Everyone is thinking about immunity these days, so I posted an informal poll asking friends what they do for their immune systems. The most common answer was getting adequate sleep, which surprised me, even though it is definitely very important for optimum health. The reason it surprised me was because I wasn’t raised to value sleep hygiene, and I don’t imagine many others my age were, either. But maybe people are getting more conscientious about sleep, or maybe we’re getting old enough to have figured it out.
Several people mentioned various supplements, particularly vitamin D. I noticed this one because D is controversial. The medical establishment continues to insist that it is hazardous to take too much, while no shortage of alternative types insist the opposite, that we all need a lot more than we’re getting. I prefer to get my D through natural sunlight.
One thing I’ve been doing for years is using Olbas oil as an inhalant. A lot of people are fanatical about essential oils these days, and in my opinion too many of them are giving people a lot of ignorant, bad advice. But still, essential oils are a wonderful tool in the natural healer’s toolbox.
I started using eucalyptus after my friend Nance Klehm told me about her trip to Australia. She was a landscape gardener in Chicago, and wanted to do something with her winter downtime, so she went down under and paid her way by working for a while in a plant that produced eucalyptus and tea tree oil. The facility was literally like a sauna. The people who worked there said that in winter, they never get sick. Colds are unheard of when you frequently inhale eucalyptus and tea tree vapors.
Later I worked in A Thousand Waves Spa (RIP) in Chicago where there was a eucalyptus-scented steam room. I took the spa baths every week, and stayed in the steam room much longer than recommended, because I loved it so much and nobody was keeping track. Sure enough, that year I worked there was the first that I never got a cold through the long Chicago winter.
In 2004 I moved to Kansas, and for years I thought of the beloved Thousand Waves every day, especially in winter. I never managed to get a sauna or steam room installed in my own spa, but I found ways to incorporate eucalyptus into my life, so I didn’t have to miss my old job quite so much. My current method is with Olbas oil, which is a Swiss blend that has some eucalyptus as well as other medicinal oils. Every morning when I shower, I sprinkle two drops of oil on the wall of the shower. I bend my knees and lean forward so my face is near the vapor. To enhance my breathing, I alternate hunching the spine and arching. It’s like a cat/cow pose in yoga, except standing, with a deep exhalation on the forward bend and inhalation on the backbend. I do this for 5-10 breaths.
If you already have a cold, you can use more oil, or replenish it after it evaporates. If someone else in your family is sick, you can invite them to come into the bathroom and suck up some of the steam.
I used to do this whenever I thought I might be coming down with something, but since we all started getting serious about the deadly plague, I’ve been using Olbas in the shower daily. I know there are no guarantees in life, but I think it’s worth at least a little effort to support our wellness every day.
What are you doing for your immune system?
Rachel Creager Ireland, LMT 