Lift Your Mood With Bergamot

I love the comfort of Earl Grey tea on a dull winter day.  The quirky, almost orange, almost lemon flavor of bergamot gives me the lift I so often need in the drab months when sunshine and warmth are scarce. 

Bergamot oil, which is a key ingredient in Earl Grey tea, is a citrus fruit native to Southern Italy.  Its oils are used in teas and as a culinary flavoring.  It also makes a great addition to massage oil, and blends well with geranium and lavender essential oils.  (prolonged exposure to the sun should be avoided when using bergamot or any citrus oil on the skin)

While I have yet to find scientific evidence that bergamot oil has antidepressant properties, this premise is commonly accepted among clinical aromatherapists.  I have used bergamot in massage oil as well as for personal consumption, and I agree that my mood is lifted after a massage with bergamot oil and with the first cup of Earl Grey Tea.

Here is an article by holistic and green living writer Catalina Adrade, which talks about the benefits of bergamot essential oil. 

http://catalina-andrade.suite101.com/bergamot-essential-oil-benefits-a192993