Fast Relief for Sneezing and More

Fast relief for sneezing, wheezing, sniffling, and more. 

When seasonal allergies have you sneezing and wheezing, rapid and effective relief can be found with essential oils. 
 
Now before I expand on this. I do need to share my standard disclosure:   I am not an MD and I don’t diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure disease.   If you are looking for biological or biochemical advice, I can help you.  But for medical advice, including questions on how oils might interact with your medications, see your MD.
 
That said, as a biologist/biochemist, I do know quite a bit about the what drives an allergic reaction.  I also spent several years extracting and analyzing essential oils.  I understand quite a bit about how essential oils interact with your cells. 

Essential oils work quickly to relieve sneezing, wheezing, sniffling, and more.

Essential oils are not a replacement for medicine.   They do, however, have powerful, fast, biological effects. They can relieve some allergy symptoms faster than standard medication.  When you swallow a pill, it might take 30 minutes to enter your bloodstream, and start clearing your sinuses.   An essential oil applied to your forehead or cheeks with a roller bottle can relieve you in less than a minute!
 
Now truthfully, the effect of the pill might persist longer.   Essential oils act quickly.  they also vaporize quickly.  Their effects don’t last long.   
 
If you have to drop off some tools you borrowed from your neighbor, and you are allergic to her cat, the oils may ensure that your sneezing won’t interrupt the conversation.  On the other hand, if you plan to stay the night, a prescribed antihistamine may be a better choice. 

Oils generally have fewer side effects. 

Because oils don’t linger around in the body, they generally have fewer side effects than prescription or over the counter antihistamines.  Their fast action and low risk makes them an ideal first line of defense against allergies. 

For a typical spell of sneezing, itching, or sniffling, I always start with essential oils.  If the oils don’t  eliminate the problem within a minute, I will reapply.   When my symptoms are really bad, pollen counts are high, and no relief is in site, then I pull out the medication.  

I have arrived at this approach  after years of observing of what causes my allergies, visiting with doctors and aromatherapists, studying oils, and observing how I respond to either medications or oils.  

Which oils should I start with?  

If you have never used essential oils, consider a consultation with a certified aromatherapist. The National Association of Holistic Aromatherapists can help you find one in your area.  Once you learn some basics, you can likely blend your own, or share recipes with others. 

A recipe similar to the LLP Relief Mix below sold me on essential oils more than 8 years ago.   I had lost my rescue inhaler, and I was having an asthma attack.  A friend persuaded me to give her oils a try.  A few drops in water and 20 seconds of oil pulling, and my wheezing was gone!  I don’t think my inhaler ever worked as effectively.  

 
My friend never gave me her recipe.  But she did tell me it contained lemon, lavender, and peppermint oils.  I read up on those oils, experimented, and came up with the formula below.  This is now my first line of defense for minor wheezing, sneezing, sniffling, minor congestion, and allergy induced itching. 
 
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LLP Relief Mix

You can prepare this essential oil mix at at home. Use it topically or with oil pulling to ease sneezing, wheezing, itching, or sniffling associated with colds, hay fever, and allergies*.   
 
Remember that LLP Relief Mix is a home remedy that is not intended as a substitute for medical care. This formula is not recommended for stopping a severe allergic reaction.
 

Ingredients:

1 part Lemon essential oil (100% pure)
1 part pure Lavender essential oil (100% pure) 
1 part Peppermint essential oil (100% pure)
27 parts carrier oil (You can use pure fractionated coconut oil or virgin olive oil, food grade or better)
 
If you have sensitive skin, start with a 1-in-20 to 1-in-10 dilution of the above recipe.  Adjust until you see only a positive effect.  If you have allergies to either the essential oils or the carrier oil, don’t use this approach. 
 
Directions:

Use glass or stainless steel measuring utensils to combine the above ingredients and mix thoroughly.   Store in a colored glass bottle (I find 2 ounce dropper bottles convenient) at room temperature away from sunlight. Use the mixture topically like you might use an old fashioned vapor rub.  You may rub a few drops on your chest, throat, or forehead.  If you are using food or therapeutic grade oils, you may also place two or three drops of LLP Relief Mix in an ounce of water.  Swish gently in your mouth, and swallow. Repeat 2-3 times if necessary.   Do not exceed more than 10 repetitions in an hour.  See the notes on oil pulling

Essential Oil Quality Considerations:

Many companies sell high quality essential oils.  Some do not.  As with anything you plan to put in or on your body, it pays to read labels and learn about the company you buy your oils from. 

For best results, find a trained aromatherapist to guide you.  Organizations like the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy can help you find experts that adhere to best practices. 

Use essential oils produced by companies that disclose how their oils are purified and implements third party quality control testing.  The most trusted companies will provide analytical results for each batch of oils, upon request.  

Carrier Oil Quality Considerations:
You may use any high quality, organic, carrier oil that is safe to use internally.  Avoid using common cooking oils, as these may contain pesticide residues.  Organic, fractionated coconut oil, which is basically tasteless and odor free, is popular as a carrier oil.   
For this particular blend, I use a high quality, extra virgin olive oil, such as  Sola Stella Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  By the way, while I do affiliate with other companies, you should know that  I am not in any way affiliated with the company that makes Sola Stella.  I have toured their farm, and I value Texas Hill Country Olive Company’s efforts to produce a pure, healthy, organic, olive oil.
It Matters What You Mix and Store Your Oils In!

