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Winter Wellness Using Essential Oils
November 17, 2021

Winter Wellness Using Essential Oils

Eventually, we have to wave goodbye to the changing leaves and fun fall family days at the pumpkin patch and welcome chillier temperatures and less time spent outdoors as winter settles in. Winter is a season full of cold weather and shorter hours of daylight that can make the whole family want to stay indoors and enjoy some quiet time. This is also a time of year packed full of holidays and celebrations as well as the end of year deadlines at work and school. As much as we might like to stay cozied up inside by a fire, our full calendars tend to have the whole family putting on our winter coats to brave traveling in the cold to prepare for the holidays and to visit loved ones near and far. 

Unfortunately, the colder weather and lack of sunshine can come with a whole unique set of issues. This can be a time when many of us deal with seasonal depression and mood fluctuations. It can be difficult to focus on enjoying this celebratory season and spending time with our family when we’re not feeling quite like ourselves. The lower temperatures and chilly winter winds aren’t always so kind to the skin, causing dryness and irritation, especially on our little ones who insist on going out to play in the snow. Colder weather can also amplify aches and pains in our muscles and joints that we may have from previous injuries or just getting older. In the midst of cold and flu season, we may often find the whole family fighting coughs and congestion while trying to take part in the more joyous aspects of this time of year. It may seem like there are a lot of things working against our families during winter but there are things we can do to ensure that we stay healthy and have fun all season long.

One way to combat many of these seasonal issues is by using essential oils to help keep ourselves and our families well and happy this winter. While all essential oils have their unique therapeutic properties, some have properties that are especially beneficial during the winter and holiday season. They may help to ease body aches, combat colds, and congestion, as well as boost mood and uplift our spirits. 

Here are some of our favorite essential oils to help keep our families happy and healthy this season:

The chill of winter weather can have effects on our body and mind, sometimes leaving us feeling tired and sluggish, even with all of the excitement of family holiday celebrations. Eucalyptus Essential Oil can help to relieve mental exhaustion by boosting circulation to the brain and enhancing feelings of relaxation. Diffusing Eucalyptus Essential Oil can also help our families combat seasonal sinus congestion that can have us all sniffling and sneezing around the house. It works by clearing nasal passages and eliminating harmful airborne bacteria that can contribute to illness.

When holiday planning and hosting family for the holidays have us feeling stressed and overwhelmed, Lavender Essential Oil can come to the rescue. It is known to reduce stress by relaxing the brain waves, which can also reduce cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone. As cortisol can also lead to lower immunity, Lavender Essential Oil also works to support the immune system by reducing its levels. It can also help to moisturize and soothe chapped and irritated skin that can occur when our kids may have been spending too much time out playing in cold weather. 

Peppermint Essential Oil is a real powerhouse against the many ailments that can bombard our families during the winter season. It is beneficial for reducing pain whether it be headaches from the mounting holiday stress or muscle aches and inflammation that can be intensified by the cold weather. Peppermint Essential Oil is also very invigorating, known to stimulate circulation and give a boost of energy when the winter chill has us feeling slowed down. Its expectorant properties can promote relief from congestion and help us breathe easy again when those pesky winter colds catch up to us. 

Winter holiday meals are often a time when the whole family may overindulge in rich foods and sweet treats. Along with being a staple holiday flavor, Nutmeg Essential Oil is also known to help alleviate abdominal pain as well as facilitate digestion. It can help to ease bloating and gas so we can enjoy those celebratory feasts without discomfort. Nutmeg Essential Oil also has a warm and spicy aroma that can stimulate a sense of alertness and energize the mind, helping to keep us attentive and focused during this busy season.

Cinnamon Essential Oil contributes one of the signature scents to the winter holiday season but it also contains many beneficial properties that can be especially useful to our families this time of year. It can help to calm skin that has become dry or irritated as well as improves circulation to revive a dull skin tone so the whole family looks cheery and bright in those holiday photos. Cinnamon Essential Oil possesses anti-rheumatic qualities that can address joint and muscle pain, something that can especially affect older family members this time of year. When diffused throughout the home, it can reduce nervous tension, enhance memory, and improve cognitive function, all while emitting its characteristic warm and spicy scent that we all love.

