 Lemon (Citrus limon) from the Rutaceae (citrus) botanical family. It has a strong, purifying, citrus scent that is revitalizing and uplifting. Lemon consists of 68 percent dlimonene, a powerful antioxidant. It is deliciously refreshing in water and very beneficial for the skin (trust me, read my story!). Lemon may also be used to enhance the flavor of foods. Lemon essential oil is cold-pressed from the rinds of lemons. Jean Valnet MD estimated that it takes 3,000 lemons to produce one kilo of oil. In his book, The Practice of Aromatherapy, Valnet wrote that lemon is a tonic for supporting the nervous and sympathetic nervous system.* Lemon has an approximate ORAC of 6,619 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter.
CAUTION: Citrus oils should NOT be applied to skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight for 12 hours or ultraviolet light within 72 hours. The lemon rind attracts the sun in nature, which is what ripens the lemon. Historically, lemon has been used to cure food poisoning, malaria, typhoid, and scurvy. I'm telling you, essential oils are not some new fad... our culture has simply forgotten... so thankful they are being rediscovered by so many! So, what can YOU use lemon essential oil for? Well, here are a few places to start: 1. Air Freshener. Put 6 drops of Lemon oil and 6 drops of Purification oil in a squirt bottle (I got mine at whole foods for about $2.00, it's a pretty blue glass spray bottle) mixed with distilled water to use in bathroom as an air freshener. Yay for this one! 2. Remove Gum, Oil, Grease Spots and Crayons. Use 1-2 drops of Lemon oil to remove gum, oil, grease spots or crayon. My 2 year old painted her whole self with black finger nail polish the other day! I dripped lemon oil on it, rubbed it gently with my fingers and it began dissolving and turned into a powder and she was all cleaned up! 3. Varicose Veins. Rub several drops of Lemon oil on varicose veins to improve circulation and relieve pressure on the veins. 4. Lemonade. For homemade lemonade, in a blender mix 2 drops of Lemon oil, 2 Tbsp of honey and 2 cups of pure water. YUM! 5. Callouses / Bunions / Warts. Rub a drop of Lemon oil on a corn, callous, bunion or wart mornings and evenings until it disappears. 6. Clean & prolong the life of fresh fruit and veggies! To clean and increase shelf life of fresh fruit, fill a bowl with cool water and 2-3 drops of Lemon oil. Drop cleaned fruit into the water and stir. Be sure all surfaces of the fruit contact the lemon 7. Counter Tops. Add 2-3 drops of Lemon oil to water and spray counter to sterilize. Smells so good too! 8. Dishcloths. Soak your dishcloth overnight in a bowl of water and a drop of Lemon oil to disinfect and kill germs. 9. Public Bathrooms. Rub a drop of Lemon oil on your hands after using a public bathroom (you know how some bathrooms have no soap, or no sink? Ewh.) Another good one for this is the Thieves Hand Sanitizer! 10. Rub it on little feet to boost immunity! Lemon oil is my "go to" when my little ones are fighting a bug. Rub 1-2 drops on the bottom of their feet every 20 minutes, until symptoms subside. (P.S. This works for big feet too ;) 11. Water purification. 1 drop to 12-16 oz of water purifies water, removing nitrates! 12. Remove stains & brighten fabrics & carpets. 1-2 drops on the stain. I just removed a bright orange stain of who knows what, from my white shag rug with lemon oil and Thieves Household Cleaner. 13. Skin. Brighten your complexion and remove dead skin cells (remember dont go in the sun for 12 hours, and no tanning for 72 hours). Lemon also is antifungal and antiseptic, this is a key ingredient in my blend for my skin condition. 14. Fingernails. Strengthen & harden your nails with lemon oil. 15. Brain POWER! Lemon helps promote thought clarity. Diffuse it while working or studying. Or, place 2 drops in your palm, cup your hands and breath in through your nose. 16. Anxiety. Lemon oil promotes health, and healing. Its fragrance is invigorating and promotes feelings of well being. 17. Cellulite. Rub lemon oil on affected areas. 18. Food! Use lemon oil to flavor your food! I just used it to create a new recipe, Lori's Lemon Superfood Bites. More to come... ~And remember, ALL of my posts on essential oils ONLY apply to Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils. Young Living oils promote HEALTH... others just might smell pretty and give you a headache. Most Young Living Essential Oils can be used as dietary supplements, and have directions right on the label. Wouldn't it be great to be prescribed Young Living Essential oils instead of pharmaceuticals, and actually experience true healing? Well, we may not be able to get a prescription here in The States, but we can still take control of our health and use essential oils! Why cant you just buy your essential oils at the grocery store? "Over 90% of what is sold in the United States as 'pure' essential oil is fragrance-grade and diluted. (The FDA has determined that a product need contain only 5% of the ingredient on the label in order to use the word pure.) These oils are found on the shelves of many health food stores and at online discount houses. They may be less expensive, but THEY WILL NOT BE USEFUL FOR HEALTH :( ." If you would like to learn more about Young Living Essential Oils, become a wholesale or retail customer, have questions, or need help using your YL Essential Oils, THIS is the website you need! Let me know if I can help you! ~ Lori References: Essential Oils Desk Reference. Compiled by Essential Science Publishing. Reference Guide for Essential Oils by Connie & Alan Higley Gary D. Young N.D. An Introduction to Young Living Essential Oils. Comments are closed.
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