The most important steps include frequent hand washings ( Thieves foaming hand sanitizer), washing bed lines and towels (I add a drop of Thieves or Purification essential oil to my laundry soap for extra disinfecting), cleaning my bathrooms with Thieves wipes (you can make your own wipes with Thieves household cleaner and tough paper towels, store them in an old baby wipes container for convenience) and diffusing highly anti-bacterial blends like Thieves, Purification, Christmas Spirit and Frankincense to kill airborne bacteria.    Young Living essential oils are also the most important items in our medicine cabinet.  In fact, we really don’t have anything else in our medicine chest – no ibuprofen, acetaminophen,  or over the counter cough syrups with artificial flavors & colors.  This is what  we use for colds & flu symptoms:

1st onset:  For adults, make up a  capsule of Thieves:  2 drops of Thieves essential oil plus 3-6 drops of lemon in gel cap.  For kids  under 6, a spoonful of agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil added and 1-2 drops of R.C applied to the bottoms of feet.  Use Thieves hand sanitizer to keep germs from spreading.  Keep mouth clean where germs multiply with Thieves mouthwash.

Cough medicine -  1 tsp agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil.  For adults add 1 drop Thieves for extra boost. Suck on Thieves lozenges.

Fever – Adults, 3-5 drops peppermint essential oil on each foot.   Repeat as needed until fever is gone.  Children under 7 – Lavender & Frankincense on bottoms of feet or along spine – repeat as needed until the fever is gone.

Sore Throat – 1 tsp agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil (Lemon essential oil contains many more nutrients and antioxidants than just lemon juice as the essential oil is distilled from the rind – use only food grade lemon essential oil for ingesting) .  For adults and children over 6 add 1 drop of  Thieves oil to the spoonful of lemon/agave nectar.  Thieves lozenges are also helpful.   Gargle with Thieves mouthwash.

Sinus & Chest congestion – R.C. applied to the bottoms of feet, rubbed on the chest or inhaled.  Add a  few drops to bath water and breath deeply.  Frankincense supports the respiratory tract and viruses.  Apply to the chest and throat area on lymph glands.  Place a drop of frankincense on the tongue to fight viruses.  Raven is a Young Living blend made of Ravensara, wintergreen, eucalyptus radiata, lemon and peppermint.   It is especially effective when layered with the R.C blend.  Breathe Again Roll-on is a convenient blend to apply directly to the chest or Vita-Flex points for breathing relief due to cold and asthma.

Cold/Canker Sores – suck on a Thieves lozenge or apply a drop of Thieves essential oil directly to the spot to alleviate pain and speed healing.  Peppermint oil also may help when applied directly.

Headache /body aches – Raindrop Technique, apply peppermint or Panaway on the forehead and temples or  lemon essential oil on the big toe.  Soak in a mineral bath like Ancient Minerals with 3-4 drops of lavender essential oils added.

Vomiting/diarrhea - peppermint essential oil applied to bottoms of feet, on the belly and 1 drop in water to sip.  Children under 6 should not use peppermint oil, instead use Frankincense or ginger essential oil on the feet and belly.  After 1 hour of no vomiting, gradually introduce liquids. Dilute 1 oz. Ningxia Red with 4-5 ounces of water is a gentle way to start adding nutrients.

Inner Defense is a supplement that contains 4 different types of Oregano.  This is highly antibacterial, research shows this blend is as powerful as some antibiotics.  When using Inner Defense, 10-12 hours later take a probiotic likeLife 5.   For example, Inner Defense in the morning, Life 5 at bedtime to replenish healthy intestinal flora.

In addition to some of these suggestion make sure to add some homemade chicken soup, drinking plenty of  high quality fluids, rest and some common sense to ensure a quick recovery.  Always seek the advice of your doctor for serious illness.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are meant for educational purposes only, they are not a substitute for medical care.

Over the counter products for digestive issues ranked high in consumer demand in an article on Drug Topics, a newsmagazine  for pharmacists.  They indicated that there are thousands of new products introduced to the market each year and that pharmacists do not have enough time to evaluate what products to stock on their shelves?  Just the other week, November 29, 2010,  the FDA ordered a recall of 12 MYLANTA liquid products and one AlteraGEL liquid product, Rolaids, Children’s Benadryl and Junior Motrin.   Could it be that the FDA is also having trouble keeping up with product safety?

If you’re like me, you’d like to try some home remedies first, then seek some over the counter meds if the natural way is not helping out.  Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I bought an antacid, anti-diarrhea/nausea product because there are several essential oils that are excellent for the digestive tract.

The first oil we use for digestive issues is peppermint essential oil. (not for children under 3).   According to the American Botanical Council,  peppermint oil is used in the United Kingdom to treat gastrointestinal issues including symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), nausea and diarrhea.   We apply the oil to the soles of the feet, the stomach or place a drop in a glass of water and sip slowly ( use only food grade peppermint essential oil like Young Living).

Ginger, tarragon  and fennel essential oils are soothing to the digestive tract as well.   Young Living offers a blend of oils targeted at digestive issues – Di-Gize (tarragon, ginger, peppermint, juniper, fennel, lemongrass, anise, patchouli essential oils).  Dilute 1 part essential oil to 4 parts olive oil or V-6 carrier oil and place in a capsule to ingest prior to a meal, or apply to the abdomen or soles of the feet on Vita-Flex points.  DiGize is one blend in the Golden Touch kit, a combination of Young Living oils targeted at keeping your family healthy this winter.

So go ahead, enjoy a cookie or two, enjoy your time with family & friends this season and keep a bottle of peppermint essential oil on hand.

With some careful planning and self-control, you may be able to lessen your chances of stomach upset this season.  Be reasonable in your intake of rich and high fat foods.  Manage stress in healthy ways and enjoy the season!