When the stress of school and work during the busy winter season catches up to us we could all use a little calming and grounding to help make it through. Juniper Berry Essential Oil helps to ease stress without the sedative effects that come along with many other calming oils. This means we can soothe our worries and anxieties while still keeping the energy to tackle all of our wintertime obligations. Juniper Berry Essential Oil can also boost the production of digestive enzymes to improve the breakdown and absorption of nutrients from foods to ensure our bodies benefit from all of those yummy holiday meals. 

Winter tends to be a very busy season and having so much to do while also dealing with the frigid weather can leave us feeling stressed. Frankincense Essential Oil contains properties that are known to reduce anxiety and enhance mood. It works to ease feelings of stress while also improving concentration and memory so we don’t have to sacrifice anything from our busy schedules. Frankincense Essential Oil strengthens the respiratory system and its expectorant properties relieve congestion and encourage easy breathing to help the whole family stay well during cold and flu season.  

Winter weather can chill us to the bone and have all of our aches and pains hurting a little more deeply this time of year. Muscle Calm Blend will soothe sore muscles and give us a boost of energy so we can get back to the fun of the season. Chamomile, Clove Leaf, Peppermint, Wintergreen, Eucalyptus, and Helichrysum Essential Oils all have natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits that help improve recovery time for our overworked muscles. Muscle Calm Blend’s cool, minty aroma motivates and stimulates, making it the perfect companion for a workout or helping us get through the busy holidays. 

We all want to create a cozy and joyful atmosphere in our home during the winter holiday season. Holiday Blend is great for creating an aura of winter holiday bliss in our home that is sure to lift the spirits of our family and all of our holiday guests. Blood Orange, Clove, Ginger, Peppermint, Cinnamon Bark, Geranium, Anise, Myrtle, and Balsam Peru Essential Oils combine to create a warm and comforting aroma that is perfect for combatting the icy feel of the winter season and ushering in the cheerful celebratory feelings of the holidays. 

Oregano Essential Oil is widely known for its powerful array of wellness benefits that can be especially useful to our families during the winter season. It can improve breathing by loosening up and eliminating mucus and phlegm while also soothing throat irritation to suppress pesky coughs during cold and flu season. In addition to boosting the immune system, Oregano Essential Oil can also help ease our muscle aches and joint pains that can be exacerbated by the cold weather.

The following recipes illustrate a few ways we can use essential oils for overall family wellness:

Achy Joint and Muscle Rub

Achy Joint and Muscle Rub

There are many times we may wake up in the winter season feeling stiff and achy as that cold weather chill takes over. No one wants to miss out on holiday shopping or a nice family walk in the snow-covered park to stay home and nurse a tender knee or wrist. This essential oil joint and muscle rub gently massaged into any sore areas can facilitate easier movement and reduce pain. Shea butter, fractionated coconut oil, and beeswax create a silky salve-like texture that allows this muscle rub to be smoothly massaged into the skin with a staying power that helps the relief last longer. The powerful combination of Chamomile, Clove Leaf, Peppermint, Wintergreen, Eucalyptus, and Helichrysum essential oils in Muscle Calm Blend works to soothe inflamed joints and muscles as well as giving us an increase of energy and motivation. Menthol crystals provide a boost of cool numbing sensation to help ease soreness and pain to get you moving while those benefits take effect. Whether our muscles are overworked or just feeling the effects of the lower temperatures, this rub can help us get relief right when we need it.

 Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter on a double boiler until everything is fully melted and combined.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in menthol crystals and essential oil blend. Stir very well, ensuring menthol crystals are fully dissolved and thoroughly combined into the mixture.
  3. Pour into containers. Metal tins work great or push up deodorant style containers for easier application.
  4. Allow to cool and harden for several hours before use.

 

Harmonious Home Diffuser Blend

Harmonious Home Diffuser Blend 

Sometimes the hectic nature of the winter holidays and seasonal mood fluctuations can leave our families feeling a bit stressed and moody. This is no place to be when there are so many responsibilities and fun family activities to fill our time with during this season. Aromatherapy with some of our favorite holiday essential oils can be just the trick to get the whole family feeling happy and productive again. Lavender, frankincense, juniper berry, and nutmeg essential oils come together to create a blend that is both calming and mood-enhancing. This allows our stresses to melt away and be replaced by a joyful and uplifted spirit. This is the perfect blend to diffuse at home when hosting visiting family and friends to make sure everyone is relaxed and having a great time during their stay. It is also perfect for creating a calm and focused environment for holiday prepping or helping our kiddos take care of those last few school projects of the year. 

