Aromatherapy Practices for Strong Immune Function

Written by Nancy Bluestone

Sunday, 01 November 2009 10:26

by NancyBluestone

Most practitioners of aroma-therapeutics hold this opinion: THE most effective use of essential oils for health is for the prevention and treatment of infectious illness. Aromatherapy in the USA is still mostly relegated to New Age "hocus pocus", and some pretty-smelling little bottles of liquid. However, in recent years scientific researchers have compiled HUGE amounts of data regarding the effectiveness of essential oils in combating bacterial and viral infections. The oils protect us from infection in a number of ways, and it's very simple to use essential oils at home for their protective effects. Lets look at how to use essential oils for this purpose, and which oils to choose for best results.

What Is An Essential Oil?

For the uninitiated, essential oils are the volatile aromatic compounds distilled from plants. In this way, they just happen to be a particular form of herbal medicine, just any other medicinal plant extract. At the same time, they're quite unique in terms of their health effects: Firstly, they are easily absorbed by our bodies, getting into the nooks-and-crannies of our physiology -- some other forms of herbal medicine are difficult to absorb, and require extensive preparation, which is really already done by the person who has distilled the essential oil. Second, in terms of infectious illness, essential oils can do for us EXACTLY the same thing they do for plants: prevent infection from bacteria, viruses and fungus. An excellent analogy would be extracting particular antioxidants from a plant and ingesting this for capturing oxidative radicals in our bodies -- the antioxidant serves precisely the same function for the plant.

The Science Behind Essential Oils As Agents For Immune-System Protection

Scientific researchers have demonstrated antiviral, antibacterial and immune-system stimulating actions of a great many essential oils in laboratory settings. Essential oil of Oregano is one of the most effective antibacterials available, and can be ingested in small doses by humans for this effect because of its low toxicity (household bleach is an excellent antibacterial, but is highly poisonous!). Tea Tree essential oil was recently shown to destroy the H1N1 virus (Letters in Applied Microbiology, Sept. 2009); Bay Laurel has this effect against the virus SARS-CoV; MANY essential oils prevent the spread of, and heal infections from HSV-1 and HSV-2. Further, essential oils have demonstrated abilities to improve the function of our immune system: in the April 2008 issue of BMC Immunology, Eucalyptus essential oil was shown to significantly improve immune cell response, and this same essential oil is considered to have anti-viral action as well.

Cold and Flu Prevention At Home and In The Workplace

Therapists recommend two methods of using essential oils for immune system support and protection from infectious illness: inhalation through diffusion, and topical application via massage and baths. Diffusion is a excellent means if using the oils in the workplace or other clinical settings, as the method is truly passive -- just breathing the air imparts the therapeutic properties of the oils. All the methods discussed are also appropriate if one has already contracted an illness, and can be of greatest help in the first stages of infection.

Diffusing Essential Oils: Aromatherapist's Favorite Immune Supporting Method

Diffusing essential oils into your environment provides three primary benefits: First, the oils are directly eliminating microbes in the air, thus reducing the concentration of live pathogens you may be inhaling or touching at any time and reducing the load on your immune system. Second, most essential oils, and particularly the strong anti-microbial ones, have an uplifting effect on the psyche. Many practitioners consider the mind-body link crucial to overall health, and specifically to an effective immune system. Finally, inhalation of essential oils is thought by aroma-therapy professionals to be THE most effective means of bolstering immune system function. Because the respiratory system is often the route of infection, inhalation is the best means to implement the cellular changes essential oils can create (one result of essential oil contact is a change in the electrical potential of cell walls, making it more difficult for pathogens to get inside the cells).

