By Christina Polnyj, BA, LMT No one likes to get sick – especially during the holidays.  For many of us, however, the advent of the holidays also marks the advent of cold and flu season.  The good news is that the centuries-old practice of Aromatherapy, coupled with our modern scientific understanding of the therapeutic benefit of essential oils, offers us a means for guarding against airborne illnesses such as cold and flu viruses.  Here is how you can be proactive during the holidays with essential oils and minimize the likelihood of being waylaid by a crippling cold or flu.   To protect yourself from germs, try making your own personal room deodorizer.  Take a 4 oz spray bottle and fill with clean water, leaving about an inch of space at the top.  Pick one or two essential oils and place 20 to 40 drops into the spray bottle, shake and spray, and you are good to go! Citrus oils are a particularly good choice as they are both airborne deodorizers and kill germs on contact.   Some therapeutic properties of citrus oils are:

• Antiseptic
• Anti-infectious
• Antiviral
• Stimulate the immune system
• Antioxidant
• Anti-depressants

Try grapefruit, lemon, sweet orange, or green mandarin – they refresh and uplift the spirit.  Massage therapists can also use these oils to clean their tables and other office surfaces.   Feel a cold coming on?  Try a steam.  Take a small bowl of boiling water (an inch or two is plenty) and place it on a table, grab a towel, and pull up a chair.  Place a drop or two of Eucalyptus oil in the water, lean over the bowl, close your eyes, cover your head with the towel, and take a deep breath.  Get the tissues ready!   Therapeutic properties of Eucalyptusoil:

• Antimicrobial
• Antiseptic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antiviral
• Bactericidal
• Decongestant
• Expectorant
• Mucolytic

There are many great respiratory oils to choose from, including Ravintsara, Pinion Pine, White Spruce or Siberian Fir.  Slowing down and taking a few deep breaths with a steam combined with essential oils is a simple way to stay healthy and peaceful during an often-stressful holiday season!   Next month – How to Use Essential Oils to Enhance the Holiday Atmosphere. Christina Polnyj BA, LMT is a Clinical Aromatherapist and Massage Therapist in private practice in Gainesville, Florida. Since 1993 she has been teaching classes in massage to health care professionals and the public. She is passionate about Aromatherapy, offering workshops and seminars to massage therapists, health professionals and the general public. She is an educator and consultant, providing people with the skills to use essential oils at home and professionally.  She founded Essential Education International in 2008. Upcoming classes:  The Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils, January 14 & 15, 2012 and The Art & Science of Aromatherapy 235 Hour National Certification Program, February 10, 2012. For more information call 352-222-1747 or email christinapolnyj@mac.com.