Attune Aroma

Early Monday morning my husband woke up miserable.  He had enough experience to know that he was getting sick quick.  Getting sick is never fun for anyone but for him it can- and does- spiral downward quickly due to his asthma and allergies.  If it isn’t caught in time, he can be down for 2 weeks with bronchitis.  We had spent Sunday afternoon partially outside with the new seasonal allergens and partially in old buildings full of dust.  Add this to the lack of sleep he experienced during the week and it was prime breeding ground for inflammation and infection.

I am rarely around during this stage as it usually happens during a late night work session or while he is traveling.  I immediately got out my oils and made 2 undiluted blends.  The main goal was to expel the mucus and ease the inflammation of the bronchial tubes.

The first blend contained Myrrh (Commiphora molmol), Laurel Leaf (Laurus nobilis), Clove Bud (Eugenia caryophyllata) and Ravensara (Cinnamomum camphora). I chose Clove for it’s extremely strong antiseptic, antiviral and antibacterial qualities, Ravensara because of its antiviral and expectorant properties, Laurel Leaf because of its helpful combination of being an expectorant, mucolytic and anti-inflammatory and Myrrh because not only is it a great oil for inflammation and the respiratory system but due to its high sesquiterpene content it is a soothing, grounding and nourishing oil.  This is an important addition in order to balance an otherwise harsh and sensitizing blend full of oxides, phenols and monotepernes.  I added this blend to Jojoba oil at a 3% dilution and then massaged his chest with it.  I then covered the area with a heating pad and applied the blend to his feet in order to manipulate the reflexology points that led to his lungs, bronchial tubes and the rest of his respiratory system.  Once I was finished with the reflexology treatment I massaged the diluted blend on his upper back using upward strokes, covering with a heating pad when done.

The second undiluted blend I made was a bit more calming and included Laurel Leaf (Laurus nobilis) again (love this oil for respiratory conditions…especially for asthmatics), Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobilis), Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) and Myrtle (Myrtus communis).  The Roman Chamomile and Helichrysum I wanted to use because of their high anti-inflammatory ester content while the Eucalyptus is a fantastic expectorant.  When I think of Frankincense I think of meditation and for good reason as it is known for easing the respiratory system allowing one to take in deeper, more relaxed breaths.  Myrtle has the uncommon trait of being both an expectorant and sedating which makes it another favorite of mine for respiratory issues.  My intention was for him to use this blend as a steam inhalation throughout the day as well as placing a few drops in the bedside nebulizer at night.  I also switched out this blend in the nebulizer with Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) during the day because it is a potent anti-infective agent.

This infection didn’t stand a chance!  It helps that most of these oils also help with easing allergy symptoms.  A win win situation thanks to the always wonderful versatility of essential oils!

For his sore throat, I had him gargle a cup of warm water with sea salt and a drop of antibacterial Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) in the morning and evening.

Lather, rinse & repeat.

Needless to say I was busy on Monday.  It all paid off on Tuesday when he called me at the office to tell me how good he felt.  He was already coughing up mucus (hey, health isn’t pretty sometimes!), sleeping well and progressing much faster then usual.  Today his sore throat is almost gone and he is rarely coughing…but when he does it is productive.

Thanks to the early use of essential oils he is at a stage that usually takes double the time to get to.