SOUNDS LIKE FUN TIMES, RIGHT? NOT!
But how does one protect themselves with hiding in a bubble all winter long? Or without spending many hours of your life at the doctors and the pharmacy getting over the counter medicines that doesn't really work.
1. Of course the Basics, let's start with the obvious: Eat healthy, nutrient dense, mostly raw foods. Get plenty of rest, exercise and fresh air where possible. Wash your hands often. Clean the busy and often touched areas of your house (i.e. door knobs and light switches).
2. Mist your families bed sheets with a mist of essential oils before bedtime. 10 drops of Protective Blend (On Guard), Lemon, Melaleuca, or some other essential oil with a ¼ cup of water in a spray bottle – shake well.
3. Clean regularly around your home, use essential oils to clean. Cleansing Blend, Protective Blend or Lemon in a spray bottle used for cleaning will assure pathogen free surfaces. Cleanse in between hand washes and when you are out and about. That’s when I pull out my little spray bottle with lemon oil and water. Spray down shopping cart handles, your hands, restaurant tables, etc. Great way to cleanse on the go. Also, takes care of any sticky kid messes great! It smells divine too. I LOVE lemon oil for helping to keep hands clean in-between washes with soap.
4. Homemade Elderberry syrup, Homemade Garlic Lemonade, and Homemade Kid-Friendly Herbal Infusion. Click here for the recipes for these things! We all know how much immune boosting strength garlic and lemons have, thus garlic lemonade is one of my favorites. Plus, it tastes great and the kids love to drink it! We drink it regularly even when we are not fighting a cold. I also like to give my kids my homemade elderberry syrup daily during cold and flu season as well Elderberries have amazing flu fighting properties. And if we do happen to begin to fight something, the cold and cough soothing herbal infusion is AMAZING!
5. Homemade Throat drops and Syrup. There are lots of tried and true home methods for soothing throat. Honey + lemon comes to mind. There are some great oils that can support healthy respiratory function as well. Eucalyptus oil is a great one. Sometimes a little bit rubbed on the feet or chest is enough to see some benefits.
Just a note that doTERRA sells throat drops which are awesome to have around or keep in your bag for emergencies. They are a great line of defense to help boost the immune system.
If you want something a little more DIY, try these recipes:
Natural Honey Throat Syrup
4 drops Lemon
2 drops Clove
2 drops Thyme
2 drops Ginger
1 drop Chamomile
1 drop Fennel
4 tbs Raw Honey
2 cups Distilled Warm Water
Dissolve the honey in the warm water. Don’t overheat. When combined and cool, add the essential oils. Pour into a amber glass container and store in the fridge. Shake before use. Take a spoonful or so when you need relief. Repeat often.
Honey Throat Drops
1 1/3 Cup Raw Honey
1 1/2 Cup Water
20 drops On Guard
Stevia Powder
Candy Thermometer
Mound stevia in a pie plate. Create rounded indentions in the stevia with the back of a small spoon. Set aside. Bring honey and water to a boil. Continue boiling until hard crack stage. Take pan off of the heat and stir. Add Protection blend Essential Oil. Spoon drops of the mixture into the stevia molds. Let cool to touch. Roll drops around in the stevia till coated. Wrap in parchment paper.
6. Peppermint, Lavender, & Lime are great cooling, relaxing, and soothing oils. Apply them down the spine, on the feet, to the temples, and the back of the neck. Remember, small amounts, applied often works best.
A tension blend containing oils such as peppermint, lavender, frankincense, chamomile, etc. is a great oil blend to have on hand for soothing localized tension. Experiment and see what works for you. When you are extra tense, you can also try to use a Soothing blend, or Wintergreen. Apply topically but don’t forget to use them aromatically too. * I don't recommend Peppermint for little ones under 2.
7. Boost Immunity with On Guard. Dilute On Guard with a carrier oil and rub on feet, back of neck, and spine. For kids under 2 years old, you can use diluted lemon, melaleuca, and lavender and rub on the feet, spine, and behind the ears.
