Best Essential Oils For Detoxing The Body

Throughout history, a number of religions and cultures have practiced detoxing and cleansing the body to achieve enlightenment.

In traditional medicine, the practice of detoxing for medical reasons can be traced back all the way 3500 B.C. when Ayurveda, or "The Science of Life", emerged from India. According to Ayurveda, the prevention of illness and disease can be achieved through the elimination of certain foods from the diet.

Today, there are a number of products on the market that are designed to promote the detoxification and purification of the body. Some popular methods can be uncomfortable and extremely stressful on the body which is why detoxing with Essential Oils and Aromatherapy is a healthier, and safer practice.

• I’ve experienced the somewhat miraculous healing properties of essential oils first hand. I've used them in my oil-pulling blend.
• I use them to treat shortness of breath from COPD.
• I use them to reduce stress.
• I use them in oral care to treat my oral issues resulting from lupus.
• I use them to make my homemade toothpowder.
• I use them to treat chronic pain.
• They are even an ingredient in my Ayurvedic blends.
• I use it each night on the bottoms of my feet, using reflexology.

While many of the benefits of essential oils have not yet been clinically tested, there is ample peer feedback to suggest that these oils, just like the plants from which they are derived, are essential to our health when used properly.

Lemon is more than just for furniture polish! Lemons are natural disinfectants, and the essential oils from this fruit are no different. Lemons are unbelievably effective at cleaning out the gooey, gunk from the body.

Lemon is perhaps one of the best detoxifying oils around. It removes toxins from every part of the body, including the kidneys, hair and scalp, digestive system, and many more.

Lemon oil is used for fevers, infections, obesity, stress disorders, insomnia, skin disorders, stomach problems, and hair conditions. Lemon oil is the perfect essential oil for those with stomach pains or insomnia, also for minimizing cramps during your period.

Use lemon oil for irritability, nervousness, and mental fatigue as well as improving your immune system. The Romans used lemon oil to keep insects away, as well as freshen up their clothes. The scent of lemon oil is also very good at improving concentration while clearing the mind.

Reported benefits of lemon essential oil:

• free up the lymphatic system
• assist the respiratory system
• reduce inflammation in the body
• stimulates white blood cells to defend the body against infection
• Its detoxifying and regenerating properties are beneficial for the liver
• aid in bringing clarity to the mind and emotions

Everyday use: Add 2 drops of lemon to my water every morning to aid the lymphatic system. If you are not comfortable with ingesting essential oils, then simply add 1-2 drops of lemon oil to the bottom of your feet to enhance liver detox and the lymphatic system. Massage into your feet using a carrier oil such as coconut or almond oil. You can also use olive oil.

Hyssop oil is a lesser-known essential oil but one that will likely grow in popularity as its benefits become clear. It is often given to help treat digestive issues, and an improved digestion is what we’re going for when we start to detox the body. The digestive system is the most important part of the process because that’s what helps to eliminate the most toxins. If it grows sluggish then the body is at risk for many different diseases and conditions. Using an oil like hyssop oil to gently and gradually improve the digestion is a great way to take a step forward towards improved health.

I use the hyssop essential oil in my Super immune blend, which doubles as a natural hand sanitizer. I also use the dried herbs in my Breathe With Ease herbal tea blend.

Peppermint oil can be used in the bath, can be consumed, and can be applied topically. I personally do not ingest this oil, as one drop of this essential oil is like drinking about 12 cups of the tea at once. If you want to drink it, please do so under the care of a certified aromatherapist.

Peppermint essential oil can

• help you regain or maintain your concentration
• soothe the digestive system
• help with shortness of breath
• help with fatigue
• help with oral health
• help with pain
• cleansing the lymphatic system
• releasing weight gain
• support the gallbladder
• decreases inflammation

Peppermint essential oil is taken from the peppermint plant, which itself has been used medicinally for thousands of years. You’ll often find peppermint oil mixed with other essential oils in a detoxifying blend.

Dr. Mercola explains why everyone should have this essential oil in their medicine cabinet.

Oregano essential oil is a powerful anti-bacterial oil.

So many of us are harboring pathogens, bacteria, parasites and more. This oil is high in antioxidants and wonderful at combating bronchitis, candida, parasites, and Strep throat.

Everyday use: Add a drop into a teaspoon of honey to soothe a sore throat, or add to coconut oil, and aloe vera gel for an instant hand sanitizer, or use it to treat shortness of breath.

Rosemary may be in your herb collection in the kitchen, but the oil derived from this plant can help in your detox efforts, as well as your overall health and well-being. By taking the properties of rosemary and putting into an essential oil you’re able to get benefits like:

• improved digestion
• improved circulation
• anti-inflammatory benefits
• diuretic properties
• prevent memory loss

You can inhale the oil as a form of aromatherapy, or take a bath with it, or even use it in combination with a massage oil during a massage.

Study suggests that sniffing rosemary boosts memory by 75%. The University of Maryland also suggests the same in addition to having a host of other benefits.

