning action. It can also make a pleasant smelling insect repellent.
BENFITS
Lemon essential oil has the following healing properties:
Highly Antiseptic, Tonic, Astringent, Anti-acid, Diuretic, Emollient, Hypotensive, Anti-rheumatic and Laxative.
Aids the digestive system – due to its antacid, diuretic and laxative properties it can help to cleanse the digestive system and relieve conditions such as IBS.
Sore throat – due to its antiseptic properties Lemon makes a good gargle for treating sore throats.
Improving mood and anxiety – Lemon can help to improve moods and reduce anxiety as well as clearing the mind.
Skin Conditions – due to its astringent properties Lemon is great for clearing greasy skin and hair and drying out acne.
Insect repellent – Lemon makes a fresh, pleasant smelling insect repellent for your home and added to a base cream or oil for your skin.
Muscular problems – Lemons anti-rheumatic properties make it effective for relieving sore aching muscles and conditions such as rheumatism and arthritis.
Lowering blood pressure – the hypotensive properties of Lemon can make it effective in helping to lower blood pressure.
Liver purifier – due to its ability to cleanse and detoxify the body through its diuretic and laxative properties it can help to purify the liver.
Fight against infections – Lemon can be used to fight infections and boost the immune system and reducing the severity of cold and flu outbreaks.
Sinusitis – Lemon can be used to treat the congestion and infection that leads to painful sinusitis.
Gingivitis – its antiseptic properties make it an excellent natural remedy for gingivitis and infections of the mouth.
Nosebleeds – it can help reduce the amount and severity of nosebleeds.
Corns, warts and verruca’s - Lemon makes an effective aid to banishing corns, warts and verruca’s.
Soothes headaches and migraines – can be used to soothe headaches and migraines and relieve stress.
BLENDS
Whilst most essential oils can be used together some oils can overpower other oils. Lemon goes particularly well with oils such as:
Tea Tree
Cedarwood
Sandalwood
Eucalyptus
Geranium
Fennel
Ylang Ylang
WAYS TO USE
DIFFUSE
Lemon essential oil can be used in diffusers or oil burners. Using Lemon essential oil in this way is particularly beneficial in relieving colds, flu, depression, stress, lack of energy and fatigue. It furthermore relieves irritation and also helps improve concentration, reduces stress and its naturally energising scent help increase energy levels, reduce fatigue and encourages clear thinking.
Diffuse 1 - 3 drops of Lemon essential oil in an oil burner or diffuser.
BATH
Lemon essential oil can be added to a warm bath to relieve digestive problems, lack of energy, fatigue, infections such as colds and flu.It can also ease the discomfort caused by conditions such as rheumatism and arthritis. The fragrance of the oil can also relieve feelings of depression and stress and tension.
Add 1 - 3 drops of Lemon essential oil to a warm bath.
Note: Care should be taken not to use more than 3 drops to prevent the bath from becoming too slippery. Essential oils should be added to a carrier oil before adding as oil and water do not mix and essential oils will float on the surface of the water and if used neat can burn the skin.
MASSAGE
Massage is a great way of relaxing the body and mind and easing aching muscles, arthritis and rheumatism. Lemon essential oil can help lift feelings of depression and stress as the scent is inhaled during the massage. It is an energising oil so although it can calm the mind it can also increase energy levels and reduce feelings of fatigue.
Adults - up to 7 drops in 1 tbsp of carrier oil.
Children over 2 years old - up to 3 drops in 1 tbsp of carrier oil.
CREAM
Adding a few drops of Lemon to a base cream is a great way of harnessing its astringent properties which are great for oily skin conditions whilst its antiseptic effect properties helps to treat cuts, boils and minor wounds. It detoxifying properties can be beneficial to when massaged into cellulite.
Add up to 12 drops of essential oil to 30 ml of base cream.
GARGLE
When very diluted Lemon essential oil can be used to soothe sore throats, gingivitis and mouth infections.
Add 1 – 3 drops of essential oil to a glass of water and gargle, ensuring not to swallow.
SIDE EFFECTS
As with all essential oils it should not be used neat on the skin, essential oils are very concentrated oils that can irritate the skin unless mixed with a carrier oil. Essential oils should not be used internally unless under the supervision of an aromatherapist.
Do not go in the sun or use sunbeds for 6-8 hours after applying Lemon. Can irritate sensitive skin.
Pets can be particularly sensitive to the effects of essential oils and can even be toxic so where possible should either be avoided or used where a pet is able to go into another room for example Lemon is one such oil.