Getting sick is just no fun, but with our fast-paced lifestyles, sometimes it's difficult to keep our stress levels low and our immune system strong. Enter Aromatherapy - Essential oils so commonly used as natural perfumes and mood-lifters can have a have a powerfully-supportive effect on the immune system. In fact, the medical aromatherapy literature makes the point that the most promising use of essential oils in terms of natural health care is in cases of infectious illness. Not only will they help combat illness once it sets in, but therapeutic grade oils can also fortify the immune system to make you more resistant to illness in the first place.



Briefly, essential oils are the volatile (easily evaporated) components of plant chemistry - the chemicals made by plants that give them their wonderful scents. While these oils have a variety of uses for the plant, they act primarily as a defense mechanism against microbial and other invaders. Due to the un-ending variety of plant species, environments and possible 'invaders', there is an enormous variety in the composition of essential oils from different plants around the world. The aroma of Basil for example, is quite distinct, and can be differentiated from other plant aromas. Each plant's aromatic oil has a distinct chemical makeup, and as it turns out, some are extremely effective in supporting our own body's defense against microbial invaders such as viruses and bacteria. Essential oils can protect us from microbes in many ways, from keeping the space around us naturally microbe-free, to fortifying our immune defense, to actually destroying the microbes once they've entered our bodies.

Get a little nervous when friends or co-workers have a sneezing or coughing fit? Here's an excellent defense tactic - diffuse one or more of the powerful yet pleasant smelling antimicrobial oils into your space. 'Narrow Leaf' Eucalyptus (or Eucalyptus Radiata) is a very popular variety for this - it has been referred to as an 'aromatherapists designer oil' because of its broad range of immune-supportive effects and its pleasant aroma. Other oils used with a little softer scent are Green Myrtle and Ravensara - all these oils may be blended to your 'taste'. A very pleasing yet powerful blend can be made using three parts clove bud essential oil, five parts lemon essential oil, one and one-half parts Eucalyptus Radiata, one and one-half parts Rosemary Cineol essential oil and two parts Cinnamon Bark essential oil. For immune-supportive purposes, a high-quality cold-air nebulizing diffuser is best, as it will make a fine mist of the oils which will disperse within a space at a relatively high concentration.

Next, it's important to fortify your own immune system. Medical aromatherapists don't claim essential oils as wonder drugs in this regard - it is important to keep yourself healthy for your immune system to work effectively. Many natural medicine physicians believe it important to keep your own internal 'friendly bacteria' in balance for best protection. This can be done by eating a 'clean' diet with an abundance of natural and organic foods, and consuming intestinal bacterial support in capsule form (available at almost all health food stores). On the aromatherapy front, the essential oil of Niaouli has been considered by some to be the single most powerful supporter of the human immune system. Niaouli essential oil is distilled from the leaves of the Niaouli tree, native to Madagascar, but now being cultivated in Spain for aromatherapy use. According to Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, one of America's leading medical aromatherapists, "Niaouli oil is as complex in its composition as it is in it's uses...One of the fastest-acting and most effective applications of Niaouli is to apply anywhere between 5 and 20 drops to the whole body during the morning shower. This procedure will become entirely holistic if a loofah glove is used and the oil is worked into the skin along the energy meridians. This application...is especially recommended in the flu season, as it stimulates the defense mechanisms of the body." Niaouli would also be appropriate for diffuser use similar to the Eucalyptus varieties.

While prevention is the best medicine, some relief can be had if you've already contracted a cold or flu. At the very first signs, application of ten to twenty drops to the skin of both Eucalyptus Radiata and Laurel to the skin after shower. Eucalyptus can be applied to the chest and back; Laurel can be applied directly to the lymph nodes of the neck. Orally ingesting one drop of Bay Laurel once or twice a day at the first sign of sore throat is also indicated (be sure of the quality of your essential oil source!); this may have a dramatic effect reducing further symptoms. Green Myrtle, with it's medicinal actions but sweeter aroma, can be used in cases of bronchial infection where Eucalyptus may be found to strong. Ravensara used in the same manner is called for in cases of colds and flu - it can be a stronger antiviral than the above mentioned oils, and has a pleasing aroma. If the skin is sensitive to these oils, they can be diluted down to 5% in a carrier oil, or inhaled directly from a nebulizer. As with all aromatherapy use, listen to what your body is telling you. If an oil seems offensive, don't use it! This is your natural indicator that you may be sensitive to the oil, or it's simply not the right one for your condition. And of course, consult a health professional if your symptoms continue to worsen.

For general cold and flu care, Eucalyptus Radiata (Narrow Leaf) or Globulus (Blue Gum), Green Myrtle and Ravensara Aromatica can be applied topcally or used with a diffuser or inhaler to loosen mucus and support the body's cleansing process. In addition, Rosemary of the Verbenone chemotype is indicated for sinus infections and bronchitis; medical aromatherapy texts indicate this may be inhaled, applied topically in small amounts to the chest area, or even dripped into the nose, one drop at a time (caution is noted here for sensitivity). Also, Thyme essential oil is called for in many cases of bacterial infection - inhalation from a nebulizing diffuser can be an effective route of administration.

When selecting natural medicines within your own self-treatment program, do as much research and gather as much professional advice as possible to precisely apply these botanicals. A 'shotgun' approach will not likely have as dramatic an effect, and can be dangerous with improper use of certain varieties of essential oils. There are several books available for the aromatherapy practitioner with protocols translated from the European aromatherapy literature, and the number of naturopathic doctors with such knowledge is growing. With the right knowledge, using therapeutic grade essential oils to support your immune system and overall health can be very rewarding, and even fun!