It's that time of year already? We are finding it hard to believe that summer is coming to a close, and school is just around the corner. Some parts of the country are already back in school and others have a few more weeks, but all Moms are busy with new routines or preparing for the return of schedules and homework. Whether you’re someone who is sad to see the sunny summer fun go, or happy to have the structure of school and it's activities back in your lives, this should help you to have everything you need to have a smooth transition into fall while making it healthier, happier, less stressful, and more productive. Sound too good to be true? Read on and learn just why it is not!
Now that the start of school is here, that often means that the colds, flu and stomach bugs that come along with it aren't too far behind. Have you stocked up on tissues, cold medicine and cough syrup yet? But what if that didn't have to be the norm? Imagine a fall and winter with fewer sicknesses that your family has ever had. Wouldn't that be amazing? If you answered yes, it definitely would keep on reading!
Two and a half years ago we were in that same boat, but I had decided that I wasn't going to simply accept that seasonal sicknesses were a part off our family's reality. Instead, I did some reading and research and talked to friends who were avoiding the typical ups and downs of health and started on a new path. Since then, we have had 2, going on 3, years with not only a great start to the school season with help from our usual healthy habits like eating well, taking good vitamins, and getting enough exercise and outside time, and then added to them using natural cleaners, remedies and essential oils. Not only did we have a healthier fall, but also a great winter and spring full of many healthier days! Mission accomplished!
Essential oils and using natural products in your home are such great ways to support your family's bodies naturally to help you and them take on anything the school year may bring! Simply diffuse oils in your home to not only create a relaxing atmosphere, but also boost your families immunity and reduce their stress. Take a look at our guide below for some suggestions for essential oils perfect for your busy family. Plus, we also make sure to use effective, natural cleaning products to keep often touched surfaces like kitchen counters and bathroom knobs and light switches clean, which has made a big difference for our family. Simple solutions like this are the best for busy lives, and who isn't busy these days?
Here are our favorite essential oils, healthy habits, and healthy home tips for better health this back-to-school season:
Tea tree oil, also known also known as Melaleuca alternifoliais, is a great “jack-of-all-trades” oil for just about anything related to the skin, including many minor injuries, and comes in handy for many minor injures like:
- cuts
- bites
- stings
- burns, including sunburn
Since tea tree oil is naturally antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-fungal, it has many varied uses and applications while on the go or at home. This is a great basic oil to diffuse in your home to help remove viruses from the air to decrease the chance of an illness spreading to other family members. Since it is a very gentle oil, it can be applied directly to the skin, as long as you do not have sensitive skin (unless you are applying it to a very young child) or you can use a simple carrier oil such as coconut oil or olive oil. If you are feeling like you are coming down with something, simply rub some tea tree oil into the soles of your feet alone or with a carrier oil, and it will help support your body as it heals!
Lavender - Looking for the Swiss Arm knife of essential oils? Lavender oil is the one! Trouble sleeping or feeling stressed? Lavender is perfect for:
- calming
- providing relief from stress
- aiding sleep
Since it is such a soothing essential oil, it helps with any first aid needs, since it has antiviral and anti-bacterial properties, and can be used together with tea tree oil, as they compliment each other well.It also is a great oil for boosting immunity! Plus, if it is allergy season, it works wonders when used in combination with lemon and peppermint oils for easier breathing and less sneezing. This blend smells wonderful any time of year, too. Lavender is definitely an oil to keep on hand!
Peppermint Oil
Is a wonderful oil for anything digestive, and is great for calming an upset stomach or indigestion. It also comes in handy for fevers or colds, too, as it can help cool a fever and relieve congestion from colds or allergies. Here are some other uses for peppermint oil:
- Morning sickness
- Colicky babies that need calming (dilute with care)
- Toning down cravings & the urge to snack
No one wants to feel lousy while traveling, so this oil can come in handy when you are on the road! Feeling a little low on energy? Peppermint oil is the perfect pick-me-up before a workout or any time you or your family needs a little re-energizing, like when driving or doing homework. Headaches are another great time to pull out the peppermint oil, as dabbing it on your temples, neck and sinuses with a carrier oil like coconut or almond oil can quickly chase that headache away. This is truly an oil too never leave home without! (Note: It is a strong oil, so always dilute it carefully.)
