How To Prevent and Cure Virus Infection with Essential Oils
I travel to China quite a bit. My last planned trip was rescheduled. Timing is everything. It would have been at the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak. I’m in Seattle now, not in Mexico . . . sorry that’s Corona, and not really important until May - and not on topic. Virus is the topic. As usual for me, after a trip to Boston, which was to immediately follow my rescheduled China trip, I arrived back in Seattle with an attempt at the flu, not the coronavirus. I never get it that bad. That’s what essential oils and a healthy lifestyle can help prevent, or at least moderate. Though, I must add, this time the virus, despite my illness being moderate, was relentless.
I’m writing this, obviously, at the time the world is concerned about the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the onset in Wuhan, I began sending essential oil cures and methods for treatment of the coronavirus to my friends in China. The essential oil treatment protocol I’ll be introducing here is relevant to any viral infection or outbreak, shown over the years to be especially helpful during Influenza infection.
Viruses can be sickening, deadly, disabling, irritating or just annoying. Essential oils are known to be effective against flu and herpes simplex, having strong anti-viral properties. That’s one of the big selling points with the oils. This isn’t just a sales pitch by essential oil sellers, the research for this activity is positive. Just like all things essential oils, the research mostly tells you what the oils will do in a lab. Using oils for treatment in the human body is a significant game changer in just how effective essential oils are.
Based on research and years of experience with essential oils, I have come up with some basic protocols for treating a viral infection. To understand the logic of my ways, I’ll first explain what is known about viruses and the mechanisms of how essential oils work to disrupt or destroy the virus.
Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) image of a single coronavirus (MERS-CoV) virion
Viruses replicate by using host cells in the body, which is listed in stages from adsorption (connection to the cell), replication, to shedding (the release of viral progeny to find new host cells). The virus may also “hide” or become non-active, to avoid the body’s defenses, called the latency stage. There are many studies available looking at specific essential oils and their effectiveness against named strains of virus. When reading through the studies, it’s generally demonstrated how the essential oils work against a virus, including the stage at which the essential oil is able to destroy the virus.
In all studies I’ve read, essential oils are ineffective after viral adsorption and therefore, once adsorption occurs, are unable to prevent populating the host cell. [There is a lot of inaccurate and misguided information on the web and through sales marketing, that suggests essential oils kill viruses inside the cell. I’ve found no information supporting this.] Essential oils show to be most effective in reducing viral infection before adsorption. There are actually variations within these studies regarding at exactly what stage the essential oil is able to stop the virus, which is generally accomplished through disruption of the viral envelope. This means the essential oil needs to get to the virus before it’s able to bind and infect a host cell.
How to use essential oils for virus infection
Massage Daily
It can be difficult to predict which oils will be most effective against the strain of virus causing infection. For best results and protection use a complex mix of essential oils and multiple applications.
The recommended protocol for protection from, and elimination of, viral infection is a three-tiered program. Very simple.
Diffuse oils throughout the day in your home and work space.
Take oils in a capsule twice a day.
Massage an antiviral essential oil formula over the whole body twice a day.
1. Diffuse the air constantly (10 minutes on, 20 minutes off all day).
Recommended are these ready to use essential oil products; Transcend, Sanctuary or Immune Support
A suggested diffuser blend:
20% Copaiba or Patchouli (4 drops or 0.9 gr*)
30% Lemongrass (6 drops or 1.5 gr)
20% Tea tree (4 drops or 0.9 gr)
20% Lavandin (4 drops or 0.9 gr)
10% Clove (2 drops or 0.5 gr)
* formula based on 20 drops or total 4.7 grams (approx 5 mL)
A more enhanced diffuser version:
17% Copaiba or Patchouli (4 drops or 0.8 gr*)
27% Lemongrass (5 drop or 1.3 gr)
19% Tea tree (4 drops or 0.9 gr)
12% Lavandin (2 drops or 0.6 gr)
13% Clove (3 drops or 0.6 gr)
7% Frankincense; Boswellia carteri or serrata (2 drops or 0.3 gr)
5% Oregano (1 drop or 0.3 gr)
* formula based on 21 drops or 4.8 grams (approx 5 mL)
2. Capsule application. Suggested use: 3 drops total, twice per day for 5 days:
Recommended are these ready to use essential oil products; Immune Support or Lymphatic Detox
Suggested capsule formula:
60% Oregano
30% Litsea Cubeba
10% Clove
Mix these oils by weight into a 5 ml bottle. Use a pipette and place 3 drops into an empty capsule (add an edible vegetable oil to the capsule as well).
Oregano – 2.4 grams (about 96 drops)
Litsea Cubeba 1.2 grams (about 48 drops)
Clove 0.4 grams (about 16 drops)
* 4 gram formula (just under 5 mL); “drops” weight is dependent on dropper type.
If desired, add 10 drops of Eucalyptus (radiata or globulus) or Frankincense to total formula
After 5 days, stop for 3 days, then start again if necessary.
As an alternate: Once or twice a day Squeeze half to a whole organic lemon (with plenty of peel oil) into a glass of water. This is good during the break time of not taking a capsule.
3. Massage Daily; Morning and evening full body massage:
Recommended are these ready to use essential oil products; Immune Support, Lymphatic Detox, or Thai Therapy
Suggested massage formula:
20% Patchouli
25% Lemongrass
25% Lemon
20% Lavender
10% Geranium
These oils can be added by drops to a 30 mL bottle:
Patchouli 6 drops
Lemongrass 8 drops
Lemon 8 drops
Lavender 6 drops
Geranium 3 drops
Fill to top with sunflower or your choice of carrier oil(s).
For surface level viral infections, such as shingles* or herpes simplex type 1 and 2, use calophyllum inophyllum, neem and/or shea butter as recommended base oils.
*Caution using with shingles to avoid further irritation: Alternate formula is 10 drops Ravintsara, 5 drops helichrysum, 5 drops Copaiba in 50% Calophyllum 50% Sunflower Seed Oil
References:
Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents-Myth or Real Alternative?.Wińska K, Mączka W, Łyczko J, Grabarczyk M, Czubaszek A, Szumny A. Molecules. 2019;24(11):2130. Published 2019 Jun 5. doi:10.3390/molecules24112130
Antiviral Research Activity of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil on Influenza virus A/PR/8: Study on the mechanism of action; A.Garozzo, R.Timpanaro, A.Stivala, G.Bisignano, A.Castro; Antiviral Research Volume 89, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 83-88
Antiviral activity of the oseltamivir and Melissa officinalis L. essential oil against avian influenza A virus (H9N2); Gholamhosein Pourghanbari, Hasan Nili, Afagh Moattari, Ali Mohammadi, Aida Iraji; Virusdisease. 2016 Jun; 27(2): 170–178.
Inactivation of HSV-1 and HSV-2 and prevention of cell-to-cell virus spread by Santolina insularis essential oil; Alessandro De Logu; Giuseppe Loy; Maria Luisa Pellerano; Leonardo Bonsignore; Maria Laura Schivo; Antiviral research, 2000; ISSN: 0166-3542, Vol: 48, Issue: 3, Page: 177-85
Inhibitory effect of essential oils against herpes simplex virus type 2; C. Koch,J. Reichling,J. Schneele, P. Schnitzler; Phytomedicine; Published by Elsevier; 25 January 2008
Melissa officinalis oil affects infectivity of enveloped herpesviruses; Schnitzler P, Schuhmacher A, Astani, Reichling J; Phytomedicine. 2008 Sep;15(9):734-40.