 

Amber or colbalt glass bottles protect essential oils from damaging effects of light.
Always prepare essential oils in high quality glass or stainless steel containers.  
Essential oils contain natural hydrocarbons that can quickly dissolve chemicals found on and in common plastic household cooking utensils and storage containers.   You don’t want these toxic chemicals to end up in your mouth or on your skin!
Amber or cobalt glass bottles are recommended for storage because these protect your oils from exposure to light, which can reduce their shelf life.  For the
What Makes This Mixture Effective?
LLP Relief Mix contains powerful, complex, and biochemically balanced mixtures of small molecules that plants use daily to defend themselves against natural threats like pests and disease.  They have been used as remedies since ancient times.   
An individual essential oil may contain more than 200 kinds of molecules.  This means multiple health benefits are possible.  
For example, peppermint oil has proven antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.  Peppermint also relieves pain, and soothes the gastrointestinal tract.  
Lavender oil has effectively inhibited allergic reactions in animal models, and has long been used for reducing anxiety–often a factor in allergic reactions.  Lavender also has analgesic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Lemon oil has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, in addition to antioxidant and neurological benefits that help the end user stay calm and focused.  This calm awareness may be helpful for minimizing the impact of an allergic reaction.
As with any other natural remedy, results will vary among users.
Are Essential Oils Safe?
The oils described above come from plants that have been used in food and medicine for thousands of years. Each plant (lemon, lavender, peppermint) is recognized in section 182.20 of the US Food and Drug Administration’s list of GRAS (generally regarded as safe) substances.   Used properly, and prepared in accordance with good manufacturing practices, GRAS substances are not considered toxic.  
Because essential oils are potent, it is important to be aware of risks that can occur.  A comprehensive listing of safety issues to consider when using essential oils has been made available through the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. Comparing these safety issues to safety issues and side effects associated with popular allergy medications should help any informed user make rational decisions about the available options.
Is this concentration strong enough?
In all honesty, the first time I made this oil, I used a final concentration of 30% oils. I included 10% of each essential oil, and 70% carrier.
I had been guided by a friend selling a popular MLM brand that certified therapeutic grade lemon, lavender, and peppermint oils were safe to apply full strength, so I thought my recipe was quite conservative.  
However, my own experience studying essential oils in plants like Yerba Mansa and Dalea formosa is that miniscule amounts of essential oil are effective for protecting plants from all that ails them.  So as a biologist, I did some more homework. 
I learned from and NAHA trained aromatherapist that  1% essential oil is adequate for most routine applications.  10% is helpful for acute conditions, like a sudden sneeze attack.  Seniors, infants, and others with sensitive skin should start with 0.5 to 1%. 
Today, I have reduced the amount of oil in my recipes.  I still get a good result, and my essential oils go much farther. 
Can you get good essential oils from an MLM?
Absolutely.   I have seen a few MLM’s that sell high quality essential oils.   In fact, we carry some in our marketplace.  There are some things you need to be aware of , however, when buying oils or other MLM products. 
Problems with buying oils from MLM’s can be easily avoided. 
To avoid problems buying oils from MLM’s you need to be aware of these potential concerns:
  • First, since anyone can be a distributor, you need to fact check what your distributor tells you about the products.   Some distributors are experts.  Others, not so much.
    • For example, the distributor who introduced me to essential oils encouraged use of concentrated (aka neat) essential oils.  
    • By encouraging clients to use neat oils liberally, my friend was causing her clients to order more oil than they really needed.   While this helped her sell oils, it did not support her client’s health.
  • Second, many people who don’t like buying from MLM’s will buy the same product off online sites like Amazon. Unfortunately, when they do this, they know nothing about how the product has been handled.  They might also be getting a product that has been stored in a vendor’s garage or warehouse for weeks.  Since essential oils are sensitive to heat and environmental conditions, an improperly stored oil cannot offer benefits equivalent to the original product.    

For these reasons, if you are going to buy oils from an MLM, do your homework first.  Learn about the company and the product.  Then make sure you are buying from an authorized distributor, and that your product is being shipped directly from the company. 

Do Essential Oils Support Healthy Microbiomes?
Essential oils evolved to protect living plants.  Live plants only thrive when surrounded by healthy microbiomes.  Essential oils contain chemicals that protect plants from pests and pathogens, while supporting the beneficial microbial associations that the host plant needs to survive.  While the dynamics of these complex interactions have not been thoroughly studied, basic ecological principles suggest essential oils that co-evolved with host plant microbiomes pose minimal risk to the human microbiome.
Where can I buy essential oils?
You can purchase essential oils in our affiliate marketplace.  The button below will let you download a catalog.
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You can also find essential oils from a number of local health food stores, independent distributors, and online sources.  For the highest quality oils:
  • buy pure essential oils directly from the producer
  • look for a certificate of analysis
  • buy from companies that subject their oils to independent testing
Can I get similar results with herb teas or infused waters?
Herb teas and infusions offer many benefits.  However, they cannot provide the rapid relief seen with essential oils.  This is because essential oils are concentrated, and comprised of small, volatile, compounds that easily penetrate cells (including skin cells) to deliver a response. While any tea that smells rich likely contains essential oils, the oils in your tea will be much less concentrated than those you purchase.
Furthermore, most of the phytochemicals you swallow in your tea will need to pass through your digestive system, get absorbed through your intestines, and enter the bloodstream before they can even begin to create an effect.   
So for pleasure, general health and nutritional support, please enjoy your herb teas.  But to stop a minor allergy attack dead in its tracks, essential oils will do a better job. 

 

 *The information presented here is not designed to prevent, treat, cure, or diagnose disease.  The FDA has not reviewed this material.

 

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