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Lemongrass Essential Oil Benefits: When Life Gives You Lemongrass…

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In the early half of the 20th century, a motivational writer named Dale Carnegie coined a very famous phrase: “When life gives you a lemon, make lemonade.” This was a way of illustrating that life’s setbacks should be seen as opportunities. You can utilize them in such a way that they benefit you as best as possible. The good news is that the saying doesn’t only apply to lemons. You can also apply the saying to lemongrass, as we’ll soon see!

A healthy attitude is just as important as a healthy mind and body. It will allow you to gain insights and perspectives into situations that you might otherwise have missed. It opens your mind to a range of possible alternative outcomes or solutions you would have been unaware of had you not made a shift in your thinking.

Most of us would agree that utilizing natural products is the best way for you to maintain your body’s health. Luckily, this is becoming the most affordable and realistic solution to a large number of health issues that are commonplace in our fast-paced, high-stress lifestyle.

However, for those of you who have not made the change to a healthier, more natural lifestyle yet, listen up. There is a selection of nature’s own products that we highly recommend for their incredible efficiency and affordability that are sure to inspire a change in your thinking. Lemongrass essential oil definitely ranks high up on that list and I’m here to explain why.

What Is Lemongrass Essential Oil?

Lemongrass leaves.

Lemongrass leaves.

Lemongrass is a plant that is commonly found in Asia, Africa, and Australia. It is not actually related to the same genus of the lemon tree, but rather shares a distinct scent with that of the lemon tree. You can often find it in recipes as an herb in cooking dishes with beef, poultry, and fish, and even in teas around the world. Lemongrass oil comes from the stems of the lemongrass plant and has amazing properties (but we’ll get into those in just a moment).

The truth is that lemongrass is often confused with regular lemon essential oil. Although there is some overlap in terms of basic compounds, and the sense that they come from the same ‘family’, they’re not the same essential oil. This actually happens more often than one might think. Another example is spearmint, peppermint, and rosemary oils. The minty scent and green appearance gives people the impression that these oils are interchangeable. The truth is that there is a lot of overlap with many essential oils, but it’s the differences that set them apart. That’s why its important to know particular components of each oil. This helps you know which oil will help you with each specific need.

You can produce lemongrass oil in an assortment of different ways. From traditional steam extraction (the complicated but effective method) to a variety of simple soaking techniques that you can even try at home. Although it’s true that they’re less potent than the pure extracts you might find online or in a store. This is because at-home methods are generally mixed with a carrier oil. This might increase the volume you have, but definitely reduces the effectiveness of the extract if they’re not mixed/blended carefully and precisely. And yes, it is edible!

Lemongrass Oil Benefits

oil flowers

Calming Essential Oils

Lemongrass oil (as well as in its natural state) has a variety of different uses in everyday life. It has actually become an integral part of many South-East Asian and Indian cultures because of its invaluable nature. Other than the aforementioned uses of the herb in cooking food and flavoring teas, you can use lemongrass oil extract as a means of helping with depression and anxiety. It is said when ingested orally or inhaled through steam, the extract can lift your spirits, calm your nerves, and help you unwind.

It is also a natural analgesic. This means that it can relieve physical pains such as headaches. You can even apply it externally on the epidermis to relieve muscle ache and joint pain. Experienced physical therapists almost always have a bottle of lemongrass in their bag or office. The oil acts as a natural moisturizer and won’t dry your skin out when applied or leave it feeling greasy. It absorbs easily and smells delicious.

If you’re a runner or workout regularly, be sure to carry some with you wherever you go. Feeling sick, tired and run-down? Lemongrass oil can also be consumed! It works to fight high fevers and make sure that your body temperature is regulated. This is largely due to lemongrass’ natural antipyretic qualities.

Generally, over-the-counter medicines that act as antipyretics are far from natural. They contain many complicated ingredients that usually have lists of harmful or negative side effects. An example of this would be Ibuprofen. Just some of the side-effects of this drug are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other side effects include constipation, headaches, dizziness or even nervousness (and there are a lot more). To think that you would risk worsening your condition for some quick-fix, silver bullet treatment is largely why some people suffer for longer than they should.

