Everywhere I go, it seems I am hearing about the 'flu - H1N1, the seasonal 'flu, vaccines, and advice on how to protect ourselves. I also hear a lot about people taking oregano essential oil orally, especially while doing my working hours at Karma Coop's cash. As a Registered Aromatherapy Health Practitioner, I need to tell you that ingesting oregano http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/556 is not on my list of things to do to prevent getting the 'flu, H1N1 included!

This IS my list of things to do to prevent the 'flu!

1. WASH YOUR HANDS. Often. Before eating. Before putting your hands near your mouth or anyone else's! Wash with water, soap if you have it, hand sanitizer if you have to, natural hand sanitizer if you can http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/601. Water and friction remove microbes from the hands. Drying helps.

2. SLEEP 8+ HOURS PER NIGHT. People who get less than 8 hours of rest per night get 4 times more colds and 'flus than people who get 8 or more hours sleep!

3. GET OUTSIDE! Being out of doors makes you fitter, lets your body create Vitamin D, and gets you breathing cleaner air. Your fitness, your vitamin D levels and your exposure to (generally dirty) indoor air are all factors in your likelihood of getting H1N1 and in avoiding complications.

4. SANITIZE YOUR AIR (AND HANDS) NOT YOUR GUT. 'Flus and colds are spread by droplet infection - microbes shot into the air at shocking speeds through sneezing and coughing. The microbes can stay for days on undisturbed surfaces. I recommend some comparatively mild essential oils to cleanse the air, such as lavender http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/87 and lemon http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/89. These are both mild, pleasant, relatively inexpensive, anti viral and immune supporting essential oils. No need to haul out the Dettol!

Which Essential Oils Are Effective Against Viruses Like the 'Flu?

The list of essential oils exhibiting antiviral effects is extensive: Melissa, tea tree, juniper, eucalyptus, thyme, palmarosa, lavender, rosemary, clove, laurel, cinnamon bark, anise, rose, lemongrass, geranium, neroli, bergamot, clary sage, and dill. The antiviral effect of an essential oil is due to particular components of the oil - some oils will work just as effectively on a particular infection as another, because they contain similar amounts of a certain component. The components of essential oils showing antiviral activity, and the oils in which they can be found, are as follows (from K. Schnaubelt, Ph.D. - Advanced Aromatherapy, p. 36):

Anethol - found in Anise
Alpha-Sabines - found in Tea Tree, Laurel, and other oils
Beta-Caryophyllene - found in Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme Linalool, and other oils
Carvone - found in Dill
Cinnamic aldehyde - found in Cinnamon Bark
Citral - found in Melissa, Lemongrass and other oils
Eugenol - found in Clove
Gamma-Terpinene - Found in Juniper, Eucalyptus, Niaouli, Tea Tree and other oils
Linalyl acetate - found in Clary Sage, Lavender, Bergamot and other oils

NOTE THAT THESE ESSENTIAL OILS ARE NOT OKAY TO PUT STRAIGHT ON YOUR SKIN (only lavender, tea tree and chamomile are recommended to put straight on the skin in first aid situations) AND SOME, LIKE CINNAMON AND THYME, MAY CAUSE BURNS AND HIVES!!!

You don't need to ingest or slather yourself with these oils!

To sanitize the air in your home, just put a pot of water on the stove or a radiator, and heat 1ml lavender and 4ml of lemon essential oil. This can cleanse the air in a sick room, too.

To sanitize door knobs and other much touched microbe infested spots, spritz a little hand sanitizer http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/601, or make a cleaning spray with vinegar and water, plus a few ml of lavender and, lemon essential oils.

To sanitize your "personal" air bubble, put a drop of lavender and 4 drops of lemon on an aroma pendant http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/210, or run it through your hair mixed in 30ml of jojoba oil, or make a blend and sniff throughout the day.

You can also use incenses with anti viral ingredients such as my 100% essential oil Psychic http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/200, Clearance http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/194, Lavender http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/135, Money http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/197, or Empowerment http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/195 incenses.

But most of all, I recommend that you take good care of your immune system with sunshine, fruits and vegetables, exercise and sleep, and wash wash wash your hands...

and if you want an essential oil blend or (personal protection kit) to combat the 'flu, come into the clinic and I'll blend you up a scent you'll enjoy without sterilizing your intestines!

Stay healthy!

And if you DO get the 'flu, DON'T take acetomenaphen (Tylenol) or ASA (Aspirin) unless your fever is above 104F and you are receiving medical care. These may be responsible for as many deaths from complications as the 'flus themselves!