Try these essential oils to boost your immunity naturally and promote the prevention of disease, general wellness and to stay young.
Essential oils for treating disease has become the focus of much research in recent years. Hospitals and medical centers are using oils for increased healing benefits such as germ-fighting and the well-known mood-lifting properties of these amazing natural tools.
In the USA more than 50 hospitals are using essential oils, stating, “not only do essential oils improve the smell of hospitals, relieving patients of ‘bad smell association,’ but also raise the morale of workers and ward off infections.”
As a whole, essential oils tend to be potent anti-microbial agents as their parent plants have a vested interest in killing bugs, fungus, bacteria and other tiny microbes. This motivation manifests in the plant excretions which are essential oils. As a result, essential oils have the ability to break down microbial bio fields that are stubborn and resistant to many antibiotics.
Many of the recommended antimicrobial oils are adaptogenic, meaning, they have a regulating effect on the body’s systems when they’ve gotten out of balance as in the case of illness.
Learn 8 of the best pure essential oils to use and their potent antimicrobial properties to use for boosting natural immunity.
8 Essential Oils For Cold And Flu
1. Myrrh Oil
Myrrh oil promotes healthy immune function. Good for treating respiratory conditions Myrrh oil’s antiseptic and expectorant properties have a decongesting and drying effect on excess mucous and wet conditions like asthma, bronchitis, phlegm and respiratory congestion. Use myrrh oil for relieving coughs, colds, and sore throat.
Caution: Due to its stimulating properties please avoid myrrh oil during pregnancy.
2. Frankincense Oil
Traditionally, Frankincense has been used in many cultures for increasing cellular respiration, slowing down breathing and heart rate. Its expectorant and anti-catarrh properties make it useful for treating symptoms of cold, flu, asthma and bronchitis.
It’s immune stimulant properties act to increase white blood cell (WBC) count and support a healthy immune function.
Many of the characteristic immune stimulant properties of Frankincense oil are found in both species of the oil. In recent years the carterii variety has been the subject of much cancer research.
At this time there are more than 10,000 articles in PubMed alone on evidence supporting the use of essential oils for treating cancer. Some of the evidence gathered is related to frankincense and cancer.
3. Lavender Oil
A popular preventative for bronchitis, cold, and flu Lavender oil stimulates the formation of white blood cells and strengthens the body’s immune system.
Researchers are presently conducting studies to learn if lavender and other pure essential oils are effective against the superbug MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) among other strains of bacteria.
4. Lemon Oil
As pure lemon oil comes from the fresh fruit peel you should consider only purchasing oil that has been GC/MS tested and grown without the use of pesticides.
Its powerful immuno-stimulant properties stimulate the flow of blood and lymph circulation to effectively promote cleansing and detoxification of the body.
A powerful germicide lemon oil’s antiseptic properties act to prevent or inhibit the spread of infections.
Lemon essential oil can be effective for destroying airborne bugs in hospital rooms, schools and waiting rooms. Hospitals in Europe routinely diffuse lemon oil into the air to reduce the chance of the spread of virus and bacteria.
Caution: May be a skin irritant, as well as a photosensitizer. Avoid sunlight after skin application for up to 12 hours.
5. Eucalyptus Oil
A popular and well known oil that most people can recognize along with mint, rose and lavender. Eucalyptus oil has a reputation as a powerful decongestant. It’s fresh, sweet and camphoraceous scent are long lasting.
Eucalyptus is prized for its strong antibacterial and anti-viral properties. The globulus species is probably the most well known and commonly used eucalyptus oil. However, the radiata species has the most gentle scent of the two and is child safe. Its powerful anti-microbial action can be enjoyed daily. gentle scent of the two and is child safe. Its powerful anti-microbial action can be enjoyed daily.
An antipyretic (fever reducer) use eucalyptus in a cooling compress to relieve fever. Its antispasmodic action makes eucalyptus helpful for relieving any associated symptoms like body aches or pains.
A study published in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical research concluded that the anti-Staphylococcus activity of Eucalyptus essential oils suggests that it has clinically useful potentials for inhibiting Staphylococcus.
The report goes on to say, “Nowadays, scientists and clinicians are looking for more efficient drugs, derived from natural and herbal resources, against microbial and viral infections. Plants are considered as rich sources of antibiotic treatment medications and eucalyptus leaf with its antimicrobial properties have been used in the treatment of infectious diseases formerly in ancient medicine.”
