Five Must Have Citrus Oils
Let's start with one of my new favourites, Lime. This has become one of my new favorite oils, its smell amazing, and it turns out that it has some amazing benefits too! Here are ten things to know about Lime:
1) Bright & Cherry! The amazing smell of this oil can instantly change your mood, especially when it's mixed with other oils like Wild Orange, Citrus Bliss or Peppermint. Seriously, this one is a game changer!
2) Dealing with depression or feeling exhausted from a long week of work? Try diffusing lime or applying it to your neck for an uplifting and energizing feeling.
3) Here is another surprise, Lime is good for muscle spasm and cramps. Try massaging the oil over the area of discomfort or take orally to increase antioxidants and decrease inflammation.
4) Try using lime aromatically in those moments of mental lapses, or when your head is feeling like it's in a fog.
5) Lime makes a great all natural cleaner. Mix it with vinegar and water for an all purpose cleaner.
6) Lime is a great oil for sinus relief, especially mixed with oils like Breathe and Peppermint. *
7) Is head lice going around your house? Try adding twenty drops of lime with fifteen drops of melaleuca to a bottle of shampoo and apply according to the directions. *
8) Dealing with chickenpox? Try using diluting lime and applying it to the affected areas.*
9) Lime can be used as a natural perfume. Try mixing it with Fennel and Patchouli.
10) Use lime aromatically or topically to get from faint to enlivened.
Lime mixes well with lavender, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, woody oils such as cedarwood, and spicy oils such as cinnamon, and black pepper. It's properties include being an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, a detoxifier, and a disinfectant.
Second up, is an old favourite. Wild Orange is by far one of my favourite oils; it smells like liquid sunshine, and is an oil that always puts me in a better mood. What I was surprised by when I really dug into this oil was to find out just how much this one little oil can accomplish. Like every other citrus oil it has some serious power. Here are just a few the several ways this oil can be used:
1) Wild Orange has natural antibacterial properties. Wild Orange can inhibit the spread the of bacterial such as salmonella. Try creating an all purpose cleaner with water, vinegar and a few drops of Wild Orange; to create a spray that has more immune boosting properties try adding in some OnGuard. *
2) As stated before, Wild Orange is a natural mood booster, and is great to use when you've got feelings of anxiety, fear or irritability. When feeling anxious or fearful apply Wild Orange under your nose, across your forehead or try diffusing the oil. Try mixing it with serenity , or lavender to create a reassuring and relaxing environment.
3) Use Wild Orange to eeroad feeling of lacking creativity, production or energy. Try diffusing Wild Orange with Peppermint in those moments at you just don't want to do anything, even though you know you should be. Alternatively mix peppermint and wild orange in a roller ball to create a focus blend, and use it when you lack that desire to get things done. This is also a great mixture for children who lack the ability to concentrate at times of their homework or other tasks.
4) It has long been known that vitamin C can help when you have a cold. Try diffusing the oil or apply it to the bottoms of your feet the next time you are feeling under the weather. *
5) Detox and regeneration- put a few drops in your water or in a capsule.*
6) This oil is great for cooking, but you don't need much. Try adding a drop or two to a dish, dessert or smoothies for a rich and sweet flavour.
7) Wild Orange is great for insomnia. Try mixing it with calming oils such as serenity and lavender at night.
8) Have heartburn? Try mixing orange with ginger in a capsule.*
9) Emotional balance-- Use this oil topically or aromatically to get from drained to productive in a jiffy!
Wild Orange mixes well with Cinnamon, Lavender, and Peppermint. It's often found in blends such as OnGuard, Citrus Bliss, Elevation, and Cheer.
Tangerine. This is one oil that I'm incredibly new too, and I have to admit that I didn't know much about it before I started doing some research. Here are just a few ways that Tangerine oil works, and let me tell you, it is far more than just a tasty snack at Christmas time.
1) Experiencing achy or fatigued muscles? Try applying this oil topically to affected areas.*
2) Dealing with arthritis and muscle pain? Dilute and apply Tangerine oil topically to affected areas.*
3) Take Tangerine oil in a capsule or put a few drops in a glass of water to assist with water retention. *
4) Experiencing sadness or irritability? Try diffusing or applying Tangerine oil under your nose, back, or neck.
5) To assist with emotional balance -- Use topically or aromatically to go from feeling oppressed to feeling restored.
Tangerine oil mixes well with oils such as bergamot, clary sage and lavender. The top priorities of Tangerine oil include being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, a laxative, a sedative, and a anticoagulant.
Grapefruit, one of my least favourite fruits, and one oil that I honestly don't use too often. However, this oil has several amazing properties so I thought it was worth researching and including in this post. Here's what this oil can do:
1) Wanting to lose some weight? Try putting a few drops in a bottle of water or take in a capsule.*
2) I think everyone struggles with those sugar cravings, especially late at night. If you're experiencing sugar cravings and not wanting to give in try diffusing Grapefruit oil or try taking in a capsule or putting a few drops in your water.
3) Dealing with oily skin and acne? Try applying this oil topically to areas of concern to better manage breakouts.*
4) Looking for a hangover cure? Try taking Grapefruit oil in a capsule to ease symptoms.
5) To achieve emotional balance diffuse or apply the oil topically, and go from divided to validated.
Grapefruit oil blends well with basil, peppermint, rosemary.The top properties of this oil include but are not limited to being an antioxidant, a antiseptic, a purifier, and antitoxic, a diuretic.
Lemon is one oil that I've profiled before in the Ten Powerful Oils series, but it's such a versatile oil that i thought it needed to be added in. Lemon oil is able to help with so many different things, that there are too many to list. Here are just a few of the ways that Lemon oil can work:
1) Experiencing heartburn or acid reflux? try taking lemon along with ginger oil in a capsule or in a glass of water.*
2) Experiencing congestion and mucus? Try diffusing lemon oil or rubbing it on your chest.*
3) Allergies. Enough said, right? If you deal with seasonal allergies you should defiantly make a point of trying lemon oil at some point. Try diffusing or topically using a mixture of lemon, lavender, and peppermint for allergy relief. *
4) Try putting a few drops of lemon in a glass of water the dealing with arthritis.*
5) Looking for a natural all purpose cleaner? Try putting 10 -15 drops of lemon oil in a spray bottle with vinegar and water.
6) Looking for a way to better promote concentration for whatever you might be working on? Try diffusing lemon with rosemary. Go from mindless to energized.
Lemon mixes well with Basil, Peppermint, and Rosemary. It's properties include being an antiseptic, and antioxidant, a degreaser, and a disinfectant.
*The following claims have not been approved by the FDA.
The Essential Life: A Complete Guide to Living The Wellness Lifestyle. (3rd. ed.). (2017). Total Wellness Publishing.