7 Essential Oils for Cold and Flu Season

We all know how it goes. First, you get a slightly stuffy nose and an occasional cough.

Within a few days, what you thought might be allergies progresses to constant headaches, full-blown congestion, seemingly constant sneezing, and all-over body aches. It's a cold. Or worse, the flu. And there go your weekend plans...try these 7 Essential Oils for Cold and Flu Season.

When the cold and flu creep up, the go-to solution for many people is to reach for over-the-counter medicines. And while those may work, taking a concoction of these various medicines can have serious side effects. You can also end up developing a tolerance to these medications or even an allergic reaction, making them ineffective or harmful.

To avoid all that, why not try natural remedies first? Essential oils have excellent health benefits, including fighting against the common cold and flu. To help you and your family keep those nasty germs at bay, you should use these seven amazing essential oils for cold and flu.

1. Immune Strength

Our Immune Strength blend combines the power of several single essential oils to create one powerful disinfectant. With the help of Cinnamon Bark, Lemon, Oregano, Eucalyptus citriodora, and seven other oils, Immune Strength can help to naturally disinfect both the air and surfaces in your home or workspace so that you can avoid getting sick. Our Tohi Multi-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate and Tohi Foaming Hand Soap contains Immune Strength to make it easier to keep your home and hands clean, which means that those cold and flu germs will have a more challenging time sticking to you. How to use:

• Diffuse around the house or at the office to purify the air and support a healthy immune system.
• Use in DIY cleaning products to disinfect hard surfaces throughout the home or office.

2. Sacred Immune Strength

Sacred Immune Strength closely follows the formula of our original Immune Strength blend. The main difference between the two is that instead of Eucalyptus, Sacred Immune Strength contains Sacred Frankincense. This modified blend has the same disinfecting and health-promoting properties as the original; however, it does promote stronger internal health properties. Because of this, we decided to fortify our Tohi Defend Immunity Supplement with the Sacred Immune Strength blend to help keep your immune system strong enough to fight against colds and flu. How to use:

• Diffuse around the house or at the office to purify the air and support a healthy immune system.
• Add to DIY cleaning products to disinfect hard surfaces throughout the home or office.
• Take our Tohi Defend Supplement daily to improve your overall immune health.

3. Cardamom

This warm, spicy-sweet oil is one of the most effective oils for fighting a cold or flu virus. Cardamom has soothing properties that help ease a dry, constant cough. Not only that, but Cardamom is excellent at relieving congestion and supporting a healthy immune system, which can help you eliminate unwanted germs. In short, Cardamom's therapeutic benefits support healthy immune system function while also bringing relief from common seasonal ailments. How to use:

• Add a few drops to a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your head, and breathe in the steam for 5-10 minutes to relieve congestion.
• Mix a couple of drops with a carrier oil, and massage into the chest area to promote deeper, clearer breathing.

4. Lemon

Lemon is one of the most common essential oils because of its seemingly all-inclusive benefits. But did you know that Lemon can help ease the symptoms of a cold or flu? Lemon essential oil has natural disinfecting, energizing, and purifying properties, which helps with everything. From coughing and congestion to fevers and fatigue, Lemon essential oil can give your mind and body the boost it needs to get better. How to use:

• Diffuse to reduce fatigue, boost the mind, and ease a cough.
• Rub a few drops of diluted Lemon oil onto your chest to reduce congestion.
• Diffuse to help kill airborne germs.

5. Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil has a strong, fresh aroma that is great for colds and flu. A tell-tale sign of these viruses is congestion. If you feel stuffed up or have a chest cough, Eucalyptus can help open the airways and ease coughs. Eucalyptus' purifying and cleansing properties also help kill the harmful germs and viruses that got you sick in the first place. When applied topically, Eucalyptus also has a cooling effect, which feels great when you feel overheated. How to use:

• Add 5-10 drops to a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your head, and breathe in the steam for 5-10 minutes.
• Diffuse to help kill airborne germs and promote clear breathing.
• Add 10 drops to 2 cups of room-temperature water. Put a few washcloths into the water, and place the cloth on the forehead, arms, and legs to cool you down.

6. Flu Time

The name of this expertly crafted blend says it all! Flu Time is the perfect blend for protecting yourself and your family against unwanted germs and relieving early flu and common cold symptom. With a blend that includes Peppermint, Frankincense, Lime, and Lavender, Flu Time not only helps increase your energy but also calms the mind when you feel tired or hazy from your cold. The various oils' purifying properties can also help purify the air to help you avoid getting sick and get better faster. How to use:

• Diffuse to remove airborne germs.
• Massage into the chest and neck with a carrier oil to inspire deep breathing and increase energy.

7. Deep Breathe

Perhaps one of the worst parts of having a cold or flu is having a congested airway. When you're sick, the air around you can also feel stale and stuffy, which doesn't help you breathe any better. Our Deep Breathe blend makes it easy to clear the air and improve your breathing, so you can go about your day enjoying the smells around you - including the Deep Breathe blend! How to use:

• Diffuse to clean the air and clear congested sinuses.
• Massage into the chest area with a carrier oil to clear sinuses and improve breathing.