Choosing the Best Diffuser Style

One means to do both is using a professional-grade essential oil diffuser. For all these purposes, a high-quality nebulizing diffuser is the best choice, capable of making the highest concentration of essential oil in the air in your environment. Other diffusers will make a nice aroma for sure, but the cold-air (as opposed to 'ultrasonic') nebulizer will make a fine mist of pure essential oils, and is easily adjusted to suit the size of your environment. A nebulizer should only be used for a few minutes every hour; essential oils are very potent, and one should never feel overwhelmed by their aromas. By using a diffuser coupled with a timer, you can cycle the diffuser ON for 10 minutes, then OFF for 50 throughout the day and night. This method also conserves the oils to keep costs to a minimum.

Other Modes of Application

Essential oils are also very effective when topically applied -- they readily pass through the skin and into the bloodstream. For this purpose, very simple blends of essential oils and carrier oils can be made. A carrier oil is just any "fixed" oil (one that does not easily evaporate) like Jojoba, Olive, Almond and the like. The dilutions are as follows: for application to the feet, use ten percent total essential oils in carrier, for other parts of the body and for a bath oil, use five percent. A soak in a warm tub, with your oil formula mixed in is an absolutely lovely way to gain all the benefits of the oils: they're absorbing into the skin and evaporating from the surface for inhalation. For blending: a one-percent concentration is equal to eight drops of essential oil per fluid ounce of carrier oil -- from there you can multiply up to whatever volume of blend you'd like to make. For children, cut these concentrations by half, for children under 7, in half again, and under 4 half again. Do not topically apply essential oils to children under two without consulting a professional or highly-knowledgeable practitioner for precise instructions.

Immune-Stimulation: The Critical Body Areas

If you keep a pre-mixed formula on-hand, simple massage is easily performed one or two times daily. The feet are reputed to be highly receptive for all aroma-therapeutic treatments, including immune-support. Deeply massage both feet thoroughly with the mixture; if you have access to a reflexology chart, you can focus extra attention to the respiratory and lymph system reflex points. These are the important areas of the body to massage directly as well: the chest, the neck, the armpits, and being careful about sensitivity (dilute further if necessary) the sinuses and temples, and the groin area.

Putting It All Together: The Essential Oil Formulas

The list of antimicrobial and immune-supportive oils is lengthy; here we'll narrow it down as much as possible to those that are also highly regarded as specifically antiviral as well. Melissa -- also called "lemon balm" may be the most versatile, all-around immune-supportive essential oil. It is well-known to make cells resistant to viral infection, and its aroma is one that has statistically significant antidepressant properties. It is thought to potentate the effects of other oils, and because of its very high potency, can be used in very small percentages in relation to other oils. Tea Tree is the most widely studied of the antibacterial and antiviral oils, and the only essential oil thus far shown to specifically eradicate H1N1 influenza. Bay Laurel -- or "laurus nobilis" has been shown to have direct action against against a highly infectious virus causing severe respiratory ailments. Narrow-leaf Eucalyptus has both antiviral and proven immune-modulating actions. There are several other important oils worth mentioning: Lavender (great for children), Hyssop, Thyme, and Rosemary Verbenone.

Mixing any three of these oils will create an effective synergy (it appears that the more chemically-complex essential oils have greater antiviral action, and blending this way replicates this). A specific formula may be made like this: 1 milliliter each of Bay Laurel, Eucalyptus, and Lavender, plus 8 drops of Melissa. This recipe can be used directly in a diffuser, or blended in a carrier oil as above. In one ounce of carrier, this would make a 10% concentration (for foot use), in 2 ounces of carrier for application to the rest of the body and as a bath oil. Continue diluting the recipe as necessary for children depending on their age. Essential oils are highly potent, so don't be afraid of really diluted them down for use by children (in fact, this should be the rule!).

Essential Oils: Simple Treatments for Maximum Health

During the cold seasons, these simple uses of essential oils can have profound results for your immune system, and the health of your friends, co-workers, clients, family and children. You can be confident of the scientifically-supported benefits of these wonderful herbal medicines. And as oils have so many positive health effects outside of just supporting immune system function, you'll open the door to a new realm of natural health.

About the Author:

Besides their wonderful aromas, many oils have profound health benefits, such as anticancer and antibacterial actions.

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