Cooking with Essential Oils

Outside of Lavender, therapeutic-grade Lemon essential oil is perhaps one of the most versatile and useful oils to have around the home. Lemon oil can be used for everything from aromatherapy to flavoring water, to making your own uplifting bath salts to cleaning produce. Lemon oil has been widely used in skin care to cleanse skin and reduce wrinkles. It promotes clarity of thought and purpose, as well as health, healing, physical energy, and purification. Its fragrance is invigorating, enhancing, and warming. Lemon (Citrus limon) essential oil has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that have been studied for their effects on immune function. Lemon essential oil is cold-pressed from the rind.

Jean Valnet MD estimated that it takes 3,000 lemons to produce one kilo of lemon essential oil – use it sparingly when flavoring beverages or foods. In his book, “The Practice of Aromatherapy”, Valnet wrote that lemon is a tonic for supporting the nervous and sympathetic nervous system.

University researchers in Japan found that diffusing certain aromas in an office environment dramatically improved mental accuracy and concentration. Diffused Lemon oil resulted in 54 percent fewer errors! Diffuse for 10 minutes every hour. When aromas were diffused during test taking, scores increased by as much as 50 percent.

A 1995 Mie University study found that citrus fragrances boosted immunity, induced relaxation, and reduced depression.

Medical Properties of Lemon Essential Oil: Antitumoral, antiseptic, improves microcirculation, and immune stimulant (increases white blood cells), improves memory, relaxation. Rich in limonene, which has been extensively studied for its ability to combat tumor growth in over 50 clinical studies.

