An alternative to antibiotics?
A concentrate of virtues from plants
Be well informed to use them properly
My rescue kit

An alternative to antibiotics?

During his last campaign to limit the use of antibiotics , Health Insurance reminded us in us the hammering: a bronchitis is due to a virus and is not treated with antibiotics.

And here we are, poor in front of the respiratory troubles to come.
What solution to prevent this bronchitis from degenerating? Two drops of thujanol thyme essential oil in a teaspoon of honey, 3 times a day, for 6 to 10 days.
A good woman remedy? Absolutely not. "The results are extremely fast, enthuses Danièle Festy, pharmacist and aromatherapy specialist.

Essential oils are an almost perfect medicine, not just in the ENT sphere.
Side effects are extremely rare, provided you choose them well and respect their instructions. " All is said.
So that's enough to fill our green pharmacy.

It is already forty years since scientists discovered that certain essential oils (niaouli, oregano, tea tree, raventsara ...) had antibiotic properties thanks to "aromatograms" . In other words, we put a colony of bacteria and an essential oil in a sterile box and we observe whether the microbes survive or not.

Answer: no. "In fact, some essential oils kill bacteria, others prevent them from reproducing, most do both and at the same time stimulate the immune response of our body," says Julien Kaibeck, aromatherapist and teacher at the International College of aromatherapy Dominique Baudoux.
As a result, they do not have the bazooka effect of antibiotics, which also destroy the good bacteria and cause fungal infections. But what makes them even more exceptional is that essential oils do not induce resistance.

To use antibiotics for a yes or no, we created supermicrobes that mutated to resist conventional treatments and that we can not get rid of. Essential oils do not cause this kind of problem.
Their structure is too complex for bacteria to decipher and adapt to it. Would they be the antibiotics of the future?

For Julien Kaibeck, "it is entirely possible, even if, for the moment, the studies focus mainly on the combined effects of essential oils and antibiotics, to reduce prescriptions and limit antimicrobial resistance".

Thus, researchers have studied the association of essential oil of geranium and a conventional antibiotic on the main germs causing urinary tract infections.

As a result, the essential oil boosts the action of the antibiotic, which becomes effective even at a lower dose.

A concentrate of virtues from plants

This outstanding efficiency, essential oils owe it to the complexity of their composition.
Each contains several hundred molecules.

"It is the synergy between all their compounds that makes them so interesting," says Jean-Charles Schnebelen, pharmacist and teacher at the University Paris 13.

It must be said that these species are a bit of the concentrate of the plant defense system. They are the ones that allow them to resist aggressions (UV, viruses, bacteria, parasites ...).
Most therefore have antiseptic virtues (eucalyptus, thyme, niaouli ...).

And each has one or more other properties: analgesic (bergamot, chamomile, lavender ...), antiviral (tea-tree, niaouli ...), digestive (badian, ginger, fennel ...), healing (rosewood, petit-grain ...) , anti-inflammatory (chamomile, helichrysum, juniper ...), anxiolytic (marjoram, lemon verbena ...).

It can also be used to try to wean sleeping pills : those of orange tree orange or marjoram, for example, have sedative virtues. Just take two drops (one or the other) in a teaspoon of honey before bed. "Inflammation, spasms, cramps, manifestations of stress, respiratory, venous or hormonal disorders ... we now have scientific studies that also demonstrate the effectiveness of essential oils on these symptoms," says Aude Néron, project manager in research and development for Naturactive, at Pierre Fabre Laboratories.

But if the effects of these plant essences on serious diseases are also studied, we must not get carried away. The American Cancer Society is formal, there is no evidence that aromatherapy can prevent or cure cancer.

What is certain, however, is that they can improve the quality of life by acting on fatigue (thyme), nausea (ginger) or immunity (clove).

Be well informed to use them properly

The other side of the coin: essential oils being very active, they must be used with certain precautions.

"Misuse, especially overdose, can be the cause of allergic reactions, disorders of the nervous system or photosensitization", insists Aude Nero.
There are therefore oils easier to use alone in self-medication such as lavender, peppermint, tea tree, niaouli ... (see "My Rescue Kit").
And the most delicate that we discover in general after consulting an aromatherapist.

For example, thymol thyme, the strongest of all thyme, is reserved for adults. Or the essential oil of sage, which acts at the level of the uterus. In late pregnancy, she can facilitate a delivery.

Taken at the beginning, it risks causing a termination of pregnancy. As a precaution, if you are relatively new to the field, it is better to avoid essential oils for your baby or if you are pregnant. And it is imperative to find out (from a pharmacist, a herbal therapist or a good aromatherapy guide) how to use the ones you buy to self-medicate.

Inhaling? In application on the skin? In this case, it must generally be diluted beforehand in a vegetable oil. Finally, it is better to choose good essential oils in pharmacies or specialty shops to avoid falling on synthetic products, devoid of any therapeutic virtues. "The Latin name of the plant and its biochemical definition must appear on the packaging," says Julian Kaibeck. The labels (HECT, HEBBD ...) are not official, but nevertheless indicate that the laboratory is committed to respecting quality standards.

So the essential oil must display at least on the label "100% natural".

My rescue kit

Help, I have a gastro

This pesky virus that returns us to the stomach easily succumbs with 1 drop of essential oil of oregano to take on a neutral tablet (on sale in pharmacies) before each meal.
To stop vomiting, put 1 drop of peppermint (and only one) under the tongue and repeat if necessary 20 min later.

I have flu

We prepare a grog made from honey, 1 drop of ravintsara and 1 drop of Ceylon cinnamon (3 per day maximum).
Antiviral, antibacterial and stimulant, this duo of shock attacks the disease on all fronts. In addition, we walk with a handkerchief impregnated with eucalyptus radiata that we breathe very regularly to clear the airways.

My head is going to explode

Massage your temples with 2 drops of pure peppermint essential oil. The cold effect instantly reduces pain and, thanks to its vasoconstrictor properties, peppermint acts directly on the causes of migraine.

Ouch, I'm stuck

Back, neck, shoulder ... to undo the contractures, we opt for 3 drops of essential oil of wintergreen, a powerful anti-inflammatory, massage on the painful area. This warms the muscles and reduces inflammation.

I am very much

We dive into a bath in which we added 10 drops of true lavender previously diluted in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (sweet almond type) or milk powder. It acts directly on the nervous system, relaxes the muscles and also calms the nerves.