First of all, it comes from the rind of the lemon fruit. doTERRA oil is cold pressed from the rind and then gone through rigorous testing to ensure it is the purest it can possibly be. No synthetics or pesticides of any kind in it. Yay! :) It has also been FDA approved for internal use so added benefits that a lot of other essential oils don't have.
It is an antidepressant, antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, astringent, immune tonic, lymphatic decongestant, pancreatic stimulant, invigorating and refreshing. Doesn't this sound like a useful oil to have around? There is a warning I should give you about this and this is true for most of the citrus oils. If you use on the skin then be careful when in the sun. It can promote photosensitivity (increase risk of sunburn). So, if used on skin, wait 24 hours before going in the sun.
If you are looking for a simple detox, put a few drops in your water. The recommended amount is 1-2 drops in 8-12 oz of water. I always have lemon in my water. You should use a stainless steel or glass container as plastic absorbs the oil and then anything you put in the plastic container will then take on the taste of lemon, which may not be all bad. ;) Also, our bodies are constantly absorbing and inhaling petrochemicals (chemicals from petroleum) from the air, lotions and many other things we come in contact with. Our bodies cannot process this chemical so it wraps it in a layer of fat and stores it somewhere out of the way (my hips). Citrus oils actually destroy petrochemicals. Here's a cool thing to do. Take a styrofoam cup and put a couple drops of citrus oil on it and watch it each the cup. I did this in a used cup I had with dried cocoa in the bottom of it. I flipped the cup upside down and put the oil there. It ate through the styrofoam but left the cocoa intact. I found this quite interesting. Here's a pic. :) Isn't that cool!?
Diffuse lemon oil to help eliminate viruses and bacteria. It is also good for mental clarity by simply breathing it in. (Real estate agents report that by diffusing lemon oil for 15 minutes before showing an open house that viewers seem very relaxed and interested in asking questions.
Cleaning!! :) It is great for cleaning. You can put some in a spritzer bottle with water and clean where food preparation happens. I have a bottle with 1 part water, 1 part white vinegar and 10 drops lemon oil. I use it to clean EVERYTHING!!
You can also use it in food. If you need lemon juice or zest of a lemon, I often just use some lemon oil. If you don't have lemons on hand then you can make lemon-honey tea when sick with lemon oil. ;)
Mix some lemon oil with some coconut oil and you have instant energizing body lotion! Woot! I need more energy all the time! :)
Here is a list of 35 useful things doTERRA recommends lemon oil for. Some I have tried and some I have not but all that I have tried have worked wonderfully. I now always use lemon oil in my laundry and dishwasher. :)
LEMON
Home Use
1. A Cure for Laundry Neglect. Lemon essential oil takes out ALL odor when you forget and leave your load of laundry in the washer way too long!
2. Tame Oozy, Sappy Trees. Whether the sap is on your carpet, clothes or seeped into your skin, lemon oil is excellent for removing pine gum and tree sap.
3. Stop Grease in its Tracks. You just fixed your bike. Your hands are black and greasy. Soap alone won’t remove the grease, but lemon oil mixed with your soap will. Lemon oil is a great de-greaser!
4. Disinfect the Disgusting. You can add lemon oil to a spray bottle of water and attack what may be living in your range hood, on your tables, countertops and other surfaces. For some extra chemical-free firepower, a little vinegar is a traditional favorite.
5. Lose the Gas Mask. When you clean the gunky build up in your shower, do you practically have to wear a gas mask to survive the fumes? Go gas mask free and clean with lemon oil. Just a small amount of lemon oil will go a long way in removing hard water build up.
6. Nourish Your Leathers. Whether you ride a Harley in style or cherish the patina of your leather sofa at home, your leathers are not maintenance free. Use a lemon oil soaked cloth to preserve them, and prevent leather from splitting.
7. High Ho Silver. A lemon oil treated cloth is a great remedy for the early stages of tarnish on silver or other metals. You may not eat on silver every day, but bracelets, earrings, necklaces often need some love.
8. Deactivate the Sticky. Lemon oil can help you avert a hair cutting crisis the next time you deal with gum in hair. Got kids with obsessive addictions to stickers or temporary tattoos? Works for those too. Not for wide receivers.
9. Love Your Luster. Bring your furniture back to life with lemon oil! Just add a few drops of lemon oil to olive oil for a non-toxic furniture polish. Lemon oil leaves a beautiful shine, prevents fine wood finishes from drying out, and replaces lost moisture in antique woods as it penetrates worn finishes.
10. De-Smudge Your Stainless. You don’t need to hunt down that “single use” stainless steel cleaner anymore. Multi-use lemon oil is great for cleaning stainless steel appliances. You’ll love the way stainless looks and smells!
