Essential Oils Anti-Ick

It is no news to those who follow me that I am an enthusiastic user of essential oils. Essential oils are good for your health! [Disclaimer: As with any product, test with a small amount to make sure you are not sensitive or allergic to the substance.] Because essential oils are made from plants, they are part of God’s gift in His creation, intended for our benefit. They work with our bodies, and do not contain harmful chemicals.

Think nothing can kill a virus? Think again: essential oils are proven to kill viruses, bacteria, and funguses. They can also act as anti-inflammatories.

Be sure to use a reputable source for your essential oils. At home, I use NOW brand and Vitacost brand.

How I use essential oils:

• Diffuse
• Serums
• Roll-ons
• Creams
• Air freshener
• Anti-bacterial spray
• Cooking
• Cleaning

Essential oils can be mixed with beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, a carrier oil (such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or almond oil), castile soap, vinegar, witch hazel, vodka, and / or honey to make an unlimited array of health-supporting remedies and treatments.

NOTE: Always use essential oils combined with a carrier oil if applying to skin or ingesting.

Ways to ingest:

• cook with essential oils (no, cooking does not destroy most essential oils: most are processed with heat) add a few drops of, say, rosemary and thyme into your spaghetti sauce
• add lemon oil into your smoothie
• add to treats like frosting (lemon, orange, or peppermint add taste and zip)
• bake into a dessert (lemon pie or bars, lavender bread, cardamom cookies, peppermint brownies)

Apply to skin:

• combine with a carrier oil
• rub on abdomen for quick uptake
• smooth onto temples, shoulders, or neck for tension or headache relief
• use as an antibacterial on scrapes and bug bites
• combine with castile soap for shampoo and body wash

Clean:

• lemon and orange are great at cutting grease, and smell so refreshing
• essential oils kill bacteria in toilets, around sinks, kitchen counters, and baby’s room
• combine with vodka and witch hazel for air freshening and killing germs on surfaces
• use to wipe down handles, counters, keyboards, and common surfaces during cold and flu season

And you can always diffuse. Get a good-quality diffuser that will last for hours and incorporate a large room. And, get smaller diffusers for smaller rooms. Heck, they even sell diffusers for your car, and to wear around your neck!

Another way to diffuse is to add a few drops to an inhaler (like these: https://www.amazon.com/Aromatherapy-Essential-Portable-Reusable-Aluminum/dp/B07PP1WB4N/); or a few drops to a handkerchief or tissue.

My go-to websites for dependable information on essential oils are

• Eric Zelinski at https://naturallivingfamily.com/
• Josh Axe at https://draxe.com/
• Both these sites provide research-based information on specific essential oils; recipes for foods, cleaning, and personal care; and timely and effective health tips.

Following is a list of essential oils that are antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory:

Antivirals:

Basil, bergamot, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, cumin, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, helichrysum, myrrh, oregano, peppermint, rose, rosewood, sage, sandalwood, tea tree, thyme

Antibacterials:

Basil, bergamot, cassia, cedarwood, cinnamon bark, citronella, clove, dill, eucalyptus, geranium, lemon, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, rosemary, spikenard, tea tree

Antifungal:

Cassia, cinnamon bark, citronella, clary sage, eucalyptus, fir, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, rosewood, sage, spikenard, thyme

Anti-inflammatory:

Caraway, clove, eucalyptus, ginger, lavender, marjoram, oregano, peppermint, roman chamomile, tea tree, thyme, and turmeric.