Juniper berry essential oil (buy it here) is made from the berries of juniper bushes, just like the common juniper bushes (Juniperus communis) that are used in landscaping everywhere. You may have one of these evergreen shrubs growing in your very own front yard. There is juniper oil that is distilled from the needles and twigs as well as the berries, but essential oil made from the berries is preferable.
It has so many wonderful health benefits. This oil has astringent, antibacterial, antiseptic, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, antifungal, diuretic, tonic, depurative, carminative, sudorific, vulnerary, rubefacient, stomachic and stimulating properties. On top of all that, it has a great, woody-pine fragrance that smells amazing.
1. Improve Digestion
Enjoy a 30- to 60-minute juniper berry essential oil aromatherapy session to improve digestion. Simply place 2 to 3 drops of the oil in your diffuser along with about 1 cup of distilled water, depending on the size of your diffuser. The oil’s antispasmodic, stomachic and tonic properties work wonders on the digestive tract.
It will soothe spasms in the intestine, increase the production of gastric juices and help the body eliminate toxins and waste. It can even facilitate healing of stomach ulcers. You can take 1 drop of juniper berry oil in water once a day to improve digestion; however, make sure you have pure, high quality juniper berry oil that is formulated for ingestion.
*Do not use juniper berry essential oil while pregnant, breastfeeding or on young children.*
2. Get Relief from Constipation
Mix 1 to 3 drops of juniper berry EO into 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and massage it into your abdomen and lower back to get your bowels moving properly. You can use any type of carrier oil. Coconut oil is very nice for massage, although other oils like jojoba, argan, sweet almond or avocado work quite well, too. Carrier oils can also be mixed, if you like. Don’t be afraid to experiment. My favorite is 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of argan oil. Aromatherapy can also help relieve constipation. Be sure to drink plenty of water, too.
3. Reduce and Heal Hemorrhoids
Massage the 1% to 3% juniper oil/carrier oil blend into your lower back and the area immediately behind the anus to help reduce and heal hemorrhoids. Don’t put any in the rectum, though. You want to be careful to avoid any area where the essential oil could get on sensitive mucous membranes. It will irritate them and interfere with their ability to lubricate properly. The last thing you need is unusual dryness when you have hemorrhoids.
*Do not get essential oil in your nose, where it will come in contact withsensitive mucous membranes, or in your eyes.*
4. Alleviate Excess Water Weight
Practice juniper berry essential oil aromatherapy for 30 to 60 minutes several times a day to get rid of excess water weight or edema. This works for water weight gain from PMS, too. Water retention is uncomfortable but it is also unhealthy. It puts undue strain on your body when fluids don’t get distributed properly or eliminated when necessary to expel toxins.
Juniper berry essential oil is sudorific, which means it makes your body sweat out the excess fluids along with the toxins. It is also diuretic, which means it helps the body eliminate water through the urinary tract. You can also massage the 1% to 3% blend into your ankles, legs, backside and abdomen to facilitate the secretion of excess water. Rubbing it on your skin will give you the added benefit of firming and toning your skin as you expel the fluids, thanks to its astringent properties.
5. Improve Urinary Tract Health
Massage the 1% to 3% juniper berry oil/carrier oil blend into your lower abdominal area around the bladder and on your lower back from just above your waist down to improve urinary tract health. It can even help you fight urinary tract infections and kidney stones. Its diuretic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties are wonderful for this. You can use it two or three times a day for a week or two.
*If your urine begins to smell like violets, you are using too much juniper berry oil.This is especially true if you take it orally. If this happens,stop using it for at least a week or two.*
6. Detoxify the Body
Practice juniper berry oil aromatherapy or massage the 1% to 3% blend into your skin to detoxify your body. Its depurative properties clean toxins like pollutants, heavy metals and uric acid from the blood naturally. Do an abdominal massage, beginning in the upper right area around the liver and working your way all the way down. It will stimulate the liver along with the digestive tract to facilitate fast elimination of the toxins. You can take juniper berry oil internally for this purpose, too, but only 1 to 2 drops a day and for no more than four weeks. It can strain the kidneys and liver if it is used for too long.
*Do not use juniper berry essential oil if you have kidney or liver health issues.*
7. Treat Arthritis
Massage sore, arthritic joints with a 1% to 3% juniper berry/carrier oil blend to reduce the pain and inflammation of arthritis. It is very soothing and works quite quickly. You can use a stronger blend, even as much as 10% to 25% juniper berry oil/90 to 75% carrier oil, but only for brief periods of time. Start with the lighter blend and gradually make it stronger but stop as soon as you get relief. You don’t want to use more essential oil than you need to. Juniper berry oil aromatherapy helps with arthritis as well.
8. Alleviate Gout
Gently apply the 1% to 3% juniper berry/carrier oil blend to swollen, painful areas to alleviate gout. The juniper berry oil will actually help clear the uric acid from the afflicted area so it can heal more quickly. It will also relieve inflammation and tenderness. You can use the stronger dilution rate for this as well.
