For most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is still in full force and kids are enjoying their summer break. Out of sight and out of mind, our immune systems never get a vacation. Minute to minute, our deepest defense mechanisms are working behind the scenes to keep us in balance.

Pharmacies are advertising flu shots with predictable scare tactics before schools reopen and families get back into more familiar routines. Many health-conscious people gear up for the flu by getting an annual shot but gasp in awe when they come down with it anyway. Whether you blame it on the fact that the vaccine does not defend the body against all strains of influenza or the shot itself is the culprit, flu inoculations do not always work. They also do not prevent or lessen the severity of the common cold, halt stomach bugs, or deter other woes associated with the colder months.

Consistent hand-washing, cutting down on or eliminating sugar entirely from the diet, supplementing with good food, and getting enough sleep are all good ways to boost immunity, but they are not always enough. Clinical aromatherapy can boost the body’s defenses where good intentions leave off. Like any other avenue to wellness, it works best before the problem arises.

Some people complain that essential oils did not work for them during the flu season, not realizing that they used the same oils habitually, did not use them regularly, or used inappropriate ones. Using essential oils correctly is key. Here are a few tips that can make all the difference this coming winter and all year long.

Steps to Correctly Use Essential Oils

1. Do not use the same oil or combination of oils for longer than 7-10 days. The body will build a tolerance to it, thereby weakening the effects of the oils. To avoid immunity to the essential oils, alternate single oils and combination formulas every other week.

2. Do not think a few applications of essential oils will boost your immune system for months to come. Maintain a step ahead and use essential oils regularly, which means daily or 3-4x a week. The best way is to apply them undiluted to the soles of the feet at bedtime.

3. Do not shower for at least seven hours after applying essential oils.

4. Do not assume that all essential oils fight viruses. All oils are antibacterial, but only a few possess true anti-viral properties.

5. Use half the recommended amount for children.

Essential Oils for Better Immunity

Since essential oil is a plant’s own defense against disease, it does the same for us when we apply it singularly or in combination. Using essential oils that work well with others of complementary nature is the heart of clinical aromatherapy, and this goal of synergy can yield profound results regarding the immune system. When applied undiluted to the soles of the feet (the soft, uncalloused part between the ball of the foot and the heel), the antiviral-like properties of certain essential oils reach the bloodstream within 20 minutes and the deepest cellular level within 7-24 hours. For the best and most reliable results, please use the highest quality essential oils (see Recommendations and Links at the end of this article).

Related: Make Your Immune System Bulletproof with These Natural Remedies

Immune-boosting essential oils can be your best ally throughout the year, but if you want to gear up for the flu season this winter, it is best to armor your body now while summer is still here. Here is a list of essential oils you will want on hand and why.

• Clove Bud: One of the most powerful and reliable essential oils in clinical aromatherapy, clove combats contagious diseases and is an excellent oil to use for any bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. Also highly recommended for Lyme disease. How to use: 4 drops undiluted on each sole of the foot. Works even better when layered with organic lemon essential oil and used in combination 2-3x a week for 7 days. After a week, use another single oil or combination. Caution: Do not use undiluted or diluted on any other part of the body besides the soles of the feet. Avoid clove essential oil if you are on blood thinners.

• Eucalyptus citriodora: There are over 700 species of eucalyptus, and Eucalyptus citriodora (also known as Lemon Eucalyptus) is one of the most valuable. It has potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties and is highly effective for bacterial and viral infections of the respiratory system*. How to use: 4 drops undiluted on each sole of the foot. Effective for flu pain when diluted and combined with balsam fir; apply this diluted combination to aching muscles and joints. Can also be mixed with Epsom salts or sea salt and dispersed into a hot bath or foot bath. Can be diffused into the air via nebulizer to clear the air of viruses. *Do not use Lemon Eucalyptus if you have asthma.

Related: Understanding Essential Oils: A Complete Guide For Beginners

• Eucalyptus globulus: Menthol-rich eucalyptus eases the pain of muscles and joints associated with influenza and strengthens the immune system to fight viruses and bacteria. It also combats infectious fevers. Eucalyptus breaks up chest congestion when diluted and applied to the chest and throat in non-asthmatics. How to use: A few drops added to a pot or heat-proof bowl of hot water will make wonderful steam for inflamed sinuses associated with head colds and chronic sinusitis. *Do not use Eucalyptus globulus if you have asthma. In cases of asthma, substitute with pine needle or balsam fir or pine needle.

• Lavender: Seemingly a lightweight, this essential oil is the primary oil to have on hand at home and while traveling. How to use: 4 drops undiluted on each sole of the foot. Works even better when layered with organic lemon essential oil and used in combination 2-3x a week for 7 days. After a week, use another single oil or combination.

• Organic Lemon: Organic lemon essential oil is one of the most potent oils and the first to go to when one’s immunity is compromised. Organic lemon stimulates white blood cell production and boosts immunity against serious infections including pneumonia and staph. How to use: 4 drops undiluted on each sole of the foot. Organic lemon kills viruses and bacteria when diffused into the air via nebulizer.

