Breathe Easy Essential Oil Blend: Make A Homemade Vapor Rub Cold Remedy

Follow me: Pinterest / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Email
I may receive compensation from links on this site. As an Amazon Associate I also earn from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure policy.

October 12, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 4 Comments

Try this natural breathe easy essential oil blend recipe to make your own homemade vapor rub cold remedy for symptom relief from nasal and chest congestion. A simple and effective home remedy for fast cold relief when you’re fighting a cold or the flu.

How to Use An Aromatherapeutic Breathe Easy Essential Oil Blend

When I get a cold, there’s nothing worse than not being able to breathe through my nose. While shower steams with menthol work wonders in the morning, taking a shower every time my nose gets stuffy isn’t a realistic option. Especially not at night when I’m trying to sleep. That’s when a breathe easy essential oil blend comes in handy. Whether you make your own breathe easy essential oil recipe or use a ready made breathe easy essential oil blend, you’ll be set for all the congestion challenges seasonal colds throw your way.

There are three easy ways to use the breathe easy essential oil blend. You can use your breathe easy essential oil blend in an essential oil diffuser at night or include it in an essential oil shower steamers recipe. Alternately, you can also use it in a simple remedy for homemade vapor rub. Keep reading to learn how to make a breathe easy essential oil recipe as well as where to buy a premade essential oil blend. Then try out your breathe easy essential oil blend in my simple (super easy!) homemade vapor rub cold remedy.

Breathe Easy Essential Oil Blend Recipe

Support respiratory function and promote a healthy immune response with this natural breathe easy essential oil blend recipe. This natural plant-based blend can be used in your diffuser as well as in my homemade vapor rub recipe. Use it to support easy breathing, revitalization and clear airways throughout winter.

Combine in an amber glass jar with a reducer or glass dropper and shake to combine.

Alternately, if you prefer, you can buy this specific blend premade in order to avoid buying multiple essential oils from Edens Garden. Or try the Respire blend from Spark Naturals, which also contains tea tree and clove essential oils. Formulated with a combination of peppermint, melaleuca (tea tree), eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon and clove, this blends aids in relief of congestion and other respiratory symptoms caused by colds and flu.

Once you’ve made an essential oil blend to use for aromatherapy, you can use your formulation to create your own homemade vapor rub recipe as a natural cold relief remedy.

Homemade Vapor Rub Recipe for Nasal & Chest Congestion

Ingredients:

2 oz. beeswax pastilles
4 oz. carrier oil, such as sweet almond oil or fractionated coconut oil
3 mL Respire or Breathe Easy essential oil blend (or .1 oz.)
.05 oz. menthol crystals

Instructions:

Using a digital scale, weigh out the beeswax. Place the beeswax in a double boiler and gently heat until melted.

While the beeswax melts, weigh out the carrier oil into a separate container.

Next weigh out the menthol crystals. Add the menthol crystals to the container with the carrier oil. Stir until the menthol crystals dissolve.

Once dissolved, measure or weigh out the breathe easy essential oil blend. Then combine with the carrier oil and menthol mixture.

Once the beeswax has melted, remove from heat. Then stir in the carrier oil mixture with the menthol crystals and essential oils.

Now pour the homemade vapor rub into a 6 oz. glass jar or three 2 oz. glass jars. You can also use metal tins.

Allow the homemade vapor rub to cool completely, then screw on the lids and label as desired for personal use.

To use your homemade vapor rub as a natural remedy for fast cold relief, rub a thin layer on your chest or upper back at nighttime. It will help to soothe coughs and may also offer relief from nasal and chest congestion as well as sinus pressure and headaches.

Yield: 2 - 6 oz. jars.

Homemade Vapor Rub Recipe

Materials

2 oz. beeswax pastilles
4 oz. carrier oil, such as sweet almond oil or fractionated coconut oil
3 mL Respire or Breathe Easy essential oil blend (or .1 oz.)
.05 oz. menthol crystals

Instructions

Using a digital scale, weigh out the beeswax. Place the beeswax in a double boiler and gently heat until melted.

While the beeswax melts, weigh out the carrier oil into a separate container.

Next weigh out the menthol crystals. Add the menthol crystals to the container with the carrier oil. Stir until the menthol crystals dissolve.

