Essential oils can assist you in abstaining from eating unhealthy meals. Junk food addiction is a particularly difficult habit to break, especially when the body and digestive tract are inundated with high calorie foods. To avoid cravings and this habit you can enjoy pleasant fragrances to satisfy your hunger.
Getting Rid of Your Unhealthy Food Addiction
Dealing with food cravings may be a difficult challenge. Stress, lack of sleep, fatigue, and hormone changes are just a few of the many reasons that can lead to Unhealthy food addiction. Essential oils, on the other hand, can assist anyone seeking a technique to reduce their hyperactive food addiction in order to be in good health
Oils interact with our biochemistry on a molecular level, according to a recent study. Certain smells influence the region of the brain that influences satiety, therefore regulating any emotions of junk food addiction. In reality, essential oils can manipulate the body and mind to feel less addicted to junk food throughout the day, which aids in suppressing food addiction, preventing overeating, and decreasing your urge of cravings. As a result, essential oils are a natural approach to successfully control your food cravings.
I created a list of the most significant essential oil combinations that aid in the cessation of junk food consumption.
- Cut down on any food addiction.
- Assist in controlling urges.
- It has the potential to improve your mood.
- Boost your energy levels.
- Assist in the relief of certain pains.
You may be wondering how improving your mood may help you with your food addiction. Consider this: how often do you desire ice cream or chocolate after a breakup? Or, after a particularly stressful day, seek baked goods? The most prevalent causes of unhealthy food desires are low emotional states. As a result, your mental condition is extremely important in your junk food addiction journey. Aromatherapy’s uplifting fragrances can help you attain a peaceful and joyful frame of mind, keeping you from reaching for junk food for consolation.
How to Use Essential Oils to Avoid Cravings for Junk Food
Junk Food speaks to you from the grocery store aisle at times and yells at you from the freezer at others. You may, however, learn to quiet such calls. I’m referring to cravings. A yearning is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as (an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing). When it comes to expressing how I feel about chocolate, this seems about right.
While researching cravings, I discovered something intriguing: aromatherapy may be used to suppress food cravings. It makes sense (pun intended) because the scent is linked to appetite and hunger. (Up to 90% of what we think we are tasting is actually smelling.)
Our sense of smell is the most primitive of our senses, and it has a significant influence on our sense of taste. In essence, we smell 80 to 90 percent of what we think we are tasting.
How to Use
- Their effects are triggered by a simple inhalation of essential oil. We smell with our brains when we smell. The odor molecules make direct contact with the brain, where smell receptors receive, interpret, and convey the chemical signals to various areas of the body. It happens so quickly that before we ever realize we’ve scented anything, our brain and body have already reacted to it. You may place an oil diffuser near your workstation or in front of your television. Locations where you are prone to become hungry.
- Our skin is our biggest organ, and everything we put on it gets absorbed by our body and circulated via our circulation. Topically using essential oils is a lovely method to obtain their therapeutic effects for the skin and the body as a whole.
If you’ve ever passed by a kitchen where the aroma of freshly prepared food made you salivate or made you hungry, you’ve witnessed the power of scent influencing your appetite. We process odor in the same region of the brain where we process memory and emotion, which are related to our past and personal experiences. The wonderful thing about essential oils is that they operate on our whole well-being by influencing our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies.
List Of The 9 Best Essential Oils That Can Help You Quit Eating Junk Food
1. Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is undoubtedly one of the finest essential oils for aiding in the cessation of junk food addiction. It affects the region of the hypothalamus that regulates the sensation of food addiction, urging it to produce hormones that decrease appetite, such as leptin. A 2007 study discovered that the fragrance of peppermint had such an influence on participants’ food cravings that they consumed thousands of calories less than normal. Furthermore, peppermint essential oil can assist regulate anxiety, preventing individuals from engaging in stress-eating.
Another study published in 2008 discovered that the menthol contained in peppermint can influence how food smells and tastes, therefore reducing overeating by avoiding junk food desires. All you have to do is inhale the oil to release its calming properties, which act as metabolism boosters and appetite suppressants. You may accomplish this by putting peppermint essential oil in a room diffuser or a personal essential oil diffuser. You may also use it directly to your skin after diluting it with a carrier oil such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, or almond oil.
