Why Vetiver Oil is One of My Favs for Tranquility & Anxiety (Even ADHD)

The practice of using the vetiver essential oil has been around for thousands of years in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Africa.

It is a natural dryland plant that not only reduces soil erosion; it also provides the body with outstanding health benefits, as well as emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual support.

The plant is native to India and its leaves and roots are used to improve numerous functions inside and outside of the body. The true value of the vetiver essential oil comes from its uplifting, healing, and protective attributes.

Vetiver essential oil is widely used as an internal body cooler in tropical countries. Often, the oil is referred to as the "oil of tranquility" in India and Sri Lanka.

In addition to this amazing effect to the body, vetiver oil also fixes skin problems, joint disorders, and treats heat strokes.

Users of this oil also experience huge boosts in energy levels when exhausted. And while it works to cool the body temperature down, it also soothes anxiety and nervousness while it's doing it!

Vetiver oil is credited for treating serious medical conditions such as ADHD, ADD, and insomnia; not to mention for increasing libido. 

While in-home use of the oil has its advantages in skin care, aromatherapy, and massage - as well as an ingredient in oil combinations.

*The companies chosen above are based upon my personal opinion based upon me giving them a try and testing their quality.

In some parts of the world, it is known as "khus" oil; famous for its wide range of uses and benefits that originate from its grounding, calming, and stabilizing qualities.

Some people believe that its relaxing properties work to rid of anger, hysteria, and irritability while interacting with the brain to reduce neurotic behaviors.

In the scientific stage, it is known as the "Chrysopogon Zizanioides." Vetiver oil is extracted from a perennial grass, khus, which is native to India.

Another name for the Vetiver plant is the Tamil term, Vetiveria zizanioides, and means "hatcheted up." The plant grows up to about 5 feet or 1.5 meters and features tall stems and long leaves.

When it blooms, the colors of its flowers turn either brown or purle and are cultivated in most of Earth's tropical regions.

Now, the oil itself is formulated by the process of steam distillation of the roots.

During the distillation process, the roots excrete a rather strong earthy and herby aroma.

An amazing fact about the vetiver plant: in the 12th century, Vetiver was so widely used that it actually became a taxable item.

And when Vetiver was introduced to Haiti in the 1940s, Haiti became the world's leading producer of Vetiver essential oil.

The people valued the relaxing property of Vetiver oil the most because of its ability to aid in deep sleep and restlessness.

There is a reason behind its nickname, "oil of tranquility," after all, isn't there?

Currently, Vetiver is being cultivated in Tahiti, West Africa, Haiti, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, the Philippines, Reunion, South America, Sri Lanka, Indinesia, and Comoro Islands.

It's wild growth in plans and river banks make it readily accessible for mass harvest.

The Vetiver plant can grow within literally any soil condition, as well as in all acidic, neutral, and alkaline states. Although it rises like a champion, Vetiver's great weakness is frost.

As long as the ground does not freeze and the daytime weather doesn't go under 10 degrees Fahrenheit, it will endure the cold temperature.

Another attribute of the plant is that it is drought resistant, unaffected by heavy metals, and is essentially immune to most free-radicals.

And since its roots (buds) remain underground, it has the ability to survive fires from the insulation that the soil provides.

The Vetiver Essential Oil provides its users with a whole lot of versatility and an abundance of benefits.

It is an ingredient that can be incorporated into many mixtures that produce positive and beneficial results.

It's wide variety of uses include: 

The fragrance of the vetiver root has been utilized since ancient times. Today, it serves as a common ingredient in top-tier perfumes.

The roots' unique aroma combines with other ingredients to produce a masculine scent that is sweet and earthy. 

The oil's sweet scent can be utilized in wide varieties of aromatherapy.

The vetiver oil is commonly used to ease stress and other negative effects lingering in the body like negative moods. 

Vetiver is frequently added to baths to increase the levels of relaxation.

There is a wide variety of ready-to-use bath additives available in stores that contain the vetiver essential oil as a key ingredient. 

The vetiver oil is quite popular for meditation and massage. The aroma combined with its efficacy work together to bring about total relaxation. 

Many use the oil to benefit and boost their moods by simply applying one to two drops on the wrists, chest, and the neck.

Other uses of the vetiver oil include: room fresheners/ coolers, cosmetics, soaps, flavoring, and medicine. (source)

The vetiver essential oil is incredibly beneficial to one's health. It's mental effect is grounding and balancing while its antiseptic and antispasmodic properties collaborate to stimulate the bodily systems (mostly nervous and circulatory systems).

The use of the oil is popular to those who seek to dispel negative moods and emotions, as well as treating neurotic behaviors.

In addition, vetiver essential oil invigorates the mind and the body; reversing physical and mental exhaustion.

The vetiver can be used in a wide range of concoctions from perfumes to food preparation.

The following are some recipes and blends that include the Vetiver essential oil. 

