5 Essential Oils to Unplug Your Nose During Allergy Season
5 Essential Oils to Unplug Your Nose During Allergy Season

Seasonal allergies during the tail end of any season can make you feel absolutely miserable—and doubly so if a stopped-up nose is part of the equation. Incorporating essential oils into your daily routine may help unplug your sinuses and breathe easier.

Alternative or Complementary Allergy Relief

Alternative or Complementary Allergy Relief

Essential oils are nonmedicinal and derived from plants, so they’re nonaddictive and generally safe for most folks to use during allergy season or any time of the year. You can reap the benefits of essential oils by diffusing the oils into the air using an essential oil diffuser or applying a diluted version of the oils to your skin. Essential oils also come in various bath and body products, room concentrates for spraying into the air, and via containers that release fumes that you can inhale to enjoy sinus and allergy relief.

Best Essential Oils for Allergies

Best Essential Oils for Allergies
  • Eucalyptus: Derived from the plant of the same name, eucalyptus is known for its wonderful anti-inflammatory properties. Many of the symptoms you experience with seasonal allergies are due to inflammation, so breathing in eucalyptus can help reduce inflammation so that you breathe easier. It can also help with congestion, another common allergy symptom, and has been found to open up the lungs and sinuses.
  • Lavender: Known for its propensity to calm and reduce the body’s inflammatory response during allergy season, lavender oil is a great addition to your seasonal allergy war chest. Lavender essential oil may prevent mucous cells from enlarging, which can directly impact allergy symptoms. Lavender is also a natural antihistamine.
  • Lemon: Lemon essential oil not only boosts energy and alertness—but also helps reduce congestion and clear the sinuses and is a natural antibacterial agent. Lemon is a natural antihistamine that lessens inflammatory response and relieves excessive mucus.
  • Holy basil: A natural antimicrobial that helps to clear the airways, holy basil essential oil reduces inflammatory reactions and helps to clear the airway while removing toxins from the body.
  • Peppermint: Another inflammation reducer, peppermint essential oil opens up the nasal passages so that you can breathe better. Apply it to the skin or add it to a diffuser for the best effect. You can also combine it with lavender and lemon oil to enhance its allergy-reducing properties.

Diluting Essential Oils

Diluting Essential Oils

When you apply essential oils to the body, they must be diluted first. Most people choose olive oil or sweet almond oil as carrier oils for this purpose. A good mix to try is five drops of essential oil per one ounce of your chosen carrier oil, but you may find more or less oil effective. Experiment with various concentrations to find the best one for your particular needs.

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