2. Wild Orange Essential Oil
The scent of wild orange essential oil is said to decrease sensations of any food cravings, making it an ideal method to stop eating any processed food. While this oil has two components that assist you to regulate stress: linalool and myrcene. Both of these act together to reduce anxiety. By crossing the blood-brain barrier, myrcene affects the feel-good neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. The smell offers a sensation of soothing and uplifting mood since it has a direct reaction to the olfactory system of the brain.
Bitter orange essential oil, another oil from the orange family, can also help you quit eating any processed food. It functions as a thermogenic agent, suppressing food cravings. It also stimulates the body to burn fat reserves rather than glucose, which increases the sense of fullness. Orange essential oils are an excellent alternative for weight loss because of their mood-boosting effects coupled with hunger suppression.
3. Juniper Essential Oil
Juniper essential oil is a lesser-known essential oil. However, there are several advantages to utilizing it, one of which is the influence it has on eating cravings such as junk foods. In 2014, several researchers investigated the chemical components of these essential oils. They discovered that the oil is high in antioxidants and has anti-addiction effects. The oil also helps by decreasing water retention, which is a significant cause of excess weight.
Although there hasn’t been much study that explicitly examines the effects of juniper essential oil in stopping desired food cravings, the data does show that it can be a highly strong aid in reducing junk food consumption. After diluting juniper essential oil in a carrier oil, apply it topically.
4. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is the most commonly used essential oil in aromatherapy for stress and anxiety relief. It produces a tranquil atmosphere for the mind and regulates cortisol secretion. A 2010 research published in the journal International Clinical Pharmacology discovered that lavender oil was nearly as efficient in controlling stress as the benzodiazepine lorazepam. As a result, it might greatly minimize any unhealthy food cravings.
Additionally, frequent use of lavender oil can aid in the cessation of junk food cravings and the improvement of sleep quality. It can be directly applied to pulse points or smelled as needed. You may also utilize it aromatically by putting it in a room diffuser and keeping it near your bed.
5. Holy Basil Essential Oil
Aside from flavoring Mediterranean and Asian meals, basil has a variety of additional applications. Holy basil essential oil includes a lot of linalool, which is a terpene that can help with stress and anxiety. As you may be aware, stress can trigger food cravings. When the body is stressed or anxious, the stress hormone cortisol is released. This hormone makes you want sugar and other harmful meals like junk food. Linalool functions as an adaptogen, regulating cortisol secretion. In fact, for a long time, holy basil has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce food cravings.
Holy basil essential oil may be used in two ways to encourage people to stop eating junk food. You may put it in a room diffuser and inhale the aroma to help you lose weight. You may also add a drop or two to a glass of water before each meal. This aids in the reduction of food cravings associated with stress and anxiety produced by fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
6. Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger aids digestion by reducing inflammation and increasing the body’s capacity to absorb nutrients. This also aids in the reduction of junk food cravings. A 2013 research in India discovered that ginger essential oil is high in antioxidants. Because it enhances nutritional absorption, it lowers junk food cravings caused by a shortage of nutrients.
Ginger essential oil might also assist to decrease stress and sugar cravings. It also functions as a thermogenic, which aids in fat burning and metabolism. To get the advantages of the oil, inhale it directly from the bottle or add a few drops to a warm bath.
7. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil is derived from the peel of Italian citrus fruits. It is great for those who turn to food when they are anxious since it relieves tension. In 2015, researchers discovered that using bergamot essential oil decreased the increased heart rate and high cortisol levels linked with stress.
It also includes a lot of limonene, a stress-relieving terpene that smells like oranges and can help you quit eating junk food. Bergamot essential oil may be used to help you by adding it to a room diffuser or a personal essential oil diffuser. You may also add a few drops of this oil to a warm bath to make it more relaxing.
8. Cinnamon Essential Oil
Cinnamon is another wonderful essential oil that can aid in the cessation of junk food intake. It aids in the maintenance of appropriate blood glucose levels, which is crucial in the perception of junk food desires. Cinnamaldehyde, a chemical found in cinnamon essential oil, increases the receptivity of body cells to insulin.
This is helpful because it improves the body’s capacity to utilize glucose for energy, lowering blood glucose levels. When blood sugar levels are under control, there is a considerable decrease in junk food cravings. Cinnamon also includes linalool, a monoterpene that aids in stress reduction.
