Antiviral Essential Oil Facts

Everyone seems to be sick these days...
Learn about healing with essential oils

I'll give you one good reason: GERMS!

Learning about healing with essential oils and making your own aromatherapy remedies is an excellent way to protect your health naturally.

Don't get me wrong: There's definitely a time and place for prescription medication. The problem is that many over the counter and prescription drugs have negative side effects, and your system often has to work to get rid of associated toxins.

Using natural remedies such as healing foods and antiviral essential oils (don't forget washing your hands!) can be a good way of preventing some illnesses in the first place.

And if you do get sick, they can often help relieve your symptoms and clear up the virus sooner.

So the first thing we need to know is...

Do Antiviral Essential Oils Work?

Published studies show positive results for antiviral essential oil action. Here are three examples:

• Respiratory Tract Infections

  "Cinnamon and thyme showed the strongest action followed by clove... thyme can be considered as a potential antimicrobial agent for the treatment of some respiratory tract infections in man."
  Phytother Res. 2007 Apr;21(4):374-7




• Drug Resistant Infections

  "... active compound(s) from the rosemary oil may be useful in counteracting gram-positive bacterial, fungal, and drug-resistant infections."
  Altern Ther Health Med. 2007 Sep-Oct;13(5):54-9




• Cold Sores

  "... after 3 hours of incubation of herpes simplex virus with peppermint oil an antiviral activity of about 99% could be demonstrated."
  Phytomedicine. 2003;10(6-7):504-10

Doubts about Antiviral Essential Oils

But... people still argue that there's not enough scientific proof of many of the claims about aromatherapy. And they're right (sort of) - there's not a lot of scientific evidence.

Here's why: Very few controlled, double-blind studies have been conducted because the results can't be patented.

There's no profit in it!

Now think about this:

Regardless of the lack of scientific studies, there's a whole world of anecdotal evidence supporting the benefits of aromatherapy remedies.

Not to mention a history that goes back to before humans even had the written word! (Wanna see? Click here to read about the history of aromatherapy.)

Antiviral Essential Oil Use in Mainstream Medicine

French doctors use something called the "Aromatogram" to help them decide which essential oil to use.

First the doctor takes a sample of infected tissue or secretion from the patient. She cultures the sample and divides it among petri dishes supplied with agar.

Then she puts a different essential oil into each petri dish to see which essential oils inhibit the growth of the virus the most. She prescribes the essential oils that show the strongest activity against the virus.

So now we ask...

What's the Strongest Antiviral Essential Oil?

This is what it boiled down to...

The effectiveness of an essential oil depends on how its molecular structure interacts with the structure of a particular virus. This means that some essential oils are more effective for certain viruses than others.

One common thread, however, is that essential oils are most effective when you use them proactively to prevent infection. They increase the body's immunity to infection, and they also slow down the growth of viral cells.

How to Use Antiviral Essential Oils

• Disinfecting Surfaces: Put a drop of tea tree and a drop of lavender or lemon essential oil on a damp cloth and use it to wipe down surfaces.
  Quick Links -- Buy Supplies

  Bergamot

  Cinnamon essential oil

  Clove essential oil

  Eucalyptus

  Geranium

  Lavender essential oil

  Lemon essential oil

  Lemongrass

  Orange essential oil

  Palmarosa

  Peppermint

  Tea Tree

  Thyme

  Carrier oils

  
  Use for counters and tables, as well as door handles, phones, light switches, computer mice and keyboards - you want to disinfect all the hard surfaces germy hands have touched.

  Click here for more disinfectant cleaning recipes.




• Clearing the Air: Add 5 drops orange, 3 drops cinnamon and 3 drops clove essential oil to your aromatherapy diffuser or vaporizer for a warming antiviral essential oil blend.

  Or use 5 drops peppermint, 5 drops bergamot and 3 drops eucalyptus for a fresh, invigorating disinfectant blend.




• Steam Inhalation: This is especially good for respiratory tract infections. Boil a quart (liter) or two of water in a pot. Put the pot on a table (use a thick mat to protect the table!) and add 1 drop tea tree, 1 drop thyme and 1 drop eucalyptus essential oil.

  Use a towel to make a tent over your head and the steaming pot of oils. Stay in the 'tent' for 10 to 20 minutes, coming out for air whenever you need to. Do not burn your face!




• Preventing Infections: Use this massage oil blend morning and night to boost your immune system and reduce the growth of viruses attacking your system.

  Place 10 drops lavender, 7 drops tea tree, 1 drop geranium, 1 drop palmarosa and 1 drop lemongrass in 4 tablespoons (60ml) carrier oil.

  Massage into your feet, concentrating on the area above and below the base of your toes (reflexology points corresponding to the lymph/respiratory meridians.)

Essential Oil Safety

What Next?

Essential Oil Use Chart

Aromatherapy Remedies

How to Mix Aromatherapy Oils

Aromatherapy Recipes Homepage from Antiviral Essential Oil Facts