Using Eucalyptus to Ease Colds
There are many, many things I love about this time of year, but cold and flu season isn’t one of them. I love the hustle and bustle, the crowded stores and one benefit of living in Florida is I get to see people from all over the world come here to celebrate. But that also means that we end up getting exposed to a ton of colds and germs. Despite my best efforts I fell victim to a pretty nasty chest cold and that lead me to spending some time trying to sort out the best way to help myself get some relief and breathe easier.
Eucalyptus is one of the best plants for soothing respiratory issues. It has a nice gentle smell so it wont trigger any coughing spells and the volatile oils from the plant are known to work with the respiratory system by acting as :
Decongestant- to help open your ability to breathe in your nose
Antispasmodic- to help ease coughing spells
Anti-inflammatory- soothes inflamed tissues
There are many ways you can choose to use this plant to help get yourself feeling your best again. Below are a couple of simple and yet effective choices. Feel free to mix and match and see what works best for you!
- Hang fresh sprigs of eucalyptus in the shower near the shower head. When you turn on the hot water the oils will activate from the plant and disburse into the air.
- Use shower melts or bath bombs made with pure eucalyptus essential oils, as they dissolve the oils will be released into the air.
- Add a few drops of pure eucalyptus essential oil (never fragrance oil) into a basin of hot water. Lean over the basin (some choose to use a towel draped over their head to contain the steam close to their face and or head) and breathe in the steam for a few moments.
- Eucalyptus infused oil, like those in roller bottles are great for external application when out on the go. Applied topically where you can breathe it it will still act as a decongestant and cough suppressant.