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It came a hard rain and now it smells amazing out here. Then a rainbow just appeared after I took this picture. Figures. LOL
17 Amazing Benefits of Lemongrass Essential Oil
The health benefits of Lemongrass Essential Oil can be attributed to its many beneficial properties as an analgesic, antidepressant, antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicidal, galactogogue, insecticidal, nervine, sedative and tonic substance.
Lemongrass essential oil is extracted through the process of steam distillation of dried lemongrass. Lemongrass is known by the scientific names Cymbopogon Citratus or Andropogon Citratus. The main constituents of its essential oil are Myrcene, Citronellal, Geranyl Acetate, Nerol, Geraniol, Neral, Limonene and Citral.
As the name implies, lemongrass smells just like lemons, but it is milder, sweeter, and far less sour. This grass is used in countless beverages (including tea), desserts and other forms of culinary creations as a flavoring agent, where fresh lemon is not available or is not to be used because of its more potent flavor. It is widely used in Chinese and Thai recipes. It grows and spreads very fast like any other grass and fetches a good price in the market, which makes it a profitable and common item in organic and mainstream markets.
What’s more, lemongrass has many medicinal properties as well. The full explanation of the health benefits are explained below.
Health Benefits of Lemongrass Essential Oil
Analgesic: Things that are considered an analgesic reduce pain and inflammation. Lemongrass Essential Oil helps relieve pain in muscles and joints, as well as toothaches and headaches resulting from viral infections like cough, cold, influenza, fever, and various poxes. It also helps cure general body pain resulting from strenuous activities and athletics.
Antidepressant: Lemongrass Oil boosts self esteem, confidence, hope and mental strength, and it uplifts spirits and fights depression. This can be very helpful to drive away depression due to failures in their career, personal life, insecurity, loneliness, stagnation, death in the family and many other reasons. This also relieves anxiety. As an antidepressant, lemongrass can be systematically administered to patients of acute depression who are undergoing rehabilitation after acute shock. Basically, take it with your tea and relax.
Antimicrobial and Antibacterial: Lemongrass has antimicrobial properties which makes it an inhibitor of microbial and bacterial growth in the body, both internally and externally. It is also known to be effective in inhibiting bacterial infections in the colon, stomach, urinary tracts, wounds, respiratory system, and other organ systems. while also helping to cure diseases resulting from bacterial or microbial infections such as typhoid, food poisoning, skin diseases, body odor, and malaria (caused due to protozoon).
Anti-pyretic: An anti-pyretic is an agent that brings down very high fevers. This is quite similar to a febrifuge but it is effective on very high fevers as well. This oil can bring down a fever when it is beginning to reach dangerous levels. This property of Lemongrass, which comes from its essential oils, is widely known and utilized. It is often served in tea for this very purpose.
Antiseptic: The antiseptic properties of Lemongrass Oil make it a good application for external and internal wounds as well as an ingredient of antiseptic lotions and creams. The antiseptic properties of this oil do not let the external and internal cuts and wounds become septic.
Astringent: An astringent helps the stoppage of blood flow by contraction of the blood vessels. If someone is bleeding profusely, you need to utilize an astringent to speed up clotting of the blood and stop the flow to save his or her life. The fact that lemongrass is an astringent helps in a different way too. It promotes contraction of gums, hair follicles, muscles, skin and blood vessels, thereby preventing loosening and falling out of teeth, hair loss and it reduces the flow of blood through the vessels. Some of these properties can be life-saving, so lemongrass is an essential source of astringent.
Carminative: Lemongrass Essential Oil can efficiently handle trouble people might have with excess flatulence. It not only helps to remove gas from the intestine, but also stops further gas from forming. Furthermore, it provides the excess gas a safe downward passage by relaxing the muscles in the abdominal region.
Deodorant: Lemongrass Oil is far better than many of the synthetic deodorants that are a big expense, a heavy impact on the environment, and have limited lasting power. Also, those types of deodorant can sometimes produce irritation on the skin and can exacerbate certain allergies. Lemongrass oil can be a far better choice as a deodorant because it does not do any of these things. In a diluted form, it serves as an efficient deodorant without any side effects. The best thing about this is that it is herbal, so there is no damage to your body or the environment.
