The common cold is a viral illness feared by the whole family. It takes us by surprise in winter but also in autumn and spring. The common cold is often accompanied by its classic symptoms such as a runny nose or, on the contrary, a stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, slight fatigue, or even a slight fever. It can also cause headaches and eye pain during the first few days.
Generally benign when it appears, it is recommended to treat it as quickly as possible (the time factor is essential!!!) because it can subsequently cause more serious infections such as bronchitis, otitis or sinusitis. To relieve you as quickly as possible, we have prepared a special file with the best oils to have on hand to get rid of a cold from the first days, as well as some simple and very effective recipes for treatment but also for prevention.
This file details:
Our miracle recipe against colds (preventive and curative) with essential oil of radiant eucalyptus.
The most effective recipe in our eyes (against all cold symptoms). Use from the first day of a cold if possible.
Ingredients:
- 2 ml d'radiated eucalyptus essential oil
- 2 ml d'ravintsara essential oil
- 1 ml d'niaouli essential oil
How to use it ?
Mix all the ingredients in a 5 ml codigoutte bottle.As a preventative measure: 1 drop of your preparation every morning in a small spoon of honey (as a 7-day course during epidemics).
As a cure (if the cold has already affected you): 1 drop in a small spoon of honey 4 times a day for 3 to 4 days + breathe deeply into the bottle 4 to 5 times a day to free the sinuses.
Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women and children under 10 years old.
Inhalation of niaouli and eucalyptus essential oils to treat colds and rhinitis
Ingredients:
- 1.5 liters of boiling water
- 1 towel
- 4 drops ofniaouli essential oil
- 4 drops ofradiated eucalyptus essential oil
How to use it ?
To be done in the evening preferably. Boil one and a half liters of water. Prepare your essential oils to have them on hand. Let the water cool slightly for a few minutes; burns may occur if you lean into the steam that is too hot.Cover your head with a towel and first inhale the vapors through your nose and mouth with your eyes closed. Then pour in the drops of essential oils and cover yourself again with the towel. Breathe through your mouth and nose with your eyes closed for 5 to 10 minutes. Go to bed immediately afterwards.
Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women and children under 8 years old.
Balm with essential oils against runny nose
Ingredients:
- 6 ml Coconut oil
- 28 ml Shea Butter
- 5 drops Cypress essential oil
- 15 drops Radiated eucalyptus essential oil
- 15 drops Ravintsara essential oil
- 10 drop Niaouli essential oil
How to use it ?
In a bowl, melt the coconut oil and shea butter in a bain-marie. Once melted, remove the bowl from the bain-marie and leave to cool for a few minutes. Then add all the essential oils, mix with a spatula and pour into a jar. Preferably store in the fridge for 6 months.Apply by massaging the sides of the nose. You can also apply the butter using a cotton swab to the inside walls of the nose.
Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women and children under 8 years old.
Massage oil against colds with ravintsara essential oil
Ingredients:
- 15 drops of ravintsara
- 15 drops ofradiated eucalyptus essential oil
- 4 ml d'apricot kernel oil
How to use it ?
Mix all the ingredients in a codigoutte bottle. Massage the chest and back with 10 drops of the preparation 3 times a day from the first symptoms for 3 days.Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women and children under 8 years old.
Contraindications:
These synergies should not be used in pregnant women (during the entire pregnancy), breastfeeding women and children under 10 years old.
These properties and methods of use do not constitute medical advice. For therapeutic use consult a doctor.
What is a cold (rhinitis)?
The common cold is an infection of the nasal passages (nose) and sometimes the throat caused by a virus (usually a rhinovirus). The main symptoms of a cold, also called rhinitis, are very well known:
- Blocked or runny nose
- Headache
- Cough
- Eternities
- Slight fatigue/feverish state
Generally symptoms last between 7 to 14 days. It is important to be able to relieve pain and decongest the airways quickly to facilitate a good recovery.
A cold of viral origin does not generally cause any complications, but it weakens the nearby mucous membranes which can then be colonized by several types of bacteria. We then speak of bacterial superinfection. These infections can be more or less serious, so the importance of treating a “small cold” should not be underestimated.
In addition, leaving a cold untreated exposes you to the risk of developing chronic rhinitis which will guarantee you an unhappy winter and spring.
Why do we catch a cold?
There are nearly 200 viruses that cause colds (often winter viruses). Our immune system neutralizes several cold viruses each year. If cold symptoms appear it means that our immune system has failed to neutralize a virus. It is therefore important to treat it as quickly as possible and boost our immune system.
If you regularly get colds in autumn and winter, consider spring cures to boost your immune system so that it can fight viruses itself.
Concerning pregnant women and children, vigilance is essential! Consult your doctor at the first signs of a cold. If you have a blocked nose, you can take a steam bath without essential oils. In case of a sore throat, prepare a hot drink with honey, lemon and possibly green tea.
Radiated eucalyptus essential oil:
If there was only one it would be this one!!
Anti-infectious, antibacterial, antiviral. Radiated eucalyptus essential oil decongests the respiratory tract and helps stimulate the immune system in order to overcome the virus responsible for your cold.
Warning: Do not use eucalyptus essential oil in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Dilute heavily before use.
Niaouli essential oil:
Very powerful antiviral, anti-infectious, it stimulates the immune system and helps your body get rid of viruses. Its anti-catarrhal and expectorant properties are very effective against respiratory infections.
Warning: Do not use niaouli essential oil in pregnant or breastfeeding women or in children under 6 years old. Dilute well in vegetable oil or emulsion as it can be irritating if used pure.