• Pine Needle: Pine needle is good for viral fatigue and aching, winter muscles when a cold or flu is dragging you down. How to use: 4 drops undiluted on each sole of the foot. Best used when mixed with sea salt or Epsom salt and added to hot bath water. It can also be diluted in a little vegetable oil or unscented lotion and rubbed into the body. Pine needle is also a great oil to dilute and rub onto the chest for coughs and bronchitis.

Related: How I Replaced Medications With Essential Oils

• Tea Tree: Tea tree oil is a powerful and reliable oil for the immune system that is best when combined with organic lemon, white thyme, clove, or lavender essential oil to fight infections and the flu. How to use: 4 drops undiluted on each sole of the foot.

• Lemongrass: Lemongrass essential oil is used to relieve muscle pain, ward off insects, and reduce body aches. It also has powerful antimicrobial properties.

Even those seemingly alike offer unique benefits. With a little practice and even more knowledge, clinical aromatherapy can be employed to dramatically bolster immunity and guard against winter illnesses and even greater threats. It is also a lovely, fragrant way to better health.

Sources:

• Donato, Marlaina. Multidimensional Aromatherapy. Blairstown, NJ: Ekstasis Multimedia, 2015
• Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. San Rafael, CA: New World Library 1991
• Young, Gary. Essential Oil Desk Reference. Essential Science Publishing, 2004

Aromatherapy is a word that conjures images of celebrity trends, New Age dogma, and pop-up air fresheners found on supermarket shelves. When French biochemist René-Maurice Gattefossé coined the term in the 1920s, he probably had no idea that his against-the-odds recovery from gas gangrene using lavender essential oil would prompt a global surge of followers sniffing their way toward enlightenment. Today, despite the common household word, most people are still unaware of the true capabilities of the modality, even those who keep bottles of lavender by their bedside to induce better sleep or dab tea tree oil on blemished skin.

Aromatherapy, also known as essential oil therapy and aromatic medicine, is a full-spectrum healing method that is not only capable of armoring the immune system against the common cold, it can combat drug-resistant superbugs. It can also regulate the endocrine system and re-route haphazard pathways in the nervous system. Very few mainstream medical practitioners give credence to clinical aromatherapy applications, but thousands of people who have regulated their metabolism, lost weight, or have overcome the abyss of anxiety disorders without toxic side effects know why the use of aromatics for wellbeing has been around for thousands of years –  it works.

Wonderfully aromatic, essential oils appear to be pleasantries associated with perfumes, meditative practices, and drawer sachets, but they are powerful substances. A plant’s essential oil is its life force and its innate immune system that protects it from disease. Essential oils can do the same for us when we apply them undiluted to the soles of the feet a few times a week during flu season, combine them with Epsom salt and sea salt to put into a hot bath or foot bath, or dilute them with a vegetable oil for a therapeutic massage. They can also be inhaled to balance neurotransmitters, chemical messengers in our nervous system that regulate many bodily functions and affect mood. When used with a foundation of knowledge, aromatherapy can be used on everyone of all ages, as well as our pets, and even our houseplants.

There are many courses, books, and advocates passing along the complex body of knowledge about essential oils, but one must be aware that misinformation abounds. A little knowledge is not enough when approaching aromatherapy. Albeit natural, essential oils—steam-distilled essences of fresh plants, roots, barks, leaves, grasses, berries, seeds, and fruit rinds—must be treated like medications that have contraindications and specific recommendations for use.

Anyone taking any medication, especially blood thinners, should do their homework when using essential oils dermally (on the skin), for many oils could interfere with medications and cause serious, adverse effects. Epileptics are cautioned against inhaling certain oils that may prompt seizures. Pregnant women can use some, but not all, essential oils and at different stages of gestation. Hundreds of essential oils are available which means that if certain ones are contraindicated for a specific condition or prescribed drug, there are many more to choose from that can be used safely.

There is much debate about internal use of essential oils. If you are even slightly familiar with aromatherapy, you have probably come across company representatives that praise the practice like Scripture, but any certified, seasoned aromatherapist will agree that essential oils are concentrated substances, many more times concentrated than the amount found in the actual plants from which they are derived. The wise practitioner also knows that every body is different and has different responses and needs.

Want to know more? For expert, sound information, look for guidance by authors such as Robert Tisserand, Shirley Price, Kurt Schnaubelt Ph.D., Valerie Ann Worwood, Linda L. Smith, and Jane Buckle PhD RN. The market is flooded with books on the subject, and the best advice is to judge the material by the indexes, cross references, and resources provided in any title. Consider taking a course, especially one that includes hands-on blending and class time. It is well worth the effort and money invested, most of all, the communion with others who respect this holistic art form that can change lives for the better.

Disclaimer:

The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the material presented in this article is not intended to treat, prescribe for, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or to replace conventional medical treatments.

