Grapefruit Essential Oil

Citrus paradisi

See also : Grapefruit
Grapefruit essential oil is a type of essential oil commonly used in aromatherapy. Sourced from the peel of the Citrus paradisi fruit, grapefruit essential oil is said to offer a variety of health benefits.

Special Precautions of Grapefruit Essential Oil

• Grapefruit essential oil should not be taken internally without the supervision of a health professional. Internal use of grapefruit essential oil may have toxic effects.
• In addition, some individuals may experience irritation or an allergic reaction when applying grapefruit essential oil to the skin. A skin patch test should be done before using any new essential oil.
• There's also some concern that applying grapefruit essential oil to the skin may increase your sensitivity to ultraviolet light emitted by the sun and—as a result—raise your risk of skin cancer. When using grapefruit essential oil on your skin, it's crucial to protect against ultraviolet light exposure by applying sunblock.
• Pregnant women and children should consult their primary health care providers prior to using essential oils.

Benefits and uses of Grapefruit Essential Oil are

Grapefruit essential oil contains a number of compounds thought to enhance health, including citronellal and limonene. When combined with a carrier oil (such as jojoba, sweet almond, or avocado), grapefruit essential oil can be applied directly to the skin or added to baths. Grapefruit essential oil also can be inhaled after sprinkling a few drops of the oil onto a cloth or tissue, or by using an aromatherapy diffuser or vaporizer. In aromatherapy, grapefruit essential oil is typically used to treat the following problems:

• Skin care : acne; congested and oily skin
• Immune system : Chills, colds, flu
• Nervous system : increase energy, enhance mood: Depression, headaches, nervous exhaustion, fatigue, performance stress
• Lymphatic stimulation and anti inflammatory properties : promoting lymph circulation (Oils of the citrus family are notable for this.)
• hangovers
• jet lag
• stress : a rat-based study published in Brain Research in 2005 found that inhaling the scent of grapefruit essential oil stimulated activity in the sympathetic nervous system (the branch of the central nervous system involved in activating the body's "fight-or-flight" response to stress).
• promote detox
• stimulate circulation : cellultis, exercise preparation, muscle fatigue, obesity, stiffness, water retention
• improve digestion.
• hair and skin : When used as an ingredient in personal-care products, grapefruit essential oil is said to treat oily hair and skin and promotes hair growth.

Alternatives To Grapefruit Essential Oil

• lavender essential oil and rose essential oil may reduce stress.
• orange essential oil, lemon essential oil, Tangerine essential oil and jasmine essential oil may help improve mood.