Once dissolved, measure or weigh out the breathe easy essential oil blend. Then combine with the carrier oil and menthol mixture.

Once the beeswax has melted, remove from heat. Then stir in the carrier oil mixture with the menthol crystals and essential oils.

Now pour the homemade vapor rub into a 6 oz. glass jar or three 2 oz. glass jars. You can also use metal tins.

Allow the homemade vapor rub to cool completely, then screw on the lids and label as desired for personal use.

Breathe easy diffuser blend for colds. Try this natural breathe easy essential oil diffuser blend recipe in your essential oil diffuser to support respiratory function and promote a healthy immune response with this natural breathe easy essential oil blend recipe. This natural plant-based blend can be used in your diffuser as well as in my homemade vapor rub recipe. Use it to support easy breathing, revitalization and clear airways throughout winter.

Like this recipe? Then you’ll also want to try my recipes for DIY shower steamers with menthol crystals and a sickness support bath soak! As well as check out my post on other natural ways to fight colds and flu including how to make an elderberry syrup to support your body’s natural immunity. Plus don’t forget to pin this post for reference later!

Where can I buy homemade vapor rub?

Not ready to make your own homemade vapor rub from scratch? Try one of these artisan made, petroleum free cold and flu salves instead.

You can also explore more herbal home remedies here. Also be sure to check out my eucalyptus & orange essential oil blend recipe. It’s one of my favorite aromatherapeutic essential oil blends and has a number of uses for health, home and beauty. Or discover more DIY ideas by visiting my Essential Oils & Herbs board on Pinterest as well as my Home Remedies board.

Want more great ideas? Then be sure to follow Soap Deli News across your favorite social media channels. You can find and follow me on Blog Lovin‘, pinterest, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: aromatherapy, cold relief, colds, diffuser blends, essential oil blend, essential oil recipes, essential oils, fall, flu, health and wellness, healthy living, home remedies, home remedy, self care, vapor rub, winter

DIY Shower Steamers Recipe with Menthol Crystals

August 1, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 4 Comments

Learn how to make DIY shower steamers with menthol crystals and eucalyptus essential oil as a natural home remedy for stuffy noses caused by colds, flu and seasonal allergies. Easy natural relief from congestion caused by colds or allergies, this easy shower steamer recipe is a must for back to school season. Learn more about this home remedy as well as the benefits of menthol crystals when used to promote health and wellness.

Shower Steamers for Natural Symptom Relief from Seasonal Allergies, Colds & Flu

My seasonal allergies have been terrible this year. I mean generally they aren’t great, but I’ve had to pull out the big guns recently. Meaning I stood in line at the actual pharmacy to buy Sudafed. Unfortunately that didn’t work quite as well as I’d hoped, being that it was a last resort. So I made DIY showers steamers with menthol crystals as a last ditch effort to avoid getting a sinus infection. And they worked great at easing my allergy symptoms by opening up my nasal passages so I could breathe better. Better than the Sudafed, in fact. They also conquered that irritating sinus headache I’d had for two days straight.

With back to school right around the corner, there’s really no better time to make your own DIY shower steamers. After all, if you have kids, you know that schools are a cesspool of germs and viruses. When my son started kindergarten I’d had him out of daycare for over year. He got community acquired pneumonia his first week. Of course, seeing as how he inherited my stubborn streak, he ran around like a little chicken with his head cut off anyway. It took two months for him to fully recover.

And of course there are the joys of sports practices. Whether my son was struggling through a cold, or suffering with seasonal allergies himself, I quickly learned that yes, all boys hock loogies the size of a small country.

No one wants to over medicate their kids if they don’t have to. After all, you want them to develop a healthy immune system while also avoiding the overuse of antibiotics. At the same time, however, you don’t want them to suffer either. It’s no fun struggling to breathe through your mouth or fight a sinus headache. Luckily, shower steamers with menthol crystals are a great natural remedy for chest and nasal congestion.

What Are Menthol Crystals?

Menthol crystals are derived from a species from the mint family known as mentha arvensis. These flowering plants, which are found in the mint family known as Lamiaceae, include corn mint, field mint and wild mint and contain the organic compound known as mentol. The menthol is extracted from the plant by freezing the essential oil of said plants, then removing the resulting menthol crystals through a filtering process.

