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Essential Oil Strategy to Fight Colds and Flu

We cannot avoid breathing or swallowing pollutants which are a constant threat to our health. When an infection arrives at your 'door,' you want to be prepared with the appropriate weapons and munitions, along with the correct strategy and tactics to beat it before it takes over. For example, when a respiratory flu virus enters the respiratory system, it multiplies very rapidly, so your response must exceed the momentum of the attack. The body's natural response is to call up the army of defenders. Essential oils provide ammunition to the defenders in the form of millions of aromatic molecules. The frequency in which you use essential oils has a direct affect on the body's ability to fight back, so application must correspond to the intensity of the situation.

The first defensive attack must be decisively furious, and pressure against the 'enemy' must be maintained until improvement is accomplished. Those with sensitive skin may need to apply the oils in different locations and cycle around the application areas as needed. Although the soles of the feet are not our preferred application site, for someone with extreme skin sensitivities, they may offer the least risk of irritation and can typically withstand repeated application.

The Strategy - for adults (adjust as seems appropriate for a child)
1. Choose a good respiratory blend such as:
Respiratory Relief
Lung Support
Dr. Hull's Breathe Rite
Breathe Easy Gentle Blend (ideal for children, the elderly or those with sensitivities)

2. In 1998 Dr. Daniel Peneol shared his method of applying oils to the bottoms of the feet: Warm the bottoms of feet before applying the essential oil. Apply one drop at a time, up to ten drops, on the bottoms of each foot every twenty minutes for the first hour (3 times in the first hour). Work the oil into the pad area of the feet. The goal is to get good penetration, therefore we apply a drop or two at a time, rub in and then apply more. These blends can also be applied on the chest and back, appropriately diluted with a carrier oil. Peneol writes: "I often advise placing a little drop on the top of the toes between the bottom of the toe and the top of the nail. The sinus points are found there, and the combination of reflexology and aromatherapy creates an excellent synergy. No vegetable oil is used in this case, because it slows penetration. To use vegetable oil here would be like trying to go someplace quickly, but leaving the car's transmission in first or second, instead of fourth of fifth gear." More recently we've learned that oils may penetrate the skin more efficiently when used with a carrier, and when appropriately diluted, they may also be more effective when applied to the spine, inner thighs, chest or other locations. Also, some individuals who have used essential oils undiluted like Peneol suggested became sensitized to the oil and can no longer use that oil. Our suggestion is to dilute the oils you apply to your skin. Warming the area where applied will help open the pores and facilitate penetration and absorption.

3. Drink plenty of water and consider sipping on a tea noted to help with respiratory issues. As the virus dies, you need to flush the *bad guys* out quickly, or the die-off may cause it's own unpleasant symptoms.

Aromatic Honey (Dr. Daniel Penoel's recipe)
2 drops respiratory essential oil blend (20ml Eucalyptus radiata and 4ml Balsam Fir. Peneol also suggests the following as possibilities to add to the basic formula: 3ml Tea Tree, 0.5 Eucalyptus citriodora, 0.5 Eucalyptus dives, or these: 2ml Palmarosa, 0.5ml May Chang, 0.5 Caraway.)
3 TB local raw honey
Use 1 tsp of this mixture in each cup of herbal tea
4. During the next two hours, apply a respiratory blend every half hour. As you begin to feel better, adjust your strategy. The application of the essential oil becomes less frequent.

If possible, diffuse your respiratory or infection fighting blend. Otherwise or additionally, apply a few drops appropriately diluted to chest, back and/or inner thighs.
[for information about diffusers, click here]

Treatment should be kept up until the symptoms diminish. As the symptoms diminish, so will the treatment frequency. Dr. Peneol writes: "By using repeated aromatic penetration, the chances of a quick and total healing and cleaning of the body are maximized. This will lead, once the battle is won, to a feeling of purification and a strength much different from the feeble state in which the body is left by conventional treatments."

Maintenance Routine
For maintenance of health when susceptible, Dr. Peneol suggests a morning/evening routine using this "morning invigoration" essential oil blend we call Invigorate:
Cajeput, Tea Tree, Rosemary and Black Spruce

For your morning invigoration, sprinkle a couple drops on the tiles of the shower stall so that the steam will activate the aromatic molecules and 'invigorate' your shower time. After a warm shower, damp dry and then place about 5 drops of appropriately diluted Invigorate into the palm and apply quickly onto the chest and extremities. Inhale deeply several times from the palms of your hands.

Evening Peace
After the evening shower, massage a diluted, soothing blend of essential oils behind the ears, over the back of the neck and shoulders. It may also be beneficial to apply over the solar plexus (just below the diaphragm and above the naval) and the abdomen. Inhale deeply from the palms of your hands. We have several of our popular soothing blends formulated into moisturizing sprays. Some favorites are:
Balance
Evening Peace - see Application Suggestions to make a spray
Flower Garden
Heaven's Scent
Peaceful - see Application Suggestions to make a spray
Sleepy Time

During a battle, we also consider our diets and eliminate sugars, which, besides the obvious sugars include fruit juice, maple syrup and honey (except in a cup or two of herbal tea), grains, white potatoes, cured or processed meats, dairy (yogurt, butter and kefir are okay in moderation) and so on. Infection feeds on sugars, so we starve the *bad guys* by avoiding sugar. During this brief, intense battle, we eat fermented vegetables, raw milk yogurt and kefir, grass-fed beef and free-range chicken. Bone broth soup with veggies is an excellent choice. If we need a sweetener, we use stevia. We try to get plenty of rest and be consistent with our use of essential oils.

May the Lord use His wonderful oils to bring you health and healing,
Linda