Diuretic: Lemongrass Oil increases urination, both in frequency and in quantity. This may sound not that important but it can be very beneficial for health. When a person urinates, fats are lost from the body, because 4% of the volume of urine is composed of fats. Obviously, the more you urinate, the more you lose fat. Urination also promotes digestion and inhibits the formation of excess gas. It removes excess water from the body and reduces swelling. Its most important contribution is that it removes toxins from the body, not to mention its ability to reduce blood pressure. That is the reason that most pharmaceutical medications for lowering blood pressure induce frequent urination. Urination also helps clean out the kidneys.
Febrifuge: Lemongrass Oil helps bring down fevers by battling the infections from which the fever is caused, as well as by increasing perspiration, which induces sweating out of toxins.
Fungicidal: Lemongrass Oil has good fungicidal properties and may be used to cure fungal infections, both external and internal.
Galactogogue: Galactogogue is a substance or an agent that increases the formation of milk in the breasts. It also enhances the quality of that same milk. This property is very helpful for lactating mothers and the babies who need that vital source of food. Lemongrass oil is a Galactogogue. Apart from increasing milk production, it also helps babies in another way. Babies are prone to infections, so the antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of Lemongrass oil are also absorbed in the milk and thus indirectly help the baby avoid such infections.
Insecticidal: Lemongrass is quite popular as an insect repellant due to its insecticidal properties. It kills insects and also keeps them away, but there isn’t enough research to know exactly which insects it affects, so there is no promise on cockroaches!
Nervine: Lemongrass Essential Oil acts as a tonic for the nerves and the nervous system in general. It helps cure many nervous disorders such as shaking hands or limbs, nervousness, vertigo, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and convulsions, sluggishness, and lack of reflexes. It strengthens the nerves throughout the body and stimulates them.
Sedative: Being a sedative is perhaps one of the most important and most appreciated medicinal properties of Lemongrass Oil. It has a great soothing, sedating and calming effects on mind, cures inflammations, itching of skin and it relieves tension and anxiety. This feature can help patients of insomnia as well.
Tonic: An agent which tones up and boosts health is a tonic. Lemongrass Oil is a tonic in a very clear sense. It tones all the systems functioning in the body, such as respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system and excretory system and facilitates absorption of nutrients into the body, thus providing strength and boosting the immune system.
Other Benefits: Lemongrass essential oil helps to cure cellulite, fungal infections and digestive problems, while simultaenously reducing excessive perspiration.
A Few Words of Caution: It is likely to irritate the skin and produce other types of irritations too. Hence it should be avoided during pregnancy, and kept away from the eyes.
Blending: Lemongrass Essential Oil combines beautifully with the essential oils of Basil, Cedar Wood, Coriander, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Lavandin and Tea Tree.
How to make lemongrass oil?
Lemongrass oil can be produced relatively easily, through a standard steam distillation process. While it is easier to simply purchase your own pre-distilled variety, you can make lemongrass oil by taking two lemongrass stalks and either crushing it or mashing it with a mortar and pestle. The oil will be released, and it can be collected in a jar. Place the stalks in the oil mixture and let it sit for at least two days for maximum potency.
What is lemongrass oil good for?
Lemongrass oil has been widely praised by people around the world due to its analgesic, antimicrobial, diuretic, astringent and nervine effects. It can help to relieve pain, boost mood, protect the integrity of the immune system, speed up wound healing, stop excessive bleeding, prevent body odor, detoxify the body and stimulate the production of milk for breastfeeding women. It can also impact hormone levels and lower fevers.
How to use lemongrass essential oil?
There are a few different ways to use lemongrass essential oils, including topical and internal applications. You can choose to drink diluted lemongrass oil for its anti-inflammatory and hormone-modulating effects, and is also commonly used as an additive in teas and beverages as a flavoring agent. Finally, you can topically apply lemongrass oil to the skin, particularly in the case of acne or other skin irritations.
Where to buy lemongrass oil?
From the smallest natural health suppliers to major big-box stores, such as Walmart and Target, you can easily access and purchase lemongrass essential oil. Health stores like GNC and herbalists are also reliable sources to find this beneficial oil. You can make your own lemongrass oil, but the process is a bit lengthy.
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