Menthol crystals have a number of therapeutic properties that make them useful in aromatherapy as well as medicinal and cosmetic applications. The medicinal properties they are believed to exhibit make menthol crystals analgesic, anesthetic, antibacterial, cooling, circulation-stimulating, expectorant, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, decongestant, antiemetic and antitussive. While cosmetically they offer antibacterial, invigorating, soothing, cooling, circulation-stimulating and skin plumping properties.

Due to their inherent chemical makeup, menthol crystals are a popular choice for a number of medicinal applications. You may be most familiar with menthol crystals from the over-the-counter product, Vicks VapoRub, in which they are a key component.

Benefits of Menthol Crystals in Shower Steamers

Menthol crystals have a number of benefits when used in aromatherapy. Whether you have a stuffy nose, chest congestion or even a sore throat, menthol crystals have been historically used in aromatherapy to relieve the symptoms of colds, flu and allergies. Not only do menthol crystals help promote easier breathing and offer temporary relief from nasal congestion, they can also be used to soothe sore throats, alleviate fever symptoms, coughs, headaches and sinus related discomfort. Additionally, their aromatherapeutic properties also support immunity and can help with nausea.

While menthol crystals also have a number of both cosmetic and hair care applications, for this purpose I chose to use menthol crystals as a key ingredient in DIY shower steamers. As, when used as a decongestant agent, menthol crystals in combination with eucalyptus essential oil, offer natural symptom relief from stuffy noses and sinus headaches.

Precautions for Using Menthol Crystals in Shower Steamers

It is important to note that menthol crystals are not recommend for use by children ages 7 and under. Likewise, if you are pregnant or nursing you should consult a physician before using menthol crystals. You should also seek out guidance from your doctor before use if you have cancer, heart-related ailments, skin disorders or hormone-related ailments. Additionally, do not use menthol crystals if you have an open wounds as high levels of absorption may be toxic and take care to keep menthol crystals out of contact with mucous membranes.

The maximum dilution rate for using menthol crystals is 5% in order to protect respiratory system and skin from any distress or discomfort.

How to Make DIY Shower Steamers

Made with menthol crystals and eucalyptus essential oil for their aromatherapeutic benefits, these easy DIY shower steamers are the perfect addition to your morning shower. Just take care not to mistake them for bath bombs. As soaking in a tub filled with menthol crystals is likely leave your lady parts in an overly frigid state.

You make shower steamers in much the same way you would make bath bombs. The main difference is, however, you don’t need additional dry ingredients in your shower steamer recipe aside from the baking soda and citric acid. Nor will you need to use more expensive oils or butters to bind these two ingredients together. As you aren’t soaking in a tub with your shower steamers, you can use an inexpensive carrier oil instead. Additionally, you’ll find that DIY shower steamers harden and dry out much faster than bath bombs as the menthol crystals recrystalize once the shower steamers are made.

Like bath bombs you are working with citric acid. Therefore you may want to use a face mask or respirator to avoid inhaling this ingredient should it become airborne. I also highly recommend wearing gloves to make your DIY shower steamers so you are able to protect your hands from the cooling action of the menthol crystals and eucalyptus essential oils.

You don’t necessarily need a bath bomb mold for this recipe. I used my favorite heavy duty round bath bomb molds to make my shower steamer with menthol crystals. However, as these mold rather easily, you can also use a meat baller for smaller sized shower steamers, or simply mold them into balls with your hands. Other than that, if you need additional tips on making shower steamers, you can find tips and tricks for molding and unmolding bath bombs here.

Shower Steamer Recipe with Menthol Crystals

Ingredients:

10 oz. baking soda
5 oz. citric acid
3 oz. carrier oil, such as sweet almond or fractionated coconut oil
.5 oz. eucalyptus essential oil
.5 oz. menthol crystals

Instructions:

Using a digital scale, weigh out the carrier into a small glass measuring cup. Then weigh out the menthol crystals. Add the menthol crystals to the container with the carrier oil, then stir until the crystals have dissolved. Then weigh out and mix in the eucalyptus essential oil. Set aside.

Next, weigh out the baking soda and citric acid into a large glass or ceramic bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together until they are evenly combined throughout.

Now pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, slowly mixing as you go. Mix thoroughly then use your hands, a meat baller or a bath bomb mold to form your shower steamers.

