Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Colds & Flu

It’s that time of year…. houses are closed up against the autumn chill, and the kids are back in school, sharing germs among school-mates.

They bring germs home to share with the family, and the family then shares with their friends and co-workers. And the cycle begins! This time of year sees mostly colds, however influenza activity often begins to increase in October.

Whether it’s just a cold, or a full blown case of the flu, you need to protect your family.

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I didn’t buy my first bottle of essential oil until over a year ago, after a friend gave me some Oregano Oil to try. I felt like it really helped, so I started reading more about using essential oils. I discovered that they might be helpful for my respiratory issues.

Always check with your doctor and follow your doctor’s advice before using any oils. Please remember, that I am only sharing my personal experience with you.

Read to the end for How to Use a Diffuser Safely!

Essential Oils for Colds & Flu

Some of my favorite single oils to use during cold and flu season just happen to also be wonderful Autumn scents! I’ve included a free printable below with several blends using the following oils. You can also pick your favorite scents and make up your own blends.

• Peppermint – is anti-microbial, opens up sinus passages, good for chest congestion, may help alleviate headaches and has a cooling effect.
• Eucalyptus – works as an expectorant, helps cleanse your body of toxins and has a cooling effect.
• Lavender – both an antibacterial and antioxidant, may help with pain relief and sleep.
• Citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit) – helps to detox your body.
• Rosemary – antibacterial, helps clear air passages, has a cooling effect, and may help with headaches, aches and pain. NOT for use by those with epilepsy or who are pregnant. (can substitute Lemongrass for the same effects)
• Tea Tree (Melaluca) – antibacterial, anti-fungal, may lessen coughs, bronchial congestion and sore throat irritation.
• Oregano: powerful antiviral, antimicrobial, helps reduce symptoms of upper respiratory issues and sore throats.
• Cedarwood – anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and helps to detox your body.
• Pine Needle – anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic properties, helps purify the air, may help with allergies, respiratory infections and colds.
• Cinnamon: has anesthetic, antiseptic, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties may be helpful for colds and flu relief.
• Clove: this one is good for everything associated with colds, flu and respiratory issues.

Precautions:

The following oils should be avoided around babies: Cinnamon, Cedarwood, Lemon, Oregano, Rosemary, Lemongrass and Pine.

Pets should not be confined in rooms where the following oils are being diffused: Tea Tree, Cinnamon, Citrus, and Pine.

Diffusing oils in rooms with fish or reptiles is not recommended.

Recipes:

free printable here

How to Use a Diffuser Safely

It seems simple enough; add water and a few drops of essential oils and you are good to go. Yes, it is that simple, however….

There are some guidelines to make sure you are using the diffuser safely, because any scented product (including cleaning products and perfumes) could possibly be an irritant if inhaled.

Because we inhale somewhere between 50 – 70% of the active oil molecules in the air while diffusing essential oils, this is the quickest way of benefiting from their effects.

The standard rule of thumb for using a diffuser is to run it for 15 to 20 minutes up to 30 to 45 minutes at a time, and doing so every 2 to 3 hours. That’s plenty of time to saturate an average size room and is enough time for you to benefit from the oils. The effectiveness of the diffused essential oils is best for up to 45 minutes and is less beneficial after 45 minutes. It is not safe to run a diffuser for hours on end.

Most diffusers hold 100 to 120 ml of water, and it is usually recommended to use 3 to 5 drops of essential oil per 100 ml of water. All of these Diffuser Blends are 5 drops. I have included several blends, as I like to alternate them.

Be sure and check out my post Essential Oil “Flu Shot in a Bottle”

Resources

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Before I learned about the different oils, I bought Breathe Easy It has several of the oils listed above. When I decided to start investing in single oils, I began with this set.

I bought two of this Diffuser, One for the livingroom and one for the bedroom. It can be run with or without the changing color lights, has an interval (auto mist) option and an automatic low-water shutoff.

I refer to these two books often: The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils and The Essential Oils Book. The first book is the mother-lode of information, with an A to Z oil guide. The second book is a Story Publication and those are always wonderful books to have on hand for easy reference.

You might like to make up a couple of my DIY Essential Oil Inhalers to carry in a backpack or purse. I recently found a 2-pack of brightly colored little round pill boxes at Walmart that would be perfect for DIY inhalers. They were with the pill organizers in the pharmacy area.

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Stay Well!

Robin