About two years ago, I made the decision to try to not just detox my food habits, but also other areas in my life. I've always been a "pill for an ill" type person. I would get the sniffles and immediately take an antihistamine or cold tablet "du jour." Living in Austin, that meant popping some sort of pill almost daily, but definitely weekly.
The domino effect of years of OTC's (over-the-counter) and prescriptions are dizzying and took a huge tole on my health. I'm sure I'm not alone. It started innocently enough going to the doctor for this or that. They put me on an OTC or prescription, treating the symptom, but never actually healing the body system that caused the symptom in the first place. After time, the OTC or prescription created its own set of side effects leading me back to the doctor for new symptoms. I always thought they were unrelated, however, symptoms are just our body's way of letting us know something is wrong; there is dis-ease somewhere in the body. Without getting to the root cause, I was just covering up the symptom which eventually lead to bigger issues: hormone imbalance, thyroid issues, constant congestion, drainage, dark circles, puffiness, pms, lethargic, memory and/or focus issues, and on and on. I didn't realize these OTC's were part of the problem creating imbalance and disfunction in my body.
To really get to the root cause and begin to heal not just cover up, I learned the Big 4, Remove-Replace-Reinoculate-Repair.
Remove all things toxic. These can be known toxins from food, beauty aids, or environmental.
Replace all things toxic with better choices the body actually recognizes and wants.
Reinoculate the microbiome, the basis of good immune health.
Finally, repair body systems that have been weakened using food, natural remedies, herbs, essential oils, and lifestyle choices.
I had done detox's before, but always geared towards diet. I had been gluten-free for years, mostly dairy free. I had never considered all my pills as something to detox from, nor did I ever consider life without my Allegra or Zyrtec. Somehow, I still wasn't getting better. I became determined to research and see if there were ways to actually heal, not just treat symptoms.
I discovered essential oils have been used for health and wellness for thousands of years and are well documented (including the Bible) not just from a historical perspective, but also 1000's of studies in current medical publications. They don't get a lot of respect, however, since medical studies cost a lot of money and big Pharma isn't about to fund them because studies are inexpensive and EO's compete with their bottom line. I signed up for 2 on-line courses and dove in.
To get off OTC allergy and cold meds, I substituted some of the most popular essential oils, went all in and haven't taken any pharmaceuticals in almost 2 years. So what did I do? Below are some of My Top 4 Oils for this cold & allergy season along with starting recipes for reducing congestion and other seasonal symptoms.
Warning...esential oils are volatile chemicals compounds and should be treated carefully. I'm only sharing uses with correct dilution and applications. As with any chemical, they can be dangerous if used in higher than recommended dosages. Also, every person is different. It is possible to have allergic reactions to any substance including essential oils so practice safely and seek medical help if you notice any symptoms!!
MY TOP 4 COLD AND ALLERGY SEASON OILS
Lavender - The most common and popular oil in the US and a long history. It's well know for its healing benefits as an antioxidant, metabolism aid, neurological health protector, antimicrobial and skin enhancer, anti-aging, plus so much more. I listed the big picture benefits because the list of specifics is so long and vast. It is one of the most versatile which is why it is so popular. During the cold/allergy season it helps with headaches, inflammation, immunity, relaxation and sleep.
Peppermint - The second most versatile oil. It is typically used for fevers, muscle tension, joint pain, clearing sinuses, easing allergy symptoms, reduces cravings, increases energy, stimulates scalp, fights bacteria, helps with digestive issues including IBS and nausea, relieves ADHD symptoms, soothes itches, fights cavities.
Frankincense - One of the oils given to Jesus from The 3 Wiseman, Frankincense was one of the most prized oils and known as the King of oils. Some of the most recognized benefits include: anti-inflammatory, painkiller, immune booster, eases digestion, anti-aging benefits, anti-tumor including evidence of killing cancer cells, hormone balance, respiratory help, oral health, reduces stress, anxiety, and negative emotions and can heighten spiritual awareness.
Lemon - Used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for 1000's of years. Key benefits include: Purify's the body, rids dampness related to colds, candida, infections, loose stools, and respiratory conditions. It also supports liver and gallbladder, acts as a disinfectant, purify's the body, freshener including breath and laundry, cough suppression, loosens congestion, stimulates lymphatic drainage, promotes weight loss, reduces cravings, increases energy, good for nausea or vomiting, anti-stress and antidepressant effects, great in household cleaners.
Now that you are armed with background on the 4 oils, let's start healing and detoxing from those nasty OTC's. One of the first recipes I tried when I was suffering from congestion, runny nose and sore throat was a blend added to tea. That recipe plus some other easy favorites are listed below.
EASY ESSENTIAL OIL COLD & ALLERGY REMEDIES:
(If you would like a free printable with these plus many more recipes, CLICK HERE)
Congestion Tea
1 Cup Herbal Tea (I like Echinacea Tea, Versana's Organic Respiratory tea or Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat)
1 tsp raw, local honey or Manuka Honey (my personal favorite)
1 drop each of Organic, Therapeutic or Food Grade lemon, frankincense, peppermint and lavender essential oils. (I have used the NOW organic brand but love Plant Therapy for the quality and the price. Super important to know the quality of the oils.)
Brew your tea and remove the tea bag.
In a spoon, mix the honey and oils. (When ingesting, it is imperative that oils be mixed with a "carrier", usually an oil, but in this case the honey.)
Stir the honey/oil mixture into your tea and enjoy.
*It can take 20-30 minutes to reap the benefits, but no longer then OTC's.
Feel Better Diffuser Blend Good for making sure you don't wake up completely stopped up.
In a diffuser, add water to recommended line. Add the following:
4 drops lavender
4 drops lemon
3 drops peppermint
Allergy Inhaler
1 personal inhaler (easy to find on Amazon and cheap)
1 cotton rod
10 drops lavender
10 drops frankincense
Place cotton rod on a small dish. Add essential oils to the cotton rod. Place cotton rod into inhaler. Cap. Take deep nostril breaths anytime you feel allergy symptoms worsening.
NO inhaler?? Create your own using folded paper towel of small piece of cloth. I did this in the beginning. Doesn't last as long, but will last for more than a week.
Fold paper towel into small square.
Open at the fold and add 2 drops each of frankincense and lavender.
Refold and store in plastic bag.
Open and breath in as needed.
Headache or Seasonal Respiratory Help Rollerball
10 ml Rollerball
carrier oil (coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, almond oil, etc)
5 drops lavender
3 drops lemon
2 drops peppermint
Add EO's to rollerball and top off with carrier oil. Roll behind ears, back of neck, down your back and bottoms of feet.
NO ROLLERBALL? Here is a quick 1x version. Put a little carrier oil into the palm of your hand. Add 1 drop of each EO. Rub on your temples, chest, back of neck. You can also put 1 drop neat of each EO into palms of your hands and breath in deeply several times. (Neat means plain, naked, nothing added).
Are you still a skeptic? Just give them a try. I made several of these recently for my son who is also a huge skeptic, and just a little stubborn. When he felt bad enough, he allowed me to make a few of these recipes plus some others. He actually asked for more after discovering relief. Huge testimony!!
There are so many other recipes to help you feel better during the season without relying on OTC's. I hope you will give these a try and tell me your experience.
Click here for a free printable ESSENTIAL OIL RECIPES FOR SURVIVING COLD & ALLERGY SEASON WHILE DETOXING YOUR HORMONES, Yes, I Want the Printable Recipes
If you have any questions or want more support in your healing journey, let me know by commenting below or CLICK HERE to apply for a free healing roadmap conversation for hormone happiness and overall health. I'm here to help.
Happy breathing this season!
