It’s that time of year…

I always intend to use these immunity boosters year round, but for some reason when Fall hits is when I really start to use them on a more regular basis. I guess it’s because Charlotte’s back in school and exposed to extra germs, and we all tend to get more colds during the Fall and Winter.

Here are some of the things I use to keep our family as healthy as possible during cold season:

Elderberry Syrup-I make a batch of Elderberry Syrup every month and the kids and I take a Tablespoon of it every day for cold and flu prevention. If you do get sick, you can take 1 teaspoon every 2-3 hours to help speed recovery. It’s super easy to make, and you can buy dried elderberries at your local health food store or at Mountain Rose Herbs. You can also buy elderberry syrup pre-made if you don’t want to make it yourself.

On Guard-I’ve talked before about using essential oils to boost immunity. But by far, one of my favorites is On Guard. It contains Wild Orange, Clove, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary and it smells a bit like Christmas. It can be used as prevention or as soon as you feel a cold coming on. This blend can be taken internally by putting a couple drops in water or in an empty capsule. For my kids, I rub some diluted On Guard on the soles of their feet. A few drops can also be added to a couple ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle and used to clean doorknobs, telephones, or anything that comes in contact with everyone’s hands on a regular basis.

Propolis Plus (for the kids)/Anti-Plague (adults)- Both from Vickie Sorensen’s Nature Works, these glycerin extractions help provide immunity as well as help us get over colds more quickly. The Anti-Plague isn’t the best tasting stuff out there, but there were several times last Winter when the entire family came down with a cold, and I never got it because I was diligent about taking my Anti-Plague. The Propolis Plus is formulated especially for kids and tastes sweet, so the kids love it. Both of these are a bit pricey, so I use them only when I feel like I’m starting to get sick, or if someone in the family is sick and I don’t want the rest of us to catch it.

Garlic-This is a well known remedy, because it works so well. If I’m feeling a cold coming on, I will crush up some garlic and mix it with honey on toast. If you can stand to eat it straight, that works great too. Using garlic in your cooking throughout cold season is a great way to build immunity as well. Here are some recipes that are heavy on the garlic:

Seriously Healing Garlic-Thyme Chicken Soup from Nourishing Days
Cold Kicker from Keeper of the Home
Four Thieves Vinegar from Nourished Kitchen–This is on my list of things to make…and could even be given as a gift.

And if you don’t want to eat it, you can try a Garlic Foot Bath. (I haven’t tried this one yet, but definitely want to!)

What are some tried and true immunity boosters you use to ward of sickness during the cold season?

Linked up with Live Renewed, where you can find all kinds of wonderful Green Resources.

For the past six months I’ve been using essential oils in a variety of ways in our home. Here are my top ten:

1. Lemon Oil in my Water-I put lemon oil in my water every day to build immunity and because it tastes great! However, not all essential oil brands are safe for internal use, so please make sure you read the label carefully before using any essential oil internally. I use a brand called DoTerra, which is CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade) and is safe to take internally. Learn more about the health benefits of lemon here.

2. On Guard for Immunity-On Guard is one of my favorites. I mix it with a carrier oil and apply it to my children’s feet at bedtime. For myself, I put a few drops in a capsule and take it that way. Read more about On Guard and how it can protect you from getting sick here.

3. In my Homemade Deodorant-I use Melaleuca (Tea Tree) or a blend called Purify in my homemade deodorant to scent it. Learn more about how to make your own deodorant here.

4. In my Husband’s Facial Toner-I make a facial toner for my husband and use Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Oil in it. Tea Tree helps with acne, but you can also use lavender.

5. Breathe for a “Vapo-rub”-When my kids are congested or have a cough a use a blend called Breathe mixed with a carrier oil and rub it on their chest and on the bottoms of their feet. It’s a great natural alternative to Vapo-rub.

6. For Cleaning-I often take Lemon essential oil or a blend called Citrus Bliss and drop a few drops on a sponge to wipe down my counters. Not only does it clean but it also smells great!

7. Lavender for a Calming Room/Linen Spray-In a small glass spray bottle, I mix water with Lavender essential oil and use it as a room and linen spray. Lavender has calming properties so it’s great to use at bedtime.

