I’ve been promising to write a little about the essential oils that I love so much and this is the perfect time. The fall sinus bug hit this week and it is a doozy. Ok, that sounds like something my grandma would have said. I’ve been using some of my oils again this morning and it spurred me to writing. Especially since I’m loving the scent of tea-tree and ravensara left over from the inhalation treatment this morning. It also helps that I know it is killing the germs in the air too….kind of like spraying lysol into the air, or using humidifier would.
I’ve been using essential oils and natural solutions for around 10 years now, give or take. I’ve used them for household cleaning, skin care, lawn care, pets, a whole slew of illnesses and the list goes on. I’ve done tons of research and have amassed a library of resources. I’m hoping to start a master’s of aromatherapy course soon. Several years ago, I started getting requests to share my knowledge and remedies. Folks I’ve shared remedies with (and by this I’ve made them a batch of something or other) have liked it so much they’ve shared it with other folks who then want more. Wow, what a compliment! I’m not kidding when I say that people pushed me to start this blog and sell some of my products.
Essential oils next to my reusable bags!
Ok, back to the oils. First things first, I should probably give you the long introduction to essential oils, their properties, uses, etc. But that would take several posts and a lot of recommended research and this is just about the fall sinus/cold virus that has hit the house and how I’m dealing with it. I will also remind everyone of the disclaimer I have on the site – I’m not a medical doctor or nurse (contrary to popular opinion) – you take my writing and advice at your own risk. There is a lot of information on the internet and many excellent books on the subject, and although I’m willing to share my experience, I suggest doing some research.
Now that that pesky stuff is out of the way – the oils — I’m using two this morning – first, tea tree is a fabulous oil. It is reported to have a wide range of uses, but for my immediate purposes, I’m sticking to the immune system benefits. It goes after bacteria and viruses so is great for colds, viruses and sinus infections. It is one of the first oils I started using a good 10 years ago or so, and I consider it a staple in my personal arsenal. Second, a new oil to me, Ravensara, is also reported to have a lot of uses. Again in this case, I’m sticking to the its reported uses with regard to colds, flu, sinusitis and respiratory issues.
So, how have I used these oils this morning, you ask? Well, first, I did an “inhalation treatment.” This is really simple and only takes a few minutes — bring 4 cups water to a boil, put in a glass bowl (anything but plastic). Add 2-4 drops of oil (so in my case, I added 2 each of tea tree and ravensara). Throw the towel over the head to create a tent over the bowl and breathe in for a few minutes. Make sure the water is steaming, but not so hot as to burn your nostrils. The little bugs don’t like the heat, it kills them, and the oils give it the one-two punch. This is good for a few hours (so I equate it to taking over the counter drugs without all the side-effects).
I then leave the bowl on the counter, still steaming to act as a purifier for the air. The oils disperse into the air and kill the airborne germs, much like a can of lysol, but without the chemicals. I will do this periodically throughout cold and flu season, it makes the house smell good and helps kill those bugs.
What to do with the water when it is all done and getting cold? I take the germ killing properties of the water a little further and use it to rinse down the bathroom and kitchen sinks. Two very germy places.
I also combine the oils and epsom salts in a bath. Very relaxing and for my house, promotes a good night sleep. Put the oils in a dilution base (like olive oil) first before adding to the bath. Oils can sometimes be irritating to the skin (although my sensitive skin has never had an issue).
Yeah, but does all this make you feel better? Well, in my experience (and the extended group of folks I’ve shared this with), yes. Definitely yes. Sometimes, if caught early enough, the virus is gone rather quickly. Other times, like this past week, while it hasn’t eliminated it entirely yet, it has made the work week much more tolerable. And I’ve been able to do it without drugs.
So, now it is your turn – I’ve been promising to write about essential oils for a while now. Was this information useful? What would you like to see added to it? Would you like a bit of a primer on oils? Would you like to know what I consider to be essential to the first aid kit?
Suzan
As usual, I’m including a link to some of my favorite blog parties. This is where we link up and you (my reader) get to visit some really good sites with info you might find useful. We call it blog parties…take a look here.
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