Natural solutions are always worth the benefit of the doubt in my opinion (depending on the circumstances of course). You should almost always consider them as the first option when treating injuries, illnesses or ailments.

Benefits Of Lemongrass Oil For Skin

Woman smiling in the mirror.

Woman admiring clear skin in mirror.

Lemongrass oil also acts as a strong inhibitor of microbial growth both inside and outside the body. This means that you can use it to help cure or treat internal infections from malignant bacteria. Examples of these include stomach bugs, colon infections (due to a lack of regular cleansing which lemongrass oil contributes to), and even throat infections. This also means that you can apply it externally to combat infections such as athlete’s foot. Just another reason to keep a bottle in your car or gym bag at all times!

Lemongrass also has strong antibacterial effects. You can use it to treat open or healing wounds. It also keeps them from becoming infected. Lemongrass oil is also an essential natural astringent, which means that it acts to stop the flow of blood cells in your body by contracting the blood vessels, essentially leading to the clotting of blood. It’s helpful for stopping the blood-flow of open wounds which is an integral part of healing.

This also means that you can use it to strengthen hair follicles or applied to the lower gums to prevent teeth from coming loose or falling out. By contracting the blood vessels, the astringent qualities of lemongrass oil also tighten the skin cells. This means that you can use it to clean clogged pores of dead skin cells and impurities that your skin is exposed to on a daily basis (pollution in air molecules, excessive sebum oil buildup, etc.) and seal those pores afterward. This prevents any further buildup of impurities which generally leads to blackheads and acne.

You can use the lemongrass extract to treat wrinkles and skin elasticity by tightening and moisturizing the affected area. Over time, and with continued use, you can slow the aging process and reduce the signs of wrinkles on your face, ensuring that stay hydrated and take care to stay out of direct sunlight for long periods of time. This equally applies to cellulite and stretch marks.

Lemongrass oil is great for pregnant women as you can use it externally to treat stretch marks that often occur during pregnancy. You can also use it internally as a galactagogue which is an agent that stimulates the production of breast milk. This is very important for post-pregnancy feeding of course!

However, we strongly advise that you consult your local doctor before consuming lemongrass oil (or any essential oil extract for that matter) during or directly after a pregnancy. This is due to the fact that this is really potent stuff. Even though it is generally safe to use during and after pregnancy, you might suffer from allergies or other issues that could be caused by regular use. Always better to be safe rather than sorry!

How To Apply Lemongrass Essential Oil To Skin

Woman with hair in towel wiping face with cotton pad.

Woman applying essential oils to skin.

Lemongrass oil is most commonly known as a supplement or replacement for skin moisturizers or lotions. It can easily rub into your skin. Mix the lemongrass essential oil with a light, unscented natural carrier oil such as grapeseed oil or castor oil. This improves its absorption into the skin. It allows the oil to penetrate deeper into your muscles and ligaments in order to relax them and ease pain (if need be). As a general rule of thumb, the basic ratio for mixing any essential oil with a carrier oil is 3:1.  That is 3 parts carrier oil to 1 part essential oil. This ratio is essential in maintaining the essential oils’ effectiveness.

Although natural lemongrass oil also almost always safe for use, try a skin patch test for 2 or 3 days as a control before applying regularly. Generally, essential oils from reputable suppliers come from organically sourced produce or sources.

However, in the odd chance that they are not from an organic source, they might have come into contact with harmful pesticides. These pesticides can actually seep into the essential oils of the plants or trees when they’re out in the field. This may then filter through to the finished product. It’s very rare though and doesn’t really happen. However,  prevention is always better than the cure. So patch test!

We also recommend that you apply the oil onto recently exfoliated skin for maximum results. Obviously, this isn’t always an option, but when you can be sure to have a warm shower or bath first. When applying the oil onto your face, remember to wash your face with warm water and dry with a clean towel before applying the oil.

In some cases, a micro-needle roller or a sonic-infusion skincare device can be used on your skin before and after applying the oil. It helps the oil to penetrate deeper into your skin. This allows the astringent qualities of the oil to really have an effect on your skin and regulate your blood vessels and skin cells.

