Simply Living

Grapefruit Spotlight

resource preview

Grapefruit is a bright, happy citrus oil cold pressed from the rind of the fruit. Just the name brings up images of bright citrus and sunny days! This versatile (and inexpensive!) oil is a household staple for everything from cleaning to skincare to emotions.

image

JUST A DROP OF GRAPEFRUIT

  • Great for metabolism and cravings
  • Support for energy and endurance
  • Boosts skin health and glow
  • Helps encourage feelings of joy, satisfaction, and playfulness.
  • Uplifting to the spirits and mood to relieve stress
  • Supporting the body's digestive and cleansing functions, including the liver
  • Can help combat jet lag and fatigue
  • Has a cleansing effect on the kidneys, the lymphatic system, and the vascular system.

BACKGROUND A natural cross of the pomelo and the sweet orange, grapefruit likely originated in Jamaica before spreading to America and throughout citrus-growing areas. Today this evergreen tree is cultivated in the United States, South Africa, Brazil, and Israel. Grapefruit essential oil has a zesty, uplifting aroma that refreshes the air when diffused. It also provides cleansing action, making it a popular addition to skin care and home cleaning products.

GRAPEFRUIT OIL & BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION Many commonly used prescription blood pressure medications carry a warning about drinking grapefruit juice while taking the medication. So it is often questioned whether it is ok to use and ingest grapefruit oil. The short answer to that question is YES.

The issue with grapefruit juice and blood pressure medications is a compound called DHB which can affect the activity of liver enzymes, therefore affecting how your body metabolizes certain medications (blood pressure + cholesterol meds mostly). However, DHB is NOT found in grapefruit oil, only in juice. Young Living's Grapefruit Essential Oil is cold pressed from the rind of the fruit, giving it a completely different profile and constituents than grapefruit juice.

Note: This app is not designed to diagnose or treat and cannot provide specific individual recommendations. We encourage you to find functional medicine or naturopathic medical providers who are familiar with essential oils + other natural practices.

KEY CONSTITUENTS Constituents are naturally occurring compounds in plants (and therefore essential oils) that give them sprecic health-supporting properties.

  • D-limonene: a natural detoxing constituent and appetite suppressant, supports healthy metabolism, helps with cleansing and drainage of the lymphatic glands. Improper lymph drainage is a key component of cellulite production, which is one reason Grapefruit Oil is a good choice for supporting healthy weight. Cellulite is essentially a lymph drainage problem as toxins and fluid accumulate as fat pockets when the lymph system is not working properly.

Adding Grapefruit to your daily routine (along with other healthy habits!) is a great way to boost your metabolism, enhance fat loss, flush out toxins, and to manage your weight.

  • Add 1-2 drops of Grapefruit Vitality to your water and drink first thing in the morning.
  • Add 1-2 drops of Grapefruit Vitality to your water and drink a glass after a meal to help with bloating and improve digestion.
  • Make a capsule with Grapefruit, Peppermint, and Lemon Vitality together with olive oil to help with cravings and to jumpstart metabolism.

PRODUCT & EMOTIONS Grapefruit, like other citrus oils, is a wonderful tool for emotional support! Citrus oils evoke the sense of warm, sunny, carefree days which are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. One major reason for this is because citrus oils contain the constituent Limonene, a compound that is a potent free radical scavenger. Free radicals cause oxidative stress and damage to the body at a cellular level, therefore affecting every body system. Less oxidative stress from free radicals is a key for less negative emotions.

Limonene is wonderful for boosting the mood and may increase the amount of calming neurotransmitters in the brain. When we are feeling worried, stressed or indecisive we have a difficult time accessing the right side of our brains, and citrus oils are a great tool! Citrus oils are stimulating to the right side of the brain and can help us work through these emotional blocks. Bottom line? Whenever you're needing a little emotional pick me up, reach for the bright, happy aroma of Grapefruit!

PRODUCT OPTIONS

  • Grapefruit Essential Oil
  • Grapefruit Vitality Essential Oil
  • Grapefruit Bergamot Vitality Drops (+ Electrolytes)

DAILY HABITS WITH GRAPEFRUIT Note: Grapefruit and Grapefruit Vitality are the same essential oil. Grapefruit Vitality is simply labeled differently for ingestion.