8. To Soothe a Sore Throat-Add a drop of Lemon to honey and take it to soothe your throat. Or use On Guard: rub (diluted) on the throat externally or take a few drops internally to relieve sore throat.

9. In Bath & Body Care-I’ve made body oils, body scrubs, bath sachets, and lotion and scented them with lavender, ylang-ylang, wild orange, and other essential oils. I also enjoy dropping a few drops in the shower before I hop in.

10. Aromatherapy-I use a diffuser to diffuse essential oils in our home, especially in the kid’s rooms. It purifies the air and smells great.

For information on using essential oils to build immunity, check out my previous post on essential oils here.

For more green resources, check out Your Green Resource for lots of great ideas!

I hate when my kids get sick…it’s so hard to see them so miserable and when they’re really young, it’s hard because they can’t always tell you what’s wrong. And then everyone gets sick and it wipes the whole family out for a couple of weeks.

Last winter, my youngest got a cold from his older sister…he was only 3-4 months old at the time and it turned into RSV. He had trouble breathing, we had to take him to the ER to have all the mucus sucked out (gross! and miserable for him,) and we ended up having to give him breathing treatments for several months! It was awful and giving breathing treatments every four hours wasn’t fun either.  I hated having him on the medication for so long, and for several months there we were ending up in the doctor’s office at least once a week…no joke.

My poor little guy sleeping during a breathing treatment.

So…I’m all about prevention this year! I’ve recently discovered the benefits of essential oils and have begun to use them for a variety of things, and one of those is to build immunity, as well as to help with natural healing when sick.

Why essential oils? Essential oils are 50-70 times more powerful than herbs. They can kill viruses and bacteria and they work fast. They are extracts from plants and are 100% natural.

Some commonly known ways to boost immunity can be aided and enhanced with the use of essential oils:

1. Get enough sleep. To help me relax and fall asleep at night instead of laying there with my mind racing about all I need to get done, I use Lavender essential oil and a blend called Serenity. I make a spray mist with some water and Lavender and mist it over my pillow and sheets before bed or I rub a few drops of Serenity on the bottoms of my feet. For kids, I put a couple drops of Lavender on a tissue and tuck it into their pillow.

2. Reduce stress. Again, Lavender essential oil is a great stress reducer, along with the blends Serenity and Balance.

3. Add lemon to your water daily to build immunity over time. I use Lemon essential oil when I don’t have fresh lemons on hand. Make sure you use a high quality brand however, because not all essential oils are pure enough for ingesting. (I use a brand called doTerra because they offer Certified, Pure, Therapeutic Grade oils). Read this post about more on the immunity benefits of adding lemon to your water.

4. On Guard Essential Oil. This is one of my favorite blends. It contains Wild Orange, Clove, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary and it smells like Christmas. It can be used as prevention or as soon as you feel a cold coming on. This blend can be taken internally by putting a couple drops in water. Or, for kids I rub some diluted On Guard on the soles of their feet. For daily immunity rub on soles of feet every night before bed or diffuse in a room regularly to eliminate airborne pathogens. It can also be diluted in a spray bottle and used to clean doorknobs, telephones, or anything that comes in contact with everyone’s hands on a regular basis.

Of course, don’t forget washing your hands regularly and all of the other commonly known ways to boost immunity.

Once you do get sick, essential oils can also help provide quick and natural healing.

Breathe-this is a respiratory blend made up of Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Ravensara, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), and Lemon. It strengthens and fights infection in the sinuses and bronchioles. When my kids have a cough or congestion I rub Breathe (diluted with a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil) on their chests and the bottoms of their feet. It really helps eliminate coughing throughout the night. This blend can also be used for asthma and other breathing problems.

Lemon-add a drop to honey to soothe a sore throat.

On Guard-rub (diluted) on the throat externally or take a few drops internally to relieve sore throat.

Eucalyptus Radiata-use for congestion, sinus infections and to open airways. Dilute with carrier oil and rub on chest and neck for respiratory problems.

These are just a few of the ways to use essential oils for health and wellness in your family!

This post is part of the Home Remedies Carnival at Keeper of the Home.

I’m linking up to Your Green Resource, put on by Live Renewed, A Delightful Home, Sorta Crunchy, and The Greenback Gal…come by to see all kinds of ideas!

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