Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon flexnous)

Lemongrass essential oil has a light, citrus aroma and is distilled from the long slender, grass like leaves. It is said that lemongrass helps rejuvenate the mind and has been found to improve mental clarity. It has also been the subject of research published in the Phytotherapy Research Journal, where it was found to have powerful properties when applied topically to the skin, namely its anti-fungal action.

The Essential Oils Desk Reference guide to using essential oils, states lemongrass is:

• antifungal
• antibacterial
• anti-parasitic
• anti-inflammatory
• regenerates connective tissues and ligaments
• dilates blood vessels and improves circulation
• promotes lymph flow

Lemongrass is being used by many with connective tissue problems ranging from torn rotator cuffs, to slap tears, injury to muscles, ligaments and tendons, and strengthening muscles around the eye. It is used as:

• a natural blood thinner
• for sinus and respiratory complaints
• bladder infections
• varicose veins
• Salmonella and digestive problems
• fluid retention
• parasites

Recently the country of Israel published a report showing lemongrass effective against cancer cells.

When applied to the skin, some dilution may be necessary as lemongrass has a tendency to cause what looks like a rash. It really is only enhancing blood flow, but can be unsightly and itch.

Dilute 1 part lemongrass to 4 parts V6 oil or olive oil. For oral consumption,, start with 3 drops twice per day and increase as needed.

I fractured my tibia playing tennis last week and also sprained my ankle. Thanks to Lemongrass, Wintergreen and PanAway I'm walking quite well with my airplane splint. I took no pain pills at all!!!! Loving these oils!

Lisa C.

Have any of you had your face start itching and then the itching goes down the neck onto the chest? Then after the itching starts you face turns red? The itching keeps on getting worse and worse? Well this is what has happened to you: your lymphics are plugged This has happened to me twice now and this is what I did. First I applied lemongrass around the lymphic ring around the bottom of my heel. It looks like a U. To find out where it is, stand with your foot on the floor and imagine you are standing on a horseshoe, with the heels of the shoe facing towards the toes. Looking straight down from the ankle is the beginning of the horse shoe. Underneath the heel apply lemongrass, going around to the otherside and stopping in front of the other ankle or the end of the horse shoe. Now you do the reflex 3 times on each foot and then do the lymphic pump. This opens the lymphs and the itching stops and the redness goes away. If you still have some itching do it again until it has stopped completely.

Here's to your health, Nancy Sanderson

I come from a long line of hereditary varicose vein disease and at age 33 was already displaying the infamous exaggerated 'road map' blue cords all over my legs. Not only were they unsightly and embarrassing for me, but also having the veins is painful and causes leg fatigue. Fortunately I came across all the uses of Lemongrass in the Essential Oils Desk Reference book and decided to give it a shot. At first I applied oil directly to my legs, which caused slight irritation and redness. Now I dilute 1 part Lemongrass with 4 parts organic olive oil or grape seed oil. Within minutes my legs are invigorated and the dull, achy vein pain disappears! Even better, after a couple of months of applying diluted Lemongrass to my legs once or twice a week, the actual veins have diminished and are but a fraction of the sight that they used to be. I am no longer am embarrassed to wear shorts.

Miriam Lorenzi

At the beginning of winter my knees started hurting - first one, then the other. It got to where as I straightened up my legs at each step when walking the knees would 'click' accompanied by the sharp pain. Not wanting to use painkillers I tried several different oils and supplements with no luck till I tried lemongrass. I applied it in the evening and could feel it working immediately! The next day the pain and clicking was almost gone. I applied 2 - 3 times a day for just 3 days and the symptoms completely subsided.

Ardi Keim

Put a couple of drops of lemongrass oil in a spray bottle with some water and spray air, sheets and blankets between changes (remembering to shake bottle often). Helps with dust mites or bed bugs they say are there but you cannot see. It feels great. I also spray sofa cushions, area rugs, etc. Now, I don't think I have 'bed bugs' but it sounded like a great way to freshen up linens. I've tried it and it does smell wonderful.

Monica P

Kidney stones are no fun! My husband describes it as the body trying to push a watermelon or a jagged bolder through a garden hose only on a much smaller visual scale, and more constant pain than he has ever experienced! He has had, on four different occasions, the experience of dealing with kidney stones, twice requiring an emergency room visit or doctor office visit. This past year we were introduced to Young Living Essential Oils and with my husband's most recent kidney stone attack we applied oils to see if we could avoid another expensive emergency room visit and pharmaceutical treatment. I layered 5 to 6 drops of each of Panaway, RC, Lemongrass and Juniper over his kidney and gave him a glass of purified water with 5 to 6 drops of lemon in it. Within ten minutes, the pain switched from on to OFF! Just like a light switch the pain was gone! Three days later, he passed the largest stone ever without any pain and with out any visible blood. A week after that, again he passed another notably sized stone without pain or visible blood. We believe Young Living Essential Oils are responsible for my husband's quick recovery and will continue to make major differences in our health and lives. God is so good to bring these oils into our lives to be used!