Ravintsara essential oil:
It is a powerful immune system booster and one of the most powerful anti-viral essential oils. This powerful anti-microbial also fights infections and problems related to the sinuses, respiratory tract and chronic allergies.
Warning: Do not use ravintsara essential oil in pregnant or breastfeeding women or in children under 8 years old.
Peppermint essential oil:
Invigorating and stimulating and works wonders in cases of general fatigue. It is also expectorant, mucolytic (very useful in cases of wet cough).
Warning: Peppermint essential oil is particularly powerful and concentrated; people sensitive to allergies as well as people with fragile skin should take extra care.
Do not use in case of heart problem, epilepsy, or fever. Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under 6 years old, people with epilepsy and the elderly. Never use undiluted peppermint essential oil (even in the bath).
Toxic to babies and the elderly. May cause local skin irritation. Causes a strong feeling of cold which can lead to hypothermia in case of excessive use. Maximum recommended concentration: 0.5% (neurotoxic and abortifacient at very high doses).
No prolonged use without medical advice.
Tea tree essential oil:
Anti-infectious, broad-spectrum bactericide, antifungal. Tea tree essential oil stimulates the immune system and can be an essential oil of choice for preventing colds as peak periods approach.
Warning: Tea tree essential oil is prohibited for pregnant women, breastfeeding women and children under 10 years old.
Lemon essential oil:
Antiseptic, anti-infectious, bactericidal, tonic, depurative. It is a perfect oil to purify the air and eliminate all germs and contagious viruses.
Warning: Lemon essential oil is photosensitizing, do not expose yourself to the sun after application. Dermocaustic if applied pure to the skin. Prohibited for pregnant or breastfeeding women and children under 8 years old.
Rosemary cineole essential oil:
Very useful in aromatherapy for many problems related to the respiratory tract (bronchitis, ear infections, sinusitis, coughs, etc.). This essential oil also sanitizes your rooms and helps prevent the spread of epidemics by reducing the risk of your cold spreading to your bronchial tubes.
Warning: Prohibited for pregnant or breastfeeding women and children under 8 years old.
Thyme essential oil with thymol:
One of the most powerful and anti-infectious essential oils with a very broad spectrum. It is a broad-spectrum antibacterial and antiseptic essential oil and helps effectively fight respiratory infections.
Warning: Use only for very short periods. Strictly reserved for adults. Prohibited for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Scots pine essential oil:
Scots Pine essential oil is mainly known for its expectorant and anti-infectious properties of the respiratory tract. It relieves coughs, softens the respiratory tract and helps treat respiratory infections such as bronchitis, colds, pneumonia, asthma, etc.
Warning: Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Not recommended for children under 6 years old. Scots Pine essential oil is potentially irritating; it is recommended to dilute it heavily.
Are colds contagious?
Colds are contagious! During an epidemic you have to be very careful not to be infected by a virus and be careful not to transmit it if you already have a cold!
The skin being quite airtight, winter viruses cannot penetrate it easily! but this is not the case for mucous membranes. It is therefore through the mucous membranes that the virus can generally infect you: more particularly in the eyes, nose and mouth.
Several transmission modes:
*** By direct contact: a person carrying a rhinovirus type virus sneezes with their hand in front of their mouth then shakes your hand 1 hour later (the virus can survive for several days on a dry surface). It is then very likely that if this person did not wash their hands, your hands now carry the virus. You rub your eyes and that's how you can catch a cold.
Two things to remember:
1 - Wash your hands very, very frequently during an epidemic.
2 - Sneeze while covering your mouth with your elbow and not with your hand.
*** By airborne transmission: a person carrying the virus coughs nearby and projects contaminated micro-droplets into the air. Contamination then occurs, for example, in the event of inhalation of these droplets.
So be very careful and take all precautions not to contaminate those around you.
Let's not sink into paranoia either because if your immune defenses are not weakened and functioning well, in the majority of cases they will overcome these viruses (statistically an adult catches 2 to 5 colds each year).
Factors aggravating and promoting the risk of catching colds and rhinitis.
Contrary to popular belief, cold temperatures are not a factor that promotes colds. It would even be the opposite: a too heated habitat encourages the proliferation of viruses. Staying indoors (in a poorly ventilated environment in winter) in contact with people with colds is the main factor increasing the risk of catching a cold.
Here are also other factors making you more vulnerable to the cold virus:
-Weak immune defenses
-A period of severe fatigue
-Stress
-A poor diet
-Insufficient hand washing
-Contact of hands with mouth, nose, eyes
Good actions against colds!
- Rule No. 1: act quickly!!
- The common cold is a contagious virus! The virus attaches to our nasal mucosa, our eyes and our mouth but also on contact with our hands.
- People with colds and those who are in constant contact should wash their hands regularly and ventilate living spaces well.
- If you have a cold and you have to go to the office, don't hesitate to wear a mask with a few drops of essential oil to relieve yourself and to prevent your colleagues from catching the virus.
- At home, assign yourself a placemat so as not to contaminate other members of the family. Use your own cup, spoon, etc. Only washing at high temperature can eliminate viruses that can spread on your cup, fork, etc.
- Use an air purifier with a few drops of essential oil to exterminate bacteria and germs to provide relief and prevent the spread of viruses in your home. Be careful, don't use essential oils if you have a pregnant friend visiting you!
- In winter avoid overheating your apartment, it is best to lower the heating temperature at least during your cold state to prevent bacteria from developing (they love warm, non-ventilated environments).
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