Like many, you’re already working towards your #SummerBody, otherwise known as implementing healthy choices such as diet and exercise, so you can flaunt what you got once hotter weather rolls around. Shaving off excess body fat and increasing muscle may start with healthy diet and exercise, but can essential oils play a role in achieving your fitness goals? Here’s what researchers have found:
How Excess Weight Occurs
From a biochemical perspective, an excess amount of body weight is marked by increased inflammation and oxidative stress,insulin resistance, fat cells accumulating in organs andexcess insulin in the bloodstream. Our research will primarily look at essential oil’s ability to affect these different complications, which can lead to weight gain.
Fat-Burning EOs
Grapefruit: One of the more commonly used essential oils for weight loss, Grapefruit combined withHelichrysum was shown to encourage thereduction of excess levels of insulin and insulin resistance. In turn, this reduces oxidative stress and weight gain. A separate study revealed that massaging a mixture of Grapefruit andCypress on the abdomen, twice a day for six weeks, reducedabdominal fat and waist size. Furthermore, the aroma of Grapefruit oil caused fat breakdown andencouraged appetite suppression, leading to weight loss.
Caraway: Historically, Caraway has been used for its beneficial properties, including weight loss.Researchers set out to prove Caraway’s efficacy in this area, using a triple-blinded clinical trial. Subjects classified as obese and overweight were given limonene and carvone-rich Caraway for three months, as a complement to daily excercise and healthy diet. Compared to a placebo control group, the Caraway group showed significant loss of weight, BMI and body-fat percentage.
Oregano: The major constituent of Oregano, carvacrol,was found to reduce weight when given to mice with a high-fat diet through its ability to reduce inflammation and fat-cell generation. BothThyme andMountain Savory also contain significant amounts of carvacrol.
Cinnamon: To test its ability to protect the cardiovascular system,researchers reviewed uses of Cinnamon on a variety of metabolic syndrome complications, including obesity. Cinnamon encouraged fat-breakdown and reduced the hunger-causing hormone ghrelin, as well as insulin resistance.
Lime: Over the course of a 45-day experiment, Lime was administered to mice. The result was reduced food intake and body weight. With limonene as the major constituent of Lime and Grapefruit, it is possible that other limonene-rich oils (such as Lemon, Sweet Orange,Mandarin,Blood Orange andTangerine) may have a similar effect.
Hunger Burner Blend
One blend to rule all cravings? Hunger Burner does just that. When cravings creep up, take a whiff and say goodbye to your hungry hankerings.
8 dropsGrapefruit
5 dropsLime
2 drops Cinnamon Bark
This blend is best inhaled throughout the day using a personal inhaler or diffuser.
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Hi Vivian! Based on the studies which we drew this information from, Lime can replace Lemon but Cinnamon Bark would be preferred over Cinnamon Leaf.
I don’t have lime could I use lemon instead? Also, would regular cinnamon work?
I agree with Jennifer. In the studies were these oils massaged onto the skin?
Hi Jennifer! All of the studies referenced in this article, we link to. They are highlighted in blue as further resources. We also offer an application at the bottom of this post. See “Hunger Burner Blend.”
All of these studies sound very interesting. However, there is very limited information on how the EO’s were “administered” in most of these descriptions.
Kimberlee
December 31, 2019
Just tried this diffusion blend and it is my new favorite!