The colds and flu just keep circulating, I need some essential oils for upper respiratory support! Tightness of the chest seems to be prevalent this month as we go from warm summer days to crisp fall mornings. It seems like every place we go there’s a sneeze here, a cough there, and inevitably germ sharing. This year I’m prepared to help offer my family a bit of relief when it comes to any upper respiratory issues they may experience.
What chemical constituents are best to support upper respiratory health?
When I prepare to make a blend for upper respiratory support my favorite chemical family (to learn more, go to the blog post; Chemical Families) is the oxides and my favorite constituent is 1,8 cineole. Here’s a great blog post written by Andrea Butje of Aromahead Institute with tons of information about this amazing constituent, Essential Oil Chemistry: Oils High in 1,8 cineole. This constituent aids in upper respiratory healthy by;
- Clearing congestion
- Breaking up unwanted phlegm
- Warding off seasonal threats
- Shortening the length of illness
What essential oils are high in 1,8 cineole?
Since Plant Therapy provides their GC/MS reports on their main website I was able to determine the exact content of each constituent so these numbers reflect the 1,8 cineole content in my particular batch and can vary batch to batch.
- Eucalyptus Globulus (86%)
- Eucalyptus Radiata (67%)
- Saro was received as part of our October Oil Of The Month Club (59%)
- Niaouli (56%)
- Cajeput (56%)
- Rosemary 1,8-Cineole (46%)
- Laurel Leaf (45%)
- Fragonia (32%)
We don’t put our KidSafe stamp on essential oils that contain in excess of 40% 1,8 cineole. Some oils high in 1,8 cineole are not recommended for children under the age of 10 due to the potential to cause breathing concerns (exactly what you’re trying to address by using these oils!).
How to safely and effectively use these oils to support a healthy respiratory system?
Topically;
Inhalation;
Don’t forget that we’re doing Giveaways with our Plant Therapy Aromatherapists’ favorite recipes all month long! Enter to win HERE until 11:59PM (MDT) on Thursday November 3 2016. Good luck!