*Stronger dilution rates should only be used for 10 days to 2 weeks at a time. The 1% to 3% dilution rate (1 to 3 drops per teaspoon) is fine for everyday use.*
9. Soothe Muscle Spasms and Cramps
Massage cramping muscles with the 1% to 3% juniper berry/carrier oil blend when you get a muscle cramp. It will quickly relax and soothe the muscle. You can use this on sore, achy muscles, too, for relief after a hard day’s work or hard workout.
10. Prevent Bacterial infections
Apply the 1% to 3% juniper berry essential oil blend to cuts and sores to stave off bacterial infections and speed healing. Its antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties will help them heal up in no time.
11. Treat Eczema and Psoriasis
Rub the 1% to 3% juniper berry essential oil blend into skin where eczema and psoriasis are a problem. It quickly sooths the skin while the oil’s antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties go to work to help heal. Jojoba is an excellent carrier oil for this. It has some amazing healing properties of its own that are very beneficial for the skin. It contains vitamins E and B complex and helps regulate sebum production. This is the natural oil that your skin produces. Too much of it can cause acne while too little causes dry, irritated skin. Jojoba oil helps balance this oil.
**Apply a small amount of a 3% juniper berry oil/carrier oil blend to an inconspicuous area. Wait at least a few hours to see if you get a reaction before you begin using it all over.**
12. Get Rid of Acne
Use the 1% to 3% juniper berry/carrier oil blend to moisturize your skin and get rid of acne. Its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and astringent properties will clear up your acne and leave your skin looking amazing. Jojoba oil is a great carrier oil for this, but really any carrier oil can be used. You can even add the juniper berry oil to a mild face lotion, if you have a favorite.
13. Improve Scalp and Hair health
Put juniper berry essential oil on your scalp for a healthy, full head of hair. Its astringent properties help strengthen follicles and reduce hair loss. Juniper berry oil’s antimicrobial and antifungal properties can also help make your scalp heathier. Simply add a few drops to your shampoo and conditioner. I like to use 5 drops per 1/4 cup of shampoo or conditioner. You can also massage the 1% to 3% blend into your scalp about 30 minutes before you shampoo your hair.
14. Get More Restorative Sleep
Massage the 1% to 3% juniper berry essential oil into the back of your neck, chest and feet at night just before you go to bed. It will relieve tension and help you relax so you can fall asleep faster and get more restful, restorative sleep.
15. Get Stress Relief
Practice juniper berry essential oil aromatherapy at the end of a long, trying day for relief from tension and stress. You will begin to relax as soon as you notice that wonderful fragrance. You can add a few drops to a warm tub of water, too, for a nice, relaxing soak.
16. Alleviate Anxiety
Practice juniper berry aromatherapy to alleviate anxiety. Just 30 to 60 minutes with the diffuser should do it. If you tend to suffer from severe anxiety, keep a bottle of juniper berry essential oil in your handbag or pocket. When you feel the anxiety building, simply inhale the vapors directly from the bottle. Breathe in deeply through the nose, so that the anxiety-relieving properties will get into your system through your sinuses, then out through your mouth.
17. Treat Mental Fatigue
Breathe in juniper berry vapors to alleviate mental fatigue. This is especially useful after a long day at work or to get you through that mid-afternoon slump. Run your diffuser for 30 to 60 minutes or take a few inhales directly from the bottle. You can even mix some oils together to create your own uplifting blend. Juniper berry blends nicely with citrus oils, cypress (buy it here), Frankincense (buy it here), lemongrass (buy it here), lavender (buy it here), cedar wood and geranium (buy it here). Try using 2 drops of Frankincense, 4 drops of wild orange or bergamot (buy it here) and 2 drops of juniper berry.
Was this list helpful to you? I absolutely love junipers and was pleased to find out you can get an essential oil made from their berries. It has such a great, fresh fragrance and so many wonderful beneficial properties. The antifungal, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties alone are incredibly useful, especially in this day and age of antibiotic-resistant staph. When you add in all of its other great benefits, this is definitely a good essential oil to have on hand, literally. You can use the 1% to 3% blend as a moisturizer/germ-killer hand lotion to protect yourself during the cold and flu season.
Please leave a comment to let me know whether or not this list was helpful to you and share your own juniper berry essential oil experiences. There may be something you’ve used it for that the rest of us might find helpful. Be sure to share, too, so that others can become aware of all the wonderful uses for this essential oil.
References:
1 Dr. Axe: Juniper Berry Essential Oilhttps://draxe.com/juniper-berry-essential-oil/
2 Organic Facts: 13 Incredible Benefits of Juniper Berry Essential Oilhttps://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-juniper-essential-oil.html
3 Mercola: Juniper Berry Oil Will Make You Jump for Joyhttp://articles.mercola.com/herbal-oils/juniper-berry-oil.aspx
4 Sustainable Baby Steps: Juniper Berry Essential Oil: Uses, Benefits, and Precautionshttp://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/juniper-berry-essential-oil.html
5 Missouri Botanical Garden: Juniperus communis ‘Blue Stripe’http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b301