Table Of Content
Common Symptoms
Methods Of Using Essential Oils For Healing Boost
List of Food to Boost Immune
Recommended Supplements
Homemade Hand Sanitizer Recipe
Homemade Disinfectant Recipe
It's not a very fun time of the year, is it? Cold and flu season is upon us and what that means is lots of coughing and sneezing. My little one with vulnerable respiratory system always gets sick during this time of the year, so I've been forced to master the art of natural remedies. I have created a list of the best home remedies and supplements as well as essential oils with detailed user guide to treat cold and flu at home so you can avoid pills, expensive doctor visits, and antibiotics.
Before starting, let me tell you more about antibiotics. Antibiotics work ONLY against bacterial infections; they do nothing to viruses. To get the "correct" antibiotic, the medical team should know the type of bacteria you have so they can prescribe the correct antibiotic. But what does antibiotic do?
Antibiotics do not differentiate between good and bad bacteria.. yes, our bodies have good bacteria that balance our good and bad intestinal bacteria, and that aid in digestion of food and help with digestive problems, such as diarrhea.
Common Symptoms
According to the CDC, common symptoms that COVID-19 and flu share include the below:
Fever or feeling feverish/having chills.
Cough.
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
Fatigue (tiredness)
Sore throat.
Runny or stuffy nose.
Muscle pain or body aches.
Headache.
Most of the above symptoms are common across most of the infections we get during the illness season which makes the mission easier here. For me, as long as symptoms are not severe, I deal with an illness the same way.
The key essential oil with any kind of illness is Oregano essential oil. Why? Oregano essential oil is the strongest natural antibiotic amongst all. A study that evaluated the natural antibacterial strength of oregano essential oil against five different types of bad bacteria showed significant antibacterial properties against all five species. This makes oregano essential oil come on top of the list for illnesses.
Methods Of Using Essential Oils For Healing Boost
There are a few methods of using it. The most important thing before I start is to pinpoint that it is always best to get a good quality organic essential oil. Non-organic can be used topically, whereas organic essential oils can safely be consumed with precautions.
Now, lets go to the-how:
Method #1: In 1 teaspoon of carrier oil (coconut oil, sunflower, olive oil) add 1 drop of oregano essential oil, and then apply on and around. your belly button. repeat morning and night for 2 weeks.
Method #2: In 1 tablespoon of honey, add 1 drop of oregano oil and then consume it. You may also put the honey/oregano to a cup of tea of your choice.
Method #3: add 1 drop of oregano oil to your cooked warm soup or salad seasoning. Just make sure you never warm up food when the oil is already added or you lose the benefits of it.
Now let's jump into each symptom with its remedies using essential oils:
Fever
Put 2 drops each of peppermint and orange essential oils in 1 teaspoon of a carrier. Apply on the back along spine and the back of the neck.
Cough
Method #1: Diffuse 2 drops each of orange, mandarin, and cypress essential oils
Method #2: put a total of 5 drops of any of the following: peppermint, eucalyptus, and anise essential oil. Soak in for 10-15 minutes.
Method #3: Put 2-3 drops of any of the following essential oils in your hand palm, do "hand cupping", then inhale deeply. Oils: peppermint, eucalyptus, and anise
Shortness of Breath
Method #1: Diffuse eucalyptus, peppermint, and oregano. Put 2 drops of each in a 100ml oil diffuser and let it work during your sleep.
Method #2: Add 1 drop of each of peppermint and eucalyptus to 1/2 teaspoon of a carrier oil and apply to your chest. Repeat daily until you feel better.
Fatigue
Method #1: Put 2-3 drops of Bergamot essential oils in your hand palm, do "hand cupping", and inhale deeply.
Method #2: Put 1 drop of each of the coriander and cumin essential oils (or 2 drops of one of them) to 1 teaspoon of a carrier and then apply in and around your belly button.
Sore Throat
Put 1 drop of Naiouli essential oil with 1 drop of lemon essential oil in a glass of water and gargle. You may add some salt to the mix.
Runny Nose
Put 2 drops of peppermint and/or eucalyptus essential oil in your hand palm, do "hand cupping", and inhale deeply. Repeat as needed.
Muscle Pain
Add 2 drops of peppermint essential oil to 1 teaspoon of a carrier and apply to the affected area.
Headache
Apply 1 drop of peppermint and 1 drop of lavender to your temples and back of your neck . If you need to focus on work/study, skip the lavender and use 2 drops of peppermint . No need to dilute it as long as your skin is not broken.
List of Food to Boost Immune
1. Citrus fruits:
grapefruit
oranges
clementines
tangerines
lemons
limes
2. Red Bell Pepper
3. Broccoli (cooked or raw)
4. Garlic
5. Ginger
6. Spinach
7. Yogurt (full of probiotics)
8. Almonds
9. Sunflower Seeds
10. Turmeric
11. Green Tea
12. Papaya
13. Kiwi
14. Poultry (chicken soup is my go-to)
Recommended Supplements
Vitamin D3: go with 3000-5000 iu daily. Check CDC for more details on this dosage.
Vitamin C: 1000mg
Homemade Hand Sanitizer Recipe
Ingredients
2 ounce spray bottle
5 drops vitamin E oil (optional, this helps keep hands soft)
3 tablespoons witch hazel with aloe vera, or 190 proof alcohol
5 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil
Distilled (or at least filtered, boiled, and cooled) water
Instructions
In the spray bottle, combine the vitamin E oil, witch hazel, alcohol, and essential oils. Place the sprayer on tightly and shake well for 15-20 seconds to combine.
Open the bottle, and fill to the top with water. Replace sprayer, and shake again for 15-20 seconds. Done!
Homemade Disinfectant Recipe
Peppermint
Orange and lemon
Bergamot, lime, lemongrass, and lavender
On a damp cloth, put a few drops of any of the above blends and wipe down stuff. You may also diffuse any for full bathroom disinfecting. To diffuse, put a total of 5-6 drops of essential oils of the above listed ones in a 100ml diffuser. This will keep your bathroom clean, disinfected, and beautifully scented.
Let me end this guide on a note of caution - do not forget to see your doctor if you think you have an infection, especially if it's accompanied with some severe symptoms or is not going away after a week or two.
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