If using a round bath bomb mold, loosely pile the ingredients into each half of the mold. Then lightly pack. Follow with additional mixed ingredients, lightly tap down, then firmly press both sides of the bath bomb mold together. Then unmold your DIY shower steamers.

Repeat until all the ingredients from the shower steamer recipe have been used. Then set your finished shower steamers with menthol crystals aside for several hours, until dry.

Once dry, wrap your DIY shower steamers tightly in foodservice film or store in an airtight container until ready for use.

Shower Steamer Recipe with Menthol Crystals

Learn how to make DIY shower steamers with this easy 5-ingredient shower steamer recipe with menthol crystals & essential oils as a natural home remedy for stuffy noses caused by colds & seasonal allergies.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Materials

10 oz. baking soda
5 oz. citric acid
3 oz. carrier oil, of choice
.5 oz. eucalyptus essential oil
.5 oz. menthol crystals

Tools

digital scale
bath bomb mold or meat baller
large glass or ceramic bowl
glass Pyrex measuring cup
utensils for mixing

Instructions

Using a digital scale, weigh out the carrier into a small glass measuring cup. Then weigh out the menthol crystals. Add the menthol crystals to the container with the carrier oil, then stir until the crystals have dissolved. Then weigh out and mix in the eucalyptus essential oil. Set aside.
Next, weigh out the baking soda and citric acid into a large glass or ceramic bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together until they are evenly combined throughout.
Now pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, slowly mixing as you go. Mix thoroughly then use your hands, a meat baller or a bath bomb mold to form your shower steamers.
If using a round bath bomb mold, loosely pile the ingredients into each half of the mold. Then lightly pack. Follow with additional mixed ingredients, lightly tap down, then firmly press both sides of the bath bomb mold together. Then unmold your DIY shower steamers.
Repeat until all the ingredients from the shower steamer recipe have been used. Then set your finished shower steamers with menthol crystals aside for several hours, until dry.
Once dry, wrap your DIY shower steamers tightly in foodservice film or store in an airtight container until ready for use.

More Natural Remedies for Cold & Allergy Symptom Relief

If you’re looking for more natural alternative for symptom relief of cold and allergy symptoms, then try one of these natural remedies.

You can also explore more natural remedies on my natural health and wellness board on Pinterest as well as my home remedies Pinterest board.

If you like my DIY shower steamers, then be sure to pin my shower steamer recipe with menthol crystals for later. You can also follow me across your favorite social media platforms for regular DIY ideas for soap, bath and beauty recipes you can craft at home. Follow me now via facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up to receive my newsletter to stay in the loop.

This article is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice and is provided for informational purposes only. Information on products mentioned are based on my own personal experience or research and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Please consult a physician prior to making any changes that may impact your health.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness Tagged With: aromatherapy, bath bomb recipe, bath bombs, cold relief, colds, congestion, congestion relief, cough relief, essential oil recipes, essential oils, eucalyptus, flu, health, health and wellness, healthy living, home remedies, home remedy, immunity, menthol crystals, natural, natural alternative, natural remedy, self care, shower steamers

Amyris Essential Oil Usage & Benefits (Plus Easy Essential Oil Recipes to Try!)

February 25, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 19 Comments

The March Simply Earth essential oil recipe box brought with it a few surprises. Not only did I discover amyris essential oil for the first time, I also learned a few other interesting things when making my amyris essential oil recipes. Keep reading to learn about the the usage and benefits of amyris essential oil. Plus discover the natural amyris essential oil recipes I tried.

About Amyris Essential Oil

To be honest, before receiving amyris essential oil in my Simply Earth essential oil recipe box, I’d never heard of it. I literally had to look it up. As it turns out, this thick, viscous essential oil is often used as an affordable alternative to sandalwood essential oil. Known as West Indian Sandalwood – though it’s not actually related to sandalwood – amyris essential oil boasts a rich, warm woody aroma that blends well with a number of other essential oils. These essential oils include cedarwood, citronella, conifer oils (like balsam fir or pine), cypress, frankincense, geranium, jasmine absolute, lavender, lemon, oakmoss, patchouli, sweet orange, tangerine, ho wood, rose absolute, vetiver, ylang ylang and sandalwood.

