How to Use Essential Oils to Help Reduce Risk of Viral Infection

Essential oils can be used in the home as antiviral cleaning products. A diffuser used with essential oils like eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus, lemon balm Melissa officinalis, peppermint Mentha piperita var. vulgaris, or thyme Thymus vulgaris may reduce the airborne viruses in a room.

Essential oils can also be added to hand creams to help reduce the spread of viruses by contact. Of course, these should be used in addition to the common sense CDC recommendations to wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth and nose with your arm when you sneeze, and to stay home if you are sick.

Winter can be a challenging time because there is the potential for many people to be sick with a cold or flu at the same time, but we can use natural support options, such as essential oils, to keep us healthy.

To read the full-length article "The Antiviral Activity of Essential Oils", click HERE.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, heal, or prevent disease. Always consult with your primary care provider for a proper diagnosis if you think you may have the seasonal flu or the H1N1 flu, and follow their recommendations.

Antiviral Activity of Essential Oils: It's Never too Early for Good Health

It's started to rain here in Portland, a not-so-subtle reminder that fall is on the way. It seems this time of year usually comes with a spike in seasonal colds and flu, as well as the gray-scape of clouds. Not so fun!

Before the season sets in, you may want to take stock of your essential oil inventory at home. Do you have the basics--like eucalyptus, lemon balm, and peppermint--which are thought to help kill airborne viruses when diffused into the air? These essential oils can also be added into hand creams to help stop the spread of infection through person-to-person contact.*

For more health-promoting tips this pre-fall season, check out ACHS Academic Dean Dr. Arianna Staruch's article about the antiviral activity of essential oils: http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=193

You also may want to visit the Apothecary Shoppe, where most essential oils have posted information about their traditional use and wellness support, and some even include blending formulas.

Here's the recipe to prepare an inhalation from the eucalyptus webpage:

Alcohol, 90%: 4.5-cups
Eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus oil: 6-t
Thyme Thymus vulgaris oil: 3-t
Pine Pinus sylvestris oil: 3-t
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia oil: 2-t
Lemon Citrus limon oil: 2-t

Mix all ingredients. To prepare as an inhalation, add 3-t to 6-cups of boiling water. This mixture can also be added to the bath water or to footbaths. Use 3-drops in the bath or 1-2-drops in a footbath.

* This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, or prescribe.

Oregano essential oil featured in Well Being Journal for antiseptic properties

Common oregano, Origanum vulgare, "has long been used as a remedy for digestive, respiratory and rheumatic problems and as a treatment for stings and bites," according to the article "Natural Solutions to Drug-Resistant Infections," which appeared in the September/October 2009 edition of Well Being Journal.

Author CJ Puotinen provides a detailed list of recommended uses for Origanum vulgare based on the text The Cure Is in the Cupboard: How to Use Oregano for Better Health by Cass Ingram, who recommends both the dried herb and essential oil for: allergies, asthma, cold sores, colds, congestion, fatigue, flu, gastritis, parasites, tooth and gum infections, ulcers, and urinary infections, to name a few.

Regarding suggested use, Puotinen says Origanum vulgare can be made into a "water-based antiseptic solution." It can also be grow and dried for use in capsules or made into a tincture.

>> If you want to learn more about the use of essential oils to help support your body's optimal function, click here

>> To purchase therapeutic grade Origanum vulgare essential oil, visit the Apothecary Shoppe