The 9 Best Essential Oils To Stockpile For Cold & Flu Season

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It’s the time of year when the winter season bestows upon us its magical charms and beauty. Crystalized, winter landscapes lend to frosted-over ponds ripened for ice skating. Ice-capped mountains call upon the adventurous skier. And the snow-covered trees of the forest sound out for the hunters of the season.

For many homesteaders, spending time in the outdoors during winter is a way of life. Unfortunately, so is coming down with colds, and maybe even worse, the flu.

That means it’s time to stockpile essential oils for the cold and flu season. Did you know that there are more than 200 types of viruses that cause the common cold?

Essential oils have many antimicrobial, antiviral, astringent, disinfectant and antiseptic properties that can kill the cold and flu viruses before they even have a chance to set in. But with proper preventive measures, and with the right combinations of essential oils, you can stop cold and flu viruses in their tracks.

If you do end up coming down with a bug, essential oils have powerful healing properties.

Methods Of Using Essential Oils

There are several methods of using essential oils for prevention of colds and flu relief. They are:

• Diffuser/humidifier aromatherapy
• Spray bottle disinfecting blends
• Massage aromatherapy
• Bath aromatherapy
• Steam inhalation
• Hot and cold compresses

I will go over the methods as I come to the remedy sections for each essential oil.

9 Essential Oils You Should Stockpile

1. Oregano essential oil

Oregano can immediately relieve your cold and flu symptoms. It has antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, digestive and anti-allergenic properties.

Remedies

I never recommend taking essential oils internally, but oil of oregano can be bought as an ingestible form. Make sure you stockpile with ingestible oil of oregano and as soon as you feel the symptoms of a cold coming on, place several drops under your tongue and let it sit for about 30 seconds before swallowing. This method of sublingual administration is a powerful way to absorb oregano essential oil quickly into your system.

Or, try this massage or diffuser blend:

• 3 drops oregano essential oil.
• 2 drops rosemary essential oil.
• 2 drops eucalyptus essential oil.
• 1 drop peppermint essential

Use the blend in your diffuser or humidifier to help relieve your symptoms. Or, add four teaspoons of a carrier oil and massage the blend onto your chest area or where you have inflammation or bodily aches or pains.

2. Eucalyptus essential oil and …

3. Tea tree essential oil

Eucalyptus essential oil encompasses about 67 percent eucalyptol. This makes this essential oil a powerful remedy for relieving stuffed-up noses and chesty coughs, as well as to ease breathing. (Do not take eucalyptus essential oil orally, as it can be toxic.)

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Tea tree essential oil has antiseptic, antiviral, antimicrobial properties and is a natural germ killer and disinfectant.

Remedies

Methods for preventing airborne infection from spreading:

• 4 drops eucalyptus essential oil.
• 4 drops tea tree essential oil.
• Use the blend in a diffuser or a humidifier to kill airborne viruses and germs.
• Or, drop it into a 16-ounce spray bottle with water and spray all surfaces in the household, including light switches, door knobs, remotes, computer keyboards, cabinet knobs, etc.
• You even can add some pine essential oil and mop your floors and clean your bathroom with this blend.

Chest rub to relieve chesty coughs:

• 4 drops eucalyptus essential oil.
• 4 drops cedarwood essential oil.
• 2 drops tea tree essential oil.
• 4 tsp carrier oil.
• Massage the blend into your chest, day and night.

To relieve bodily aches and pains:

• 3 drops eucalyptus essential oil.
• 3 drops ginger essential oil.
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil.
• 1 drop tea tree essential oil.
• 4 tsp carrier oil.
• Massage into your body to reduce aches and pains, as needed.

Or,

• Use as a hot or cold compress to place on the body.
• To do this, you can warm up a dampened, cloth towel in the microwave and add a few drops of this blend, or chill a dampened, cloth towel in the refrigerator or freezer and add several drops of the blend.

4. Lemon essential oil

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Lemon is considered a cure-all fruit. It’s a natural healer and antiseptic, is great for reducing fevers, is a natural diuretic, and can fight off fatigue.

Remedies:

The great thing about lemon essential oil is that it is found right in the peel of the fruit. Therefore, you can boil lemon peels in a pot of water, let it cool, and drink it. The powerful, lemon-infused water will act as a natural diuretic, fight off fatigue, lower your fever, while at the same time, heal your body.

For an additional bonus, as the lemon peels boil, they also release essential oils into the air, which purifies your home.

Virus-fighting blend. Diffuse:

• 5 drops lemon essential oil.
• 3 drops lavender essential
• 3 drops turmeric essential oil.
• Or, 4 tsp carrier oil for massage blends.

5. Lavender essential oil

I’m sure you have heard of the powerful and wonderful healing powers of lavender essential oil. Lavender not only heals your body, aids in insomnia and takes away aches and pains, but it is also an anxiety-reducer.

Remedies:

Hot bath blend to relieve aches and pains and reduce anxiety:

• 3 drops lavender essential oil.
• 2 drops rosemary essential oil.
• 2 drops black pepper essential oil.

Sleep aid and decongestant:

• 4 drops lavender essential oil.
• 3 drops chamomile essential oil.
• 3 drops cedarwood essential oil.
• Or, add 4 tsp carrier oil to create massage blends.

 6. Peppermint essential oil

Peppermint essential oil can help to progress concentration and battle fatigue. It’s perfect for soothing an upset stomach and relieving nausea.

Because of its potent concentration of menthol, using peppermint essential oil for cold and flu relief is ideal because menthol is valuable for relieving symptoms such as congestion and stuffed-up noses.

Furthermore, peppermint essential oil has a mild, warming effect,which is perfect for making sore and tense muscles feel better.

Remedies:

To ease an upset stomach and stop nausea:

• Inhale peppermint oil from a tissue

A warming massage blend for aches and pains:

• 4 drops peppermint essential oil.
• 3 drops nutmeg essential oil.
• 4 drops rosemary essential oil.
• 4 tsp carrier oil for a massage blend.

Steam inhalation blend to relieve congestion, clogged airways and headaches:

• 4 drops peppermint essential oil.
• 6 drops eucalyptus essential oil.
• For a headache, add 2 drops lavender essential oil.
• Boil hot water and pour into a bowl. Drape a towel over your head. Lean over the bowl and wrap the towel around the bowl while it is still draped over your head. This will contain the steam. Inhale deeply until the oils have dispersed from the water.

7. Rosemary essential oil and …

8. Frankincense essential oil and …

9. Cedarwood essential oil

All three of these essential oils have powerful healing, pain-relieving and other beneficial properties. You can substitute them into any of the above recipes.

*This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or cure any particular health condition. Please first consult with a qualified health professional.

What would you add to our list? What is your favorite essential oil? Share your tips in the section below:

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