Powerful Natural Remedies For Childrens Allergies
It’s one of the most devastating feelings in the world when your children are ill or distressed and you feel powerless to help! For a minute or so yesterday I felt that pang when our youngest daughter came home from school her eyes were streaming and she was rubbing them vigorously; she was coughing and was visibly panicked as she struggled to breathe!
I quickly ran the shower to steam up the bathroom, put a few drops of peppermint in a sink of piping hot water and got her outer clothes off. Then got her showered rinsing any triggers from her hair and body, while her big sis got the vapouriser started in her room with a blend of Lavender, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree Oil and Frankincense essential oils.
A Journal of Ethnopharmacology published in 2010 suggests peppermint oil acts as a relaxant and exhibits antispasmodic activity, inhibiting contractions that causes you to cough, though it’s not recommended for children under 30 months.
Thankfully within minutes she had calmed down, the coughing had stopped, her breathing had settled. and she was so relaxed that she drifted quickly into a sleep. Treatment for the next few hours involved general pampering, soothing cups of freshly brewed mint tea to calm and flush her body, and continuing to diffuse essentials oils as well as apply them topically in a carrier oil and massaged into the soles of her feet, wrists, temples and scalp – and apart from waking briefly to eat dinner she slept peacefully for a whopping 15 hours!
So you may well enjoy the divine scent of essential oils and that’s great, but in that moment I felt eternally grateful that I’d already discovered the power of essential oils to relieve allergy symptoms too. But how do essential oils address symptoms?
One of the methods our body uses to protect itself is by triggering inflammation. A necessary action when there is a real threat to your health, but in the case of pollen, dust or other allergens – despite there being no real threat as such, the body nevertheless mounts an attack which is what is experienced as an allergic reaction as the body releases hormones and chemicals including histamine.
Some of the triggers for an allergic reaction are pollen, insect bites, dust, mould as well as animal hair and medications.
One of the most amazing benefits of essential oils are their ability to fight inflammation and boost the immune system. Essential oils for allergies will help to detoxify the body and fight infections, bacteria, parasites, microorganisms and harmful toxins. They reduce the bodies susceptibility to outside sources and reduce the overreaction of the immune system when it is faced with a harmless intruder. Some exceptional essential oils even work to relieve respiratory conditions and increase sweat and urination — helping with the elimination of toxins.
Dr. Axe.
Conventional medicines aim to reduce inflammation by blocking the hormone histamine with synthetic substances, but these inherently come with side effects. For our children these could be impaired cognitive function, cause tummy upsets and nightmares – and generally speaking, parents simply do not associate these symptoms with the drugs and can then inadvertently end up medicating their children further trying to ameliorate these effects. Other side effects include:
Impaired memory
Drowsiness
Increased risk of dementia
Restlessness
Abdominal trouble
Unusual bleeding
Heart palpitations
Sleeplessness
Essential oils, on the other hand, interact synergistically with the body’s limbic system to clear the body of unwanted and harmful organisms, combat infections, relieving respiratory and boost immunity.
Combine these powerful effects with relaxation techniques such as massage, deep breathing guided meditation for an increased positive effect.
7 Essential Oil Remedies for Allergies
NOTE: Most essential oils carry the recommendation of diluting the concentrated oil with a carrier oil such as coconut or sweet almond oil. A general guide is 2 drops of essential to 1 teaspoon of your carrier oil. Also note if you intend to add to a bath, don’t add the concentrated essential oil neat, as it will rest on the surface of the water and could still cause a burn where it comes into contact with your skin; instead mix with a carrier oil first and then add the diluted oil to your bath.
1. Peppermint Oil
As mentioned earlier peppermint oil is a relaxant and exhibits antispasmodic activity, inhibiting the contractions that cause you to cough, and can provide instant relief when struggling to breathe by stimulating the limbic system in the brain allowing relaxation and reducing inflammation.
Diffuse or add to a carrier oil to apply topically. I combined it eucalyptus and lavender for a soothing massage to encourage the parasympathetic to enhance relaxation.
2. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus impedes the growth of microorganisms as a potent anti-microbial, diffuse into the air to get the benefits of clearing mucus or apply topically in a carrier oil.
There’s no need to buy a commercial vapour rub that will have added synthetic ingredients, simply mix it with peppermint oil in a base of coconut oil for your own pure at home vapour rub!
You can also mix in water with Celtic Sea Salt to gargle and provide cleansing and relief to your throat.
3. Lavender Oil
As a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine this is a go-to for use during an allergic reaction, when it’s relaxing and soothing attributes are particularly beneficial.
Diffuse it in the bedroom to promote a good nights sleep!
4. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is another powerful remedy for your medicine cabinet, and it annihilates airborne microorganisms – fungi, moulds, and bacteria. This is not for ingesting, it is ‘hot oil’ ensure a carrier oil is utilised for topical use. Adding some drops to a water spray bottle and spritzing around the house or simply diffusing is a great way to disinfect and reduce the impact of allergens affecting you.
5. Lemongrass Oil
Lemongrass has a wonderfully soothing effect on the body and can be used to relieve cramping or tight muscles triggered by an allergic reaction by mixing with your carrier oil and massaging into the area.
For sinus pain, diffuse or rub lemongrass on your temples.
A quick tip for repelling mosquitoes and other bothersome biting bugs, make up a spray and spritz your clothing because insects have an aversion to lemongrass!
6. Clove Oil
Clove is antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal and is commonly used for dental care especially as a powerful pain relief agent when applied to the painful area in the mouth.
Receive these amazing benefits by diffusing.
7. Frankincense Oil
Leaving my favourite until last – Frankincense affectionately carries the title of King of essential oils because of its range of benefits and applications. Used to rejuvenate skin, to boost the immune system, to reduce inflammation, encourage cellular health, reduce stress and anxiety symptoms and even to deal with pain, it certainly earns its title!
There’s no need to wait until you feel under the weather, you can rub a few drops into your wrists, lymph glands on your neck or temples as a preventative to keep boost your immunity!
Sophia Michel is Co-Author of Tough Roads Create Tough People and Love Mastery, an Independent Health Researcher, Health & Happiness Coach, Writer, College Lecturer, Electromechanical Technician, Wife and Mother .
Find her on Facebook at bit.ly/sophiamichel and LinkedIn at bit.ly/linksophia