Unfortunately, it’s cold/flu season again.  And one nasty cold (or other respiratory virus), in particular, seems to really be making the rounds.

One notable difference between alternative/complementary medicine (as a rule) and allopathic medicine (as a rule) is that allopathic medicine (what the average M.D. practices) is aimed at healing some specific symptom set, while alternative/complementary medicine — although it may sometimes aim to alleviate symptoms in the meantime — focuses on supporting the body so it can heal itself.

Nutritional support is pretty important.  When it comes to winter colds & flu, vitamin D and probiotics can be especially significant players!  But once you’ve done what you can to eat well and support the body nutritionally, you can bring home remedies into the picture to give things an added boost.

While we use herbs some in my household — largely in the form of teas — we use essential oils more frequently, simply because I find them easier to store and simpler to use.  So here are some essential oils that may be beneficial while you’re battling a cold.  (These are gathered from a variety of sources.)  Please keep reading below the lists for cautions regarding young children.

To Support the Immune System:

Bergamot
Cinnamon
Clove
Eucalyptus (globulus)
Frankincense
Lavender
Lemon
Oregano
Tea Tree
Thyme
Vetiver

To Support the Respiratory System:

Eucalyptus (globulus and/or radiata)
Lavender
Lemon
Peppermint
Tea Tree

If you want to get a little more specific, there are some other options, too.  We can aim more directly at a cough, virus, and/or bacteria.

Anti-Spasmodics (May Be Helpful for Coughs):

Bergamot
Clary sage
Lemon
Rosemary

Expectorants (Break Up Congestion):

Eucalyptus (globulus and/or radiata)
Frankincense
Lemon

Antiviral:

Bergamot
Clary sage
Eucalyptus
Lemon
Peppermint
Rosemary
Tea Tree
Thyme

Antibacterial:

Cinnamon
Clary sage
Eucalyptus
Lemon
Peppermint
Thyme

These are not exhaustive lists (and of course there are blends you can use, like Shield for immune-boosting/anti-whatever and Oxyzen for respiratory support), but these should give you some basic options that should be readily available, so you have a handful to choose from, and hopefully will have something useful on hand!

Please note, however, that not all of these are safe for small children.  Some of them are very strong/”hot” oils that are simply “too much”  for young children’s small bodies.  Others, like eucalyptus, rosemary, & peppermint, may have a negative effect on little ones’ respiration, causing their breathing to slow — possibly to a dangerous degree.  (Besides, if a kid has a cold, interfering with his breathing is the last thing you want to do, right?!)

The lavender should be safe to use on babies.  Tea tree is safe to use on most babies, except the youngest newborns.  Lemon is safe from about age 2.  (Knowing this, and after seeing how many of the lists they appear in, in this post, are you beginning to see why they’re a couple of my favorites? 🙂 )  Generally speaking, avoid “herb”  essential oils (thyme, rosemary, sage…) and “spice” essential oils (cinnamon, clove…), as well as peppermint, for anyone under the age of about six.  (Some of those may be okay diffused, just not topically, a bit sooner, but it’s better to not, unless you know what you’re doing.  Definitely don’t diffuse the ones I mentioned as slowing respiration near a baby or toddler.)  For more safety recommendations, see my post about keys to essential oil safety.

Don’t have essential oils on hand?  You can get them here.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, and none of these statements have been evaluated or approved by the FDA.  None of the information here should be construed as diagnosing, treating or curing any illness; it’s provided for educational purposes only.