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If you’ve been following me on Periscope, then you’ve seen me talking about essentials oils lately. And you may have heard me say that Bergamot essential oil is quickly becoming my favorite. But if you have missed all of that, not to worry. I’m going to let you in on a few of the reasons why Bergamot has become my go to oil lately and I’m going to give you a heads up on my essential oil course that is coming! 🙂 I’m so excited about releasing it.
Bergamot has been used in perfumery and medicine since the 16th century and is used in Earl Grey tea-so drink up!
Let’s talk about Bergamot essential oil. It is a citrus oil that is cold pressed from the peel of the fruit. Most non-citrus essential oils are steam distilled, and bergamot can be steam distilled, but it’s rare. As with most citrus oils, it has a low risk of toxicity. The only warning with bergamot essential oil is that is can be phytotoxic meaning it can be irritating to sensitive skin especially when exposed to sunlight after use. And with any essential oil, internal use is not recommended for children under the age of 5 or for pregnant women unless under an Aromatic Medicine practitioner.
Bergamot essential oil has a multitude of actions and uses, that’s one reason I like it so much!
It possesses antibacterial, antidepressant, antiseptic, anti-infectious, antispasmodic, antitoxic, stomachic and vermifuge qualities. Bergamot essential oil is probably best known for it’s aroma and anxiety relieving properties. It helps balance the emotions and can improve cognitive performance without causing aggression. But one property that is sometimes overlooked with bergamot essential oil is it’s antimicrobial properties. In laboratory test, bergamot essential oil had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) when tested against orange and lemon. A blend of the three had a lower MIC, but of the single oils, bergamot was lowest.¹ This means that a DIY cleaner or spray with bergamot essential oil would be highly effective (and much safer than those store bought cleaners full of chemicals).
What are some other great uses for bergamot essential oil?
To relieve stress, anxiety or help with depression, directly inhale the oil from the bottle for a few minutes or drop a few drops onto your hands and inhale. Diffusing bergamot oil in a room diffuser will help lift your mood as well.
To aid in digestion, rub a few diluted drops of bergamot essential oil onto your stomach or diffuse it. It increases hormone secretion, bile, insulin, and digestive juices which can improve digestion.
To relieve pain from sprains or muscle aches rub diluted bergamot essential oil onto the affected area. This also helps with tension headaches.
To balance excessive oil on the skin, add a drop to some moisturizer before applying to skin. Just don’t use before going out into the sun.
When fighting a cold, sinus infection or allergies, diffusing bergamot essential oil will help alleviate congestion by loosening mucus and helping the body rid itself of toxins.
To add a citrus flavor to foods or herbal preparations with strong or bitter flavors, add up to 1% bergamot essential oil. Culinary uses of bergamot are safe for children.
Tips for blending bergamot essential oil:
Bergamot is a top note with low odor intensity. It’s aroma is a sweet floral and citrus smell with hints of vanilla undertone-which really makes it a great oil to smell. (And why it is used so much in perfumery even today.) It blends well with most other oils, but particularly lavender, cypress, frankincense, geranium, and clary sage.
My favorite recipes for bergamot essential oil:
Peaceful Dreams Spray:
- 20 drops bergamot EO
- 15 drops lavender EO
- 1 oz distilled water
- 1 oz vodka
- Mix in spray bottle and mist room, pillow or around the head of adults or children for help calming down and getting ready for sleep.
Anxiety Attack:
- 10 drops bergamot EO
- 5 drops frankincense EO
- 5 drops Roman chamomile EO
- 4 drops lavender EO
- 2 drops orange EO
- 1 oz carrier oil
- Mix in a roller bottle and roll onto temples or wrist and breathe in to release stress and anxiety.
Productive Peaceful Air:
- 3 drops bergamot EO
- 3 drops sweet orange EO
- Diffuse in room when wanting to be productive without being stressed or just wanting to freshen the air.
Can you tell now why Bergamot has become one of my new favorite essential oil? I absolutely love the smell and I’ve seen the results when using it for stress and for sleep. Since it is such a mild oil, I don’t have to worry about using it around my children which is another plus. I’ve been using essential oils for years, why hasn’t anyone told me about bergamot before?? Well, at least I’m sharing the wealth with you so you won’t have to go years without knowing the wonderful benefits of this great essential oil! I know, I know, you will all be thanking me for this post. 🙂
And as for that essential oil course I mentioned-get ready. It’s coming! What all does it entail? It will have an overview of oils-guidelines on using, diluting, and safely using them with children. You’ll also learn about my 5 most used oils-what they are, how I use them, safety on using them and recipes for you to try them out yourself. And there will be more! Make sure you are signed up for the newsletters because I’ll be updating when the course will be released through it and all subscribers will be getting a free essential oil cheat sheet! Don’t miss out, sign up today!
¹Fisher, K., & Phillips, C., (2009). In vitro inhibition of vancomycin susceptible and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis in the presence of citrus oils. British Journal of Biomedical Science, 66(4)180.
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