4 Benefits and Uses of Eucalyptus Oil

A fresh scent, colorless, and super versatile! Eucalyptus Oil is a natural ingredient with wonderful health benefits. Eucalyptus oil has been used as a natural remedy for many centuries. It’s derived from from the top branches and leaves of the eucalyptus tree. Eucalyptus oil originated in Australia and Tasmania, but is now found in many parts of the world because of its healing properties. Its antibacterial properties make eucalyptus oil a go-to skin and body remedy. The oil extracted from eucalyptus leaves is a natural antibiotic that can be used to treat a multitude of diseases and skin problems, including burns, cold sores, wounds, fever, flu, inflammation, malaria, and the list goes on.

Relieves Muscle and Joint Pain
Now, I’m a pretty active person and I used to take dance classes. I don’t know if you’ve ever taken an intensive ballet class, but let me tell you something: Your legs WILL hurt the next day and you are not going to want to move. My leg muscles use to get so sore when I wake up in the morning, it was such a pain… Literally! Luckily, I found a great way to relieve that soreness by massaging those aching muscles with eucalyptus oil. Just dab a little on the your hands and work them over the surface of your skin on the affected areas. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in volatile eucalyptus will help relieve the tension. Whether it’s after a tough workout or if you’re shoulders are stiff from a stressful day at work, you can use this method to help your body relax from the strain.

Helps Keep You Awake
Eucalyptus oil is also an effective agent against sluggishness and exhaustion. It’s considered a vasodilator, which means it directly affects  the walls of your arteries, keeping them from narrowing or tightening. This means that there will be better circulation of blood vessels throughout your body and to the brain, allowing more mental activity to occur. Essentially, you’ll be more focused and awake during the day. Some people use products that have a mix of eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, and ethanol can help relieve headaches. You can also make your own eucalyptus candle and light it up when you’re studying for exams or working on a big project for work. It’ll help you calm your brain down and let the juices of ideas flow!

Relieves Nasal Congestion
I developed a slight cold over the holidays, which put quite a damper on what I thought was going to be my time to sleep in and rest up. I was up all night with a stuffy nose that was making it hard for me to breathe. Fortunately, I found a natural way to clear up my airways using eucalyptus oil. Here’s how I did it! I added a couple of drops of it into a bowl of boiled hot water. Then all I did was place my face over the water and inhaled the steam through my nose. Since eucalyptus is an antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory, it works great as a decongestant. The steam carrying hints of the eucalyptus relieved  the inflammation in the lining of my nostrils. It’s almost like an inexpensive humidifier. It made my nose feel a lot better. Plus, there’s a light scent of mint and honey. It also helped clear up some of the phlegm build up that was causing the initial congestion. The eucalyptus increases the amount of phagocytes in your body, which are cells that kills off harmful bacteria. Thereby, decongesting your airways and allowing your to breath a little easier. I did this about 2-3 times a day and it really helped.

Protects Open Wounds
Eucalyptus oil can also be used to soothe the affected area of of a wound, cut, burn, or any abrasions on your skin. The germicidal properties in eucalyptus protects any open wounds in the skin from infection. It can even be used as a ointment for insect bites or stings as well as an insect repellant. However, you shouldn’t apply the oil onto the wound directly. It’s best to dilute it with water before application. Exposure to more than 3.5 mL of eucalyptus oil at once can cause dizziness, nausea, and other side effects.

So, if you’re looking for something natural to relieve muscle pain, sickness, or headaches eucalyptus oil may be your new best friend. Just a few drops of this essential oil with some water can make your headaches and muscle pain go away. Just remember to use everything in moderation. Too much exposure to eucalyptus can have some unwelcome side effects, but in small amounts, this plant can do wonders to protect your body against germs and bacteria.

Resources:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-eucalyptus-essential-oil.html
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-700-eucalyptus.aspx?activeingredientid=700&activeingredientname=eucalyptus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609378/
http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/eucalyptus-oil-instant-home-remedy-for-a-blocked-nose/