Aromatherapy Solutions for Allergies – How it Worked for Me
Allergies…are so annoying, right.
Physically, you can experience allergies to plants, pollen, chemicals and pets.
Nutritionally, you may experience an “allergy” in response to eating certain foods or drinking specific drinks.
Emotionally, something or someone can irritate, frustrate, or annoy you.
You can be triggered by one, two or all three of these situations.
Can allergies affect your sense of smell? Listen in here to the video clip where I explain how olfaction works, what happens when it doesn’t work, culprits that affect your ability to smell, and olfactory differences between women and men.
So why do you get allergies? Well first, let’s distinguish between two types of potential allergies. The first is what I call a “genetic allergy” or true allergy to a plant, food, pet, etc. You may be born with a specific allergy, say to pine trees. Any contact with that trigger, can cause a major reaction such as anaphylactic shock, rash, breathing issues or more serious. This means if you born with the allergy, you should not use essential oils related to that plant. this is a type of allergy that you cannot get over, as it is a part of your DNA.
The second I call a “self-induced allergy”, or a “gradual allergy”. You are not born with this type of allergy. Rather, it manifests over the years due to several factors such as –
- poor diet
- poor gastrointestinal functions
- over-exposure to environmental culprits
- other health related contributors.
These types of allergies typically mean your gut has issues and imbalances. In addition, the immune system cannot function optimally to combat the “foreign invaders” thus a mucolytic or allergy response happens. This type of allergy you can “get over” or minimize its severity. However, it may take a while to balance the imbalances leading to these allergies. Your body becomes “conditioned” to respond this way based on physiological, psychological, biochemical and energetic inferences.
The Important Role of Histamines with Allergies
Remember, 80% of your immune system is in your gut. This is the place where we absorb and assimilate the nutrients, wring out the waste and excrete them. If there is any congestion, poor or empty nutrients, sluggish elimination and/or germ exposure, the gut can’t do its job, and triggers an inflammatory response. The allergy response, also known as an inflammatory response, occurs when too many mast cells are released resulting in an allergic response or histamine overload. When you get your gut healthy (requires several tools), allergies can dissipate.
By now, you have heard of the anti-inflammatory diet, blood type diet, anti-candida diet, DASH diet, paleo and a few others. All these are great to help with specific health goals. However, in my opinion, they miss educating you on one important component…the root causing instigator. What is this? Histamine overload. This happens when you don’t eat the right foods that your body recognizes as beneficial. When you eat a food that you think is healthy, like avocadoes, your body may not respond to it in a healthy way. It may trigger an inflammatory response which you experience as –
- excess phlegm in the throat
- itchy throat
- water eyes
- mild headache
- even heightened anxiety and nervous
In the coming months you will hearing a lot more information about antihistamine diets, especially in relationship to respiratory distress recovery (source). Working with a Registered Dietitian can be very important not only to match up the right histamine causing foods specific to you, but to decrease the overwhelm of trying to figure it out on your own. I learned about histamine reactions when I was sick many years ago with severe Crohn’s, Colitis, leaky gut and IBS. I saw any specialty doctors and completed allergy testing. I was allergic to every single thing in the list except 7 things. That means that anytime I had any of those foods on the “allergic list”, I would have an inflammatory response. When I did allergy testing a few years ago, I wasn’t allergic to anything. I was amazed.
Working with my Registered Dietitian has helped me tremendously in figuring out what to do, when to do it, and how to maintain good gut health following a few simple rules. Together, her and I really figured out a nice system which keeps my allergies at bay or a significantly reduced minimum.
An important discovery I also found in my gut health journey is that allergies are related to adrenal health. All allergies are related to the adrenal medulla because there is too much stress on adrenal cortex. Therefore, including adrenal supporting herbs, such as yucca & adaptogens can be highly beneficial (source: Dr. Deanna Minich).
Essential Oils for Allergies
So, what can you do if you have an allergy experience? There are some essential oils that I keep in my arsenal of remedies along with a few important herbs. Here are my favorite aromatherapy solutions for allergies.
- Frankincense – my #1 essential oil for any and all kinds of allergies. Diffuse a couple drops in an ultrasonic diffuser; add 20 drops to 2oz. liquid enzymes and spray around you as needed; 10 drops in a .33oz. carrier oil and put into a roll-on; add 5 drops to 4oz. Epsom or sea salt.
- Lavender – my “jack of all trades, master of all” oil. Great to calm any skin allergy (rash, hives, etc.), nasal congestion, sneezing, water or itchy eyes (just smell it) or coughing.
- Eucalyptus – Great to open up sinus congestion, combat a cough, wheezing or muscle aches.
- Yarrow – my “healer of healers’ oil also helps calm histamine and inflammatory responses in the body (and mind)
- And my favorite – the JennScents Allergy Relief Spray which is already blended for you containing these three essential oils.
- I use a blend by Solle Naturals called Balance. It contains frankincense, lavender, geranium, palmarosa and Litsea cubeba. All of these assists with allergy issues, adjusting to changing seasons, situations and diets.
Herbally my favorite remedies are:
- SolleClear SI (Sinus & Immune): Powerful herbs that support and strengthen the sinuses, immune system and respiratory functions. It also enhances circulatory, lymphatic and vein health. Includes Suma, Horseradish, Mullein, Bilberry, Fenugreek, Fennel, Quercetin, Bilberry and wasabi.
- Histablock – this is an herbal combination that I call my “Herbal Benedryl”. It contains nettle, quercetin, bitter orange and bromelain.
- Enzymes – I found a specific enzyme that is a 3-in-1 formula called Verdezymes. it has a complete profile of digestive enzymes, protease and an intestinal soothing blend (peppermint, marshmallow root, wood betony, passionflower and fiber). It helps with stomach pH, gut inflammation, digestion and enhances a great night’s sleep (not to mention calming your spouse’s loud snoring).
- Probiotics – there are tons of probiotics in the marketplace, and it can be confusing which one is best for you. I found one that I love that is multi-purposed called ProbioIQ. It contains 5 specific strains of probiotics that are particular to gut-brain health, as well as bacopa for the “head brain” as well as red reishi for immunity. It also contains a little fiber to help with digestion. So, this for me, helps me multi-task with my herbal regimen by combining 3 herbals in one for me.
- Silver Shield – this comes in a liquid to boost our immune response and fight off germs; and it comes in gel which is a topical form of the liquid for skin issues such as rash, hives, itching, burns, etc.
As you can see, there are several aromatherapy solutions for allergies. Bust that sneezing, stuffy head, runny nose, sinus headache, earaches and eye pressure.
Have a Happy, Healthy and Scent-filled day! From JennScents
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