The Vetiver Essential oil can also be used a base ingredient in natural remedies for common as well as serious ailments such as depression, insomnia, anxiety, and daily stress. 

Mix Vetiver and Myrrh at 1:1 ratio then apply behind the knee after your morning shower. You can reapply the mixture after 3 - 4 hours. 

Mix together three drops of Vetiver, two drops each of orange and Ylang Ylang, as well as one drop of Patchouli oil in a 1oz carrier oil, preferably grapeseed oil.

Proceed to massage the concoction into the back of the neck and ears until anxiety is lifted. 

Mix four drops of Sandalwood with two drops of Vetiver in a 1oz carrier oil then massage into the back of the neck and ears. 

Mix six drops of Sandalwood, two drops each of Orange and Ylang Ylang, one drop of Vetiver as well as Lavender in a 1oz carrier oil then massage into the feet before bed. 

Mix two drops each of Geranium and Vetiver, as well as one drop of Rose essential oil in a 1oz carrier oil.

Proceed to massage mixture into the back of the neck and ears repeatedly throughout the day. 

In a 1oz carrier oil, mix four drops of Vetiver, three drops of Lavender, and two drops of Bergamot and massage into the affected area 

In a 1oz carrier oil, blend four drops of Helichrysum, three drops of White Fir, and two drops of Vetiver.

Massage the mixture into jaw at morning and night. 

In a 1oz carrier oil, mix together four drops of Frankincense, three drops of Marjoram, and two drops each of Rosemary and Vetiver then proceed to massage into the affected area. 

By definition, an antioxidant is a compound that prevents various types of cell damage, especially from oxidation.

Free radicals form within the body when oxidation occurs in the wrong places inside the body, which causes a lot of damage to the tissues.

Antioxidants help to discard free radicals from the body, resulting in slow aging, healthy skin, detox, and even reducing the risk of cancer.

A study conducted in the University of South Carolina indicates that the anti-oxidative properties of the vetiver oil are much more potent and effective at eliminating free radicals when compared to common antioxidants.

One of khus khus oil's health benefits is the ability to heal scars and restore skin and tissue.

As a cicatrisant, the vetiver oil regrows skin cells while removing acne, irregular spots, and pox.

In addition, the vetiver oil successfully restores stretch marks, lines, and other skin irregularities; making it an incredible anti-aging substance, as well as a go-to ingredient for women who have obtained stretch marks after childbirth.

Also, when you experience a burn you can use vetiver oil to treat it. As a matter of fact, refer to the bath blend recipe above and you will truly notice the difference once the complexion of the skin improves.

Now, when applied to infected areas in the body, vetiver oil acts as an antiseptic while it kills harmful bacteria. Vetiver oil is especially effective agains staph.

In fact, vetiver oil is sometimes used before and after surgeries for the purpose of healing open wounds and cuts.

Studies conducted by Dr. Terry Friedman discovered that khus khus oil effectively treats children that have ADHD.

Over two years, 40 children were studied - 20 with ADHD and 20 without ADHD. Different essential oils were tested; the children inhaled a certain type of essential oil for 30 days using an inhalation device thrice a day. (source)

The results were incredible - lavender increased functionality by 53 percent, cedarwood by 83, and the vetiver essential oil increased by 100 percent.

This awesome essential oil aided children with ADHD and ADD symptoms and helped them increase their concentration and focus, organization skills, ability to follow directions, impatience, and "scattery" behavior!

Today, much support is being given to the research of vetiver oil, as well as other essential oils, as a natural remedy for symptoms of ADHD. Pretty awesome, right?

Let's face it, daily stress from work and other factors contribute to a loss of sex drive and libido.

And a scientific study that was conducted in 2010 evaluated the effects on the body from spikes of cortisol. (source)

It was found that as cortisol levels elevate, testosterone levels mirror the change and eventually bottom out way lower than before it mirrored the rise in cortisol levels.

Stress gradually decreases one's testosterone levels and leads to very little sex drive.

 However, take some vetiver oil and its sedative attributes work to ensure the balancing of the body's hormone levels naturally.

One can also utilize vetiver oil to combat insomnia. The "oil of tranquility" works naturally to help you get enough sleep at night, which helps increase the production of testosterone levels and reducing the onset of diabetes and obesity.

Everyone knows that proper sleep is crucial to maintaining good health. (source)

In addition to balancing hormonal levels within the body, vetiver oil also emulates the effects of estrogen and maintains the health of the female reproductive system.

It supports the discomforts of menstrual cycles such as emotional changes, skin problems, tenderness of the breasts, fatigue, bloating, and the cramps.

As a natural sedative, vetiver oil treats PMS cramps while relaxing the body during hormonal and emotional changes.

The khus khus oil supports the health of the nervous system and is considered a natural tonic.

A study conducted in India has found that vetiver oil actually protects the body from toxins accumulated from cisplatin, a drug used in chemotherapy designed to treat cancer of many kinds.

As a natural antioxidant, vetiver oil significantly reduces DNA damage, genetic mutations, and cell death.

