Essential Oils for weight loss

The human brain has the beautiful ability to interpret smells as memories.
What would a fire be without its smoky, crackling scent – bringing us back to ski lodges, crunchy autumnal leaves, or camping with loved ones?
Maybe this is why we get excited about the changing of the seasons.
Often times, smells are soothing, as they have a power to ignite nostalgia. They bring us back to happier, more peaceful times, away from the stressors of daily life.
In regard to weight loss, smells can combat the struggles that accompany shedding pounds.

By soothing the hypothalamus via smell, we can tone down the intensity of some of our more distressing emotions.

Scents stimulate emotional centers of the brain, releasing hormones from the hypothalamus: the master gland. The hypothalamus houses emotions such as anxiety, depression, fear and anger, all of which are inextricably linked to the journey of weight loss.
By soothing the hypothalamus via smell, we can tone down the intensity of some of our more distressing emotions. Beautifully, we’re able to recreate calming memories with the use of essential oils.
They’re essentially relaxation in a small bottle and are now being proven as aids for weight loss.

Essential oils, in fact, accelerate the serotonin system, mimicking antidepressants without any addictive qualities.

In a notable clinical study, Dr. Hirsch tested the link between the smell of peppermint and weight loss.
The experiment lasted six months and included 3,000 people.
Within that group, each person lost an average of 30 pounds – some were even forced to drop out of the study for fear of becoming underweight!
More studies were performed at the Universities of Berlin and Vienna, which found that some oils increase brain oxygen by up to 28%.
Not only does oxygenation of the brain decrease stress, but it also has dramatic effects on learning, attitude, immune function, energy levels and hormone balance.
If hormone and neurotransmitter levels remain stable, we have decreased risks for anxiety and depression. Essential oils, in fact, accelerate the serotonin system, mimicking antidepressants without any addictive qualities.

Bringing forward fond memories from the past is not the only way essential oils support healthy weight loss.
Science is now showing there are dozens of ways essential oils can support your efforts.

Here are a few ways some of our favorite scents can help you along your weight loss journey

Peppermint
Peppermint is a great digestive aid, helping to alleviate nausea, constipation, bloating and diarrhea. It has also been proven to help curb cravings and suppress appetite, both of which are helpful when trying to lose weight.

Grapefruit
Grapefruit is responsible for reducing cravings and lowering insulin, even in individuals with insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone responsible for blood sugar stabilization, metabolism, and fat storage.
It is tightly linked with cortisol. As stress increases, so does cortisol levels in the brain. This triggers the body to produce insulin, in turn storing more fat.
So the key is to avoid producing cortisol in general, which grapefruit does!
Grapefruit oil has even been shown to reduce cellulite.

Lemon oil works by helping to stimulate the liver, which helps the body filter out any of its toxins.

Lemon oil
We’ve all heard that lemon is a great form of detoxing by drinking in our water, but it works equally well through the skin, too.
Lemon oil works by helping to stimulate the liver, which helps the body filter out any of its toxins. Lemon also has polyphenols, which help with weight loss.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon plays a really key part with glucose levels. It stabilizes blood sugar and normalizes high blood glucose levels to help prevent: obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, acne, and even depression.
It can boost the immune system, too – important for the upcoming cold and flu season!

Ginger|
Ginger is hugely anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is now seen to play a key part in causes of obesity.
Not only does ginger help with obesity, but it also assists with other inflammatory problems, including acne, IBS and arthritis.

Citrus oils like grapefruit, lemon and orange essential oil work great to release the toxins from our metabolic pathways, aiding in weight loss.

Orange
Orange has been used for its various health benefits as a metabolism stimulant, lymphatic system detoxifier and a fat burner.
It is packed with Vitamin C and has antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory uses, which help to detoxify and cleanse the lymphatic system.
Toxicity in the body creates unwanted weight gain, since our bodies store toxins in excess fat when it does not know how to release it from the body.
Citrus oils like grapefruit, lemon and orange essential oil work great to release the toxins from our metabolic pathways, aiding in weight loss.

Oregano
The active component of oregano oil, carvacrol, reduces inflammation.
Obesity is caused, in part, by inflammation in the white adipose tissue, so oregano oil can help reduce or eliminate this contributing factor.
Oregano oil has also been shown to have other anti-inflammatory benefits, aiding in the treatment of arthritis, and has promising effects on mood swings and cravings by increasing dopamine levels, counteracting our cravings for unhealthy foods.
When deconstructing the word essential, I think we sometimes simply equate it to something necessary – but maybe not attainable.

We believe we need these smells – we need to make them attainable – because we need these memories.

Not simply for fond reminiscing, but for the legitimate purpose of soothing us and keeping us on track, reminding us that psychological wellbeing is just as important and essential as physical wellness.
And this, in turn, gives us a positive outlook, which undoubtedly supports healthy weight management.