Ginger is a well-known

• stomach soother
• often use to aid digestion
• eliminate motion sickness and nausea

Put 1–2 drops in water to help with an upset stomach. If you are feeling nauseated, put a drop of Ginger essential oil in the palm of your hands and inhale. Rub 1–2 drops on your stomach or bottom of feet to aid digestion. Use Ginger essential oil in your favorite sweet and savory dishes.

Native to the Caribbean Islands this oil has long been known for its:

• antibiotic properties
• promotes the discharge of bile into the stomach
• improving digestion
• removing toxins from the intestines
• helps the body remove toxins and excess salt, water, and fat through sweat and urine
• is full of antioxidants, which can help rid your body of a toxic overload.

The Greeks believed that those doused in laurel gained the gifts of divination and prophecy. The Roman’s also used laurel oil to assuage a multitude of ailments.

You can mix it with a carrier oil to massage on the body or bottoms of feet.

You can also use it in a diffuser which helps it to enter the body through respiration.

Juniper essential oil comes from juniper berries.

Juniper berries themselves are good for the body thanks to their

• antioxidants
• aid in the digestive system
• improves elimination
• can be used as a diuretic to flush out toxins, excess sodium and excess water weight
• can help relax the mind and get you to stop stressing out
• can help alleviate pain
• supports liver function

If you want to use juniper berry oil to get its healing and calming effects, try these methods:

1. Vapor therapy.
2. Massage oil or added to bath water.
3. Add to lotions and creams.
4. Use in a compress.

Fennel essential oil helps with:

• nausea
• flatulence
• constipation
• stomach pain

Rub Fennel essential oil on your stomach or on the bottom of your feet to help ease menstrual or digestive discomfort. Put a drop of Fennel essential oil under your tongue to help fight sweet tooth cravings. Add to desserts for an additional depth of flavor. Add 1–2 drops in a glass of warm water or tea to help settle digestive upset.

Lemongrass essential oil is essential for drainage within the body.

Some of the therapeutic properties of lemongrass include:

• analgesic
• anti-fungal
• anti-inflammatory
• antioxidant
• anti-parasitic
• antiseptic
• astringent
• sedative

Everyday use: Also a great beauty essential oil, lemongrass can be applied directly to the skin or added to your body lotion or other carrier oil.

Mandarin Essential Oil is steam distilled from the rinds of mandarin oranges. This highly concentrated oil has been show to have a number of purifying properties for your body. Mandarin Essential Oil is:

• extremely calming and relaxing
• limits the amount of stress on your body
• antispasmodic, can help when you are having difficulty breathing
• circulatory assist, helps to circulate the blood and stimulate the lymph system.
• digestive assistance
• sedative
• relaxant
• great stomach tonic properties
• encourages the growth of new cells and tissues
• improves immunity
• helps the body remove toxins through sweat and urine

You can add 1 drop of Mandarin oil to your handkerchief or add 2 drops of this oil to your diffuser to improve your appetite and support the process of metabolism.

Adding 2 to 3 drops of Mandarin oil to warm bathing water can help in relieving gas, flatulence, nausea and indigestion.

Gently massaging your abdomen with 2 drops of this oil blended with 10 drops of wheatgerm oil can assist in treating ulcers, gastritis, esophageal spasms, intestinal infections, colitis, dyspepsia, bloating, flatulence, hiccups and indigestion.

When massaged onto the skin, 5 drops of Mandarin essential oil with 2 ml of sesame oil improves blood circulation and helps in relieving from varicose veins, blood clots, rheumatic pain and arthritis.

2 drops of Mandarin oil added to warm bathing water before bed can alleviate your tensed muscles, mental disturbances, epilepsy, convulsions and nervous afflictions. This medicated bath can help you to fall asleep soon by evoking a sense of encouragement and stillness.

You can also add 3 drops of Mandarin oil to your diffuser, burner or vaporizer for treating anxiety, restlessness, fear, fatigue, irritability, stress, tantrums and other negative emotions. This formula works even with children who are over-excited and stubborn especially during the nighttime.

Massaging with 2 to 3 drops of Mandarin oil with 15 drops of jojoba oil aids in improving blood circulation, enhancing the suppleness of the skin and diminishing scars and marks. You can also add 3 drops of Mandarin oil to your regular skin care cream or lotion and apply it on the affected area.

Perhaps you’re used to eating grapefruit, but didn’t know that an oil can be extracted from it that can help the body in numerous ways, not least of which is detoxing?

It’s been noted for:

• helping to kill viruses within the body, as well as microbes within the body that can cause problem
• being a diuretic, helping the body flush out waste and toxins
• is antiviral
• antiseptic
• can aid the digestive system and skin
• refreshes the mind
• relieves anxiety
• is reviving, uplifting, and helps disperse negative energy
• is ideal for supporting the body in decreasing unwanted mucus during detoxification.

Grapefruit essential oil contains limonene, a substance contained in citrus fruit that has been proven to minimize the incidence of colon, skin, liver, stomach, and pancreatic cancers. Grapefruit has been studies extensively in Universities throughout the world.