In Japan, scientists revealed finding of using essential oils of eucalyptus, orange thyme and tea tree to destroy bacteria by diffusing them into the air. The scientists said that the use of these essential oils could help people to easily and conveniently kill bacteria lurking in their homes.
Traditionally Eucalyptus has been used as a remedy for sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma, strep throat, colds and flu, hay fever, catarrh, coughs and sinus and tension headache due to congestion or poor digestion.
6. Thyme Oil
Dynamic, fresh and radiant thyme oil’s intense spicy, pungent and herbaceous scent promotes a protective force field against a broad spectrum of virus, bacteria, and fungus.
Believed to bring courage to the one using it the origin of the name thyme is related to both the Greek word thymos “spirit” and the Egyptian word tham, a plant used for embalming in the mummification process. The Greek used thyme for purification in their baths and as incense in their temples.
Of course the thymus gland which shares the same root word as thyme plays a key role in the health protective function of our immune system. One of the primary roles of the thymus gland is manufacturing T-cells which attack and kill foreign invaders like virus and bacteria.
Thyme oil high in thymol and carvacrol content are the most desirable for protecting against and killing foreign pathogens. A collaborative research study in Italy on the effects of thymol and carvacrol on Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis reported the, “promising role of carvacrol and thymol as new lead structures in the search for novel antibacterial agents.”
An effective natural agent against many bacterial strains a study presented at the Society for General Microbiology’s conference in Edinburgh pointed out that, “essential oils may be efficient and affordable alternatives to antibiotics in the battle against resistant bacteria.”
Caution: A skin irritant, avoid during pregnancy, or in cases with a diagnosed seizure disorder, high blood pressure, or hyperthyroidism.
7. Oregano Oil
The scent of oregano is intensely spicy, pungent, warm and radiant with herbal notes oregano oil is one of the most effective antibacterial oils in aromatherapy.
Its powerful antiseptic and antimicrobial action make oregano useful for treating a broad spectrum of infections. Distillations of oregano oil especially high in carvacrol are the most potent germ killers, along with the presence of thymol. Both carvacrol and thymol are present in thyme oil also known for its potent germ killing ability.
A 1973 study by Hildebert Wagner demonstrated that a blend of essential oils had a broader spectrum of effectiveness against treating bacteria than a broad spectrum antibiotic, especially when treating upper respiratory bacterial infections.
The antimicrobial properties of oregano are believed to work by disrupting the bacteria membrane causing it to die.
Thymol shows strong antimicrobial attributes when used alone or with other biocide agents such as carvacrol. Numerous studies have shown the antimicrobial effects of thymol, ranging from “inducing antibiotic susceptibility in drug-resistant pathogens to powerful antioxidant properties.”
Research has also shown that naturally occurring biocides such as thymol and carvacrol “reduce bacterial resistance to antibiotics through a synergistic effect.” Studies also showed thymol to be an effective fungicide.
Caution: Strong irritant to the skin and mucous membranes please use less than 1% dilution for safe skin application. Avoid in pregnancy.
8. Rosemary Oil
An aromatic plant prized since ancient times the powerful, fresh and pungent scent of rosemary is fresh, camphoreceous, warm and radiant like the sun.
In fact Rosemary oil has the highest hydrogen content of all the essential oils which makes it a powerfully stimulating and warming oil.
A sacred plant aromatic since ancient time remnants of rosemary plant have been discovered in Egyptian tombs and its incense was used by the Egyptians for purification and healing.
Rosemary’s antiseptic and anti-infectious properties are supportive to a healthy functioning immune system. Traditionally rosemary plant aromatics were used to rid bad ghosts, i.e. bacteria causing illness.
Rosemary was one of the ingredients in the, “Vinegar of the Four Thieves” recipe which hung in the Museum of Paris and said to be the original copy of the recipe posted on the walls of Marseilles during an outbreak of the Black Death which prevented the catching of the disease. Such herbal vinegars have been used as medicine since Hippocrates.
Caution: Due to its highly stimulating properties avoid using Rosemary during pregnancy, if you have high blood pressure, or a diagnosed seizure disorder.
