Many essential oils with antiseptic and disinfectant properties can prove to be of great help in treating sore throats, flu, colds and coughs.

Flu

Lavender essential oil helps rebalance the body when it has been weakened by fever. Its effect, calming and toning at the same time, exerts an antidepressant action and stimulates the immune defences. Use it diluted in water and vaporised in the room where the patient is staying, added to bathwater (20 drops), or, diluted in vegetable oil, to rub over the entire body.

Sore throat

Use as a gargle. Two or three drops of sandalwood essential oil, with its analgesic and antibacterial properties, diluted in water.

Fever

A warm foot bath with two or three drops of eucalyptus essential oil is helpful. Leg compresses or sponge baths can also be carried out using the essences of orange or lemon, peppermint, bergamot, tea tree, chamomile or melissa.

Cold

Spray a handkerchief with a few drops of camphor or eucalyptus essential oil to aid breathing and fight infections. Rub the chest and nasal sinuses with the same essences. Lavender, ginger, pine, rosemary, clove, cinnamon and lemon are also useful.

Cough

Pour a few drops of thyme, eucalyptus or pine essential oil into a humidifier, even as a preventive measure. A few drops of hyssop, pine or thyme on the pillow will be helpful, or mixed with a teaspoon of honey, two drops of hyssop to be taken at each bout of coughing. Eucalyptus, bergamot, marjoram, thyme and sandalwood also have an expectorant effect.

Massage oil

When you find yourself particularly vulnerable to attack by viruses and bacteria, mix 15 drops of lavender essential oil and 5 of lemon in 50 ml of jojoba oil and use for massages.

Chest balm

Melt four grams of beeswax, four grams of cocoa butter and 20 grams of
thick oil over a low heat, leave to cool and then add five drops of eucalyptus essential oil, three of peppermint and two of thyme.