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Fight back against colds with essential oils!


Hello there,
I hope your new year is going well! I wanted to thank all of you who came to the craft fair in December! It was so fun to see so many familiar faces and get to share products and stories with you wonderful people. I appreciate all of your support and enthusiasm – especially how you spread the word about my products! 

I sold out of almost everything. I still have some large comfrey salve, some peppermint and some lime roll-ons.
I also have some individual sprays. Let me know if you want any of those things.  I hope you are staying healthy!
I am just recovering from a NASTY cold! I am always so shocked by how terrible a bad cold actually feels.
I was sad I didn’t stop this cold before it started, but I did use some treatments to move the cold along and make sure I didn’t get bronchitis or a sinus infection like I have in the past. 
I love doing steams. I feel like it is underrated as a treatment for colds and coughs and I am trying to give it the credit it deserves. Do them daily or even twice a day if you get a cold.
It is a classic treatment for colds, congestion and coughs.
I feel like it is self-explanatory- but just in case it’s not- here are some directions. 
Boil a medium sized pan of water, put it on a trivet on a table that’s comfortable to sit at. (Do not spill the boiling water on your yourself. Be careful with kids or those muddled by cold medicine and stuffy heads!)
Pour just a couple drops of essential oil into the water.
Lean your head over the pan, cover your head with a towel and breathe deeply.
That’s it. It works wonders.
Stay under there for a while (10-20 minutes), until the steam peters out. You can add more water if it cools down and stops steaming.

You can poke your head out for breaks if you get overheated or if it’s too hot, leave a little outlet in the tent until it cools down a bit. 

It is calming and meditative to be under the towel, the steam is warm and soothing and the essential oils are inhaled and can go to work immediately.  When essential oils are breathed in they not only go right to the brain through your sense of smell to shift your mood but they also fight germs and break down mucus.
And they smell nice.
Just put a few drops in at a time in the steamy water to see how much you can tolerate. Don’t overdue the oils because they are so volatile they can irritate your eyes and skin if you pour a whole capful into the water. Instead use just a few drops and when those have dispersed; use a few more.  
Have some tissues near-by because it can really loosen congestion and get things flowing, which is great to avoid the mucus stagnating and creating a place for more bacteria to grow.
Yuck.
So keep it moving!  You can use many different oils for this but Eucalyptus is classic because of it’s germ fighting and congestion-loosening properties (it is a major ingredient in Vicks Vapo-Rub)

There are many different types of Eucalyptus (I used Peppermint Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus dives) and Eucalyptus Gully Gum (Eucalyptus smithii) yesterday – any variety works well.) My favorite is Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia).
It is a type of lavender that smells like a mix between a classic lavender and a Eucalyptus because of the camphor in its chemical make up. It smells so good. I use it in the shower if I’ve got a cold, steam with it, put it in my diffuser and my humidifier. I highly recommend having some around.
You can also use Frankincense (Boswellia frereana) which is very calming and helps you to breathe deeply, breaking up congestion and soothing coughs.
Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is another great oil to use for congestion and to help fight off germs.
Some people with asthma are irritated by steaming so they shouldn’t do it, but for everyone else if the water is handled carefully and you just use a few drops of oil at a time this is a safe and enjoyable part of your cold, congestion and cough treatment plan. (I get my oils at Applalachian Valley Natural Products www.av-at.com 20ml of Spike Lavender is only $6 and will last you through the season, people! You need some!)

Hopefully you won’t get a cold or cough this year. (Read how essential oils can help with that. http://crowladyhealing.com/cold-season-defense-with-essential-oils)
But if you do, put a pot of water on the stove and settle in for a relaxing and powerful steam! 

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