Does Using Lemongrass Essential Oil Cause Side Effects?

To date, there are no direct side effects related to using lemongrass oil on a regulated and non-excessive basis. However, as I mentioned before, it’s ideal to discuss the topic with a health practitioner before using any essential oils. This is especially true during pregnancy or when administering to a young child.

Generally, we do not recommend giving young children extracts (until you have the consent of your doctor) because they’re really potent! Also, when applying the oil to your skin, it’s always a good idea to do patch-testing as a control to prevent an allergic reaction.

Again, most of these issues are highly unlikely in most circumstances. However, we tend to err on the side of caution. Finally, be sure not to get the oil into your eyes as you might experience some discomfort if you do. We recommend washing your eye out with milk if you do accidentally splash some in your eye. Basically, if you make use of lemongrass oil in a reasonable and non-excessive way, you should be totally fine.

Using Lemongrass Essential Oil For Mosquitoes

The most deadly creature in the world kills more people annually than Great White Sharks, Lions, Snakes and in some cases even kills more people than people do. Yes, I speak of the tiny mosquito. Somewhat harmless and minute, once it becomes infected with the deadly malaria virus it will suck your blood and ultimately transmit the virus directly into the bloodstream.

You can do more than take anti-malaria tablets, use mosquito nets, or just stay away from areas or countries that are known for infection. Lemongrass oil can also be an effective means of keeping pesky, poisonous mosquitoes at bay.

By burning the oil or applying it directly to your skin, you effectively create a buffer for yourself from the mosquitoes. The strong, citrus smell drives them away. However, I would highly recommend that you use this in conjunction with a mosquito net. Also, always, always take malaria medication when entering an area known for high levels of infection.

Is Lemongrass Essential Oil Safe For Dogs?

Dog on leash with owners.

Dog on leash.

I have good news for the animal lovers and pet parents out there. Lemongrass essential oil might just be the natural solution for your pet! It has the potential to improve your dog’s skin and helps to repel fleas and other unwanted guests. It also has a refreshing and grounding scent which helps to energize your pet while giving them a pleasant aroma. When it comes to pups, there is little worse than that wet dog smell. With lemongrass essential oil you have a natural solution to fight the undesirable scent that your dog sometimes has.

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t assume that just any old essential oil will be fine for your dog. This is true of any pet really. Animals react to scents and compounds differently to the way we do. With this in mind, it’s crucial that owners do their research before opting for what they think is the better, natural solution. In your attempt to pamper your dog, you don’t want to be doing more harm than good. Some essential oils are toxic to animals, so be careful. Luckily, lemongrass isn’t one of those, but that doesn’t mean that your particular breed won’t be sensitive to it. Just patch test an area before going ahead with any natural treatments – lemongrass essential oil included.

Conclusion

Whether you’re trekking through the rain forests of Asia or at home preparing a nice healthy meal for yourself, lemongrass essential oil comes in handy for a wide variety of everyday situations as well as abnormal occurrences. What you use in the kitchen can often also be used in your beauty routine or aromatherapy practices.

The amazing and fast-acting healing properties of this plant will definitely inspire you to choose the natural route. It is an effective and sustainable solution to most pains, aches, ailments, and illnesses. It helps you to avoid the dangerous over-the-counter medication that often fails to treat surface-level conditions. As opposed to conventional treatments, lemongrass essential oil is also the cheaper alternative – not to mention avoiding the countless side-effects!

One of my favorite features of lemongrass essential oil is its decidedly fresh scent. It just smells like ‘refresh” in a bottle. Lemongrass essential oil has a delicious scent, is easily blendable, and can be applied to both skin and hair for numerous benefits! It can also be used to strengthen your immune system, combat high fevers, or help to treat infections.

It’s truly essential for anyone who’s regularly down at the gym getting sweaty as it can be used as a natural alternative to deodorant and has strong anti-bacterial qualities that help ward off fungal infections and lasting odors. If you aren’t already a firm believer in the effectiveness of natural and organic products – then lemongrass oil will definitely change your mind once and for all!