Considered generally safe for use, amyris essential oil is nontoxic, non-sensitizing and non-irritating. Despite this, it should still be diluted with a carrier oil for topical use. (A patch test on skin is recommended prior to use.) Additionally, it is important to note that amyris essential oil is not intended for oral consumption. And, as with other essential oils, always consult a medical professional if you are pregnant or nursing prior to use.

Amyris Essential Oil Usage & Benefits

Amyris essential oil has a number of uses and benefits. It’s commonly used as a fixative in perfume recipes in addition to a number of other cosmetic and therapeutic applications.

Studies show that amyris essential oil has antiseptic, sedative, decongestant and emollient properties. In addition, researchers have also found that amyris oil contains potent antibacterial and antifungal properties. Specifically, it’s effective against 12 strains of multidrug-resistant bacteria. These include Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella paratyphi, as well as Candida albicans fungi.Due to this oil’s high emerol content, it also makes an effective insect repellent. Not only does it deter biting insects, such as mosquitoes, it also repels brown dog ticks, blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks.

Due to its inherent properties, amyris essential oil is well suited for natural remedies that support the immune system. They also make this oil a beneficial ingredient in recipe formulations that focus on calming the mind, relaxing muscles and aiding with sleep. So it’s no surprise that amyris essential oil offers a variety of aromatherapeutic benefits that aid with both sleep and common illnesses such as colds and flu.

Simply Earth Essential Oil Box

Now that you’re caught up on the basic ins and outs of amyris essential oil, I want to share a few highlights that can be found inside the March Simply Earth essential oil box.

Not only does the March box come with a bottle of amyris essential oil, three other essential oils are also included. They are blood orange essential oil, coriander essential oil and a digest essential oil blend which aids with nausea, bloating and gas. (If you’re new to Simply Earth’s essential oil boxes, you can learn more about what’s inside and how they give back to the community here.)

There are also a number of great essential oil recipes. These recipes include the following:

Digest Essential Oil Rollerball Recipe
Mood Lifting Essential Oil Diffuser Blend Recipe
Anxiety Away Essential Oil Inhaler Recipe
Magnesium Whipped Body Butter Recipe
Magnesium Oil Sleep Spray Recipe
Essential Oil Sickness Support Bath Soak Recipe

My two favorite essential oil recipes from the March box were the sickness support bath soak recipe and the magnesium oil sleep spray recipe. Both of these recipes use amyris essential oil as a key ingredient. You can learn how to make two amyris essential oil recipes from the March Simply Earth box below. Or subscribe to Simple Earth now! (A la carte essential oils and other materials including containers, carrier oils and diffusers are also available for sale without a subscription.)

Easy Amyris Essential Oil Recipes

Magnesium Oil Sleep Spray Recipe

Magnesium oil is not an oil. Believe it or not, I had no idea. I was also somewhat skeptical about an external application of magnesium oil actually helping with pain and sleep issues caused by fibromyalgia. Once, I tried this recipe, however, I was stoked to find it helps not just with sleep. It also calmed the fibro flare ups I’ve been having in my wrists and arms lately. Pain that often makes it difficult to type. Simply spray it on and massage in.

This magnesium oil sleep spray recipe does contain water. However, the magnesium flakes (a salt) used in this recipe naturally preserve the water. Therefore no additional preservative is needed.

What are magnesium flakes?

Magnesium flakes, or magnesium chloride, differs from Epsom salt. Epsom salt is actually magnesium sulfate. While both are absorbed by skin, magnesium chloride is better suited for topical applications. Magnesium flakes therefore are well suited for stress relief, sore muscle recovery, improving circulation, headaches, joint pain, restless leg syndrome and cramps.

Notes about the recipe.

Magnesium flakes are included in the Simply Earth essential oil box. However, you will want to purchase more magnesium flakes, along with the fractionated coconut oil (available from Simply Earth), once the supply they send runs out.

Because I live with fibromyalgia, I did make a substitution in this recipe. Instead of water, I used witch hazel for its anti-inflammatory properties. While you dissolve the magnesium flakes in boiling water, I was able to dissolve them in the witch hazel by simply stirring the two ingredients together.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon magnesium flakes
1/2 cup boiling distilled water
1 Tablespoon fractionated coconut oil
6 drops blood orange essential oil
4 drop amyris essential oil

Instructions:

Dissolve the magnesium flakes as called for in the recipe in 1/2 cup boiling water.

