For the general population we should limit our use of essential oils to where it works best, is straight forward and safe.   Aromatherapy offers the home user an entry point into exploring alternative healing methods in general.  Accurate information about a few therapeutic actions of essential oils can give you a personal first aid kit to take care of yourself and loved ones. Essential oils are a great way to eliminate over the counter synthetic based cold and flu medicines, analgesics, upset stomach remedies & headaches remedies. 

 

Essential oils are the best choice when it comes to fighting virus and germs, and strengthening your immune system.
 Add them to:
• natural hand soaps, creating your own natural antibacterial soaps – much better for the environment
• Add Citrus oils, Lavender, Spruce or your favorite to cleaning water when washing sick rooms, bathrooms, doorknobs, countertops, sheets.
• Clean the air by diffusing essential oils. Try using diffusers, add to humidifiers, spray bottles
Support yourself naturally when you have. . .
• Common cold – minimizes impact, reduces chance of condition worsening into serious infection.  Try gentle steam inhalations with Eucalyptus, Rosemary, lemon, Lavender, may help to break up congestion and clear mucous. Use compresses and nasal pressure points, chest rubs, upper back rubs. Think preventatively – best used before to prevent, or at early onset.
• Flu – Treatment is aimed at stopping further spread of virus, and prevents it from becoming a bacterial infection.  Try Bay laurel, cajeput, lavender, lemon, tea tree, ravensara, red thyme in baths, rubs, or diffuser.
• Herpes Simplex Type 1 - Oils can be directly applied to the site at first sign of eruption. Melissa, Bergamot, Tea tree, Eucalyptus globulus. Eucalyptus citriodora, Geranium, Hyssop are all choices for stopping the outbreak, and potentially reducing the infection.  

Stress is being shown to be the underlying major health problem in the world today. It is responsible for many of our illness. Essential oils are calming to the Nervous System – the body’s control center and communication network.  Salvatore Battaglia author of “The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy” says, “No other holistic health modality is able to offer us such a multidimensional approach to the management of conditions associated with the nervous system”. 
Essential oils, especially when combined with a touch therapy like Massage, or Shiatsu offer you
• Pharmacological activity of the essential oils
• The nurturing and therapeutic benefits of massage
• Caring professional relationship between therapist and client or family members
• The powerful influence that smell (olfaction) has on memory and emotion

Aromatherapy treatments reduce the damaging effects of stress that are known on the body – showing up in ways such as indigestion, muscle tension, headaches, irritability, insomnia.
Observed effects of treatments include:
• Reduced pain levels
• Reduced muscle spasm and tension
• Better emotional health
• Healthy sense of self and wellbeing

#3 Emotional Health - When you need some help coping with every day stress try any of these ideas below.
 
• Agitation:  Melissa, Frankincense
• Emotional Instability: Any from list
• Fatigue: Basil, cypress, peppermint, rosemary
• Headaches: Roman chamomile, lavender, lemon, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary
• Insomnia:  Lavender, marjoram, neroli,
• Sadness:  frankincense, mandarin, neroli, rose.
• Any application method from topical to inhalation is appropriate for Depression.