I have suffered allergies my whole life, receiving a full round of allergy shots by age 7. I still remember my doctor telling my mom I was allergic to anything with hair. I managed my allergies just fine, with an occasional itchy nose or runny eyes, taking an antihistamine once in a while and we even had 3 dogs. In my early 20’s I started to develop some chemical sensitivities – I noticed it mostly with candles and artificial fragrances, resulting in headaches, nausea & vertigo. About 10 years ago I decided I’d help my husband cut the grass for the summer (I tested positive for allergies to many grasses at 7) After a few weeks I noticed my chest getting heavy and I knew if I continued I would develop asthma. I had a great excuse to stop cutting the grass and my symptoms went away.
I’m sure you know someone who suffers from asthma, maybe even you yourself. The American Academy of Allergies, Asthma and Immunology found that 70% of asthma sufferers have allergies. They also stated that 34.1 million Americans will be diagnosed with asthma sometime in their life. Last fall I became one of those statistics as I experienced the perfect storm resulting in asthma. In November after raking some leaves I had a full blown asthma attack. Combined with a previous history of allergies, stress, lack of sleep, overworking and not fueling my body with optimal nutrients I had the ideal conditions to develop asthma. Since I am familiar with stress management techniques as a yoga instructor, I quickly retreated to a hot bath with some Eucalyptus essential oils, then went to bed. This did help alleviate the symptoms at the time, but over the next 2 months I had to work on reducing stress, exposure to allergens (artificial fragrance included) and adding even more nutrient dense raw foods to my diet through gentle daily cleansing. I’m almost fully recovered, but not totally. A visit to the bank the other day set me back a bit as I stood in line with someone wearing a strong perfume. The fragrance filled the room and the minute I breathed it in I began coughing. I have managed my symptoms with some essential oil blends though my doctor continues to try convincing me to take the standard regiment of asthma inhalers/drugs. During the couple of visits to my MD it was never suggested that I avoid asthma triggers or allergens. In the past month I discovered some food allergies that were bringing on these symptoms. Now I am equipped to avoid allergens and any adverse reactions. Here are some oils that I’ve used to deal with my asthma symptoms:
Breathe Again Roll-On – a Young Living blend of eucalyptus globulus, peppermint, eucalyptus radiata, copaiba, blue cypress, eucalyptus bicostata and myrtle oil. This combination of oils are of great support to the respiratory tract. Several, including copaiba are anti-inflammatory. Simply apply the roll-on oils to the chest area or VitaFlex points for the lungs on the soles of the feet. Breathe Again Roll-On is even more effective when you apply Raven essential oil blend afterwards. Wintergreen essential oil is helpful for opening up the respiratory tract but is a very hot oil. Always dilute Wintergreen oil, using only 1 drop of essential oil to 5 or 10 drops of a carrier oil. This blend of oils has worked well for me when I’ve been exposed to airborne or food allergens.
Lavender essential oil is a natural anti-histamine. Apply lavender oil (therapeutic grade) directly to the chest, sinuses or on the cheekbones, being careful to avoid the eyes. Food grade lavender essential oil can also be taken in a capsule as a systemic anti-histamine. Lavender essential oil is excellent for relieving itching, especially when applied directly to the area you need.
RutaVaLa essential oil blend is useful for relaxing the entire body. This is especially helpful in times of distress. I have used this blend for asthma brought on by or worsened by stress. If you’ve ever experienced an asthma attack during difficult circumstances, an argument with someone or other situation you have little control over, RutaVaLa could help reduce symptoms. Just one drop of RutaVaLa applied to the base of my skull was enough to relax my chest and ease my breathing.
Essential oil Blends that I have found helpful in asthma situations include R.C , Raven (when layered over R.C), Breathe Again Roll-On.
Single oils that may open up the airways: eucalyptus globulus, eucalyptus blue, Copaiba, wintergreen, peppermint, myrtle and Idaho balsam fir. Many oils can help with managing stressful situations which can have a direct impact on asthmatic symptoms: lavender, chamomile, citrus and tree oils (frankincense, sandalwood, spruce) can be very calming.
I believe our bodies were designed with systems in place to protect us: pain receptors in the nerves, coughing or sneezing to eliminate bacteria and a fever to fight against germ invaders. The problem is we have so many substances in our environment that could be causing these symptoms that we don’t always take the time to find out what the root cause is. I am motivated to do this, partly because I am stubborn and don’t want to be tied to daily medication. The FDA has actually urged doctors to hold off on prescribing common daily asthma medications as they have been linked to severe and fatal asthma attacks. More importantly, I want to clean up my environment because I want to live a life of quality – wellness, purpose and abundance.
I am seeing results, but it won’t be easy. I could continue my path of exposure to harmful things in my life and just take the daily meds to mask my symptoms. For now I’ve chosen the natural route, and I know my family will be healthier too. I have found a balance of managing stress, providing my body with optimal nutrition, avoiding allergens and using Young Living therapeutic essential oils has helped me eliminate my asthma symptoms.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
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