Lyme disease is the most common disease spread by ticks in the Northern Hemisphere and it is estimated that around 300,000 people are affected yearly in the US alone. Learn how to use essential oils for Lyme disease prevention and treatment in this article.
What is Lyme Disease?
Also known as Lyme borreliosis, Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by Borellia type bacteria. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks belonging to the Ixodes genus. Once the tick bites, it must be attached for about 36 to 48 hours for the bacteria to start spreading. Lyme disease does not appear to be transmissible from one person to another through contact or other means, from other animals to humans or through food.
Just like any other bug-borne disease, prevention is better than cure when it comes to Lyme disease. Protect yourself from ticks especially in tick infested regions such as those areas near the coastlines, tall grasses, bushes and shrubs, the edges of woods and lawns & gardens by wearing long clothing and using tick repellents (you can find a DIY tick repellent below).
Some of the early symptoms & indications of Lyme disease are:
- A bull – eye rash that spreads around the bite like a target
- Body aches and pain
- Flu – like symptoms
- Headache
- Fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- And more
Not all those with Lyme disease may experience all these symptoms but once you experience any of them, it’s best to get checked by a doctor because untreated patients may suffer from severe and chronic symptoms that affect multiple body systems including the nerves, brain, heart, eyes and joints.
How Do Essential Oils Help Lyme Disease?
Essential oils are highly concentrated and aromatic oils extracted from the leaves, roots, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots, stems and resin of plants. They have natural chemical constituents such as terpenes and alcohol Remember essential oils cannot ‘cure’ Lyme disease but help prevent and lessen the severe symptoms. Some of the ways essential oils can help Lyme disease are by:
- Strengthening the immune system
- Fighting bacteria
- Detoxify the body
- Soothe skin irritation
- Reduce fever
- Help with pain management
- Relieve itchiness
- Alleviate body pain
- Provides antioxidant protection
- And more
Research on Essential Oils for Lyme Disease
► Study One: Carvacol, one of the key compounds in both oregano and clove oils, was seen to be efficient against ticks (1)
► Study Two: Vetiver oil was shown to have acaricidal properties against ticks (2)
► Study Three: The efficiency of treatment of ticks with formulations containing clove oil was over 90%, making it better than citronella oil and commercial chemical tick repelling products (3)
Top 10 Essential Oils for Lyme Disease
1. Vetiver (where to get it)
2. Clove (where to get it)
3. Oregano (where to get it)
4. Citronella (where to get it)
5. Frankincense (where to get it)
6. Thyme (where to get it)
7. Bergamot (where to get it)
8. Sweet Marjoram (where to get it)
9. Lemongrass (where to get it)
10. Cinnamon (where to get it)
How to Use Essential Oils for Lyme Disease – 3 Recipes
Find 3 recipes for preventing and treating Lyme disease below. Remember, you should use these recipes in conjunction with professional medical treatment for a faster cure. For prevention, you can always use the above essential oils for outdoor diffusers in your backyard or garden or make citronella candles using a blend of citronella and other essential oils above to ward off ticks.
1. Tick Repelling Recipe
Prevention is the best way to go for health conditions like Lyme disease. Take a look at this essential oil blend to keep ticks away:
What you need
- 10 drops clove
- 10 drops vetiver
- 10 drops citronella
- 3 drops oregano
- 4 tbsp olive oil (where to get it)
- 4 oz glass dropper bottle (where to get it)
Method
Combine all oils in a glass dropper bottle. Apply about 7 – 10 drops all over exposed skin just like a lotion before heading out.
2. Essential Oil Lyme Bomb
Please note that essential oils are highly concentrated and can be toxic if used in high amounts! Before ingesting essential oils, make sure you confirm that the oil you’re using is 100% pure, USDA certified organic, non-GMO and heavy metal – free. If you cannot confirm these, then please, it’s better not to ingest essential oils.
What you need
- 2 drops food grade wild oil of oregano (where to get it)
- Olive oil (where to get it)
- 00 vegetable capsules (where to get it)
Method
- Place the essential oils, drop by drop into a vegetable capsule.
- Top with olive oil.
- Take one after meals, preferably once or twice a day for three days.
3. Roll – On Blend for Feet
Applying essential oils to the feet is one of the best ways of benefiting from the medicinal properties of these precious liquids of Nature. Combined with foot reflexology, which is a valuable and effective holistic treatment that uses the power of the key meridians of the foot that connect to different body organs, you can have a powerful way of naturally combating many health conditions. Check out this roll – on blend for Lyme disease:
What you need
- 10 drops frankincense
- 10 drops clove
- 10 drops bergamot
- 5 drops oregano
- Fractionated coconut oil (where to get it)
- 10 ml roll – on bottle (where to get it)
Method
- Combine all oils in the roll – on bottle and give it a shake to mix them up.
- Roll on to your foot then deeply press and massage all areas.
- Repeat with the other foot.
- Cover your feet with a pair of comfortable socks and go to bed.
References
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23218220
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26359641
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25199555
Using essential oils for Lyme disease is a great way to prevent it and reduce its severity. Will you try using essential oils for Lyme disease?