There are many causes of fall allergies.
Ragweed, mold and dust mites top the list.
Ragweed (Ambrosia L.) commonly confused with Goldenrod (Solidago L.). The plant has green to pale yellow flowers on branched stems. Ragweed pollen can be carried by the wind for miles. Many people have ragweed allergies.
Mold and mildew also cause problems in the Fall. For an in depth look at mold, check out https://moldhelpforyou.com. It grossed me out, so if you want to learn more, go there. All I can say is clean it.
Dust mites is another sort of thing that grosses me out, I change my sheets regularly and spray with a lavender linen spray. Ew. Bugs. Again, people are allergic.
What is an allergy?
Rhinitis is an inflammation of the nose, which is what we are trying to help ease with essential oils. While allergies cannot be cured, medication can alleviate symptoms. If you would like to modulate those symptoms with essential oils, read on.
Do a Google search and see how many people have rhinitis, the answer could be 39 million, or 50 million, whatever the number, that is a lot of people. Hay fever has been around since the mid-1500’s, mostly attributed erroneously to roses.
Symptoms and research of rhinitis
The symptoms of rhinitis, sneezing, runny nose, and nasal obstruction can be a nuisance at best. A study in 2015 used sandalwood, geranium and Ravensara for allergy relief. The study found that usage of the essential oils helped with symptoms.
Would these work? Let’s look at the data sheets and see…
Geranium (Pelargonium x asperum) has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The essential oil contains over 30% citronellol and 15 % geraniol. It is interesting to note that those therapeutic components have been stated to kill dust mites.
Sandalwood (Santalum album) contains santalols which have analgesic properties.
So, I would personally say that neither of these oils would be my first choice in a home remedy to modulate the symptoms of rhinitis.
What other essential oils would help?
Anti-histaminic components of oils are those oils that help to relieve those runny nose and nasal symptoms. A few oils on that list are sweet marjoram, tea tree, german chamomile, lavender, and helichrysum.
Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) contains over 30% terpinene-4-ol and smells better than most tea tree oils which also contains terpinene-4-ol.
German chamomile (Matricaria recutitia) has been cited in studies having antiallergic and bronchoconstriction relief, as it contains a-farnesene and b-farnesene.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has many properties, cited by Kim and Cho 1999, and Tisserand, Young 2014 reference. The allergy modulation here is not rhinitis, but skin related.
Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) is another oil cited for anti-histaminic properties, again, for skin, not nose.
Inhaler blends
I have 2 inhaler blends that I use for allergies.
The first one is:
7 drops Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
3 drops Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
3 drops Thyme ct. linalool (Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool)
2 drops Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus dives)
So, Why did I use these oils?
Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) has anti-inflammatory properties, used to decongest. Not to be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) bornyl acetate and camphene chemical components make this oil good for allergies and sinus infections.
Thyme ct. linalool (Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool) Linalool has been found to reduce inflammation in the sinuses. There are times when lavender is not a wanted aroma.
Eucalyptus (dives) not globulus (Eucalyptus dives) I opt for less 1,8-cineole due to asthmatics in the family. Feel free to use other eucalyptus chemotypes here.
The second one I use for over 10-year-olds:
2 drops Orange (Citrus sinensis)
2 drops Atlas Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
1 drop Pine-scotch (Pinus sylvestris)
1 drop Black spruce (Picea mariana)
2 drops Pinion Pine (Pinus edulis)
Orange (Citrus sinensis) d-limonene is anti-inflammatory and analgesic. I use orange here for that purpose and to tie all the oils together.
Atlas cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) used for respiratory issues, instead of eucalyptus.
Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), Black spruce (Picea mariana), and Pinion pine (Pinus ponderosa) are all added for the anti-inflammatory effects and all symptoms sinus.
Enjoy the upcoming fall weather with a little help from your essential oils.
Happy blending,
Crystal.
So, we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6
