Are you looking for new ways to support your immune system this fall? There are the usual health concerns we face as we approach cooler weather and resume school activities (whatever that looks like for your family this season). But we're also facing unique challenges this season in light of ongoing concerns related to the global health crisis, a sobering reality which I believe has put immune support smack dab in the middle of everyone's radar this year!
By now I'm sure it's no surprise to you that in my home one of the most important ways we work toward cultivating healthy, robust immune systems is through our nutrition, aiming for consistency in eating whole, real, unprocessed foods that are grown as close to home as possible.
Another effective habit we've cultivated over the years is nourishing our bodies on a cellular level through the routine, therapeutic application of aromatic plant extracts, aka essential oils.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share with you my favorite essential oils and recipes for supporting a healthy immune system, including ideas for protecting your health on a daily basis as well as effective options for when you’re fighting something.
To kick things off let's talk about one of my family’s oily go-to blends for ongoing immune support. It involves two essential oils that maybe you're already familiar with: Melaleuca (aka Tea Tree) and the OnGuard blend.
What You Should Know About Melaleuca
This essential oil comes from the leaves of the Melaleuca tree (or tea tree). It's popular for its powerful cleansing properties and has been used for centuries to promote wound healing and to nourish and restore healthy skin.
Melaleuca is also well-regarded for its powerful immune-building properties, and when you take the sum of its chemical constituents into account, it has 12 times the cleansing and purifying powers of a phenol!* This, combined with its ability to penetrate the cell membrane (a fact applicable to every essential oil), makes it an excellent choice for protecting against environmental threats and supporting a healthy immune response.
What You Should Know About OnGuard
OnGuard is dōTERRA's proprietary blend of five essential oils: Wild Orange, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary. Each of these essential oils is powerful in its own right and has been studied for its chemical properties that work effectively against harmful, unwanted microorganisms.
Combined they are an immune-protective superhero, working synergistically to combat environmental threats. For this reason OnGuard is often referred to as the "Protective Blend."
In my house, we use this blend routinely in a number of ways:
- In the diffuser to purify and cleanse the air in our home;
- In this DIY All-Purpose Cleaning Spray to sanitize household surfaces;
- In DIY Foaming Hand Wash;
- In DIY soothing throat spray for occasional throat discomfort;
- In DIY hand sanitizing spray;
- And more!
The Daily Immunity Roller
I like to marry these two amazing essential oils for daily immune support in one convenient, easy-to-apply roller remedy! I call it the “Daily Immunity Roller” because (to state the obvious ;-) ) we make it a habit of using it every day, particularly when seasonal and environmental threats are high.
I encourage my kids to roll it onto the bottoms of their feet at night after they brush their teeth before bedtime. In this way, we hook it to an existing habit (i.e., brushing teeth) so that they’re more likely to remember! We also keep the roller handy on the nightstand near their bed so that it’s easy to reach for.
Here’s the recipe...
Daily Immunity Roller
Ingredients & Supplies
10 mL glass roller
20 drops Melaleuca (see note below)
20 drops OnGuard
Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO)
Note: For a long time we simply used OnGuard for this. If you prefer to make your roller with OnGuard only, simply omit the Melaleuca and use 30-40 total drops OnGuard.
Instructions
- Add essential oils to the roller bottle.
- Top off with FCO.
- Insert roller top and cap, and shake to blend.
- Roll onto bottom of feet and along the spine at bedtime.
- Dilute more for children under 6 yrs old. When my kids were little, I used about half the amount of essential oil in the recipe above. If you’re using on an infant, you only need 1-2 drops of each oil.
What are your favorite essential oils for immune support?
*Sources: The Essential Life; Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils