Last week, on our radio show, The Current Oil Report, we challenged moms with colicky babies to give Orange essential oil a try, by diffusing it during bedtime to help soothe. Orange EO, like most of the rest of the citrus oils, is mood balancing and it’s a carminative, which means it helps to expel gas. So that’s a double whammy on colic. Use aromatically with lavender it help as a sleep aid and use topically with lavender or roman chamomile, diluted heavily, of course, as a tummy rub to aid in relief of colicky gas. Orange EO works wonders for us adults, as well. When rubbed on the abdomen, it helps to relax the abdominal muscles, like an herbal muscle relaxant to allow digestion to work correctly and it prevents our bodies from forming any new gas.

Now, going back to that mood balancing part a minute ago, Orange EO is high in what’s called Monoterpenes. When inhaled in aromatic form, the molecular structure of Orange EO is so minuet that it has that ability to pass the blood brain barrier and affect our limbic system, our emotional center and uplift our emotions. There is research (referenced below) that shows when Orange EO is used aromatically before and during pediatric dental appointments, the anxiety level and salivary cortisol levels, are decreased significantly. So, cortisol is a natural hormone your body gives off in response to stress of any kind. In this study, they measured the cortisol levels in each patient’s saliva at various points during the dental visit. Each patient that was exposed to the Orange EO scent, had much less cortisol in their system. SO, for any of you parents out there, who’s children get anxious when going to the doctor or dentist, diffuse some Orange EO or do a diluted chest rub so you child can smell it throughout the appointment. Pretty neat!

Now another use for Orange EO is a circulation booster. As a massage oil rubbed across the abdomen and/or chest area, when absorbed, it allows the blood vessels to dilate therefore easing blood flow through the body. This is great for diabetics with blood flow problems, people with varicose veins, really any kind of circulatory issue.

Orange EO is also an antiseptic, antiviral and a diuretic. It can be taken internally in gel capsule as an immune booster and to promote detoxification, meaning it promotes our bodies releasing excess pollutants. Also, aromatically in the car on the way to school to lighten the mood, plus enhance immunity and mixed with water to be used as a kitchen spray for the counters.

And lastly, I had a new friend, Amanda, tell me about one way she was using Orange EO, to whiten her teeth. Orange EO is great for that because it helps to lift the stains out of the enamel but doesn’t have the citric acid content that can slowly eat away at your enamel, weakening your teeth. She wasn’t enjoying how she was using it, though. She was putting a drop straight on her toothbrush and using it to brush her teeth with toothpaste. The taste was overwhelming for a while afterward. So, my suggestion would be to mix it in with your toothpaste. Why couldn’t you squeeze out the contents of your toothpaste tube into a jar with a lid and add 3 to four drops of Orange EO and mix it together? Much less overwhelming and all the whitening benefits.

Well, that’s it for Orange! I’d love for you to post some examples of how you use Orange EO in your everyday routine. Until next week, Happy Oiling!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3732892/