9. Sage Essential Oil
Sage essential oil has long been utilized in Asia for its medicinal and herbal properties. It can aid in the treatment of any food addiction, such as the consumption of high-sodium junk foods. According to 2013 research, this oil helps protect the body from oxidative stress. Because oxidative stress may lead to a variety of diseases, including diabetes, and can also impair your immune system, it is critical to keep it under control.
You may apply sage essential oil directly or diffuse it by dissolving it in a carrier oil. Although sage can be used as a medication, it should not be done without the guidance of a medical expert.
Places You Can Put Your Essential Oil Diffuser To Avoid Junk Food Cravings
Several factors impact where you should position your diffuser. Do you have a nebulizer or an ultrasonic, for example? Also, in which room do you normally have food cravings?
Let’s take a look at the best spots in your house for your diffuser to avoid food cravings.
1.Living Room
The living room is the most common location for junk food desires, especially when watching television. Having a certain aroma in this area not only helps you to prevent and avoid junk food cravings but also sets the tone for the rest of the house. The living room is also an excellent location for a diffuser since it occasionally gathers the stench of last night’s supper, or it smells strongly of your dogs, or you just need to clean off the odor for guests who are coming over.
2.Car
Whenever you have a long journey with your friends or family, especially if it is time to eat. Of course, you don’t want to be late for your destination, especially because everyone is so thrilled, and you know that junk food is the answer. Right? It’s probably time we were more conscious of the junk food we consume. Educate yourself on the harmful chemicals you’re consuming; they’ll lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you must give up your junk food cravings. In other words, all you need is a solution. You MUST have a diffuser in your car to eliminate such junk food cravings. And you can take these portable diffusers with you everywhere you go!
3.Office/Study Room
Food cravings might develop when you have to work long hours or have a lot of assignments to do. It only makes sense to have food cravings if you spend a lot of time in one place. Using a diffuser is the quickest method to alter up the harmful cravings in the room. Regardless of the essential oil aroma you pick, you may create a calming ambiance for concentration or a refreshing scent to invigorate, and it can keep you from having such food cravings until your task is over.
How to Use Essential Oils to Stop Cravings for Junk Food
Nobody can dispute that sugar, carbohydrates, and junk food are addictive. We’ve all attempted to reduce our consumption at some time and failed miserably. When we give up on them, our minds look for reasons to binge on our favorite foods, which are almost always high in sugar or carbohydrates. Whether it’s after a long day at work or as a reward for a job well done. We’re all guilty of indulging in cheesy pizzas and chocolate pastries while knowing that it contributes to excess weight.
It is claimed that the only way out of this vicious cycle is to exercise self-control. However, not everyone is successful. If you truly want to limit your cravings for refined sugar and junk foods, an easier method to do so is to utilize essential oils. Using essential oils in a diffuser to reduce your hunger can assist. Here are two methods to get the advantages of essential oils.
Method 1.
2 drops essential oil of grapefruit
2 drops essential oil of peppermint
1 drop essential oil cassia
How to use it: Place these essential oils in a diffuser with water and use it three times a day. It will help you to stay focused while also suppressing your food cravings due to its pleasant scent.
Method 2.
5 drops essential oil of bergamot
3 drops essential oil of grapefruit
1 drop essential oil of ginger
How to use it: Mix these oils with water in a diffuser and use it twice a day, especially when you have undesirable cravings.
Other Methods for Reducing Cravings
There are also some simple techniques for controlling your sugar and carb cravings that you may use in conjunction with essential oils to reduce your appetite.
-Always stay hydrated. Every day, drink 2 liters of water.
-Eat protein-rich snacks and meals to avoid feeling hungry too soon.
-When you have a sugar urge, eat some fruits.
My Final Take On How You Can Use Essential Oils To Avoid Junk Food
To be honest, I consider myself lucky in that I have no difficulty avoiding pastries, candies, and other sweets throughout the year. All bets were off during the holidays, of course, and some years, this being one of them, I feel as though this wakes a beast inside me, hell-bent on devouring more cookies. Of course, eating cookies for breakfast, lunch, and supper is hardly conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
The good news is that essential oils can help you overcome cravings by enhancing other healthy lifestyle changes and decreasing chronic stress and cortisol levels. Now you can say Farewell Junk Food and Hello Essential Oils!
Grace is a certified aromatherapist that has studied the art and science of using naturally extracted elements from plants to promote health and heal the mind, body and spirit.
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