Essential Oils: Slap a Cold, Kick a Fever!

It's that time of year, everywhere you look.. You can't seem to get away from it, no matter how hard you try. It's cold & flu season, and if you refuse to get a flu shot like me then you are washing your hands nonstop and avoiding anyone who dares to clear an itch in their throat within a five mile radius. These days I'm avoiding human contact with anyone who shows any signs of sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head or fever.

Moms don't get days off, especially Mom Bloggers!

I often get asked what I use on my kids when they do come across the occasional cold. So I'm sharing it all with you! Now, I usually diffuse Onguard essential oil in my boys room at night whenever they are in contact with a lot of children (which is weekly), I also apply to the bottoms of their feet. Usually if one of my little guys shows any sign of a sniffle I will apply diluted Onguard and rub on the Thymus for some added immune support (many times this is enough to cut whatever it was off at the pass). This, along with tons of hand washing are pretty good at keeping everyone generally healthy for the most part.

Occasionally (much less frequently since I started using essential oils as a means of preventative maintenance), they will come across something that they have to work through and in this case I use an arsenal of essential oils until I see symptoms subside. I keep the following in my medicine cabinet at all times.

• Onguard Essential Oil Blend
• Breathe Essential Oil Blend
• Lemon Essential Oil
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil
• Breathe Throat Drops
• Onguard SoftGels

In case of fever I would also add Lavender or Peppermint oil to the mix. 

The Onguard blend as I mentioned before is great as added immune support, I diffuse this as well as rub it on their feet and/or chest (Thymus). This is in addition to anything else I am using to treat symptoms.

If there is a lot of chest congestion and sinus pressure I apply a diluted Breathe blend on the chest as well as the feet. This usually helps to make breathing a bit easier, clears your sinuses right up (even if only for a little while). When I notice they start to struggle with breathing again I reapply, these blends won't completely erase the cold but it will help make us more comfortable throughout and it seems shorten the length of the cold.

I also apply diluted Lemon Essential Oil along the spine to help cut some of the congestion. For myself and my husband I will just add some Lemon Oil to a glass of water and it really helps ease coughing and break through some of the congestion. Children are not supposed to ingest any essential oil before the age of six so for now I just apply on their spine and I notice the runny nose takes a break for a few hours.

In order to bypass those night time interruptions due to sinus pressure/ congestion/ or constant coughing I diffuse  Eucalyptus Oil. I usually double the dosage when they are really stuffed up, this helps us all get a lot more rest (sleep is essential for a speedy recovery). This, along with a healthy diet, plenty of fluids, my "magic soup" and lots of mommy cuddles will usually do the trick. Before you know it they are up and running ready to drive me crazy keep me going.

If there is a problem with fevers then some Lavender Oil on the temples and forehead should do the trick. For a high fever that wont quit or keeps spiking I add some Peppermint Oil to the temples and/or feet, this usually brings it back down pretty quickly. To be clear, if the fever is scary high or persists, this warrants a trip to the pediatrician. I'm all for taking the natural route as much as possible, but I am not wreckless with my children. I also highly respect the opinion of my pediatrician, which is why I have chosen him. I mean, I was able to reach this man on Christmas Eve at 9pm when I was a new mom dealing with an infant who had severe acid reflux. Let's just say I'm a believer!

Now, during all of this "mommy-care" I have to be responsible and be sure to take care of mommy as well, otherwise I'm no good to anyone. So to help me stay healthy while caring for everyone else I make sure and stay on top of my vitamins, food and water intake, sleep schedule (ha, ha), AND I make sure and take my Onguard SoftGels. Moms need all the added immune support they can get when dealing with a germ filled household.

If I start to get that "scratchy throat" that usually warns me a cold is on its way, then I will start using the Breathe Throat Drops. These are very soothing and help feel as though they open up your airways and take away that tight / dry feeling in the throat. This along with the SoftGels and a little Onguard oil to the throat usually help fight off anything that was trying to form. If not, then I just follow the same protocol listed above with a lighter adult dilution.

That pretty much wraps up my cold care remedies. I love having natural options for my family. If you'd like to learn more about the essential oils mentioned above just click here. If you are in the Delray Beach area come join us for free Essential Oil Education classes offered monthly at The Salt Suite. The next class is scheduled for January 29th at 6pm. You can RSVP for the class at EssentiallyErika@gmail.com.

If you would like to learn about other all natural options that are available over the counter, you can check out my previous post on Kids Relief Homeopathic Medicine.


Essentially Yours,


Erika

Kids Relief - Homeopathic Medicine

I recently had the pleasure of attending the USA launch of HomeoLab's Kids Relief Homeopathic Medicine. I take an all natural approach to healing, as natural as possible. I tend to rely on essential oils (in case you haven't heard) as the first line of defense or preventative maintenance. This works pretty well for me. My boys have been healthier this past season than ever before. My oldest was prone to ear infections, he had six episodes last year alone and the doctors were considering putting tubes in his ears. This year he hasn't had any and I attribute it to the preventative care with essential oils.

However, there are times when germs and/or bacteria find a way and prevail. In these instances I lean more on Homeopathic Medicine before I turn to any synthetic over the counter medications, just my preference. The homeopathic route usually only includes the inactive ingredients keeping it as "natural" as possible as far as over the counter medication is concerned.

So when I heard that HomeoLab was launching their Real Relief / Kids Relief line for the whole family in the United States I was intrigued. Michele Boisvert, the President / Owner of HomeoCan / HomeoLab, and winner of the Trailblazer Award started the company in Montreal, Quebec. It was the first woman-owned business in Quebec at the time. Since 1987 they have offered more than 200 prime quality natural products in homeopathy, phytotherapy, oligotherapy and aromatherapy. All products are manufactured in strict accordance with Health Canada and FDA regulations and guidelines.

They recently opened an office right here in Boca Raton, FL for their latest USA launch of the company and its products. They started out with Kids Relief and have recently expanded into adult healthcare. Providing a plethora of different homeopathy for adults from "Calm Remedy", to PMS / Menopause assistance and Adult Arnica Gel / Cream.

They have offices right in Coconut Creek, Florida and Michele is a Palm Beach County resident. She started out as a pharmacist in Quebec with a passion for homeopathy. She eventually closed her pharmacy and opened a manufacturing plant. The United States manufacturing plant is now located in New Jersey.

The beauty in Homeopathic Medicine is that there is no fear of overdose, it doesn't work that way due to all of the inactive ingredients. I've personally experienced this when my oldest son got his hands on a handful of teething tablets. Fearing I would need to have his stomach pumped or call Poison Control I checked the label first which had instructed me to call the hotline. The gentleman on the other line assured me no harm could come from his digesting these homeopathic tablets and set this frantic mommy at ease.

Another added bonus to using Kids Relief is that it offers relief for ALL ages. The age requirements on all of their products have recently been upgraded to 0-9 years of age! Most moms know that if you have a toddler with a cough you cannot find cough medicine for children under 6 years of age. This is incredibly frustrating, especially if you are watching your child suffer. The all inclusive age limits on Kids Relief is a major selling point for me, not to mention the yummy taste. I've tasted the cold/flu remedy myself and it was pretty good! You can find the entire Relief product line at your local CVS, Walgreens or local health food store.

If you would like more information on HomeoLab's Adult / Kids Relief you can visit their website.

Essentially Yours,


Erika