Where kids stay, germs will play – Aromatherapy for Colds and Congestion

I have been aware of essential oils for a while now but have been hesitant to try them until I had time to do more research on the side effects. My daughter has asthma so I need to be especially careful about what I put into the air.

Winter of 2017 has been wet and cold in Seattle! We had snow in April and we broke all kinds of rain and weather records. All this means we were indoors for a ridiculous amount of time. It also means there were more colds and flu’s going around.

This winter I started experimenting with oil diffusers. Anytime someone in our family showed early signs of illness, we diffused a combination of Orange, Peppermint and Eucalyptus oils. Each oil has a different purpose but the smells all work well together. I bought a great organic starter set from Plant Therapy. These are all organic which is especially important when being diffused since we are inhaling a concentrated amount of the oil. I should note that I do not suggest it, but these oils can also be ingested.  If you do chose to ingest them, do so with caution. Spend time researching the side effects, as some oils are toxic if ingested and each one has it’s own side effects.

These are the main reasons I chose these particular oils:

Orange – Orange oil has a happy uplifting smell. Something about it is cheery and puts us in a good mood! It helps with anxiety, depression, ezcema and can also help to build your immune system. Orange oil is cold pressed from the rind of the orange so it is a true orange smell.

Peppermint – Just an all around invigorating smell! Peppermint energizes and improves alertness. It helps with congestion and can possibly help to reduce fevers.

Eucalyptus – The Eucalyptus scent reminds me of cough syrup. It’s not a bad smell, but I don’t necessarily want my house to smell like it which is why I like to mix it with the other oils. Eucalyptus helps with respiratory congestion and other respiratory issues. I also plan to research more about it’s ability to help with asthma. This oil can boost your immune system!

There are several other oils that aid in killing cold and flu germs around the house. We did have some success in keeping colds from spreading in our home however it’s hard to assess whether the essential oils played a role in that. There has been so much research done on essential oils that I tend to believe that they do work. They also make my house smell wonderful so I will continue to use them!

If you want to give them a try, I’d suggest starting with this 6 piece essential oil set. This comes with all the basic scents so it’s a great place to start. These are certified organic so you can feel good about using it on yourself and your family!