Meanwhile, in a small glass bowl, stir the essential oils into the fractionated coconut oil.

Next, pour all of the ingredients into the spray bottle (provided.)

To use, simply shake the bottle then mist onto your pillow at bedtime. Or spray onto arms and/or legs as needed and massage in.

Sickness Support Bath Soak Recipe

Simply Earth’s sickness support bath soak recipe is wonderful not just for boosting immunity to fight off illnesses, it also can help with sore muscles and body aches associated with the flu. It’s also effective at calming your body as well as relieving nausea or a distressed digestive system.

Made using amyris essential oil and magnesium flakes, this homemade detoxifying bath soak recipe also contains Epsom salt (not provided) and lavender buds (included.) As this bath soak recipe is diluted in bath water, I actually doubled the amount of essential oils called for in the recipe. (By the way, this smells absolutely AMAZING!)

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons magnesium flakes
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1 Tablespoon fractionated coconut oil
6 drops Amyris essential oil
4 drops Digest essential oil blend
2 Tablespoons dried lavender

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix the magnesium flakes and Epsom salt together.

Using a separate glass bowl, combine the essential oils with the fractionated coconut.

Now add the salt mixture to the oils and mix well to ensure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated throughout the bath soak.

Then mix in the dried lavender buds. Spoon the bath soak into a small glass jar or container until ready for use.

To use, simply pour the entire contents of the bath soak into warm running bath water.

Can’t wait to get started using this amazing essential oil? Subscribe to Simply Earth today! Use coupon code: SOAPDELIFREE to get a free bonus box with your first order. Plus receive a gift card for $40 off your next order!

For more simple essential oils recipes, sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to discover more of my original beauty and skin care recipes and projects to try throughout the new year! You can also follow me on facebook, twitter, pinterest and instagram.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: amyris essential oil, aromatherapy, bath tutorial, beauty box, beauty kit, beauty recipes, cold relief, colds, detox, essential oil blend, essential oil recipes, essential oils, flu, health and wellness, healthy living, home remedies, home remedy, immunity, magnesium, mineral bath soak, natural alternative, natural remedy, natural skin care, nausea, self care, simply earth

Best Essential Oil Blend for Colds and Flu

December 29, 2018 By Rebecca D. Dillon 3 Comments

Enjoy all of the wonderful health and wellness benefits of essential oils by starting with this practical (and less expensive) best essential oil blend for colds and flu. Saving you money so you can breathe easy in more ways than one!

Essential oils don’t have to be expensive.

If you love the idea of essential oils and their potential aromatherapeutic benefits, but aren’t sure where to start, read this! I know many of us have wanted to purchase essential oils in the past. Especially for practical uses throughout the winter season. However, essential oils can be expensive when buying several at one time. Or, you may not want to make a huge investment on essential oils that end up going to waste. You can easily solve this dilemma by purchasing a single essential oil blend. And, as it’s cold and flu season, I’m sharing with you the best essential oil blend for colds and flu to get you started!

I’m SO sick.

We’ve all had those days. Those days where you’re so sick it feels like it will never end. You’ve caught some virus that’s in the midst of throwing down seriously bad voodoo. You can’t breathe. And when you talk, your friends think you’re using a voice changing app to sound like Darth Vader.

The next thing you know you find yourself on Facebook out of sheer boredom. Moments away from pulling the “I’m dying over here” card for sympathy. But you don’t. Because even though you are way sicker than your significant other has ever been in his life, you know that to say that would mean sinking down to that man level cry for sympathy. And you’re a strong badass woman. (Most of the time.)

This is exactly how I’ve felt since Christmas. I’ve had a cough for days. One of those body wrenching coughs that leaves your back sore and your throat raw.

And I’ve been fighting this illness with cough medicine that’s somehow supposed to suppress my cough while also helping me expel mucous at the same time. (How does that work exactly?) Not to mention cough medicine makes me loopy AF. So when my friend and fellow blogger, Cari, suggested that I diffuse essential oils to help, I was blown away by how easy it is to miss the obvious when you’re completely out of it.

Diffusing essential oils for an illness – without a diffuser.

