A Guide to the Best Essential Oils for Weight Loss
Being above your ideal weight can be detrimental in so many ways. However, it isn’t just about the health risks that it can pose, but also about your confidence. It is difficult to feel your best when you don’t think that you look your best.
If you are like me, you've probably jumped at more than one method for weight loss, each with less than desirable results. It took me a while to realize that the problem wasn’t that I was a failure, but that the methods themselves were to blame.
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They all took a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, and let’s face it, we are all different. We're different in what we want to accomplish, how we live our lives, and even why we have the extra weight to begin with.
That's why I became so intrigued with essential oils and started looking into what essential oils are good for losing weight. The amazing thing about essential oils is that because there are so many different types, you can customize a plan to use the ones that work best for you. There are both single oils that you can use, as well as blends put together by professionals.
Below are a few that could help you on your journey to better health and a more confident you!
photo by cala
Grapefruit essential oil is one of the best essential oils for weight loss for a number of reasons. This oil is extremely versatile so addresses many of the different situations that can lead to weight gain in the first place. Problems with digestion, overeating, anxiety, and even depression can lead to additional weight.
Grapefruit essential oil’s many beneficial chemical constituents, namely monoterpenes and d-limonene, give this oil the ability to suppress appetite, release negativity, discharge toxins, dissolve fat, aid digestion and reduce water retention.
In addition, these constituents have other benefits as well, including being antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral.
Grapefruit essential oil is made by cold pressing the rind of the grapefruit. Provided you obtain 100% pure therapeutic that is rated as safe for consumption, you can use this oil by diluting one drop of oil in one teaspoon of honey, or you can add it to your favorite beverage.
It should not be given to children under the age of six. You can also use this oil topically, but take care not to expose that area to sunlight for 24 hours.
We recommend: NOW Grapefruit Oil
photo by tirza van dijk
Many of the citrus family oils are among the best essential oils for losing weight, and lemon is no exception. It has the same beneficial chemical constituents as grapefruit, thus has many of the same effects. However, there are also other benefits that may be just what you need for your situation.
One of the most coveted benefits of lemon essential oil is its ability to purify the air creating an uplifting, yet relaxing, environment. If some of your weight issue is due to stress and anxiety, you may find lemon to be your new best friend.
While it is not as useful for appetite suppression, it does promote a sense of well-being that can give you that extra boost of confidence you need to reach your goals.
It can be used the same way as grapefruit, and it also is cold pressed from the rind of the fruit. A great option is to combine five drops of each, lemon and grapefruit, in a gallon of water and drink it throughout the day. You’ll gain the benefits of both that way and it simply tastes amazing!
By the way, in case you are wondering why you couldn’t just put lemon zest in your water, consider that it takes 3,000 lemons to produce a kilo of oil, so that five drops is giving you a ton of benefits at a fraction of the cost.
We recommend: Majestic Pure Cold-Pressed Lemon Essential Oil
While I am pretty sure you have heard about both grapefruit and lemon, I want to introduce you to one you probably haven’t and that is often overlooked when considering what essential oils are good for losing weight.
This flowering plant provides chemical constituents that address some of the health concerns that may be interfering with your weight loss program. If you have found that diet and exercise are just not working, it could be that your pituitary or endocrine system needs the balancing assistance of ocotea essential oil.
The properties of ocotea essential oil are beneficial for proper digestion as well. If you are not digesting your food properly, your body may be converting just about everything to fat instead of using it for fuel.
The approved FDA method to use this oil is topically, but putting one to four drops in a capsule with olive oil to take once a day is believed safe and effective by companies that produce steam distilled ocotea essential oil and do not use any fillers, resulting in a 100% pure therapeutic product.
We recommend: Young Living Ocotea Essential Oil
photo by marko blažević
At first it may seem counterintuitive to include spearmint essential oil on a list of the best essential oils for weight loss, since it can actually stimulate appetite. However, for some people, the problem is not eating too much, it is actually eating too little.
This can often be the case if you have chronic indigestion, and using spearmint oil can resolve that problem. Starvation diets are not healthy, and they do not work in the long run because your body reacts by hoarding fat.
In addition to its digestion aiding benefits, spearmint is also believed to balance and increase your metabolism, which can be in rough shape due to aging, yo-yo dieting, and digestion problems.
It is also believed to aid with the mental aspect, reducing depressing and providing the hormone-like activity needed to feel balanced and positive, which are both vital to reducing emotional eating. Spearmint essential oil can be used the same as grapefruit and lemon.
We recommend: Plant Guru Spearmint Essential Oil
Another great oil for weight loss is cinnamon essential oil. Cinnamon is known to help regulate blood sugar, which if unbalanced can cause you to overeat and feel fatigued- two sure ways to gain weight.
The oil can help suppress cravings for sweets and even boost your metabolism. You can place a few drops of the oil on a cotton ball and inhale the warm, sweet smell before a meal to avoid overeating.
You can also use the oil as a warming blend, but need to make sure you blend it with a carrier oil since it can irritate some skins.
We recommend: Plant Therapy Cinnamon Cassia Essential Oil
Conclusion
The use of essential oils for supporting overall health is not something new. Mankind has been turning to nature since the beginning of time for remedies for everything from acne to wound care. Ancient civilizations even turned to plants, trees and fruits that healed the mind or could aid them in meditation. Considering that a successful weight loss plan takes both physical and mental support, using the best essential oils for losing weight is the best way to cover all the bases. By using grapefruit, lemon, ocotea, spearmint and/or cinnamon, your path to a new you can finally be successful. It worked for me, so I know it can work for you!