Caution: If you use certain medications, grapefruit essential oils, like the fruit can interfere with or interact with those medication. Be sure to consult your doctor.

Ways to use grapefruit essential oil:

1. Use two to three drops as a massage oil to relieve menstrual cramps. ...
2. Relieve symptoms of depression by using two to three drops in a diffuser. ...
3. Mix one to two drops with carrier oil and massage unto cellulite in a kneading pattern.
4. Stimulate lymph nodes by applying a few drops onto your skin.

Stress is a major contributor to illness and disease. Bergamot creates a sense of well-being and relaxation and also regulates craving and lifts spirits.

Everyday use: Apply to the bottom of the feet at bedtime to promote restful sleep or add to a warm bath.

Cold-pressed from the orange peel, wild orange essential oil is excellent for:

• energizing
• revitalizing
• uplifting mood
• stress reduction

Everyday use: Place 2-3 drops in a glass of water, then swish and spit or add 2-3 drops to a bowl of hot water for a steam inhalation to help colds and coughs. Orange essential oil also makes an excellent household cleanser. This is also a great oil to add to your diffuser.

Patchouli essential oil is one of the essential oils that doesn’t get put into the spotlight too often, but has great benefits to it nonetheless.

Patchouli essential oil comes from the patchouli plant which has been shown to:

• help improve the mood
• improve your sex drive
• detoxify both the body and the mind

1. Massage it on your skin to help prevent wrinkles and cellulite.
2. Dab a small amount on your skin to soothe cuts, scrapes, burns, and sores, as well as insect bites.
3. Apply a few drops on your wrists or add it to your sheets to keep ants, bedbugs, and other pests away.

This is, next to Frankincense essential oil, my favorite essential oil. You’d probably have a hard time trying to figure out how to get more helichrysum into your daily life.

Helichrysum is part of the sunflower family, and it has plenty of benefits:

• for the skin
• help lower the amount of inflammation in the body
• can even help regenerate cells.
• contain wound healing benefits
• scar-fading benefits
• and anti-aging properties, fighting symptoms such as wrinkles, dark circles, skin pigmentation, and oxidative skin damage.
• nurtures the natural glow of the skin
• support multiplication of collagen count
• improves cellular regeneration
• improving the look of stretch marks
• combat sports injuries such as sprains, blood clot, inflammation, bruises, twists, micro tears, muscular pain, swelling and damage to connective tissues
• assists in re-growing of the damaged nerves, sciatica, spine ache, joint and arthritic pain
• If applied on time it can prevent hemorrhaging
• supports the neurological system by uplifting mood and stress reduction benefits
• balance emotions such as resentment, anger, bitterness, and stubborn negative attitude
• reduce emotions such as fear, anxiety, stress and fatigue
• ideal for cold, cough, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis
• assists in combating high blood pressure and heart palpitation
• reduces the chances of stroke as it contains anti-coagulant and blood thinning properties

Apply Helichrysum oil drops in coconut oil and massage your whole body. Read how to do Abhyanga or self massage.

Lavender essential oil has a:

• calming scent, which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves
• helps in treating migraines, headaches
• helps in treating anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress
• removes nervous exhaustion, restlessness
• increases mental activity
• great for digestion
• great for sleep
• great for pain relief

Apply to an unscented lotion for a massage lotion at bedtime. Add a couple drops to the bottoms of feet at bedtime. You can also massage a couple of drops onto your wrist.

This oil is one of my favorites. Coming from the Himalayan region, Jatamansi oil has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for thousands of years. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is the perfect combination of three tastes – bitter, astringent, and sweet. If you are familiar with doshas – the Ayurvedic classification system for body types – jatamansi is thought to treat imbalances in Vata.

Jatamansi is a:

• nerve tonic
• memory enhancer
• has been used to help clear the mind for meditation
• used to treat anxiety and depression
• works wonder for skin problems like eczema, rashes, burns and wounds
• supports a calm mind and balanced body
• is calming and grounding
• is highly revered for its ability to support deep sleep and to help one work through and release subconscious trauma.

Ayurvedic Wisdom for Jatamansi Essential Oil

Jatamansi is among the more revered herbs in Ayurvedic healing. From an Ayurvedic perspective, Jatamansi is a supreme remedy for problems caused by Vata (Wind), which causes deterioration of tissue, depletes energy and creates dryness, fatigue and persistent dissatisfaction. By balancing "wind," this Himalayan spikenard oil will greatly assist in slowing down the overly active mind and will support tranquility and peacefulness. Jatamansi oil is also cooling in nature and therefore is good for some Pitta (fire) related problems, especially those of the mind (such as anger and rage).

Disclaimer: The benefits cited above are for information only. Please consult a qualified aromatherapist or holistic health practitioner before using essential oils, if you are new to essential oils.

Also, please consult with your physician before using essential oils, as some of them may interact with medications you may be taking.