Ingredients

Instructions

Add this blend to your favorite home diffuser. Diffuse when you feel the cold weather start to negatively affect your mood or when you want to create a relaxing and uplifting environment for your family or guests in your home.

 

Sleepy Winter Morning Energizing Roll-On

Sleepy Winter Morning Energizing Roll-On

Those freezing winter mornings and sometimes dreary weather can have even the most cheerful and energetic members of our family wanting to spend the day in bed, cozy and warm. With lots of quality family time and holiday activities to keep us busy, we might need a little help finding the motivation to tackle the day. This energizing essential oil roll-on blend is the perfect thing to keep on everyone's bedside table for those mornings when we can’t seem to shake that sluggish feeling. Fractionated coconut oil acts as the perfect neutral base to let the beneficial essential oils shine while allowing them to glide on and absorb into the skin easily. Eucalyptus, sweet orange, and cinnamon cassia essential oils come together in this roll-on blend to give the family that extra boost of energy in the morning with a fresh, spicy-sweet aroma that is perfect for this holiday filled season. Simply rolling this blend on our wrists and neck in the morning can make a great first step to having an energized and enjoyable day.

Ingredients

Instructions

Add the essential oils to the bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle to the top with fractionated coconut oil. Replace the rollerball and cap, gently shake and roll across your skin. 

 

Congestion Fighter Vapor Rub

Congestion Fighter Vapor Rub

Coughs, colds, and congestion can be hard to avoid all winter long and can put a damper on holiday celebrations when they finally catch up with someone in the family. This potent essential oil vapor rub can be just the ticket to helping us knock out that unpleasant congestion and breathe easy again. Peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender essential oil combine to create a soothing yet invigorating aroma that helps to break up congestion, clear the sinuses, and may ease pain and inflammation. Sweet almond oil and shea butter make a smooth consistency that is easy to apply and allows the essential oils to be easily absorbed into the skin while the beeswax helps to form a balm-like barrier on the skin. This ensures that the essential oils don't rub off or evaporate too quickly, allowing for longer-lasting effects. No one likes dealing with seasonal illness and congestion, especially kids just starting to enjoy some time off school. Having a soothing and effective natural remedy ready when it hits makes for a quick recovery so we can get back to all of the holiday and winter fun. This vapor rub is one of those recipes that we hope to never have to use but when someone in the family starts with that telltale sniffling, we’re so glad to have it on hand.

Ingredients

*Or for a child-safe blend

Instructions

  1. Add beeswax and shea butter to a heat-safe bowl and place on top of a pot with a few inches of water in it. Bring the water to a boil and stir until fully melted.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in sweet almond oil and essential oil blend.
  3. Pour immediately into your container of choice, metal tins or small shallow jars work best.
  4. Allow to cool and harden for several hours before using.

 

Peppermint Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe

Peppermint Vanilla Whipped Body Butter  

Winter is a time full of holiday travels and more time spent outdoors in the chill and winds than we might be prepared for. As beautiful as it may be, the cold winter weather isn’t always kind to skin, often causing issues such as excessive dryness and irritation. This is the time of year that everyone in the family may need a little extra help keeping their skin moisturized and happy. This smooth and decadent whipped body butter is packed full of nourishing ingredients that can help to soothe and hydrate. Fractionated coconut oil and sweet almond oil absorb easily into the skin, allowing their potent moisturizing properties to penetrate deeply. Shea butter and cocoa butter also aid in hydrating while also creating a barrier on the skin to keep moisture locked in where it is needed most. Peppermint essential oil and vanilla fragrance oil create a delicious minty sweet scent reminiscent of the peppermint candies that the whole family enjoys during the holiday season. This recipe is formulated to make multiple jars so every member of the family can have one on hand and we can gift them to visiting loved ones!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add cocoa butter and shea butter to a heat-safe bowl and place on top of a pot with a few inches of water in it. Bring the water to a boil and stir the oils until fully melted.
  2. Remove from heat and thoroughly mix in the sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, peppermint essential oil, and vanilla fragrance oil.
  3. Chill in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes or until the mixture begins to firm but is not completely hardened.
  4. Once chilled, use a hand mixer to mix until you get a fluffy whipped consistency. If the mixture is too soft or isn't whipping, place it back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and whip again.
  5. Scoop into airtight jars and give as gifts to your friends and family. 

 

 

Filed in: cold & flu, holiday, immune system
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