
After writing my last post, I began doing more and more research on essential oils. I have read a lot of other blogs and done a lot of website searching. I had come across a lot of combinations for weight loss. Of course I was intrigued! So after researching and figuring out how to safely ingest or rub an essential oil on my skin, I took to Amazon, eBay, and Young Living to purchase different oils.
So, first off – I am most definitely not a medical professional and I do not claim to be able to cure, treat, or prevent any sort of diseases.
I first learned that there are basically two major brands in the essential oil industry those being Young Living and DoTerra. That is because they are the two brands that you are able to both safely ingest and apply neat to your skin (neat means apply directly to the skin – just a fancy essential oil way of saying it). These oils are 100% pure therapeutic grade and that’s what makes them safe. Being my cautious self, even if another brand of oil had that on their label, I still probably wouldn’t try to ingest it. Also, these two brands include a nutrition label on their bottles, thus further clarifying that they can be ingested.
Okay – moving on. I first learned that there are basically 3 main oils in the “weight loss trio” that many bloggers talk about. Those being: Grapefruit, Lemon
, and Peppermint
. Grapefruit has all sorts of great health benefits, but one of the best uses I have seen is for weight loss- it actually attacks and destroys fat! Lemon is another great oil – it is a great diuretic and has beneficial cleansing properties. Peppermint, aside from the great scent, is great for digestion in general. These 3 together create a trifecta of weight loss goodness!
How much and how to you may ask? Well, as for how much, the oils are highly concentrated, so you do not need very much to get the benefits. That being said, an example to put this into perspective: I read that 1 drop of peppermint essential oil is the equivalent of 26 cups of peppermint tea! As for how to, see below for suggestions:
Topically:
When using any essential oils topically, you must make sure you use a carrier oil in addition to the essential oil. A carrier oil is an oil that is mixed with the essential oil that is less harsh and will be safe for the skin. Some great carrier oils are: coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, flax seed oil. The ratio of carrier oil to essential oil should be 2:1. Oils that aid in digestion such as the oils I have been referring to above, may be applied to the abdomen to aid in digestion and also help break down fat cells. note: when applying citrus essential oils to the skin be sure to avoid direct sunlight for at least 72 hours to avoid burns to application site.
In Water:
You can drink your weight loss trio oils – these oils are very tasty when added to water. Make sure to only add essential oils to a glass water bottle because the oils will break down plastic and you will end up drinking the decomposing plastic (yuck!). I have tried this method myself actually, and while I do like the way the oils smell and taste individually, sometimes it is difficult or me to drink them all day long. Maybe that is just me but I get tired of the flavors after a while. Sometimes I just suck it up and do it but it isn’t my favorite.
Capsules:
Yes – you can make your own capsules. Maybe I am the only person who didn’t know this, but you can buy empty veggie capsules and put your own stuff in them. I bought mine on Amazon along with a glass dropper bottle (it came in a set of 6, but you can buy single bottles as well). Once again, the reason I bought glass dropper bottles is because I am using citrus oils and I don’t want to consume plastic internally. I use Grapeseed Oil
and figured out that with a ratio of 2:1 of carrier oil, I could come up with a formula of how much to make at a time. I decided I wanted to mix enough together to make 30 capsules, so 30×2= 60 drops of each Peppermint
, Grapefruit
, and Lemon
. Double your carrier oil and you’re good to go. Swirl your recipe around in the jar to mix them together and add 18 drops to each capsule.
If you decide to make all 30 capsules at once, you will need to store them in the freezer because the essential oils will begin to break down the capsules after a short amount of time. I have been just making mine one at a time – I take my little dropper bottle and an empty capsule with me to work and it’s easier for me that way. Either method works, so you can do whatever works best for you.
I just started the capsules this week, so I don’t have much data on how well they do or do not work – its purely experimental at this point! I have noticed that I do not have as many food cravings and I do feel fuller for longer, so I will have to update in a couple weeks to share whether this has been worth it or not!
I’m still continuing in my research and learning more about oils and all of their uses and benefits, I have ordered a few ore oils to try, so I will update in new posts about my findings! Do you use essential oils? Have you tried this “weight loss trio?” let me know in the comments!
xo,
Glitter Girl