Kicking the Cold Habit

I got some great essential oil advice and now I wish to pass it on to you. If you can order Thieves Essential Oil Blend online do so, if not you can make your own with 5 essentail oils mixed in equal parts with one another.

I have cut and pasted a site that is very generous in providing the recipe and here is what i have taken from that site

Here are two recipes for Thieves Oil. One from Karen another from Debbie.

Thieves Oil recipes:

1. Equal amounts of eucalyptus, rosemary, cinnamon, clove and lemon. Mix with base of olive oil. I usually put a tablespoon of each in a 2 oz. bottle and then fill the rest with olive oil. you can make a larger batch in a quart jar following the same proportion method.
2. Same ingredients, but measured out in different strength's. Clove Bud Oil 200 drops, Lemon Oil 175 drops, Cinnamon Oil 100 drops, Eucalyptus Oil 75 drops, Rosemary 50 drops.

Thieves Oil Courtesy of Caroline Rogers founder of Nutrition Naturally and co-owner of The Tidewater Companion- A Holistic Health Directory and Resource Guide!

SUGGESTIONS FOR COLDS: According to the People's Desk Reference For Essential Oils, (The PDR) the following single oils are suggested: lavender, lemon, marjoram, frankincense, eucalyptus, melaleuca and rosemary. Young Living produces quality blends; recommended formulas include: Thieves, R.C., Di-Tone or Purification. Also suggested is a raindrop therapy treatment--see massage page for information.

THIEVES: Clove * Lemon * Cinnamon * Eucalyptus * Rosemary * An Essential Oil blend formulated by Gary Young, N.D.,owner of Young Living Essential Oils, Payson, Utah.

REMEMBER: The stimulating aroma of cinnamon or cloves, but if you touched your lips with it, it could cause irritation.... or the fresh aroma of lemon and sipping a hot fresh squeezed lemon drink with honey if you had a cold or sore throat... and Vick's Vapor Rub....the menthol aroma...your Mom would rub it on your chest to help you breathe easier at night in times of congestion....the pungent rosemary herb in cooking...

Aromas evoke memories, and memories lead to family recipes in times of healing for use in colds, flu., congestion, headaches, body aches etc. The Thieves blend is such a recipe, historically recorded in the era during the plague. History records that the perfumers seemed to have an immunity against the plague.

Here is one story: The Four Thieves Vinegar. Perfumers by day, robbers by night. Four men made a concoction of herbs and essential oils in a base of vinegar and would douse their body with this before they went our plundering! They had a pretty good track record of stealing riches until the King found out and captured them, forcing them to give up their secret weapon against the plague. The herbal ingredients were wormwood, meadowsweet, juniper berries, rosemary, camphor, sage, cinnamon and cloves in a base of white wine vinegar.

PRESENT DAY THIEVES: The essential oils contained within this formula have been noted for anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antiseptic and anti-catarrhyal properties while stimulating the immune system, circulation and the respiratory system. According to research at Weber State University, Thieves was found to have a 99% kill rate against airborne bacteria when diffused.

MY EXPERIENCE: Due to the cinnamon and clove contained, one must be cautious--it may cause irritation if improperly used. Fair skinned, blue-eyed individuals, redheads and those who tend to sunburn easily need to heed and dilute Thieves in a carrier oil (such as almond ) before applying to the skin. I have used 1-2 drops of Thieves on the bottom of my feet and also at the nape of the neck. Other places could be under the arms,and on the chest. I do not suggest using this in a bath or in a sauna! Diffuse for only short periods of time--20 minutes or less at work or at home. I used a lot of Thieves during January and February and felt the results were positive.

Specifically you want to use the following oils for these reasons,

Clove oil - the highest scoring single ingredient tested for it's antioxidant capacity on the ORAC scale.

Lemon Oil - a solvent and cleaners, also a power antioxidant.

Cinnamon Bark - very high in antioxidants and also known to support the digestive system.

Ecalyputs Radiata - Highly effective against bacterial in topical applications.

Rosemary oil - naturally energizing and beneficial for helping restore mental alertness.

I mixed my thieves in a carrier of coconut oil and use it as a chest, neck and back rub when the boys are sick. I also put drops on my steam mop pad and steamed the mattresses and diffused some in their bedroom for 30 mins.

You can make a spray using 25 drops of thieves oils blend in some water and vinegar for cleaning, it is highly anti-viral and antibacterial so you don't have to use harsh chemicals to clean. The smell is amazing and spicy as well...makes for a great smelling home!