On top of Khus khus oil's ability to balance the hormones of the body, it stimulates the immune system by normalizing stress levels.

The digestive system, the body's growth process, reproductive system, and immunity functions are paused when we are stressed out and anxious.

The use of vetiver oil improves the condition of the entire body and its systems.

By now, we are aware of vetiver oil's therapuetic properties that aid in relaxation and neutralizing stress, trauma, depression, and anxiety.

In fact, a 2015 study confirms that vetiver oil impacts the onset of anxiety through interfering with the neurological processes within the central amygdaloid nucles (central control of innate behaviors), which is responsible for conversions of heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure levels. (source)

When the Khus oil was applied to rats, it changed the neurotic inclination from stress and emulated the efficacy of Diazapam, a medicine designed to treat anxiety, seizures, muscle spasm, and other conditions.

And the beauty of it is that vetiver can grow anywhere and is in abundant amounts all over the world!

Another study conducted on the efficacy of essential oils, which included the Khus khus oil, at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center found that vetiver oil proved to be the most effective repellent against termites.

Since then, vetiver oil has been used to repel mosquito larvae that causes serious diseases like malaria and the yellow fever.

Others use vetiver oil as a natural pest repellant, as well as to apply on the scalp to rid of lice (yes, it's non-toxic)! 

There are no known side effects of the vetiver oil except for the prohibition of its use during pregnancy.

Although after pregnancy, the oil can be utilized to even out the stretch marks acquired from childbirth by spreading drops of the oil onto the area of the skin. 

The Khus Khus oil provides so many benefits that Valerie Worwood suggests its use in her book called, The Endometriosis Natural Treatment Program.

In it, she essentially points out the amazing benefits of the oil when it comes to easing menstrual difficulties. Vetiver is an all-natural pain reliever and eases pain that comes from Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) and Amenorrhea (lack of menstruation).

She suggests to rub the oil on the back or on the belly, and preferably mixed with oils like the clary sage, cypress, Roman chamomile, and geranium.

She goes into further detail about how the vetiver essential oil goes over the top to provide relief from the symptoms of endometriosis. 

Some spiritual people believe in using the vetiver essential oil to attract their desires like money.

They do so by blending vetiver oil with patchouli to produce a fragrant perfume. Meditation can also benefit from the use of vetiver oil as it is believed to resonate with the first Chakra.

Also on a spiritual level, since the vetiver oil is a very thick substance and is able to hold things together, its use supposedly strengthens family bonds and business stability.

It is also considered grounding and centering as it naturally balances oxygen levels throughout the entire body.

The properties of the Khus Khus oil are supposed to support the body's yin functions. And connets the first chakra (base chakra) to the seventh chakra (crown chakra).

In addition, the oil connects the spirit with the earth to absorb its natural energy and allowing ultimate relief and a strengthened immune system.

In the spiritual world, the vetiver oil is considered as a source of vitality and rejuvenation.

This fact about the Khus khus plant is amazing: some houses in Thailand are made entirely of the vetiver plant, including the counters, walls, blinds, and tiles - entirely out of it.

Farmers also use the grass for:

In the medical field, vetiver essential oil provides incredible health benefits like: 

This magical oil is especially good for patients who suffer from these conditions: 

The utilization of the Vetiver oil dates back thousands of years. In Ayurvedic medical treatments, the oil is a popular ingredient used to bring about balance physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Vetiver oil has been utilized to cure aches, pain, and fevers. Also, this awesome oil was used to massage brides prior to their wedding ceremony as a means to sanctify them before marrying.

During the Middle Ages, the vetiver oil was used as a common ingredient in perfumes.

And today, it is widely used as mulch and weed control in several types of plantations.

Khus Khus oil has been used as an ingredient in hypopigmentation products.

As a potent natural antioxidant, vetiver oil effectively decreases melanin production by maintaining glutathoine levels within the cells of the body. 

The vetiver essential oil is an extraordinary solution to a huge list of issues both inside and outside of the body.

From building houses to treating the symptoms of ADHD, vetiver oil proves to be a potent source of healing and sustenance. 

The vetiver plant is one of the top beneficial plants in the world. It is environmentally safe and medically recommended.

The oil from the khus khus roots can be used in numerous ways, ranging from anti-aging and hypopigmentation products to repelling termites and mosquitoes - to aiding in menstrual issues.

However, always be sure to only purchase the authentic vetiver oil and you will not be disappointed. And, of course, use it in moderation; as with all things.

I hope you enjoyed learning about all of the cool benefits and uses that orange essential oil offers. It is definitely one of the most versatile oils because it can be used to create so many different types of blends to solve your everyday problems.

My personal favorite brand that I purchase most of my oils from is doTERRA. I find that they offer the highest quality oils, starter kits, and diffusers. They are especially good if you are brand new to oils because they offer a lot of free resources and education once you become a customer.

I highly recommend giving them a try. You can read more about my story of using their oils here.