34 Amazing Ways To Use Lemon Essential Oil

1. To clean non-carpeted floors, add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to a bucket of water. Then add 5 – 10 drops of lemon, pine, or spruce essential oil. If the floor is especially dirty, add several drops of dish washing soap. This will clean even the dirtiest floor.
2. To make a carpet freshener, add 16 – 20 drops of essential oils to 1 cup of baking soda or borax powder. Mix ingredients together well and place in a covered container overnight so that the essential oil can be absorbed. Sprinkle over carpet then vacuum the powder up.
3. You may also put 3-7 drops of Lemon essential oil on a cotton ball and place it into a vacuum bag – doing this scents the air while vacuuming. If your vacuum collects the dirt into water, simply add a few drops into the water reservoir before vacuuming. This refreshes both the carpet and acts as an air freshener.
4. Some essential oils can act as gentle stimulants to the limbic system of the brain by their scent, increasing alertness and concentration enhancing the capacity for learning, improving memory, and assisting many other cognitive functions. A wide range of essential oils offer these benefits, such as: Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary and Melissa. To help increase these functions simply inhale the chosen essential oil directly from the bottle or put a drop on a tissue and keep in your pocket for use throughout the day.
5. Use 1–2 drops to remove gum, oil, grease, grease spots, glue and adhesives, and crayon from most surfaces. Tip: try a test area before to make sure you won’t ruin any finishes.
6. Substitute lemon oil for lemon juice or lemon seasonings to flavor seafood, vegetables, beverages, and desserts. To use Lemon oil in place of the zest of “one” lemon – use 8 to 14 drops of Young Living Lemon essential oil. More on Cooking with Essential Oils.
7. Combine 2–3 drops with water in a 4oz. spray bottle filled with water to help cleanse and sanitize kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
8. Soothe or prevent corns, callous, or bunions by rubbing 1-2 drops of Lemon oil on the affected area, morning and evening.*
9. Fill a bowl with cold water, add 2–3 drops of Lemon oil, and drench fruit and vegetables in the lemon water to extend the shelf life of fresh produce.
10. Add a drop to your dishwasher before the wash cycle for spot-free dishes.
11. Lemon has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that have been studied for their effects on immune function. According Jean Valnet, M.D., the vaporized [diffused] essence of lemon can kill meningococcus bacteria in 15 minutes, typhoid bacilli in one hour, Staphylococcus aureus in two hours, and Pneumococcus bacteria within three hours. Even a 0.2% solution of Lemon oil can kill diphtheria bacteria in 20 minutes and inactivate tuberculosis bacteria. More on diffusers and diffusing.
12. Lemon has been shown to have antidepressant effects in research done by Komori, et al.,1995. Diffuse or inhale Lemon oil to receive the benefits of aromatherapy.
13. Lemon oil may help brighten a pale, dull complexion by removing the dead skin cells. Simply mix a drop with your cleanser to help promote healthier skin tone.
14. Lemon oil can serve as an effective insect repellent. See recipe for making your own beeswax mosquito candle.
15. Rub a drop of Lemon oil on a wart morning and night, may help it to disappear.*
16. Rub 1-3 drops of Lemon oil to clean a butcher’s block or other cutting surfaces to disinfect those surfaces.
17. Add one teaspoon of lemon essential oil to one-cup mineral oil for an effective furniture polish.
18. Homemade lemonade, in a blender mix 2 drops of Lemon oil, 2 tablespoons of honey and two cups of pure water. Adjust the amount of each ingredient to suit your own taste.**
19. Put a drop of Lemon oil on bleeding gum’s caused by gingivitis or tooth extraction to help with healing and disinfecting.
20. Rub 4-6 drops of Lemon oil with 1 teaspoon of V-6 Massage Oil on cellulite, may improve circulation and help eliminate waste from the cells.* Read Lymph, Liver & Cellulite Tips and Recipes.
21. Rub 4-6 drops of Lemon oil with 1 teaspoon of V-6 Massage Oil on varicose veins, may improve circulation and relieve pressure on the veins.*
22. Some find lemon oil to help remove warts. Rub a drop of Lemon oil on a wart morning and night, may help it to disappear.* More on Warts and Testimonials.
23. Put 10-15 drops of Lemon oil in each gallon of carpet cleaning solution to help pull out stains and brighten the rug. This also leaves a fresh smell in the room.
24. Diffuse Lemon essential oil to freshen the air in your home or office.
25. Add 1-2 drops Young Living Lemon oil to a glass of water, tastes yummy, no calories, and alkalizes the water. Tip: only use a glass glass as Lemon oil WILL dissolve items made from petrochemicals and styrofoam.**
26. Soak kitchen dishcloth overnight in a bowl of water with a drop of Lemon oil to disinfect and kill germs.
27. Rub a drop of Lemon oil on your hands after using a public bathroom to sanitize hands.*
28. Use a paper towel soaked with several drops of Lemon oil to sanitize bathroom fixtures.
29. Place a drop of Lemon oil on cold sores, herpes or other mouth ulcers to lessen pain, may aid in healing.*
30. Rub two drops of Lemon oil topically, may clear athlete’s foot.* More on Athlete’s Foot and Essential Oils.
31. Heartburn is a burning pain felt behind the breastbone. It is most often the result of acid reflux, that is, when stomach acid rises up the esophagus where it irritates the lining. Lemon essential oil (which comes from the rind, not the pulp) is one of the best remedies for heartburn, as it causes the stomach to stop excreting digestive acids. Simply add a drop or two of Lemon oil to a small glass of water and drink.** More on AlkaLime, pH and Heartburn.
32. Relaxing & Rejuvenating Aromatherapy Bath Salt Recipe: 1 drop Grapefruit oil, 1 drop Lemon oil, 1 drop Orange oil, 1 drop Patchouli oil, 3 drops Ylang Ylang or Geranium oil, 1 cup Epsom Salts or Sea Salt. Add to running bath water. Soak for 20 minutes.
33. NingXia Red Electrolyte Drink Recipe: Combine 2 oz. Ningxia Red
,16 oz. purified water
, 20 drops YL Mineral Essence
, 1 drop YL Lemon oil
, 1 drop YL Peppermint oil
, 1 teaspoon YL Blue Agave. Mix ingredients together in a glass bottle (I like to re-use my empty NingXia Red bottles to keep my water and mixes in, they’re nice sturdy bottles). You can make a more watered down version for the kids. More on NingXia Red and Electrolyte Drinks.
34. Refreshing Bacteria Killing Spray: You’ll need - 32 oz. spray bottle, 8 drops Spearmint oil, 8 drops Lemon oil, 6 drops Lavender oil, 6 drops Thyme oil, 6 drops Rosemary oil, 4 drops Eucalyptus globulus, and water. Fill spray bottle 7/8 of the way with water, add your Young Living essential oils. Shake the mixture well and periodically during use. This mixture smells as terrific as it is powerful at killing germs.

* CAUTION: All citrus essential oils can cause photo-sensitivity when applied topically to skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight. Allow 24 hours for before exposing skin to direct sun.

** SPECIAL NOTE: Only use therapeutic-grade / food grade essential oils for flavoring foods and beverages, we only recommend Young Living Essential Oils as they are the best, unadulterated, and the most pure of the essential oils available on the market.

Evelyn Vincent

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Articles by Evelyn Vincent, Young Living Independent Distributor #476766

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