Essential Oils for Colds & Flu: Our Favorite & Most Powerful Immune Boosters

The Best Immune Boosting Essential Oils for Cold and FluWho has time to feel less than your best?

Who needs to deal with being under the weather?

If every Winter season you expect to get a cold even once or your kids are prone to coming home from school with the coughs and aches, then don’t let this year be a repeat of those harming habits! Instead, stock up on all-natural remedies to prevent a cold before it has a chance to compromise you and your family!

What essential oils are good for colds? There are plenty that are effective and safe to use this Winter season. We’ll tell you the most useful essential oils to get rid of germs, to prevent an infection, and to purge the body of the nasty pathogens!

Since there’s plenty more essential oils that can do wonders for your body while you have a cold, be sure to check out our complete article to stock up on everything you’ll need! You won’t have to depend solely on medications again!

6 Top Essential Oils for Colds

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

eucalyptusEucalyptus has the works when it comes to fighting off the common cold and more! Studies show that Eucalyptus has antimicrobial and immune-modifying benefits, even when it’s introduced to the body in the simple form of inhalation. If you suspect that your cold is quickly shifting into bronchitis mode, then it’s time to break out Eucalyptus oil!

What You’ll Need:

  • 1/4 oz Beeswax
  • 1/4 Cup Coconut oil
  • 10 drops of Eucalyptus
  • 10 drops of Peppermint
  • 10 drops of Wintergreen or Fir Needle (optional)

How to Use:

Melt down the beeswax and coconut oil using the double boil method. Stir and wait for it to slightly cool. Add the essential oils and store in a glass container with lid.

Massage and apply to the chest and soles of feet to treat cold symptoms.

You can also add a drop of Eucalyptus to your pillow to clear airways during sleep.

Try using it as a steam inhalation treatment for immediate relief from congestion or in a cold compress to reduce fever.

For another DIY recipe for nighttime relief, try 8 drops of Eucalyptus, 5 drops of Lavender, 2 drops of Thyme, and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Mix together and apply 1 teaspoon to your chest before bed.

Peppermint Essential Oil

mintEveryone is familiar with using Peppermint oil for colds and congestion, and its antiviral activity has been studied on a variety of viruses! The short story – it’s effective! For respiratory support, some essential oil-infused tissues can be a cough-saver!

What You’ll Need:

  • 6 drops of Peppermint
  • 6 drops of Eucalyptus (optional)
  • 4 drops of Lavender (optional)
  • Stack of tissues

How to Use:

Add the oils to different areas of the tissues and inhale the scent as needed throughout the day.

Cinnamon Essential Oil

cinnamonWhile Cinnamon is known for its spicy and homely flavors and aromas, it’s also an excellent cold remedy. It’s revered for its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, circulation-boosting, and parasite-fighting properties. As soon as you feel the tickle and tingle of a cold coming on, prevent spreading the germs to others in the household, office, or classroom with your own DIY anti-germ spritzer!

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 3/4 oz Distilled Water
  • 4-12 drops of Cinnamon
  • 4-12 drops of Mandarin
  • 2-6 drops of Clove
  • 1/4 tsp of Witch Hazel (optional)

How to Use:

Combine all ingredients into a spritz bottle and shake well before each use.

Spritz all over the body and in your immediate surroundings at the first signs of a cold.

Clove Essential Oil

cloveClove has a long-time history of being used against colds and even the Plague that goes all the way back to the Middle Ages. Peasants and nobles alike were onto something when they used essential oils for congestion and colds! It’s a powerful antiviral and antimicrobial oil that can kick the cold out and promote healing.

What You’ll Need:

  • 20 drops of Clove
  • 18 drops of Lemon
  • 10 drops of Cinnamon
  • 8 drops of Eucalyptus
  • 5 drops of Rosemary

How to Use:

Combine all ingredients in a dark, glass spritzer or bottle. Shake well before each use.

You can diffuse these essential oils to ward off bugs or even the viscous flu by purifying the air.

You can also add this blend to your household cleaning products to help kill off the viruses and microbes that can cause a cold.

Try diluting this blend with a quality carrier oil and rub into the soles of your feet to help keep the immune system strong to fight off infections that triggers colds.

You could also use a couple drops of Clove with 1 ounce of water and gargle and swallow three times a day to beat the cold and flu. Try adding a drop of Peppermint and Lemon!

Chamomile Essential Oil

roman chamomileIf you’ve already been hit hard with all the typical cold symptoms such as congestion, coughing, fatigue, and fever, then you’ll benefit from diffusing essential oils. Chamomile has a long rap sheet of relieving cold symptoms that’s been researched, so here’s to a deep infusion of much-needed healing.

How to Use:

Add a few drops of Chamomile to your diffuser for all-day diffusion or in your bedroom for while you’re asleep.

Melaleuca Essential Oil

tea tree melaleucaWhen you’re sick, you’ll need all the help you can get to fight off the wheezing, coughing, and the aches as fast as you can. This is when Tea Tree essential oil steps in since it has antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and antiviral properties. It will help to relieve the sinus pressure, fight off the viruses causing it, clear the airways, and banish cold discomfort.