Sources:

• Braverman, Eric R. The Edge Effect. NY, NY: Sterling Publishing Co., INC., 2004
• Donato, Marlaina. Multidimensional Aromatherapy. Blairstown, NJ: Ekstasis Multimedia, 2015
• Edwards, Victoria H. The Aromatherapy Companion. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1999
• Schnaubelt, Kurt. The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy. Toronto, CA: Healing Arts Press, 2011
• Smith, Linda L. Healing Oils, Healing Hands. HTSM Press, 2003
• Tisserand, Robert. The Art of Aromatherapy. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1978
• Worwood, Valerie Ann. Aromatherapy for the Soul. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999

It is rare to watch twenty minutes of television without being bombarded with commercials for products that promise to combat toenail fungus and belly bloat, annoying and stubborn conditions that can springboard from imbalanced intestinal flora. Athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, feminine itch, intestinal gas, and other signs of systemic yeast overgrowth can all be greatly improved by using essential oils. Not only do essential oils attack acute yeast infections on sight, they also help to balance and increase good intestinal bacteria to prevent recurrences.

Excessive consumption of sugar, processed food, white flour, high fructose corn syrup, and smoked and nitrite-laden deli meats is known to contribute to yeast (Candida albicans) overgrowth, but even with a healthy diet, physical, emotional, and environmental stress can also manage to wreak havoc on the body’s core equilibrium.

Overuse of pharmaceutical antibiotics is a major factor in Candida taking hold; in fact, some sources say that it can take one year to rebuild beneficial flora in the intestines after one round of commonly-prescribed antibiotics. Good bacteria in the bowel comprise the activating force of our immune system, and when this bacteria or flora is compromised, our immunity is weakened.

In the conventional world of health, antibiotics are prescribed to fight infection, which depletes the intestinal flora that is the very foundation of strong immune response. Multiple rounds of antibiotics keep the immune system indefinitely weakened. We can only imagine what havoc this imposes upon the human body after decades. While antibiotics save lives, they are too often prescribed; collapsed immunity and drug-resistant bacteria are the result.

Essential oils, on the other hand, destroy pathogens without killing the vital intestinal flora. Interestingly, essential oils have shown to decrease bad intestinal bacteria and increase the beneficial.

Applying undiluted essential oils such as geranium, lavender, clove bud*, organic lemon*, tea tree, white thyme, ginger*, eucalyptus, and rosewood regularly to the soles of the feet increases beneficial flora in the gut, therefore giving your immune system a natural boost. Not only does this help eradicate fungal conditions, but it also helps your body fight herpes-strain viruses including chicken pox and shingles.

Clinical aromatherapy can be a fierce ally after antibiotic use or during times of stress, and can be an antidote to nutritionally bankrupt eating habits. Eliminating offending foods and lowering stress is key, but using essential oils can make it fun and effective.

Essential oils are powerful substances and many have contraindications*, so please check with your doctor or health practitioner before using them. Here are a few sure-fire recommendations to slay the yeast beast without the nasty side effects of drugstore products as well as ways to safeguard your immune system from becoming vulnerable to every virus that goes around:

For Nail Fungus

Apply 1 drop tea tree and 1 drop lavender essential oil undiluted (neat) to nail and nail bed 2x a day until things improve. Continue for another week for good measure. This combination can yield great results in a surprisingly short amount of time.

For Athlete’s Foot

Add 3 drops tea tree, 3 drops eucalyptus, and 3 drops geranium essential oil to a basin of warm water and soak feet once a day. Do not rinse. Dry feet well.

For Systemic Yeast Conditions

To boost good flora in the intestines after taking antibiotics or for systemic Candida/yeast: apply 2 drops lavender, 1 drop tea tree, and 2 drops clove essential oil undiluted to the soles of the feet every evening before bed. Do this for two weeks. For chronic systemic yeast issues, use this method for two weeks and then stop for a week; repeat as needed. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to flush toxins from the system.

For Stronger Immunity

To boost immune response, apply 2 drops organic lemon and 2 drops clove bud essential oil undiluted to the soles of the feet every evening before bed. Do this for one week then use 2 drops lavender essential oil and 2 drops tea tree essential oil for the following week. Alternating combinations helps to prevent your body from building up a tolerance and the oils from losing effectiveness over time.

For more information on the wonderful possibilities of clinical and practical aromatherapy applications, see the works of authors such as Robert Tisserand and Valerie Ann Worwood, among others.

*This essential oil is contraindicated for anyone on blood thinners. Substitutions are recommended.

Disclaimer:

The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the material presented in this article is not intended to treat, prescribe for, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or to replace conventional medical treatments.

Sources:

• Donato, Marlaina. Multidimensional Aromatherapy. Blairstown, NJ: Ekstasis Multimedia, 2015
• Edwards, Victoria H. The Aromatherapy Companion. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1999
• Tisserand, Robert. The Art of Aromatherapy. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1978
• Worwood, Valerie Ann. Aromatherapy for the Soul. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999