Somehow, however, I’ve managed to make it 43 years on earth without ever once owning an essential oil diffuser. Which, considering my occupation, seems dubious, I know. Of course, I’m not about to make shower steamers when standing is a challenge. So Cari suggested I add a few drops of essential oil to my shower. Now that I could swing. (I mean if all else fails, sitting in the shower is completely plausible.)

So I chose to go with eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils for my (very late) morning shower. I turned the shower head on, let the water get hot then added a few drops of tea tree oil to end of the tub. Next, I followed with some eucalyptus essential oil. Except, oops. I’d taken the dropper out of that bottle and didn’t check before the pour. Therefore, instead of a few drops of eucalyptus to open up my airways, I ended up with more like a teaspoon of eo swimming in the bottom of my tub.

Of course, like any other completely normal totally sick person, I figured it couldn’t hurt. I could barely smell it anyway.

So I showered and inhaled and rinsed and inhaled and at some point I started to actually breathe normally again.

Then Greg came home.

Now the apartment we live in is crazy small. It’s basically the size of a studio apartment but with actual rooms. So my shower basically turned into a giant essential oil diffuser for the entire pad. And when Greg walked through the door he literally took a step back.

Where my overkill of eucalyptus oil had helped to open up my sinuses, it had the opposite effect on him. Greg kept saying “he couldn’t breathe” over and over again. He then went out to the truck to wait for me.

Wait. What?!

Yep. We took a trip to BJ’s Wholesale so the apartment could air out.

So where Greg’s version of events is that I tried to suffocate him. My version is that I was simply disinfecting the entire apartment. Naturally, of course. In one easy step.

The Best Essential Oil Blend for Colds & Flu

There are a number of common essential oils you can diffuse for colds and flu. These include eucalyptus essential oil (obviously) ravintsara essential oil, peppermint essential oil, rosemary essential oil, tea tree essential oil, clove bud essential oil and white fir essential oil. However, buying all of these essential oils at once, or even additional essential oils to create a pleasing essential oil blend for your diffuser, isn’t always cost effective for most people. Therefore, if you only dabble in aromatherapy from time to time, or if you are just starting out, sometimes the easiest and most affordable option is to start with a ready made essential oil blend.

The best essential oil blend for colds and flu is from Spark Naturals. Trusted for their quality and purity, Spark Naturals sells an amazing essential oil blend for colds and flu called Respire. Spark Naturals Respire essential oil blend offers protection against cold and flu germs during flu season as well as congestion in general.

Because so many of us are forced indoors during the winter months, we are more likely to become exposed to these germs by our close proximity with others who may be sick. Therefore, Spark Naturals formulated their proprietary best essential oil blend for colds and flu to offer some protection against common germs. Made using a combination of peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon and clove essential oils, their Respire essential oil blend also helps with both cold and flu symptoms in addition to common respiratory issues such as congestion.

How to use an essential oil blend for colds and flu.

You can use 5-10 drops of this essential oil blend for colds and flu in an essential oil diffuser in your home. Or try about 10 drops in a bowl of steaming water with a towel draped over your head. Alternately, you can also add around 10 drops of this essential oil to your shower to enjoy the benefits. (Just don’t make the same mistake I did!)

You can also make a simple essential oil salve for chest congestion using this blend. Simply weigh, combine and melt .5 oz. beeswax pastilles in a double boiler with 1 oz. of your preferred carrier oil. Once melted, remove from heat. Then mix in 15-18 drops of the Respire essential oil blend. Pour into metal tins and allow to cool prior to use. Or try Spark Naturals ready made Respire Stix multi-purpose balm.

Spark Naturals also offers a base salve that’s already premade for adding in your choice of essential oils. This is especially useful if you don’t have the space or funds to purchase extra ingredients in bulk. In addition, you can also purchase several pre-made essential oil salves containing the same high quality essential oils for a variety of other health ailments including anxiety and trouble sleeping. Their 8-pack salve sampler is a super affordable way to explore the health benefits of essential oils.

The end result.

Truth be told, I feel a LOT better today after flooding our apartment with tea tree and eucalyptus essential oils. And while Greg may not be quite as thrilled about how I handled my own sick care, he’s pleasantly surprised that my shower diffuser experiment eradicated the dog smell from my aging (super stinky) dachshund, Jasper, from the apartment.

