Health, Wellness, Pure Essential Oils and Sensible Nutrition

Raise your hand if you suffer from seasonal allergies or what's better known as hay fever....Ahhh, I thought you might. If you read the statistics you would find that you're far from alone in your suffering. According to recent statistics more than 26.1 million people in the United States alone suffer from hay fever every year. That's a crazy number of people walking around sniffling and snuffling. Well, in actuality, some, or a good many, aren't really walking around sniffling and snuffling they are just walking around feeling the side effects of their prescription medicine which can range from dry mouth, drowsiness, and sluggishness to depression or anxiety. Sadly, many of our children are sufferers of hay fever and they too are feeling the effects of their medication. I just read that their prescription medication may even cause them to have trouble functioning in school. Yikes!! Maybe you're experiencing this first hand or your children are. If you're looking for a way to alleviate the suffering but want to do it naturally read on.

There are many causes for hay fever aside from the pollen flying around outside and there are many lifestyle changes that you can do to naturally rid yourself of seasonal allergies but I am going to save that information for another day. For today, I will focus on alleviating your symptoms naturally, using essential oils and without medication.

Here is a list of essential oils that are great for sinus relief:

Eucalyptus - acts as an antispasmodic, expectorant and decongestant. You can use any of the Eucalyptus oils or use one of Young Living's eucalyptus blends such as RC or Raven.

Lavender - works as a sedative and antispasmodic and may dull your sensitivity to pollen.

Frankincense - serves as an anti-inflammatory, expectorant and sedative.

Roman Chamomile - may reduce the severity of your immune reaction to pollen.

Harmony Blend - a highly fragrant blend that includes Lavender, Frankincense, and Roman Chamomile. It's like a triple whammy in reducing symptoms.

Peppermint - serves as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti fungal. It has also been found by researchers to block headache pain. Good to know if you suffer from sinus headaches.

Try the following methods using the essential oils to reduce the hay fever symptoms:

Diffuse the oils throughout the day in your home or at work. Ideally diffuse the oil 15 mins. every 2 hours as needed. A small appliance timer is great for this purpose. You can find one at Diffuser World.

Add 5-10 drops of oil to a steam vaporizer and breathe the moist air.

Apply 5-10 drops of oil to a tissue or handkerchief. Inhaling deeply from the tissue or handkerchief throughout the day may help reduce inflammation and aid with congestion.

Mix a small amount of oil with Massage Oil Base or V-6 Vegetable Mixing Oil and massage into the chest and over the sinuses. Eucalyptus works especially well for this.

Drop 1-2 drops of oil into the palm of your hand, rub hands together, cup hands over nose and breathe deeply. Peppermint is especially good for this method just be sure to avoid your eyes.

Place Lavender directly on tip of nose and over sinus area on face to relieve congestion.

Place Harmony blend on third eye (center of forehead directly above nose), brain stem, and on tops and bottoms of ears for a surprising release of symptoms.

Use the oils as a gargle to relieve inflammation and itching in the throat. Only use 100% Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils for internal use.

Use a Neti Pot (neti pot search) - this simple little item helps to keep your sinuses clear of allergens such as pollen or dust and is great when you're experiencing sinus congestion. It cleans out the sinuses like no nose blowing can Initially it's very awkward to use but once you get the hang of it you will be glad you did. My children actually ask for the neti pot when they are feeling the effects of their allergies or have a cold. When using the neti pot be sure to use 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon non-iodized sea salt and warm water so you don't experience any burning sensation. For additional relief add a drop or two of lavender or eucalyptus for relief of sinus inflammation.

If you want to see the neti pot in use here is a video for your viewing. Its fun to watch just for the giggle effect I mean, really, who auditions for these kinds of parts?

As always, I hope you find this information useful. You can E-mail this information to a friend who may be in need of some hay fever relief, heck you must know one of those 26 million sufferers! Leave me a comment and let me know how they work for you or if you have any other natural solutions you'd like to share to help alleviate hay fever symptoms.