We are delighted to have Lorna McCormack join Happy Magazine as a contributor. Lorna is a nutritionist, living foods instructor and specialist in essential oils and herbs. Lorna’s journey to a plant-based lifestyle was fueled by her personal health challenges and family illnesses. For her first article Lorna has written about how to protect your family from colds and flus naturally with the help of essential oils.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are currently receiving cancer treatment, you must check with your medical team before beginning the use of any essential oils, to ensure they do not conflict with your particular programme of treatment.
Your entire body aches, your head feels like it’s going to explode and you’re hacking up a lung.
It’s that time of year when everyone is sick and you feel like there’s absolutely nothing you can do to prevent it or even to help when someone in your house does catch it.
Well, what if I told you that there are some powerful natural remedies for colds and coughs that work within minutes PLUS are way cheaper than dropping €20 on over-the-counter medicines? But before we talk about them, let’s take a look at what flu is.
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. These viruses spread through the air from person to person. The signs and symptoms are usually:
- Fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatique
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Implementing the recommendations by the American Centre for Disease Control for non-pharmaceutical interventions will help stop the spread of flu. These include:
- Staying home when you’re sick.
- Covering your coughs or sneezes with a tissue.
- Washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer.
- Covering your nose or mouth with a mask or cloth if you are sick and have to be around others at a community gathering of people.
However, there are things you can do to avoid the flu in the first place or to deal with it naturally if you or a loved one already has it.
Here I’m going to teach you about the potent flu-fighting effects of just 5 essential oils. Plus I’ll give you 8 essential oils blends that you can start to use straight away to protect your home and family.
The Power of Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils
It’s been 6 years since I started using certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils, and I can’t fathom getting through an illness in our house without them. Especially when it comes to colds and coughs, essential oils are my secret weapon. Certified pure therapeutic grade essentials oils 100% pure and made from plants that have been sourced from their native environment, that have been harvested at the optimum time. This is what makes the essential oils that I use so incredibly potent.
Here are my 5 favourite essential oils for preventing and even easing symptoms when someone catches a cold or flu.
Essential Oil #1 Eucalyptus
The eucalyptus tree is an evergreen tree native to Australia. While it provides amazing nutritional support to the native koala bears, the essential oils extracted from eucalyptus leaves also have powerful medicinal properties.
Eucalyptus acts as an expectorant which means it helps cleanse the body of harmful microorganisms and toxins. Eucalyptus is one of my favourite oils for;
- Diffusing to kill germs and reducing viruses
- Preventing colds & flus
- Clearing sinus congestion
- Getting rid of sinus headaches
- Muscle aches and pains
Essential Oil #2 Melaleuca
Melaleuca, also known as tea tree, is well-known for its powerful antiseptic properties. Melaleuca’s ability to kill many strains of bacteria, viruses and fungi are well documented in numerous medical studies. Melaleuca can be used to;
- Stimulate the immune system to act against viruses
- Reducing viruses and bacteria
- Reducing swelling in sinuses
- Reducing sinus congestion
Essential Oil #3 Lavender
Lavender essential oil is the most used essential oil in the world, not surprising since its benefits were discovered over 2,500 years ago. It has powerful antioxidant, antimicrobial, sedative, calming and anti-depressive properties. Lavender essential oil is one of my favourite oils for:
- Diffusing to kill germs
- Preventing colds & flu
- Immune support
- Reducing sinus congestion
- Reduce swelling in sinuses
- Emotional balance & calming anxiety
- Reducing achy muscles
- Skin issues
- Sleep issues especially related to over-thinking
Essential Oil #4 Wild Orange
Wild orange essential oil comes from the outer peel of the fruit of the Citrus Sinensi orange plant. It is highly sought after for its immune-boosting effects.
In your home you’ve likely got soaps, detergents or kitchen cleaner that smells like oranges. That’s because orange essential oil is added to these products for its antibacterial properties. A potent formula of wild orange’s active ingredients is responsible for its healing abilities.
Wild orange essential oil can be used for:
- Diffusing for its uplifting aroma
- Preventing colds and flu by supporting immunity
- Soothing muscle aches associated with colds
- Reducing nausea
- Stress reduction
Essential Oil #5 Frankincense
Frankincense has been used for thousands of years for its healing properties. Frankincense has many documented uses including helping relieve chronic stress and anxiety, reducing pain and inflammation, boosting immunity and even potentially helping to fight cancer.
Frankincense is one of my favourite oils for:
- Diffusing to kill germs
- Preventing colds and flu
- Immune support
- Reducing swelling in sinuses
- Emotional balance & calming anxiety
- Reducing muscle aches
- Skin issues
- Reducing night-time coughing
How to use these oils
To help you put an essential oil protocol into place to protect your home and family from colds & flu I’ve created a downloadable guide containing 8 blends of essential oils to use in your home, suitable for both adults and kids. In this guide, which you can get by clicking here, you’ll get these oil blends:
No One Gets Sick In This House – A day time diffusing blend
Everyone Gets A Good Night’s Sleep – A Night-time Diffusing Blend
Your Sinuses Will Love You – A Daytime Inhaler Blend
Sleep Without Tissues – A Night-time Inhaler Blend
We Love Being Germ Free! An Aloe Vera Based Hand Cleanser
Blissful Sleep Salt – A Night-time Bath Salt Blend
I Feel Great! – A Daytime Chest & Neck Blend
Deep Deep Sleep – A Night-time Chest & Neck Blend
Plus I’ve included substitutes for each essential oil, just in case you’re out when you need it the most!
It’s all about been prepared. Have the essential oils in your house NOW (they don’t expire for 5 years, so actually have a shelf life longer than most pharmaceuticals). That way you’ll have exactly what you need, when you need it. Click here to download the guide and start making your blends.
Lorna McCormack is a nutritionist, living foods instructor and specialist in essential oils and herbs. Lorna’s journey to a plant-based lifestyle was fueled by her personal health challenges and family illnesses. It kickstarted years of study in plant-based therapies, and hundreds of hours counselling patients through their transformations with plant-based foods and natural remedies. Now, she’s making it her life’s mission to help others discover and excel on their own journey.
