Using essential oils for allergies can be a life saver. When your eyes are watery and itchy, the sneezing won't stop and your nose has been stuffed up for days, all you want is some relief. If you suffer for seasonal allergies you know exactly what I mean.
I'll tell you right now, unless you have only a slight allergy flair up, essential oils alone will not rid you of your allergy symptoms. They are a supplement and not a cure. Taking appropriate allergy medications and taking preventative steps, like using a neti pot and essential oils, can help keep your allergies at bay and provide you with relief.
I find that most of my allergy symptoms fade completely or are minimized when I take allergy meds, use a neti pot at least once a day and use essential oils specifically to support my respiratory system. Staying above the wellness line takes a bit of work where allergies are concerned, but it's so worth it. Since adding essential oils to my wellness routine during allergy season I've noticed a significant drop in my symptoms intensity and duration.
Usage...
Essential oil usage during allergy season consists of diffusing and topical use. Spending 15 - 20 minutes breathing in diffused essential oils 2-4 times a day is ideal to help support and sooth your respiratory system.
Most of us don't have time to consistently diffuse like that so creating topical application, by using roller bottles, will still give you the oils benefits when a diffuser is not an option.
Below we will go over essential oils that work well during allergy season. Most of these oils support your respiratory system and have soothing properties. A lot of these oils are also great to use during a cold or flu for the same reasons.
How will you know which oils to use? By experimenting. Because all the oils listed below have properties that are beneficial during allergy season you'll just have do some experimenting to find the right ones for you. One oil might work better over another one for you. Or maybe you enjoy the scent of one oil and hate another. The list below is just a good place to start.
The holy trinity...
Ask anyone who's used essential oils for a while what oils to use during allergy season and you'll most likely hear Lavender, Lemon and Peppermint.
These oils are considered the holy trinity of oils for allergy sufferers. Individually these oils are helpful when dealing with allergies but when combined together they become a Rockstar blend.
Why is that? Essential oils can become more powerful when combined into a synergy blend. Often oils are mixed into synergy blends to enhance their properties. If you'd like to read up on synergy blends this article from the New York Institute for Aromatic Studies it pretty thorough and does a great job of explaining it.
I make a roller bottle of Lavender, Lemon and Peppermint to keep in my purse. Along with allergy uses it also makes a wonderful skin soother for bug bites or small scratches.
The essential oils ....
Peppermint essential oil can work as an expectorant, supports the respiratory system and helps reduce inflammation.
Lavender essential oil is naturally soothing and helps reduce inflammation.
Lemon essential oil supports the lymphatic system.
Basil essential oil reduces inflammation and supports the adrenal glands
Lemongrass essential oil is a wonderful oil that supports the respiratory system and soothes irritation.
Rosemary essential oil can help calm irritation and supports the respiratory system.
Eucalyptus essential oil comes in several different varieties (my favorite is eucalyptus blue) and each has it's own strengths but all of them help open the lungs and sinuses, reducing allergy symptoms and work as an expectorant.
Cedarwood, Idaho Balsam Fir, Northern Lights Black Spruce and Pine essential oils are all wonderful oils that help support the respiratory system and soothe irritation.
R.C. and Raven are two blends from Young Living that deserve a mention. They are specifically blended for respiratory support. I love both of them and diffuse them often during allergy flair ups and colds.
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