Tracy Rushton

I was in an area next to my home that was being torn down and the mosquitoes were horrible. I had shorts on and was bitten in about 3 different places. I went inside and mixed some peppermint, a little oregano, lemongrass, eucalyptus citriadora into a massage oil and put on the bites and within 10 minutes all bites disappeared completely.

Olga King

In 2004, I began to use Melrose, Lemongrass, or Melaleuca Alternafolia (depending on whatever I decided for the day) to see if I could get rid of a fairly advanced fungal infection under four toenails which had developed about 10 years earlier while hiking in Nepal for three weeks in damp boots. When I started using the oils, about 2/3 of each nail on the large toes had disattached from the nail bed. They were only slightly itchy and uncomfortable but I was concerned about loosing the nails altogether. The good news is that the fungus apparently stopped in it's tracks because the itchy, discomfort stopped within the first few applications and the nails were all normally attached with no signs of fungus in about the same amount of time it takes a nail to replace itself under normal circumstances. I have had no re-occurances since that time.

Jan Meredith

For years I have struggled with high cholesterol. I was on Zocor for many years at the highest dosage, still unable to get my levels to normal. I invited Dr. Jeff Essen (Whole Life Clinic in Burnsville, MN) to my wellness team for guidance. Under his supervision, I began to do liver flushes about every 2-3 months. Much of my problem was contributed to a toxic liver and very sluggish bile. I had my gallbladder removed in 2001 With my first liver flush, I flushed out over 50 balls of bile that ranged in size of large pea- that of a brazil nut. The balls varied in color from medium brown to bright pea green. To support my liver with detoxification I apply JuvaFlex, Release, Clove and Lemongrass topically on the liver and the bottom of my right foot on the liver Vita Flex point. I also include Juvatone and Ningxia Red as additional support for my liver. My total cholesterol levels have decreased from 287 to 204, my triglycerides have reduced from 197 to 93. Of course, in addition, I have made a conscious choice to eat heathier, increase my water intake and exercise on a regular basis to help support my liver detoxification.

Paula Quinlan

My experience with essential oils started like most people, with a physical condition and pain. I began having severe neck pain which progressed down my left shoulder and ultimately to my left elbow. At first I just lived with it, but then I started to experience weakness in my left tricep and that's when I decided to contact a doctor and see what was wrong. An MRI showed the disk between the C-6 and C-7 vertebrae to be bulging. The swelling in the joint was putting pressure on the nerve which was causing the pain and the weakness in my arm. In fact the tricep muscle was actually beginning to atrophy. My doctor gave me three options, first, physical therapy sessions. I did that with little effect. Second, an epidural in my neck, which is an injection of anti-inflammatory drugs directly into the disk designed to reduce the swelling and help the disk move back in place. The third option was surgery where they would fuse the two vertebrae together. I was in my early 30's and very active in sports and skiing and did not want options 2 or 3! That's when a friend told me about the oils and how they had helped him with a similar problem with his back. Long story short, I tried them and it was nothing short of a miracle! Within minutes my neck and shoulder felt better and by the next morning I had no more pain! ZERO! My neck and arm have been fine since, nearly 10 years now, and I regularly use the oils as simple maintenance and for many other reasons that are too numerous to list here. Many people have asked me which oils were used on my back and neck, so here is a list of the oils and how they were applied by Julie Herbert whose husband Gordon first introduced me to these amazing medicines: Start with Valor on the feet. Then layer oils of Basil, Marjoram, Aroma Siez, Wintergreen, Panaway, Cypress, Lemongrass, Geranium and Peppermint on the Vita-flex points on the feet one after another. (There is a foot chart in the Essential Oils Desk Reference, which shows where points related to the spine, shoulders and neck are located on the feet called vita-flex points.) Then apply the same oils on the neck and shoulder or pain-effected area using Peppermint last, followed by Ortho Ease. Peppermint is used last because it is the amplifier of the other oils followed by Ortho Ease. Today for someone with the same condition you would also use Idaho Balsam Fir and then start taking the supplements BLM (for bone, muscle, and ligaments) and Sulfurzyme. BLM and Sulferzyme were not available when I had my neck problem. I am a true believer in the power of these oils to heal the body, mind, and spirit. I hope you will experience the same kind of results as you use these wonderful products. I can't put into words how grateful I am to have discovered essential oils.

Doug Long

I strained my knee going up a stair, I could barely manage to hobble, I suffered for two days. When a friend said "did you put any oil on?". No I hadn't, I was to busy suffering. So out of guilt I put lemongrass and was fine in the morning.

Bev Scalf

Kathy Wilson
680 Rainier Lane, Port Ludlow, WA 98365
Phone: 360.437.9328
Cell: 360.301.1864
Email: Kathy@warrior-priestess.com