20h • General discussions
A Diffusion Blend for My Niece and Nephew's Cold
Today, my cousin called me because once again her two young children, my 5-year-old niece and my 3-year-old nephew, caught the cold, and as they are prone to catching bronchitis, she asked me if I could formulate for her a natural blend to help support their respiratory system, give them a pick me up as they are cranky and moody and are not eating due to feeling sick. They are also not getting any rest at night.
I decided that using a simple diffuser blend would be the best choice.
I made a 10ml Stock bottle containing the following:
· 3mls Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
· 3mls Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
· 3mls Cedarwood Virginiana (Juniperus virginiana)*
- I ended up using a mix of 1.5ml of Juniperus virginiana, as that was all I had left in stock, and 1.5ml of Cedrus atlantica.
It is important to note that some Aromatherapists consider Cedarwood Atlas safe at low doses for children over two, it contains a high concentration of complex sesquiterpenes.
Cedarwood Virginian (Juniperus virginiana) is considered the gentler and safer option for toddlers and preschoolers, though personally, I am comfortable with using Atlas in this formulation due to it being not only a diffuser blend rather than topical, but also because of how it's going to be diffused.
I told my cousin to diffuse no more than 4 drops during the day and for evening/night, 2 drops in the diffuser for 15 minutes in her lounge room, with the door open for passive ventilation. After 2 hours, if need be, diffuse for another 15 minutes. (15 min on, 2 hours off cycle.)
So why did I select these oils?
When diffused into a room, Cedarwood Atlas/Virginiana, Balsam Fir, and Sweet Orange essential oils target respiratory symptoms by reducing airway inflammation, thinning mucus, and calming the nervous system. Airborne molecules enter the nasal cavity to trigger the brain's olfactory pathways while traveling down into the respiratory tract to interact directly with local tissues.
Sweet Orange:
- Top Note in my blend.
- Mainly composed of the relatively safe monoterpene family, specifically d-limonene.
- Energetically, these oils bring lightness, laughter, happiness, and joy to those who smell their aroma, which is one of the reasons children love the smell of sweet orange. As my niece and nephews are feeling miserable, this oil will help perk up their spirits. Its aroma also helps encourage one's appetite, and as they are not eating, I find this oil to be appropriate.
- Therapeutically, this oil is an antidepressant (hence mood-lifting/energizing) as well as being an antibacterial. As bronchitis is typically an acute bacterial infection that develops secondary to a viral infection like the common cold or flu, having this antibacterial oil in this blend, I hope, will prevent them from getting Bronchitis.
- Though not an antiviral, as sweet orange can help one to better absorb vitamin C supplements (even though it does not contain Vitamin C), it is useful to fight off viral infections such as colds and sinus congestion.
- Sweet Orange helps to reduce airway swelling, lifts the mood, and lowers cortisol mainly through inhibiting the inflammatory pathway NFK-kB, thanks to its d-limonene.
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
- The Middle (heart) Note in my blend.
- Mainly composed of monoterpenes, specifically β-pinene, α-pinene, δ-3-carene, and the ester bornyl acetate.
- Therapeutically, balsam fir is an antibacterial, decongestant, and anti-inflammatory mainly dude to its α-pinene. Inhaling these molecules helps inhibit the NF-κB inflammatory pathway. This curtails cytokine production, effectively reducing swelling in the bronchial mucosa and calming hyper-reactive airways. It works synergistically with Sweet Oranges' d-limonene, which also inhibits the NG-kB pathway.
- The pinene isomers and δ-3-carene found in Balsam Fir also act as potent mucolytics and expectorants. These molecules physically interact with the gel matrix of respiratory mucus, breaking down disulfide bonds to decrease its viscosity. Simultaneously, they gently stimulate the microscopic cilia lining the respiratory tract, increasing their beat frequency to help flush the thinned mucus out of the chest and nasal passages.
- Can be a respiratory irritant to some with diffusion, so best avoided for those who are asthmatic.
- Helps open the breath and provides energy when feeling lethargic
- Helps with a sore throat due to coughing.
Cedarwood virginiana/Cedrus atlantica:
- The Base note in my blend
- Rich in sesquiterpenes, mainly β-himachalene, α-himachalene, and γ-himachalene, alongside minor amounts of cedrol.
- Expectorant, Mucolytic
- Kicks start the lymphatic system to help remove toxins and waste
- Calming effect on the nervous system
- Great for bronchitis, catarrh, and coughs.
- Eases body tension, relieves stress
- As the cold usually triggers a systemic stress response, causing elevated cortisol, muscle aches, and sleep-disrupting discomfort, the himachalane found in Cedarwood works synergistically with sweet oranges' d-limonene to target the central nervous system through the olfactory-limbic tract.-
As this is a diffuser blend, the airborne essential oil molecules bind to nasal olfactory receptors, sending electrical signals directly to the amygdala and hippocampus (the brain's emotional centres). This triggers a reduction in sympathetic ("fight-or-flight") activity, lowers blood pressure, and decreases systemic cortisol levels, which helps soothe body aches and promotes restful sleep.
When someone sleeps, during cold and flu season, viruses and secondary opportunistic bacteria linger in the air and on surfaces. The lipophilic nature of pinenes and limonene allows them to disrupt the lipid cell membranes of certain airborne pathogens.
While diffusion will not cure an internal viral infection, it helps lower the microbial load in the surrounding environment, supporting your immune system.
After deciding this route, I also used my wooden pendulum to make sure that these oils I selected were appropriate and safe for my niece and nephews, and in this case, the pendulum was happy with this formulation.
I will be calling my cousin tomorrow to see how things went overnight, if the kids slept, their mood, etc., and again, two day times. I will let everyone know here about the progress.
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A Diffusion Blend for My Niece and Nephew's Cold
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