The rains are still here and one of the often-overlooked tips for dealing with the cold associated with the season is eucalyptus oil.
Originally native to Australia, eucalyptus trees are now grown all over the world and used for their medicinal properties. Their healing power comes from eucalyptus oil, which is made from the tree’s oval-shaped leaves.
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The leaves are dried, crushed, and distilled to release the essential oil. After the oil has been extracted, it must be diluted before it can be used as medicine.
Below are 10 things you can do with eucalyptus oil.
1 Silence cough
For many years, eucalyptus oil has been used to relieve coughing. Today, some over-the-counter cough medications have eucalyptus oil as one of their active ingredients.
Rub made from the oil can be applied to the chest and throat to relieve cough symptoms from the common cold or flu.
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2 Clear your chest
Are you coughing but nothing is coming up? Eucalyptus oil cannot only silence a cough, it can also help you get the mucus out of your chest.
Inhaling vapour made with the essential oil can loosen mucus so that when you do cough, it’s expelled. Using a rub containing eucalyptus oil will produce the same effect.
3 Keep the bugs away
Mosquitoes and other biting insects carry diseases that can be dangerous to our health. Avoiding their bites is our best defence.
As an effective alternative for those who aren’t able to use certain insecticide, many manufacturers make a botanical compound to repel the pests. Some brands use oil of lemon eucalyptus to keep the pests away.
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4 Disinfect wounds
The Australian aborigines used eucalyptus leaves to treat wounds and prevent infection. Today the diluted oil may still be used on the skin to fight inflammation and promote healing. You can purchase creams or ointments that contain eucalyptus oil. These products may be used on minor burns or other injuries that can be treated at home.
5 Breathe easy
Inhaling steam with added eucalyptus oil may help respiratory conditions such as asthma and sinusitis. The oil reacts with mucous membranes, not only reducing mucus but also helping loosen it so that you can cough it up.
It’s also possible that eucalyptus blocks asthma symptoms. On the other hand, for people who are allergic to eucalyptus, it may worsen their asthma. More research is needed to determine how eucalyptus affects people with asthma.
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6 Control blood sugar
Eucalyptus oil has potential as a treatment for diabetes. Although we don’t know much at this time, experts believe that it may play a role in lowering blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Researchers haven’t yet figured out how the essential oil works. However, until more is known, the scientific community recommends careful blood sugar monitoring for people using diabetes medication with eucalyptus oil.
7 Soothe cold sores
The anti-inflammatory properties of eucalyptus can ease symptoms of herpes. Applying eucalyptus oil to a cold sore may reduce pain and speed up the healing process.
You can buy over-the-counter balms and ointments for cold sores that use a blend of essential oils, including eucalyptus, as part of their active ingredient list.
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8 Freshen breath
Mint isn’t the only weapon against stinky breath. Because of its antibacterial properties, eucalyptus oil can be used to fight the germs that cause unfortunate mouth odour. Some mouthwashes and toothpaste contain the essential oil as an active ingredient.
It’s possible that eucalyptus products may also help prevent plaque build-up on the teeth and gums by attacking the bacteria that cause tooth decay.
9 Ease joint pain
Research suggests that eucalyptus oil eases joint pain. In fact, many popular over-the-counter creams and ointments used to soothe pain from conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis contain this essential oil.
Eucalyptus oil helps to reduce pain and inflammation associated with many conditions. It may also be helpful to people experiencing back pain or those recovering from a joint or muscle injury.
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10 Control seasonal allergies
Components of eucalyptus oil, such as eucalyptol and citronellal, have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, which is why the oil is often used to relieve seasonal allergy symptoms.
Studies have discovered that eucalyptus oil not only exhibits antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, but it may also have immuno-regulatory effects. This can help to alter the immune response that occurs when the body comes into contact with an allergen.
