Essential oils are not a new invention. They have been used for centuries for healing and as a way to bring peace to both the body and the mind. Each essential oil has its own special uses with some of them being antifungal, and others offering antibacterial, antiviral, expectorant, or antiseptic properties. Essential oils can help prevent illness, fight viruses, and improve the overall strength of our immune system. Listed below are 23 essential oils that boost immunity and help in the fight against infections.
Essential Oils that Boost Immunity
1. Tea Tree Oil: This is probably one of the most famous essential oils that boost immunity because it is so versatile. It’s great at fighting viral infections, the cold and flu, as well as sinusitis.
It’s often used to chase away mosquitoes and fight acne. However, one of its greatest (and most overlooked) powers is its ability to trigger white blood cell production.
2. Geranium: This essential oil can prevent hemorrhaging, relieve bloating, boost your mood, increase circulation, help to balance your energy, and assist in white blood cell activity.
3. Peppermint: It may not be as versatile as tea tree oil but it does have a reputation for being able to tackle a variety of problems. Peppermint oil soothes bowel problems such as bloating, constipation, gas, and indigestion. It’s also great for fighting nausea, soothing migraines, headaches, dry coughs, asthma, sinus congestion, and bronchitis.
4. Lemon: Because lemon oil is a detoxifying agent, it’s among the best essential oils that boost immunity. It can relieve sinusitis, asthma, flu, and bronchitis. In addition, it can relieve the pain associated with sore throats or full-on throat infections. It may also increase white blood cell production.
5. Helichrysum: An anti-inflammatory essential oil, helichrysum, also known as immortelle, is great for relieving congestion, fighting sinus infections, and soothing bronchitis.
6. Bergamot: You may be more familiar with this being used in perfumes and aftershaves, but this essential oil also happens to be an expectorant, which is something often used to treat coughs. It is helpful in relieving depression and stress as well. Bergamot is great for healing and lifting the spirits.
7. Grapefruit: Cleansing, detoxifying, and packed with vitamin C, grapefruit oil can help boost your immunity, relieve stress, and improve mood.
8. Lavender: We usually think of stress relief when we discuss lavender. However, lavender is one of the essential oils that boost the immune system. It’s antiseptic and it’s anti-inflammatory. Lavender supports white blood cell activity, thus bolstering the immune system. It also supports sleep, which improves your body’s ability to heal faster.
9. Eucalyptus: When you have a cold, you may likely reach for eucalyptus lozenges. Eucalyptus oil is an effective decongestant and expectorant. It will not only relieve congestion and provide your respiratory tract with soothing relief, but it is also great at fighting the cold and flu.
10. Frankincense: This oil has been used for healing for thousands of years. It is antimicrobial, thus boosting the immune system. Additionally, it helps to relieve anxiety and has the ability to sharpen clarity and focus.
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11. Myrrh: Another of the ancient famous oils, myrrh is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic. This explains why research is looking into its ability to assist in the treatment of cancer. A study from Al-Azhar University suggests that it can protect the liver from damage.
12. Rosemary: If you want to fight cold, sinusitis, bronchitis, rhinitis, and improve your breathing, then you should add rosemary oil to your treatment.
13. Sandalwood: Not only does it increase white blood cell activity, but it’s also great for reducing bad cholesterol, treating urinary tract infections, boosting the immune system, and promoting overall healing.
14. Scots Pine: Scots Pine contains great anti-microbial, anti-viral, decongestant, and expectorant properties and helps to open up the lungs.
15. Cinnamon Bark: This anti-viral, anti-bacterial essential oil is one of the most powerful essential oils that boost immunity. It’s great for using in your home cleaners and in a diffuser. While you can combine it with other essential oils, it’s powerful enough on its own.
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Cinnamon bark is great at keeping germs at bay. So if you are always dealing with colds and allergies in your home, adding twenty drops of cinnamon bark to water in a spray bottle makes it the ideal way to tackle just about everything. Let the mixture rest for around five minutes before you wipe it down.
16. Clove: Clove is an antioxidant; this means it has a variety of benefits. One of its outstanding benefits is that it is ideal for gargling. It can help you fight the cold and flu due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antibacterial properties.
Clove is also a bit of a painkiller, so if you have a sore throat it can help numb the pain. For gargling, start with a small cup of warm water and a teaspoon of sea salt, and two drops of clove oil. Now, gargle. It’s also a great expectorant.
17. Oregano: Oregano oil is high in both thymol and carvacrol, which makes it antibiotic. It is great for fighting stomach flu and other stomach ailments.
One of the most popular methods of use is diluting oregano essential oil in coconut oil and rubbing this on the soles of your feet (then put some socks on). This is something we often do with vapor rubs; so the next time you’re fighting a cold, try it with oregano oil instead.
For stomach problems, dilute a few drops of food-grade oregano oil with coconut oil in a vegetable capsule. You can take this up to three times a day. However, oregano essential oil may kill good bacteria, so you need to also take a probiotic to prevent this.
18. Vetiver: Vetiver is probably most famous for its effectiveness as a sedative. However, it also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It can speed up healing, improve the immune system, and help soothe inflammation.
19. Hyssop: The health benefits of hyssop appear to be never-ending. Not only does this stimulant contain antiseptic, diuretic, and digestive properties, it’s also an antispasmodic tonic.
Hyssop essential oil is great for relieving bloating and relieving the tightening of muscles. It promotes digestion and helps decrease coughs. Additionally, it has been found to reduce fevers. It can do pretty much everything.
20. Thyme: Thyme is another essential oil that has a wide variety of health benefits. One of the greatest is its ability to kill bacteria. It’s often used to treat colds, coughs, and help battle chest infections. Thyme oil is also great for relieving gas and healing wounds.
21. Ginger: Ginger is known for its ability to settle the stomach. It can relieve nausea and pain, and curb the growth of bacteria. Either way, ginger oil is a great tool to settle the stomach or to encourage your body to sweat toxins out.
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22. Thieves: This is a ready-made blend for anyone who isn’t feeling confident about tackling recipes just yet. It includes rosemary, cloves, eucalyptus, cinnamon, and lemon. It’s a great way to fight germs and bacteria. Thieves is antibacterial and ideal for diffusing, using as a room spray, or even keeping a small spray bottle in your bag to wipe down dirty surfaces on the go. If you can’t find it for sale, you can always try to create it yourself.
23. Valor: This blend is really great at improving sleep. However, if you are fighting an illness, you need sleep even more and valor comes in handy for those times. It smells fantastic, too. In fact, it smells so great that it may pass for a perfume. Valor combines spruce, sweet almond, frankincense, rosewood, balsam fir, and tansy essential oils.
Final Thoughts on the Best Essential oils that Boost Immunity
These healing essential oils that boost immunity are great to always have at hand.
Note that using these essential oils that boost immunity does not mean you won’t get sick. However, you may notice that your illnesses have a shorter run time. You may also notice that your illness is not as severe as it used to be. This is a result of having a stronger immune system that is ready to battle germs.
To Use: Just add your favorite blend to your diffuser each day to enjoy better health. By keeping your air quality clean and choosing a blend that supports immune health, you are helping keep bacteria at bay.
Also, note that essential oils alone are not enough to save you from illness. It’s vital that your essential oil use is accompanied by a good night’s sleep, a healthy diet, and regular exercise. It’s a complementary therapy that must be supported by good overall health. A poor sleeping pattern leaves you open for stress, which is one of the biggest enemies of your immune system.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6943609/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7464830/