8. Diffuse the air that you are working, living and sleeping in. A essential oil diffuser in your home and office will do just the trick. All essential oils have antibacterial and antiviral properties. So in theory you can use any essential oils, for cold and flu prevention, to kill those cold and flu germs in the air.
BUT I AM GOING TO SHARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITES
FOR COLD AND FLU PREVENTION
- On Guard - doTERRA’s protective blend
- Breathe - doTERRA’s respiratory blend
- Clove
- Lavender
- All citrus oils
- Cassia
- Melaleuca (tea tree)
9. Immediately begin an essential oil protocol at the first sign of a sore throat or any other symptom. For children that can’t take internal treatments, use appropriate oils on their feet, chest and using the spinal treatment. (Don't give children oils internally).
10. Make your home a happy place, free from stress. A haven with kind words and positive thoughts. Make a place of safety and refuge. As storms rage on, have your home be a house of prayer, gratitude and love. These are all things we can do that will create of synergy of protection for your home and family.
Now what do we do if we find ourselves faced with symptoms of the flu?
At the first indication of a symptom, strike back quick and hard. We only use doTERRA essential oils. Why? They are guaranteed to be sourced from the area’s in which the are indigenous to. They are organically grown. Harvested by correct methods and at the correct time. Distilled by professionals at the correct temperature and pressure. Finally each batch is tested by independent labs for correct constituents content to guarantee efficacy. These methods are key to insuring safety and effectiveness.
1. “The BOMB”. I’m sure you’ve heard of this combination by now. Even if so, it’s worth repeating the recipe:
4 drops Lemon
2 drops Oregano
2 drops Melaleuca
2 drops On Guard
Place in an empty gel capsule and swallow. Remember, small amounts of essential oils applied frequently is the best way to use them.
For kids or those who can’t or don’t want to swallow homemade capsules, you can add the drops to a roller bottle and fill it the rest of the way up with Fractionated Coconut oil. Apply to the bottoms of the feet.
OR Fill empty capsules of 8 drops Oregano, 5 drops On Guard and 3 drops Frankincense. Then take the capsules internally twice daily. (this is for adults only with symptoms of the flu.)
2. Gargle twice daily with 1 drop Oregano, 2 drops On Guard, and 2 drops Lemon in 1 or 2 tblspns of pure water. (again only for adults).
3. Oil pull daily with 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil, 2 drops Oregano, and 2 drops Melaleuca. Pull for about 10 minutes before expectorating the blend. Then brush your teeth and rinse out your mouth. This mixture may be hot. If it’s too hot, reduce the Oregano to 1 drop and add a drop of Lemon. You can also consider Cinnamon, Cassia or On Guard instead of Melaleuca.
4. Drink 1 drop each Lemon and Peppermint in your drinking water and drink it often. Staying hydrated is an important part of assuring the oils work effectively in our bodies.
5. Consider other protocols for specific symptoms. Respiratory Blend (Breathe), Lemon, Marjoram to the chest, neck and back for respiratory issues; Lemon, Peppermint, or Breathe to the sinuses for sinus issues; Digestive Blend (often in a capsule with Frankincense) for nausea or digestive problems. Oregano or Cinnamon and Lemon as a gargle for sore throats.
6. Diffuse the air that you are working, living and sleeping in.
A FEW OF MY FAVORITES FOR COLD AND FLU PREVENTION
- On Guard - doTERRA’s protective blend
- Breathe - doTERRA’s respiratory blend
- Clove
- Lavender
- All citrus oils
- Cassia
- Melaleuca (tea tree)
7. Have your spouse give you an aromatouch massage! Look up the method on http://www.aroma-touch.com and use Virgin Coconut oil as a carrier for the recommended oils. Add the Respiratory Blend (Breathe) and Thyme to Inflammation.
Oils that are an important part of your germ fighting arsenal and that are good to have around are; Protective Blend (On Guard), Oregano, Cinnamon, Myrrh, Thyme, Basil, Clove, Lemon, Peppermint, and the Massage Blend oils. These essential oils have the ability to kill bacteria, fungi and viruses, get down into the cellular level and make things right. Essential Oils are proven natural combatants to boost the immune system and strengthen our bodies in health!
For my seven favorite oils to use with my children, visit this blog post.