Reducing Nasal Congestion with Essential Oils
Breathing through your nose is important for health and development. When we breathe through our noses we get better oxygenation and create nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps kill the germs that enter our bodies which keeps us from getting sick; this vital molecule isn’t made when we breathe through our mouths. Mouthbreathing can have detrimental effects on facial growth and the airway. For more on this visit the Mouthbreathing page.
Congestion is often a reason we switch from nasal breathing to mouthbreathing.
Congestion occurs due to:
blockage of nasal passages, sinuses, or upper respiratory tract
inflamed tissues and blood vessels
increased mucus output
My family uses essential oils to reduce congestion and open our airways because they are safe, effective, and don’t have the side effects of pharmaceutical decongestants/cold medications. I recommend the same to my clients.
The effects of essential oils are demonstrated by research. One particular blend I like to use is Breathe. It comes available to diffuse, in a roller form for topical use, as a petroleum-free rub stick (similar to Vicks), and as a lozenge drop.
Here are some of the essential oils in Breathe and WHY they help:
Lauryl Leaf: acts as a decongestant, expectorant, and may help prevent and manage infections
Eucalyptus: anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, breaks up mucus, inhalation increases cerebral blood flow
Peppermint: anti-inflammatory, decongestant, breaks up mucus, expectorant
Tea Tree: decreases allergy response, anti-microbial
Lemon: anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, astringent, expectorant
Cardamom: decongestant, expectorant
How to Use
AROMATIC
Smell directly from the bottle
Put a couple drops in your hand, inhale for 10 seconds
Diffuse a blend or combine individual oils (Frankincense, Myrrh, Lavender, Lime, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Cardamom, Rosemary etc) for synergy
STEAMER
Place a couple drops of oil in a mug of hot water and breathe in while leaning over the steam
SHOWER
Put a few drops on the shower floor (Eucalyptus, Breathe, or Peppermint)
Inhale oil from hands in a hot shower
TOPICAL
Use Breathe stick on chest, neck, or under nose
Apply on chest, neck, or under nose (Use a rollerball diluted for topical use or drops from bottle mixed with a carrier oil. Dilution helps prevent irritation and allows for better absorption.)
Place DigestZen (an oil blend for digestion that also has mucolytic properties)blend over sinuses to break up mucus
Peppermint oil should not be used on children under 5 years old unless with extreme caution (Try cedarwood oil instead). It should NEVER be used on infants due pediatric airway hyper-reactivity. The peppermint triggers cold receptors and because the baby’s body thinks there is very cold air, the percieved threat can slow down respiratory rate as a reflex action. Some infants are more susceptible and the reflex disappears by 3-5 years old.
WANT TO learn more about ESSENTIAL OILS?
There are so many great uses for essential oils and they can be a wonderful addition to a wellness lifestyle. I recommend doTerra essential oils because they are certified pure therapeutic grade. I also love that doTerra does a lot of global humanitarian projects to help with issues like anti-human trafficking.
To order your own oils or for questions related to essential oils, please contact:
Kay Trieb
Retired Registered Nurse
doTerra Wellness Advocate
Aromatherapy Certification Student
kaytrieb@yahoo.com