Lemon Oil
Need a little mood enhancement? Lemon and other citrus oils smell so wonderfully invigorating and are also perfect for mood regulation, which is helpful if you are feeling under the weather and not quite yourself. It can even help to calm overstimulated children, which can happen during busy days of back-to-school and fall activities. It is also a natural disinfectant when added to water along with tea tree oil, and can be used in a pinch as a hand sanitizer or cleaner, perfect for keeping germs at bay. In a pinch, lemon oil also works well for:
- Air freshening
- Stain removal
- Odor removal
- Degreaser to remove anything sticky
Like many of the essential oils featured in this list, it is also helpful for coughs, colds and congestion, and allergies, and can be used in combination with other oils like lavender, tea tree, and peppermint to help clear up any of these conditions. It will also boost immunity, as it is a very cleansing essential oil – clearly very versatile. Make sure to add this to your oil collection, as it truly can come in handy!
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus is well known as an essential oil helpful in supporting anything respiration, sinus and congestion related. It has the ability to stimulate immunity, provide antioxidant protection and improve respiratory circulation. This oil also works as an expectorant and helps cleanse your body of some of the toxins that are making you feel sick. One of the most effective ways to utilize eucalyptus for colds is to put several drops of the essential oil into a diffuser before going to sleep so you can take advantage of the healing benefits during the night. Some other ways to use this oil include:
- As a vapor rub, in the bath, or in a diffuser to help clear congestion
- As a throat gargle
- For asthma, bronchitis, COPD, and pneumonia to support healing in the respiratory system
For more stubborn congestion, you can make a mini steam bath by pouring a cup of boiling water into a bowl, and then mix in 4-5 drops of eucalyptus oil. Next, place a towel over your head and breath in the vapors for 5–10 minutes. Using eucalyptus for asthma is a proven treatment that dilates the blood vessels and allows more oxygen into the lungs. Simply mix a few drops of eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil and coconut oil for a Homemade Vapor Rub, and put on upper chest. Please note that this oil is suitable for older children only, as their respiratory systems are more developed. A great resource for parents to learn more about essential oils to support healing in children can be found here!
Essential Oil Blends
What about when someone is starting to come down with something, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or a stomach ache, which tend to be the most common complaints? That’s when I will find an oil or combination of oils that suits their symptoms, and adding it to the diffuser along with the immune boosting blend. Most often for cold symptoms, I will add a respiratory blend, or create one of my own using peppermint, eucalyptus, or Olbas oils in combination. If someone has a stomach ache, we make sure to add peppermint oil, and no matter what the complaint is, I often add a calming or stress blend or simply use lavender and/or chamomile and which are both very calming. Additionally, I often use the immunity blend or peppermint oil for stomach aches and headaches on their feet, belly, or temples and back of neck with a carrier oil, depending on their complaint. For younger children, some of the safest oils to use are lavender, chamomile and tea tree oil, which can be used on their feet, though I recommend a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut, grape seed, or even olive oil, which you may already have on hand, or one like this, for children under three. Adults and children can use a carrier oil for skin application, and it is recommended for some types of oils, so always do your research when trying new oils!
Preventative measures
When it comes to preventative measures, we turn to three main things - essential oils, vitamins, and a good household surface disinfectant that is all natural and safe to use around our kids. We have multiple essential oil diffusers like this one that are used in the main rooms in the house, our kitchen and great room, and then one to use in our children's bedrooms every night for better sleep. When someone else in the family isn’t feeling well, I make sure to run a diffuser in their room overnight. In the main living area, I run our diffuser at least three times daily, typically using an immune support essential oil combination like this, along with lavender, tea tree oil, lemon, peppermint, eucalyptus, or a happiness or stress blend to calm our busy crew! The surface disinfectant we use is a natural one like this that we use around the house, but mainly in the kitchen, which is the hub of our household. We make sure to wipe down counters and tables daily, and light switches, door knobs and appliance handles both in the kitchen and in our main powder room once or twice a week. We also all make sure to take multivitamins, probiotics, vitamin C, and vitamin D3 daily seasonally, which you can read more about in this blog. Also, healthy habits like getting enough exercise and outdoor time, as well as much sleep as possible with 3 busy kids, help us stay above the wellness line, too!
So, now that you have all of the tools and knowledge you need to make this back-to-school, fall and winter your healthiest yet, we hope that our recommendations make as big of a difference for your family as they have for ours!
Safety Note & Disclosure:
Always research proper essential oil use before trying them, as although they are natural, inappropriate use of essential oils can be unsafe, for children especially. You know yourself and your child best, and will obviously do what is best for them in all situations. We suggest that you dilute essential oils with a carrier oil, and they are not intended to be used on small children without proper knowledge of essential oil safety (under age 6). Reminder - a little goes a long way! They are only recommended for internal use once you have a foundational knowledge of essential oils use. These recommendations are not provided by a physician or medically trained doctor and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease, nor is it intended to replace proper medical help. Additionally, our product recommendations include affiliate links, which is one way we support our team of Moms!