11. Clean Granite or Porous Stone. What is living in the pores of your natural stone counters or floors? Lemon oil cleans deeply, seeps into stone and leaves you with a “real fresh lemons” aroma, rather than that fake lemon chemical smell.
12. Energize your Brush. If your toothbrush seems a bit tired, add a drop of lemon and peppermint oils to chase away that run-down feeling.
13. Quarantine Pungencies. Moldy kid’s sneakers, a baby’s blowout, potty training … it all adds up to an less than desirable aroma. Diffuse or spray lemon oil and neutralize odors at their source!
14. Take the Spine Out of Scuffs. Got a scuff mark that just won’t go away? Lemon oil lifts scuff marks in remarkable ways!
15. Curtail the Dank, Musty or Mildewed. Things get stored away. Things get old. Things don’t see the light of day. Chase away that “old smell” and inject new energy with a good lemon oil wipe down.
16. Stop Cutting Board Bacteria Palooza. Cutting boards can harbor bacteria in your kitchen. Nobody wants to taste the chemicals you have in your cleaning closet, yet most people love the taste of lemon!
17. Control an Aphid Invasion, Naturally. Aphids — those pesky little bugs that dine on your roses and other plants. Lemon oil (or peppermint) with water in a garden spray bottle are a natural pesticide that kills aphids and their larvae on contact, but leave your plants looking lovely.
18. Spot-Free Dishes. Add a few drops of lemon oil to your dishwasher soap container with each load. Your dishes will come out looking like new… spot-free!
19. Refresh Bad Smelling Washcloths. When your kitchen washcloths smell foul and could use a boost, add lemon oil to your detergent, soak overnight, wash, dry and your kitchen will smell so much better!
Cooking & Food
20. Energy Boost. For a quick, refreshing energy boost, combine a couple drops each of lemon essential oil and peppermint essential oil in a glass of water and drink up. Add a lemony taste to your bottled water.
21. Zest Up Your Sugary Indulgences. There are an infinite number of ways lemon oil can add a bit of freshness to your sugary savors: Lemon frosting • Lemon merengue • Sour cream lemon pie • Lemon cakes • Lemon tart glaze • Lemon squares • Lemon cookies • Breathtaking, awe-inspiring lemonade
23. Pep Up Your Entrees. With lemon oil, there are countless ways to make the bland zippy, or the blah peppy: Roasted salmon & asparagus with lemon oil, Linguine & shrimp with lemon oil, Lemon oil drizzled over vegetables (especially broccoli), Lemon garlic shrimp … or to add a fresh kick to an already great salad.
24. Preserve What You’ve Got. Use lemon oil in a spray to keep your cut fruit fresh until serving.
Body & Mind
25. Ease Respiratory Gunkity Goop. When used with a humidifier, it’s a great way to slow wheezing, colds, cough, and other upper respiratory problems.
26. De-scratch Your Scratchy Throat. Adding a couple drops of lemon essential oil to warm water & honey can change that yucky sore throat feeling, slow a nasty cough, and douse a fever. Lemon oil fights bacteria, as well as viruses.
27. Honeylicious Hair Highlights …Chemical Free. Skip the expensive salon highlight treatment, and use lemon oil to create your own hair highlights. Just go in the sun after using with your hair product, and it will lighten your hair. Be careful, it works well!
28. Fight the Fungus Among Us. Tired of seeing that unsightly nail fungus? Lemon oil is great for nails, and can help fight against nail fungus.
29. Halt the Nervous Nellie, In You. When combined with lavender oil and diffused into a room, you’ll find you feel less anxious, a better mood, more even keel, and well … linear.
30. Clear Thinking & Clear Focus, Made Visible. A clear mind, a clean slate, a fresh outlook. It’s all good. Real good. Diffuse lemon oil and you got it.
31. Take the Heat Out of Cold Sores. When you have a gnarly cold sore that’s just begging for attention, douse it with a few drops of lemon oil and you’ll have a new best friend.
32. Nice Mood … No Really. Chase away the moody blues (not the band), with a bit of blah-reducing lemon oil. Whether you choose to diffuse it or apply topically, it’s hard to not improve your outlook with lemon oil around!
33. Was That a Crusty? Next time you notice hard, crusty skin on your feet, (e.g. corns, calluses or bunions) regularly add a few drops of lemon oil and you’ll soon have softened skin!
34. A Brighter Complexion. Lemon oil can help remove dead skin cells and exfoliate. For a homemade exfoliant, add 4-5 drops to a small amount of oatmeal and water for a homemade scrub. Feels great!
No comments:
Post a Comment