lemongrass is a cleansing and clearing remedy. it has a lovely taste and smell.
it has a high concentration of essential oils that make it strongly aromatic.

i grew this lemongrass as an annual.
i snipped the grassy portions at peak quality on a dry, summer day
and tinctured it fresh in vodka, thus preserving all the complex constituents and oils.
i forgot to take a picture of the fresh plant and i'm sorry about that!

*cold + flu season*
it’s antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. it’s diaphoretic, so it opens the pores and induces sweating. this makes it useful for sweating out bugs if you’re on the brink of coming down with something. or if you have a mild fever it helps you to sweat it out and move through that aspect of the body’s immune response.
to boot it’s great for nausea, weak digestion and clearing excess gas from the guts.
so as you can see, from multiple fronts it’s very useful for cold + flu season.

matthew wood has a really cool write up for lemongrass that is a bit different from most other things i’ve read. he also talks about toning up this space between the skin and muscles and getting it back online for immune support. he talks about the skin + connective tissues being an important barrier and pathway for the immune system. this concept of a ‘periphery’ is strong in TCM.

you need your pores to be in good working order for strong immunity. it’s not good to have pores so closed that you don’t sweat- your detox pathways are closed. it’s not good to have pores that are too open and sweat excessively- you may be too open to pathogens. this may seem a bit weird from a western point of view, but it is very possible to ‘sweat out’ a pathogen.

at the first inkling of ‘oh no i think i’m coming down with something- i like to dose the elderberry and or lemongrass and or yarrow to open the pores and activate the immune system. you take a long hot bath or shower then wrap yourself up and *do not get cold* take it easy. sweat it out. have a cup of good morning grouchy or have some more tincture and a mug of very hot water. warm water in your neti pot, clear your sinuses. yes, you can keep a bug from coming on. lemongrass is a lovely option here. there are also many other honorable contenders!

*digestive aid*
lemongrass is commonly used as a digestive aid. remedies rich in volatile oils are often very helpful here. it’s a nice middle of the road remedy. it’s pacifying for those with excessive digestive fire. it’s catalyzing for those with apathetic digestion. it’s great for bacterial imbalances in the gut. the tea or tincture offer a nice rinse to clear out lowly bacteria or fungal imbalances that know how to take advantage of weak points in the system. lemongrass clears excess gas from the guts, so it’s great for people who tend to bloat. if the remedy is well suited to your pattern of disharmony, over time the remedy can help work on root digestive imbalances to see overall improvement over time.

*body odor*
i think it’s noteworthy to consider lemongrass as a remedy that can clear out gunk in the body at large. for someone who has a healthy lifestyle who experiences various imbalances that lemongrass remedies, i think it’s important to note that if foul body odor is an issue- lemongrass should be able to clear that out over time. while i am talking about body odor, this can also apply to foul breath, foul bowel movements or gas. this is an expression of ‘damp heat’ stuck in the body, finding numerous ways out. lemongrass can clear that out over time. take care to make simple, healthy food choices, eat plenty of fruit and to stay hydrated with water or lemon water! give your body a break from heavy, rich foods. it’s overwhelming your digestion and is likely the root of this issue. lemongrass can help clear out the damp heat, but it can’t out maneuver lifestyle factors that are bogging you down. you can message me if you’d like to talk more about this!

*silica deficiency*
lemongrass also contains silica, which is important to note. as always it’s important to consider a remedy’s full profile to see if it aligns with you on more than one front.
but if you have weak hair, skin, nails and joints along with clunky digestion, signs of bacterial or fungal imbalance (including rash like or weepy skin troubles) lemongrass may be a go for you.

if you’re in need of silica (weak hair, skin, nails, joints) a high quality tea would be superior to tincture. take care to brew it *covered* to preserve oils. it’s easier to get nutrition from high quality tea.

it’s easier to get the wider array of chemical components from a tincture made with quality, fresh plants.

please take note that it is *not* appropriate to take essential oils internally almost any time, but you can use lemongrass EO externally on troubled spaces. i use lemongrass EO in my bug off outdoor candles. it’s wonderful insect repellent and fungal skin issues tend to flare up in hot humid conditions. matthew wood has suggested using it externally for overly flexible joints.
he also talks about using lemongrass to tone up injured sinews/joints where there may have been strain, sprain or some excessive stretching going on.


*joint, cycle + female support*
i’ve also seen suggestions that lemongrass can help people (often women, but it happens to men too!) who have overly flexible joints. this is a common aspect of some autoimmune situations, but is also an uncomfy aspect of some cycle related imbalances. not so surprisingly, as an opening and clearing remedy, lemongrass is also useful for menstrual support. once again, very important to consider the plant’s overall profile. there are *tons* of solutions for menstrual imbalances. i would be glad to hash that out with you.

i would consider lemongrass for bacterial/fungal (potentially viral) overgrowth type presentations in gut/skin/reproductive spaces. because it is stimulating, cleansing and clearing, i do think it would be an honorable mention for uncomfy discharge situations. though i tend to do a round of easter lily or occasionally bee balm if it’s a chronic and stubborn issue.

*other remedies in my shop with lemongrass*
see also my:
dreaming tea ‘lucid’
passion flower, blue lotus, mugwort, lemongrass + peppermint
from my dream team sleep tea collection
and my quiet mind + stress relief tea ‘flower crown’
ti quan yin oolong, chrysanthemum flower, hibiscus flower, passion flower + lemon grass
from my flower child tea collection


*a note on safety and learning about herbs*
at high doses it can cause cramping and purging. i recently learned that in some places, a large amount of very strong lemongrass tea is used as a ‘pre-purge’ before ayahuasca ceremonies.

i once knew a girl who was a very talented and ambitious student of natural health. she was taking mystery tinctures to connect with plant remedies without preconceived notions. she was taking very stiff doses of (what she did not know to be) lemongrass tincture and developed severe menstrual esq cramps. she already had a history of severe menstrual issues. any remedy, but especially remedies that are high in volatile oils, can have very forward herbal actions. in this case she experienced a homeopathic proving- remedies can cause what they cure- especially if they are ill suited to your situation or are taken at inappropriate doses.

this also demonstrates that sometimes a serious issue would benefit more from a quiet dose than a stiff dose. for something like digestion, you want prompt enough results and can take a moderate dose with confidence. but for long standing stagnations, you want to work at a dose that is barely noticeable so the body can assimilate the herbal support quietly and naturally. depending on the situation, you can agitate an imbalance by being too forceful with dosage.
in her case, she needed some quiet, methodical support for clearing long standing pelvic congestion. this is not the kind of imbalance that wants you to floor it.

*i consult for free*
that being said, i consult for free for your safety, comfort and benefit. you can reach out any time with questions, inquiries or with an outline of your situation. i’d be so happy to help you find a meaningful remedy or minimal regimen to work towards your health goals. blessings!

safely packaged

at cool room temp out of strong temperatures and out of humidity and light.

instructions included in description. i also consult for free if you'd like a personal dosage based on your situation.