Learn about effective methods for using essential oils for allergy relief: how to manage your allergies naturally and options for immediate symptom relief.
Before I started using essential oils for my allergies, springtime used to be hard for me. Even though spring in Montana is gorgeous, my allergies made it hard for me to enjoy this lovely season.
I live in the woods, surrounded by gorgeous conifers . . . and also by all of those flowering, pollen-producing trees, flowers, grasses, and plants that I just mentioned. Long story short, my allergies used to cause me severe discomfort. Sneezing, sniffling, watery eyes—the works.
It wasn’t until I took a holistic approach and started using essential oils for allergies that my symptoms calmed down.
First, I set out to understand just what was happening in my body (which was only doing its best to protect me), so I could calm those symptoms and feel better. Here’s what I learned . . .
My immune system was working hard to prevent harmful invaders from entering my body.
Allergens—like bee pollen, animal dander, dust mites, plants, and grasses—are not bacteria or viruses, but my immune system was still identifying them as harmful invaders (1).
It was creating allergic reactions to stop those invaders from entering my body. My cells sent out histamine, causing my blood vessels to expand and triggering symptoms like sneezing, coughing, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.
Comforted by the knowledge that my body was on my side, I decided to take a three-tiered approach to natural allergy relief:
Essential oils played a big role in all three steps.
I’m also going to share effective methods for using essential oils for allergy relief in your life.
I’ll share how to manage your allergies naturally, methods for immediate symptom relief, which essential oils to use for allergies, and some of the best (and safest) ways to use them.
I’ll tell you WHY these essential oils work, so you understand the science.
You’ll also find suggestions for natural products, DIY products, and essential oils that can help with your allergies right away.
And last (but definitely not least!), I’ll tell you about some important safety considerations, so you can use essential oils for allergy relief without side effects you don’t want.
That sounds like a lot of information, but I promise it’s really not complicated! Let me walk you through each step so you can create a natural allergy relief plan for yourself.
More often than not, our immune systems are overworked and overstressed because we’re surrounded by different kinds of toxins in our environments. Not only allergens and outdoor pollution, but also toxic chemicals in things like cleaning products and synthetic fragrances.
When I reduced my own allergies, I decided to support my immune system by removing as many of those products as possible.
My first steps:
I noticed an immediate difference in my allergies after taking these steps!
Once I had gotten rid of the chemicals that used to surround me and stress my immunity, I looked into ways to prevent other kinds of allergens from getting into my system where they could cause trouble.
Here are some of the best steps that I took for this:
These lifestyle changes are so simple to make! Yet they go a long way toward promoting health and wellness and keeping allergens out of your home.
Prevention is important!
But what about when the sneezing, watery eyes, itchy throat, and sinus headaches are so uncomfortable that you need relief NOW?
I have two “go-to” suggestions for immediate natural allergy relief:
Why is using essential oils so effective for natural allergy relief?
Because essential oils are chemically composed of molecules that can relieve discomforts like inflammation, coughing, phlegm and mucus, runny eyes, and congested airways.
We call these helpful, health-supporting molecules “chemical components” (2).
There are far too many natural essential oil components for me to cover in this post!
I’ll share some of the “powerhouses” that have been scientifically researched. If I see one of these components in an essential oil’s chemistry, I immediately know, “Oh, I can use this essential oil for allergy relief.”
These components are also useful for breaking up mucus, decongesting, and reducing microbes like bacteria and viruses (Aromatherapeutic Blending, p. 132-133) (3).
Since each component has its own approach to reducing allergy symptoms, I like to blend with a variety of essential oils that contain them. Using them in different ways (like natural cleaners and body products) also helps keep me protected.
I don’t want to leave any avenue open for allergies to get to me!
What are the Best Essential Oils to Use for Allergy Relief?
I’ve categorized some of the best essential oils for allergy relief into easy-to-navigate lists so you can immediately identify which oils to work with to create the benefits you need.
It’s a great idea to use oils from multiple lists, so you’re preventing and relieving allergies in multiple ways.
Now you have an excellent reference for which essential oils can help with different kinds of allergy issues.
But how do you use them?
Here are some of the best ways to use essential oils for allergies.
Again, it’s a good idea to choose multiple ways, so you’re preventing allergies from multiple angles. Make your life a “no allergies” zone!
Breathing in essential oils for allergy relief takes them right to the “scene of the action”—your respiratory system (4).
Using essential oils for allergy relief topically offers the same support as inhaling them . . . while also nourishing your skin!
Replacing my chemical cleaning products with all-natural, essential oil versions had a huge, memorable impact on my allergy relief. They calmed down so quickly! I can’t recommend these methods enough.
Before I close, I want to share something very important.
Don’t skip this section!
It’s very important to remember that essential oils are highly concentrated. A little goes a long way!
Be respectful of your oils and intentional with your blends.
And be sure to follow these safety guidelines when you’re using essential oils for allergies (or any other reason):
You now have the knowledge—based on science and research—of the best ways of using essential oils for allergy relief, and how to reduce allergies in your life holistically.
There are simple recipe suggestions above, as well as links to essential oil kits to make your journey to health simple and fun. If you ever start to feel confused about how to use the oils (or about other information you find online) please feel free to come back to this post and clarify your understanding. You can even print it out for reference.
At Aromatics, we are passionate about knowledge! Do you have a favorite way to use essential oils for allergies? Please tell us in the comments, or share what methods you’re excited to try.
Lastly, if you're looking for more information on how you can reduce allergies naturally with essential oils, we'd love to recommend a FREE webinar hosted by our good friend Andrea Butje, of the Aromahead Institute. You can find more information about the webinar HERE!
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