Life happens, y'all. And sometimes, despite our best efforts, we end up under the weather feeling yucky and just plain terrible. We succumb to occasional attacks brought on by germy threats and may experience a runny nose, throat discomfort, mild cough, congestion in the head and chest, elevated body temperature, general discomfort everywhere...and/or all of the above!
I used to think of these as something bad happening TO me. It’s definitely unpleasant and not fun!
But what I’ve learned is that these symptoms are actually my body’s way of fighting FOR me. They indicate the appropriate, natural response of the immune system, mounting a defense against foreign, harmful substances (including common environmental threats), and together they are the mechanisms by which the immune system flushes out those toxic substances.
There are things we can do not only to support our immune system’s efforts but also to help its efforts be more productive.
On multiple occasions over the past several years we’ve found that when we take this kind of homeopathic approach—-working WITH the body’s natural design for healing and giving it the nutrition it needs to do its work efficiently—we feel better and recover more quickly than we would have with a more conventional (“allopathic”) approach.
Now don't get me wrong--there's certainly a time and a place for modern medicine! But in my family we always try a natural solution first, and the majority of the time, when we take this holistic, homeopathic approach, it works. And often we find that not only does it work, but it also cuts down our "under-the-weather" time by a significant margin and allows us to bounce back more quickly than the average bear!
If you’ve not thought of it this way before, I realize this requires a bit of a mind shift! But trust me when I tell you—having seen this play out multiple times over the past several years with myself, as well as with my husband and kids, I can speak to the power of giving your body the nutrition and tools it needs (sending in re-enforcements so to speak) to fight off the yucky stuff naturally!
When we feel the very first indications that we’re fighting something, we bring out the big dogs! Our first rule of thumb is always: catch it early, hit it hard.
Essential oils like OnGuard, Oregano, Lemon, Melaleuca, Thyme, and Frankincense are highly effective at nourishing the immune system and supporting its ability to mount both an offensive and defensive against unwanted microorganisms in the body.
So at the first sign we've got something coming on, we begin using this combination of essential oils. I combine them in a glass roller bottle in a blend that I refer to as "The Bomb"---because it helps your immune system bust the nasty right outta there! ;-)
“The Bomb” Immune Support Roller
The original recipe for this roller blend came years ago from my awesome friend Kathleen, a natural health expert who blogs over at Roots&Boots.com. We’ve used it every season since, and it works like a charm every time! In the past couple of years I’ve tweaked it slightly to include Frankincense.
Ingredients & Supplies
Instructions
- Add each essential oil to the roller bottle, and fill the rest of the way with fractionated coconut oil.
- Insert the roller ball and cap, and shake well to blend.
- Apply to the spine and bottoms of the feet as needed. When we're fighting something I alternate this roller with the Daily Immune Roller, applying one of them every hour.
- For children under 6, if you have any concerns about skin sensitivity, use half the amount of essential oil called for. It never hurts to start with less, and add more as you deem appropriate for your child. Generally speaking, the bottoms of the feet are tougher and less sensitive, so there's usually little to no concern if you plan to only apply topically this way.
What other natural strategies do you use to support your immune system when you're fighting something?