  • Add Grapefruit to your favorite roller blends for some happy citrus zest! To a 10mL roller bottle add the following essential oils + carrier of choice. (Note: do not apply citrus oils to skin that will be directly exposed to sunlight within 2 hours.)
    • Keep Calm & Carry On: 20 drops Stress Away, 15 drops each Grapefruit, Lavender
    • Liquid Sunshine: 20 drops Grapefruit, 15 drops each Tangerine, Lemon, 10 drops Bergamot
    • Flower Garden: 20 drops Grapefruit, 15 drops Ylang Ylang, 10 drops Bergamot
    • Golden Hour: 20 drops Grapefruit, 15 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce OR Idaho Blue Spruce, 10 drops Geranium or Joy
  • Add a few drops of Grapefruit Vitality to smoothies, NingXia Red, dressings and marinades and your water each day.
  • When cooking, add a couple drops of Grapefruit Vitality to a recipe that calls for grapefruit juice or zest
  • Make a lovely Citrus Rind Diffuser (recipe via Hello Glow):
    • Grapefruit Cedarwood:
      • 1 grapefruit
      • 15 drops Cedarwood
      • 5 drops Grapefruit
      • 3 drops Sage
      • 1&1/2 cups coarse sea salt
      • Fresh sage leaves for garnish (optional)
    • Lemon Rosemary:
      • 1 lemon
      • 1 cup coarse sea salt
      • 15 drops Rosemary
      • 10 drops Grapefruit
      • Fresh rosemary for garnish (optional)
    • Hollow out the fruit. In a small bowl mix sea salt and essential oils well. Fill fruit rinds with the salt and oil mixture. Replace every 3-4 days.
  • Winter skin needing a little love? Whip up this Grapefruit Salt Scrub:
  • Make this Grapefruit Lip Scrub for soft, happy lips:
    • 10 drops Grapefruit
    • Optional: 5 drops Vanilla
    • ¼ cup White Sugar
    • ¼ cup Coconut Oil
    • Whip coconut oil with a mixer, then add in sugar and essential oils and mix again. Store in a glass jar. Apply nightly to lips in a circular motion. Wipe off with a dry towel.
  • Whip up this DIY Toning Oil to use after hitting the gym to work on your resolutions:
    • 2 or 4oz pump or dropper bottle
    • 10 drops each Rosemary, Grapefruit, Fennel, Juniper
    • 5 drops Geranium, Cypress
    • Fill with V-6 Vegetable Complex
    • Massage onto problem areas as desired.
  • Spice up your Thieves Cleaner with a fresh, crisp recipe:
    • 16oz glass spray bottle
    • 1-2 tsp Thieves Household Cleaner
    • 20 drops Grapefruit
    • 15 drops each Tangerine, Lemon
    • 15 drops Eucalyptus Radiata
    • Fill with filtered water
  • Bring a little light to your winter body butter by combining Winter Nights & Grapefruit in this DIY Whipped Body Butter recipe:
    • 1/2 cup coconut oil
    • 1/2 cup pure organic shea butter
    • 1 Tbsp Vitamin E oil
    • 20 drops Grapefruit
    • 15 drops Winter Nights
    • Melt together coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter, then add in vitamin E oil and whisk.
    • Refrigerate until almost half solidified, then use a mixer to whip for 1 to 2 minutes until a fluffy consistency is achieved. Add in essential oils then place in a glass jar.

DIFFUSE Diffusing is a wonderful health habit! Ditch the toxin-filled scented candles and wall plugs and fill up our diffuser instead. Diffe this happy citrus oil to bring a little bit of sunshine to your home any time of the year:

  • Herb Garden: 4 drops Grapefruit, 4 drops Lemon, 3 drops Basil
  • Spring Breeze: 4 drops Grapefruit, 3 drops Ylang ylang, 2 drops Bergamot, 3 drops Valor
  • Cozy Home: 4 drops each Grapefruit, Lavender, Vanilla
  • Keep Calm: 4 drops Grapefruit, 5 drops Stress Away, 3 drops Bergamot
  • Capri Blue: 4 drops Idaho Blue Spruce, 3 drops Orange, 3 drops Grapefruit, 2 drops Patchouli
  • Good Vibes: 5 drops Grapefruit, 4 drops Lavender, 3 drops Sage
  • Morning Routine: 5 drops Grapefruit, 3 drops Frankincense, 4 drops Idaho Grand Fir

COMPANION PRODUCTS