By Elisa Mardagen
How can you use essential oils to help your children recover from colds?
Elisa Mardagen reveals how to help your children recover from colds and relax with essential oils.
Q: What oils do you use for your family to relieve colds?
A: The essential oils I use for colds for our whole family are Eucalyptus for it’s decongestant properties as well as Peppermint. I also use Frankincense to help ease any coughing. I like to make a chest rub with these oils so I use coconut oil (solid, not fractionated) as the base. I add in the oils and stir it together. Then I rub it on the chest, back and feet as needed. I will also diffuse these same oils beside the bed at night for some added support.
Q: What are your favorite essential oils to help you relax and how do you properly use them?
A: There are many oils that can help you relax, but everyone responds differently to them so you may need to try a few before you find your perfect oil. Lavender is the most common and simply diffusing it at night will help stimulate inner peace. I like to blend lavender with a couple of drops of lemon for a slightly fresh and calming scent. You can also apply the essential oils topically as once it touches the skin it penetrates rapidly. I recommend using a carrier oil (such as jojoba oil) when applying topically as a good, truly pure oil is very potent.
Q: Can essential oils be used to help reduce stress and anxiety in children? How do you use them?
A: Absolutely! Sometimes, just the scent of a favorite oil can calm a child, or even an adult, down. Again, each child will react differently to an oil and may need to try a few before finding the one that helps the most. My daughter loves Grapefruit essential oil and could smell it all day! Sometimes, she will put a couple of drops in her diffuser necklace and wear it to school. Grapefruit is uplifting, soothing and it’s known to help with stress. It works great when it’s diffused, added to a bath or used as a perfume.