What You’ll Need:

  • 3 drops of Melaleuca
  • Large bowl (or sink) of hot, boiling water

How to Use:

Add oils to the water and drape your head and the bowl with a towel. Deeply inhale the steam for 5 minutes.

3 Essential Oil Blends for Colds

doTERRA On Guard Protective Blend Essential Oil

doTERRA On Guard Protective Blend Essential OilTo ward off all the nasty sicknesses that you can come down with during cold and flu season, you only need one blend to do the trick – doTERRA’s On Guard! It will protect you against viruses, boost the immune system, and support your respiratory system. As an essential oil blend, you can enjoy a healthy and tasty treat to fight off the cold.

How to Use:

Soak some sliced apples in a bowl of water with a couple drops of On Guard for an immune-supporting tasty snack!

You could also try out doTERRA’s On Guard Beadlets, Softgels, and Throat Protection Cough Drops if you want all the works!

Plant Therapy Germ Fighter Synergy Essential Oil Blend

Plant Therapy Germ Fighter Synergy Essential Oil BlendThis 100 percent pure and unadulterated essential oil blend is exactly what you need when you’ve been hit hard with a cold and congestion. It incorporates some of the best oils for colds such as Lemon, Clove, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, Cassia and Rosemary.

How to Use:

Add a few drops of this blend to a diffuser to keep the germs at bay. You could also add a dab under your nose or use in a necklace diffuser when you have to be in the office surrounded by germ-plagued co-workers.

If you’re more concerned about protecting your kids during cold season, try Plant Therapy’s KidSafe Germ Destroyer Essential Oil Blend!

Young Living Thieves Essential Oil Blend

Young Living Thieves Essential Oil BlendYoung Living combines Orange, Cinnamon Bark, and Spruce essential oils for everything from body odor and household chores to cavity protection and colds. This essential oil combo was notorious for protecting thieves that used to rob plague-ridden corpses back in the Middle Ages. Against the common cold and flu – it’s not too shabby!

How to Use:

A simple way to fight off the symptoms of a cold on a child or adult is to dilute it with a quality carrier oil and then literally paint it on with a wide paintbrush to the soles of the feet and put on cotton socks. You could just massage it on too.

Potential Side Effects of Essential Oil Use for Colds

woman with cold blowing her nose

The potential side effects of using essential oils and blends to treat cold symptoms are relatively minor, if any are experienced at all. The major concern is skin sensitivity. To avoid itching, rashes, hives, and skin sensitivity, always dilute with a quality carrier oil for topical use and skin patch first when using a new essential oil.

Internal use is also another method when treating cold and flu symptoms. Never ingest essential oils labelled “fragranced” or “perfume only”. You want to look for 100 percent pure and unadulterated essential oils. You should also consult with a licensed aromatherapist if you need advice on specific oils for internal use.

Be aware for indigestion, heartburn, stomach upset, nausea, and abnormal bowel movements when using essential oils for internal use. Stop ingesting them immediately if you experience any or unusual symptoms.

Use Essential Oils to Prevent Colds

By the time Fall starts coming to a close, the major concern is preparing for cold and flu season. The best way to treat a cold is to prevent it! The best preventatives have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties.

  • Some essential oils for warding off the bugs are Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Grapefruit, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Melaleuca, Clove, Sandalwood, Thyme, and Sage.

Use Essential Oils to Boost the Immune System

rosemaryWhen you’re stressed out, haven’t had enough sleep, you’re physically exhausted, or you’re dealing with emotional issues, your immune system is vulnerable to being compromised. This can all contribute to catching a cold before you even know it, which can then turn into bronchitis, flu, pneumonia, or other serious health issues.

Immune-modulating essential oils can help to stimulate white cell production throughout the body and ward off those viral and bacterial foreign invaders. When you’ve been hit with a cold, you most likely have congestion, aches, fever/chills, respiratory issues and the works. If a cough is your main issue, you might find that using essential oils for coughs in conjunction with immune boosting oils works the best.

Using oils that can support circulation, decrease inflammation, fight off infection, and clear the airways can be just the type of healing you need.

  • Consider Cajuput, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Melalueca, Rosemary, and Sandalwood oils.

Use Essential Oils to Purge

To purge the body of your cold, you need depurative essential oils. Depurative means to use herbs to purify and detoxify your body – it’s been done since the dawn of time and it should still be done today. To help get rid of the germs and speed up the healing and recovery process, skip the dried herbs and go straight to the source – botanical essential oils!

  • Essential oils to use to cleanse the body of your viral infection are Cypress, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lemon, and Rosemary.

Don’t Be Held Back!

Everyone who has been sick before knows that life goes on without them. Without turning to medications with numerous, harmful side effects, you can use essential oils to treat your symptoms naturally to get back in the race of life.

When using essentials consistently and as a preventative, you don’t have to miss out on any of the wonders of life! Don’t let your cold hold you back!