10 Everyday Uses for Lemon Essential Oil

Among other things, lemon essential oil can lift the spirits and studies have shown it to have an anti-depressant effect.   Lemon oil is a good one to start with if you are new to using essential oils because it is so versatile.  Here are 10 of my favorite  uses for lemon essential oil.

These statements are for educational purposes only and  have not been evaluated by the FDA and Pure Home and Body LLC and it’s associates do not attempt to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.  The uses in this video are only editorial and not meant to be prescriptive.    For medical treatment, consult your doctor.  Essential oils should not be ingested unless you are under the guidance of a licensed practitioner, and should only be done with Therapeutic, food grade oils in  quantities as directed by a professional.

1. Lemonade:  Yes, you can even make Lemonade with a Therapeutic food-grade lemon essential oil.  Just add 1 drop of lemon essential oil to a glass, fill with 8 – 10 oz of purified water, sweeten to taste with agave nectar or stevia liquid.  Add ice if desired, Enjoy!  For a special treat instead of soda, use sparkling water like San Pellegrino.

2. Cold Sore Care:  Apply a drop undiluted directly on cold sore. Make sure to avoid sun exposure 12 hours after application to avoid sunburn.

3. Immune Support….massage 1-2 drops into lymph glands to cleanse and improve toxin removal.

4. Sticker removal: apply 1-2 drops directly on to stickers to dissolve sticky residue. Test a small surface before doing this, do not use on plastics or woods, which lemon oil will dull or remove finish.

Article: Why Science is Sweet on Lemon Essential Oil as a Cancer Fighter

5. Callouses: Massage into feet to soften callouses. Finish with a vegetable oil like coconut.

6. Fruit and Veggie Wash: Add a drop to a bowl of water and submerge produce for a few minutes to cleanse and extend shelf life.

7. Throat Soother : For a dry throat, add 1-2 drops to a spoonful of honey or agave nectar and swallow to coat throat.

8. Concentration: Diffuse while working to increase memory recall and reduce frequency of clerical errors

9. Digestive Support: Massage 1-2 drops into belly to ease indigestion

10. Healthy Lung Function: Massage 1-2 drops into child’s or adult’s chest to comfort person with chest congestion and increase expectoration. Lemon essential oil is a muculytic.

Select research on effects of limonene (found in lemon essential oil) on cancer:

• Cancer Chemoprevention by Phytochemicals and their related compounds.  Nishino H, et al.  Asian Pac J. Cancer Prevention.  2000;1(1):49-55
• Involvement of YY1 and its correlation with c-myc in NDEA induced hepatocarcinogenesis, it’s prevention by d-limonene. Parija T, Das BR. Mol Biol Rep.  2003 Mar 30;(1)41-6
• Inhibition by D-limonene of gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitroguanidine.  Cancer Lett.  1999 April 1;137(2):161-8http://purehomeandbody.com/mosquitos

Other Research:

Migiwa Komiyaa, Takashi Takeuchib,Etsumori Haradac. Lemon oil vapor causes an anti-stress effect via modulating the 5-HT and DA activities in mice.Behavioural Brain Research. Volume 172, Issue 2, 25 September 2006, Pages 240–249.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432806002798

Katie Fisher, Carol Phillips.Potential antimicrobial uses of essential oils in food: is citrus the answer? Trends in Food Science & Technology
Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2008, Pages 156–164.  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224407003548

Lydia Ferrara,1 Daniele Naviglio,2 and Arturo Armone Caruso3. Cytological Aspects on the Effects of a Nasal Spray Consisting of Standardized Extract of Citrus Lemon and Essential Oils in Allergic Rhinopathy.ISRN Pharmaceutics. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 404606, 6 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.5402/2012/404606

Abstract:In this paper, a new formulation of nasal spray was set up based on the extract of lemon pulp, obtained by using a new solid-liquid technology of extraction, added to pure Aloe juice, soluble propoli, and essential oils of Ravensara and Niaouly. It was tested in a clinical study in which 100 subjects were recruited for a period of one month. Nasal scraping was used for collecting samples and after the application of the May-Grünwald Giemsa standard technique, glass slides were analysed by using optical microscope with a 1000x oil immersion. A control group constituted of ten people was recruited as control and this group was administered with physiological solution (saline solution). The comparison of results obtained before and after the application of nasal spray showed a total reduction of eosinophils granulocytes and mast cells; clinical data were confirmed by improvement of clinical pictures of patients. The lemon-based nasal spray was a good alternative to conventional medicine for the treatment of perennial and seasonal allergic and vasomotor rhinopathy.

Farrer, F. Making Sense of the active ingredients in cough preparations. 2011. Professional Nursing Today. Vol 15 Iss 2. pg 12-16. ISSN16076672 http://reference.sabinet.co.za/webx/access/electronic_journals/mp_pnt/mp_pnt_v15_n2_a4.pdf.