If you’re looking for more ways to help combat those nasty cold and flu germs, be sure to check out these 5 must have products to boost immunity as well as this collection of natural ways to fight colds and flu. Or try Cari’s DIY breathe easy wax melts. You can also learn how to use eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils to make your own natural deodorizing candle.

Do you have a favorite recipe for an essential oil blend that you love using in your home? I’d love for you to share it with me and my readers in the comments! (It’s always so wonderful to be able to learn from one another, don’t you think?)

In the meantime, sign up my semi-weekly (meaning sometimes every week and occasionally every other week) newsletter to discover more great health and wellness tips and skin care recipes.

Filed Under: Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: aromatherapy, cold relief, colds, essential oil blend, essential oils, flu, health, health and wellness, healthy, healthy living, home remedies, home remedy, immunity, natural, self care

How to Make An Elderberry Syrup Recipe with Honey to Fight Colds & Flu

October 19, 2013 By Rebecca D. Dillon

Naturally boost your immune system and fight off tough cold and flu viruses with this easy homemade elderberry syrup recipe with honey. Learn how to make elderberry syrup with just three simple ingredients for a natural cold and flu remedy that’s safe and effective for the whole family.

How to Make Elderberry Syrup

Black elderberries have been used for hundreds of years for their medicinal value in treating colds, the flu, allergies and to boost overall respiratory health. Found along rivers, forests and even roadsides, this common botanical yields ripe berries that are rich in antioxidants, potassium, beta carotene, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C. This homemade elderberry syrup recipe with honey is a simple and tasty way to ingest the nutrients offered by elderberries. It’s believed that taken daily, elderberry syrup can boost your immunity to help prevent colds and flu, as well as aid in the recovery of an existing illness such as the flu, colds, excessive mucus and even a sore throat.

If you don’t live in an area where you can safely forage elderberries, or your purchase options are limited, you can also find all the ingredients you need for this elderberry syrup recipe with honey at Mountain Rose Herbs. In addition, it’s easy to add some spice to this homemade elderberry syrup recipe with honey up by also adding cinnamon sticks, organic cloves and organic ginger root.

Don’t have time to make your own? You can also buy Elderberry Syrup. Keep reading to learn how to make elderberry syrup with honey for your family.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe with Honey

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. organic elderberries
1 1/2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup raw honey

Supplies:

amber or cobalt blue glass bottles with droppers
digital kitchen scale
large pyrex measuring cup
large cotton muslin bag
small funnel
small sauce pan
spatula
labels

Instructions:

Start by weighing out the elderberries, then place in a large cotton muslin bag (optional.) Pour your filtered tap water into a small saucepan on the stove, turn the heat on high and add the bag of elderberries.

Bring the water to a boil.

Then reduce heat and allow to simmer for twenty minutes or until the water is reduced to half.

Now remove the elderberries from the water and press firmly to squeeze out all of the remaining juice from the berries. If you did not use a mesh bag, strain the berries from the water.

Combine the water with the raw honey – I bought local clover honey from my Farmer’s Market – in the glass pyrex measuring cup and stir to combine thoroughly. (Keep in mind raw honey is not recommended to children under two years of age.)

Finally, using a funnel, slowly fill your amber glass bottles with elderberry syrup. Don’t fill them too full or the syrup will spill out of the edges when you place the lids with the droppers on them. Label as desired.

You can store your elderberry syrup with honey in the fridge where it will keep for 2-3 months. To use, take one Tablespoon daily to help prevent illness. If you have an existing cold or flu, take one teaspoon every 2-3 hours while ill.

Want to teach your children about the benefits of natural herbs and botanicals? Check out the book, A Kids Herb Book, by Lesley Tierra! It’s packed with beautiful illustrations, charming herb facts, coloring pages, herb checklists, funny stories, herbal bedtime stories, a “how to make” section, herbal mythology written for kids, as well as a plethora of engaging herbal information for the young ones.

If you enjoyed my homemade elderberry syrup recipe with honey, then be sure to check out my other health and wellness posts. Or, for more great recipes, sign up for my semi-weekly email newsletter. You can also follow me on Pinterest, facebook and instagram.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Handmade Home, Lifestyle Tagged With: cold relief, crafts, diy, health, health and wellness, home remedies, home remedy, medicinal, natural, organic, tips