Essential Oils: An Essential Ingredient for Daily Wellness: Grapefruit Oil
Eating grapefruit has a long-standing reputation as a weight loss aid. Many essential oils also show promise as useful adjuncts for weight loss, including pink grapefruit oil. In animal studies, the mere scent of grapefruit oil effectively reduced appetite and food intake and induced lipolysis/fat-burning, potentially enabling it to positively affect both the “calories in” and “calories out” portions of the weight loss equation.
Grapefruit oil has demonstrated positive impacts on metabolism and fat mass in human studies as well; it is thermogenic and cannot only induce fat burning but also inhibit adipogenesis (the formation of fat cells). It can stimulate the sympathetic nerves innervating both metabolically-active brown adipose tissue and white adipose tissue (“WAT”, the yellowish fat we’re more familiar with). A study in postmenopausal women showed significant decreases in subcutaneous abdominal fat and waist circumference after grapefruit oil massages, as well as improved body images.
Grapefruit oil contains nootkatone (the compound giving grapefruit its distinctive scent and flavor), which can increase stamina. Citrus scents in general have an uplifting, energizing effect. Grapefruit oil can be used to increase energy and stamina.
Grapefruit oil can also help support detoxification efforts; it is a diuretic, helping to reduce water retention and bloating, and it can help stimulate a sluggish lymphatic system, which is the system primarily responsible for fat processing.
Chronic stress is associated with weight gain and can make it particularly challenging to lose fat. Limonene, the main constituent in grapefruit oil, can help manage stress with its anxiety-reducing effects. Grapefruit oil has been shown useful in reducing stress, curbing appetite in general, and reducing sugar cravings, in particular. It contains enzymes that help break down sugar.
With its uplifting scent and anti-anxiety/anti-stress impacts, sniffing or diffusing grapefruit oil can be a useful appetite suppressant, particularly for emotional eating. It is noteworthy that grapefruit oil helps inhibit the breakdown of acetylcholine, the fascinating neurotransmitter I discuss at length in my book, “Release Yourself,” for its positive stress-reducing, mood-elevating impacts. Acetylcholine can help fight fatigue and stress, reducing the likelihood of emotional overeating and increasing the likelihood of engaging in regular physical activity.
Grapefruit oil also has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which we know can help reduce the risk of developing weight-related ailments and diseases and generally boost health.
If you’re interested in learning more about this topic or more evidence-based tips for a healthy weight, you can read more about it in my book, “Eat the Cupcake, not the Cake.” Available @ https://amzn.to/3Pqa4Tm
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