Grapefruit - January 2009

BOTANICAL NAME: Citrus paradisi

FAMILY: Rutaceae

HERBAL APPLICATIONS:
Fruit: Common food ,especially during the winter. Eaten fresh and juiced. Excellent source of Vitamin C.
Essential oil: Expressed from the fragrant peels, the essential oil is used to combat the blues. A gently invigorating morning oil. It is also a favorite ingredient in spa massage blends for reducing cellulite.

You don’t even have to understand Latin to understand the Latin name of grapefruit, “Citrus paradisi”, citrus of paradise.

This sunny fruit has been an American winter breakfast staple for generations. Thousands of boxes of grapefruit are received as holiday gifts. Essential oil of grapefruit, expressed from the peels, is a perennial best seller and is one of the most popular ingredients in natural cosmetics.

It makes sense. Grapefruit oil is the “oil of light”. During the darkest days of the year, when many of us suffer from a mild depression due to lack to light, grapefruit naturally comes to mind.

All citrus oils tend to act on the brain much like sunlight, but grapefruit does this to the greatest degree. It is so effective as a natural antidepressant that is it used clinically to treat the severe winter depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder Syndrome (S.A.D.S.)

Grapefruit lightens up the body as well as the spirit. Virtually all forms of the fruit, including the essential oil, help the body to break down and eliminate fat deposits. This is why the fruit it often a part of weight loss diets, and the essential oil is a standard addition to massage blends for reducing cellulite.

A word of caution here. If you are taking certain medications, especially those used to control cholesterol, grapefruit juice or other grapefruit extracts can create some rather serious side effects by doubling up on the action of the drug. Check with your doctor before you drink grapefruit juice or use the essential oil in conjunction with prescription medications.

How should you use grapefruit oil? One of the most popular ways is in the shower. Plug your shower drain and drip 3-5 drops of oil on the shower floor before you start the water. As the steam rises, it will carry the oil with it to create a sunny spa treatment right in your own home. For cellulite, add 12 drops of grapefruit oil to one ounce of massage oil or lotion. Professional treatments are often more effective than home treatment, and both take time, as well as proper attention to diet and elimination.

If you use grapefruit oil on the skin, keep that portion of skin covered or out of the sun for at least 6 hours. All citrus oils can cause sun sensitivity.