Do Essential Oils Support Good Health?

COVID-19 caused a global scare and panic, and we’re dealing with the fallout of it now – and unfortunately, in addition to a global influenza pandemic, there are other instances like drug resistant pathogens that can threaten us too. (I hope you are able to come to the Immune Defense Summit which talks all about this in June).  The World Health Organization even names these part of the top 10 global health threats. There’s no doubt that the best defense we have is to strengthen our immunity.  Let’s dive into the fascinating topic of essential oils to see how they may be able to assist during this time.

What have you been doing to make sure your immune system is thriving?

Can Essential Oils Help with Viruses?

Well, according to Holly Draper, of Purify Skin Therapy, a highly educated aromatherapist, with the highest international aromatherapy certification, and a Master’s Degree in Aromatherapy, there can be benefits to using essential oils. 

A simple search for essential oils (EO’s) on PubMed will show you dozens and dozens of recent scientific studies that show possible benefits.¹ It’s no wonder people are asking their doctor’s alot more about EO’s.

Certain essential oils may have some degree of effectiveness against certain pathogens.²  Using essential oils from 3 blends has shown to be effective against infectious pathogens, including the H1N1 virus.³

Please note that we normally do not recommend EO’s for internal use – there’s one exception however, in the event of a viral infection.  Please always consult with your doctor first before adding EO’s to your health plan, especially if you’re pregnant or nursing.

Do Essential Oils Have Health Supporting Properties?

Understanding the potential effectiveness of essential oils against infectious pathogens can help us release stress and feel empowered during this time.⁴ According to Harpreet Gujral, program director of integrative medicine at Sibley Memorial Hospital, “Essential oils don’t work for everyone, but there’s no harm in trying them as long as you use them in a safe way…Even if they just boost your mood, it can make a positive impact on your health and well-being.”⁵

According to a review on essential oils in one particular study: 

We can conclude that aromatherapy is natural and noninvasive gift of nature for humans. It’s not only the disease symptoms which are eradicated but the whole body is rejuvenated by the use of aroma. Aromatherapy regulates the physiological, spiritual and psychological upliftment for the new phase of life. This therapy is not only preventive but also can be used in the acute and chronic stages of disease. Pharmaceutical industries are trying for environmental friendly, alternative and natural medicine for disease associated with pathogens and metabolism. There may be a possibility of enhancing the rate of reaction and bioavailability of drugs from the use of these essential oils.⁶

If properly studied, these volatile oils may have the synergistic effect with the drugs used in the treatment of central nervous system disorder. Moreover, the time at which the plant contains the maximum amount of volatile oil with various chemical constituents also is a matter of discussion. Essential oils can be a useful non-medicinal option or can also be combined with conventional care for some health conditions, provided safety and quality issues are considered. The tilt of the scientific community towards complementary and alternative medicine has given the new hope to reduce the unwanted effects of modern medicine by these essential oils and if properly explored to their full potential, this therapy can be a boon not only to the patients but also to a common man.⁶

Which essential oils are best? 

Please note that we are not saying that essential oils are a cure-all for or prevention against viral infections.   We’ve been saying for the past 30 years that there is a front and a back to everything.  So if you’ve already talked to your doctor, and want to choose an EO, we would recommend choosing one that is wild-crafted like the one from Purify Skin Therapy. 

To combat virulent pathogens, Holly recommends blends over single oils.  Here are the three she recommends:

1.An Age Appropriate Immune Blend

The Immune blend (Immune, Blend of 100% Pure Premium Grade, Certified Organic Essential Oils, 15 ml)  was formulated with viral infections in mind. All the oils in the blend were carefully chosen for their potential to have therapeutic effects. 

Another blend is called Mega Immune (Mega Immune, Blend of 100% Pure Premium Grade, Certified Organic Essential Oils, 15 ml). This blend, according to Holly, is powerful to the point where it shouldn’t be used for longer than about 10 days at a time.  Holly recommends to alternate this one with the Immune blend for best results.

What about your kids? Purify Skin Therapy was the first essential oil company to come out with a kids safe line of essential oils over 8 years ago. They have a custom blend called Kids Immune (Kid’s Immune, Blend of 100% Pure Premium Grade, Certified Organic and Wildcrafted Essential Oils, 15 ml).

They also have one called Baby Immune (Baby Immune, Blend of 100% Pure Premium Grade, Certified Organic & Wildcrafted Essential Oils, 15 ml) if you have infants under 12 months old.   If you are going to use EO’s on your kids, be sure to consult with your doctor before doing so.

2. Respiratory Blend

Purify has another blend that Holly says may aid and support the immune system called Respiratory Blend (Respiratory, Blend of 100% Pure Premium Grade, Certified Organic Essential Oils, 15 ml). This one is best inhaled according to Holly. If you have a good diffuser, she says this is the best blend for the respiratory system to use in your diffuser. 

3. Throat Care Blend

Along with the age appropriate Immune and Respiratory blends mentioned above, Holly also recommends having the Throat Care blend (Throat Care, Blend of 100% Pure Premium Grade, Certified Organic Essential Oils, 15 ml) for sore throats and coughing. 

Wildcrafted Essential Oils in Summary

When you buy an essential oil blend from Purify Skin Therapy, they send instruction sheets with them so you know how best to apply them for maximum results.

And please make sure if you’re going to use essential oils that you’ve consulted with your doctor first and foremost and make sure you choose a wild-crafted, clean, high quality and effective EO.  Additionally, make sure the oils you use are certified organic (so you’re not applying high concentrations of pesticides) by verifying that the USDA organic seal is right on the label.   And remember, if pregnant or nursing, check with your doctor first or and do the same for your child.  We also do not recommend ingesting essential oils normally but make an exception for viral issues.  Again, EO’s are not for everyone and may not work for some.

Purify Skin Therapy is proud to be one of the very few ALL organic and wildcrafted essential oil lines in the country. They guarantee their oils are not sprayed with toxic chemicals or fertilizers by having them USDA certified organic. Quality is their highest priority.   We hope that by providing you with this information, it can help you make an educated decision that is right for you and your family.

References

1. U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health – PubMed.gov, search for essential oil studies:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=essential+oil
2. Swamy, M. K., Akhtar, M. S., & Sinniah, U. R. (2016). Antimicrobial Properties of Plant Essential Oils against Human Pathogens and Their Mode of Action: An Updated Review. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2016, 3012462. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206475/
3. Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. MicrobiologyOpen, 6(4), e00459. https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.459
4. Taiwo MO, Adebayo OS (2017) Plant Essential Oil: An Alternative to Emerging Multidrug Resistant Pathogens. J Microbiol Exp 5(5): 00163. DOI: 10.15406/jmen.2017.05.00163
5. John Hopkins Medicine.  Aromatherapy:  Do Essential Oils Really Work? https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/aromatherapy-do-essential-oils-really-work

6. BabarAli, Naser AliAl-Wabel, SaibaShams, AftabAhamad, Shah AlamKhan, FirozAnwar. Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine.  Volume 5, Issue 8, August 2015, Pages 601-611.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115001033#!