Lemongrass is found everywhere in a multitude of products such as a fragrance in cleaners, oil in personal soaps, cosmetics and much more. When any product is seen in so many different forms, or seen so often, it’s sometimes taken for granted. But this oil should never be taken for granted as its uses are many. The smell of this oil could be likened to a lemony, cut hay or cut straw smell vs. a grass smell, as the name implies. This plant is grown throughout the world but the majority, distilled into oil, comes from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Guatemala. Many plants that are distilled into oils can only be used as fertilizer, etc, as their “essence” is taken and their “use” is gone, but the lemongrass is different. Lemongrass still has enough nutrients left in the plant, after the distillation process, to be beneficial as a feed for cattle, making this a plant that truly serves ecological healthiness.

Even though it is multi-faceted and used as an anti-depressant, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, antiparasitic, anti-septic, and an astringent, it serves best as an anti-inflammatory agent and an analgesic. I myself have worked with Lemongrass for pain in my hip, which served me very well! In fact, when I was told to use Lemongrass by an intuitive I thought, “Why would I use that instead of oils that have always served me like wintergreen or peppermint?” I was surprised to learn that although the wintergreen and peppermint were wonderful anti-inflammatory agents, they didn’t have the long term healing qualities that Lemongrass oil does for my hip. Lemongrass does not “feel” immediately like it is working, as wintergreen or peppermint does, but given the proper time it is a wonderful pain reducer, and aids in the long term healing of connective tissues and ligaments. I didn’t stop the use of wintergreen or peppermint but found Lemongrass to be a great addition. And finally, Lemongrass has a light sedative effect and wonderful aroma so it calms and lifts the spirit, clears the mind, and all the while helping to heal the physical body. It is a Mind Body & Spirit combination that is always a winner! (For some individuals it can be irritating to the skin so dilution is recommended.)

j.m.s.