I'm on a journey to find health and happiness through a more holistic and green lifestyle.

I find the world to be abrasive. =) That is to say, I feel the need to armor myself, physically and emotionally, in order to face life. Don't we all? Maybe. For whatever reason, it has become a priority in my life to rid my immediate environment of irritating things. And I'm sensitive! So there is much work to be done. But. I have thought for a long time that the things I come in contact with every day, and the stuff used to clean and maintain these things, need to be gentle and non-toxic. I have had eczema my entire life. For a long time I just dealt with it, and accepted that sometimes it's bad, and sometimes it's not, and that it will fluctuate a lot. Gradually over time I have come to find that certain things, fabrics, cleansers, materials, are more irritating to my skin than others. Stress can exacerbate it. In more recent times, I have realized that every aspect of my life improves when I improve conditions for my skin. Hah! What a concept! Thus my (long time) interest in going green, and my more recent desire to live a more holistic lifestyle. (I think I've felt a desire for a long time to live in a harmonious way with myself, my surroundings, and nature, but didn't have a name for it.) Anyhow, this blog is a journal of my trials and errors, and basic crooked path to find a balanced and peaceful existence for myself and my family. Thanks for your interest! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Friday, April 1, 2011

Eucalyptus Globulus Essential Oil For Cold/Chest Congestion

I have a cold that has been going on for more than a week. It went through all the basic phases, and I was well on the way to recovery when some stressful events prevented the good rest and sleep required to nip the sucker in the bud. So it's lingering. And it's in my chest. I figured that in order to give my body the extra boost it needs to get on top of this thing, I'd look into essential oils for chest congestion. As I have read before for colds, I found that eucalyptus is recommended for chest congestion. I read that HERE.
I bought some recently, to use with the kids when they get sick. As suggested, I put 3 drops of eucalyptus globulus essential oil in a bowl, and poured some boiling water over it. I breathed in the steam for about two minutes (five minutes was recommended, but I have a 3-year-old) I am waiting to see how effective this is. I will do this again tonight, and will diffuse some in our bedroom before we go to sleep. It is supposed to loosen things up, but also help zap the bug that's causing it to begin with. I'll come back with my results.

Ok, it has been maybe 45 minutes, and my cough is much reduced. I can feel the eucalyptus in my chest. I have since looked up several more articles on chest congestion, and the majority of those recommended eucalyptus oil, among others. Peppermint e.o. is also frequently suggested. I have learned that the idea of steam inhalation with eucalyptus is that the steam helps to open the chest allowing the e.o.s to get in there and kill the virus/bacteria. So at this point I can say that the treatment is giving me some relief. Time will tell if it will actually help to end this cold/bug.

My sinuses started to bother me about 3.5 hours after my first eucalyptus treatment, so I just did another one. I felt pretty good for that amount of time, though. Not without a cough at all, but a less persistent and productive one. The trial continues...

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