Ah-choo... Gesundheit!

essential oils May 07, 2019
girl sneezing

It is prime allergy season and my ginormous sneezes shake our 160-year-old home to its foundation. Especially annoying for the more delicate souls in my family, because I always sneeze 3 times (and get very satisfying goosebumps all over afterwards - anyone else has that?). Luckily my symptoms stop there, but there are many who are not so lucky. So let’s see what we can do here to solve this problem the natural way.

An allergic reaction starts in your immune system: Generally, it is the system's job to spot an intruder and get rid of it. Lymph flows through the body and mops up anything that is harmful to us, from broken or pre-cancerous cells to toxins and viruses that could attack us.

An allergen tricks your immune system into thinking it is harmful - and the first reaction is to produce antibodies and release histamine and other chemicals which trigger symptoms such as overproduction of mucus, skin breakouts, or the lining of your stomach.

To simplify, you get allergies when your immune system is already in overdrive. When your body is dealing with high inflammation, the allergen will set off an increased reaction. When everything is in good working order and balanced, the allergy reaction is much lower. An inflammation can stem from being run down after a cold, as much as having a persistent inflammation anywhere else in the body, such as a bad back or a chronically infected tooth. Makes sense?

USE YOUR OILS

Luckily, we have all the tools. Today, on a day with a very high pollen count, I diffuse Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon throughout the house. If you remember that essential oils are concentrated plant chemicals that happen to smell nice, this makes a lot more sense.

Lavender's chemical constituencies mean that it is anti-inflammatory and has calming properties, not just for the mind, but for all body systems.

Lemon also has anti-inflammatory properties and is cleansing.

Peppermint can be used to help in the event of headaches and is wonderful to clear the airways.

2 drops each in the diffuser work persistently to cleanse the air in the house, and calm my airways even when I stopped noticing the smell. 

As always, persistence is key. Have a drop of lemon daily in your water*, diffuse oils daily to keep your immune system healthy, use oils such as Frankincense (the anti-inflammatory wunderkind) topically as needed, and take natural supplements regularly to keep your cellular function at their optimum levels.

Our lifelong health and vitality depend on so many factors: diet, physical activity, weight management, rest, stress management, exposure to toxins, and inherited genetic predisposition for disease or wellness. I get exhausted just reading through the list. Not everything is within our control, but I say, let’s tackle it where we can.

WHAT ELSE WORKS?
Try placing 1 drop each, lavender, peppermint and lavender in a soft gel 2-3 times daily (Alternatively, try TriEase if you like to keep it simple)

Rinsing out sinuses daily using a Neti Pot. It takes some getting used to, but it prevents a good amount of viruses, bacteria and pollen from entering the body in the first place, so it is a great habit to establish.

Add oily fish, ginger, garlic and local honey to your diet more frequently.


*Please note that I speak of dōTERRA Lemon oil, which is GRAS certified. Please check suitability before trying to use any other brand internally.

 

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