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#4- Cedarwood (Organic-Atlas)

This is a very useful but tricky oil that I would not recommend any pregnant women use. It can be ingested but needs to be an Atlas variety only. Others are toxic and cannot be ingested, so know your oils! This one is also an amazing calmer and is much more powerful, in my own experience, at soothing bug bites and stings than Lavender. If you have ever owned a Cedar chest, you know how amazingly effective it is at repelling bugs. It is also not an oil that will give away your presence if needing to hunt. Cedarwood will blend right into the surroundings of nature and not alert anyone to your presence. It is what we use indoors for repelling bugs and it works. It can also be used for allergies. I combine it with Frankincense and other oils to reduce selling and calm histamine when I have an allergy flair up, which happens often because I am allergic to a lot of things. For bug bites you can rub it right onto skin, but if there is an open wound dilute it a bit. It is highly anti-septic and will also work to clean a wound if needed. If you were hunting and need an all-purpose oil, this would be it. It works for pests, wounds, as well as calming calms stings or bites without a heavy scent. To get rid of lice and/or skin mites, simply dilute into a carrier oil and rub into skin or hair. For repelling bugs, rub (diluted) into skin, on clothes, or put onto a cotton ball and place it where ever you want pests and rodents to stay away. It works on mice and snakes as well. It is my indoor version of moth balls.

#5- Rosemary

This oil is one that many people can tolerate in their food and makes getting an antibacterial down the hatch a bit easier. It is highly antibacterial and should be considered when the common cold is going around or if having a bout of flu. You can add to foods such as spaghetti or soups for an extra bit of help with germ fighting. I ingest oils and have found that the best way to enjoy some of their benefits is to use them as you would an herb in food. So this one, being highly effective at killing germs and aiding in healthy cell reproduction, would be on my plate and in my first aid kit, if I were you. It is highly antiviral and antifungal as well, so it is a great one to reach for if dealing with an infected sore, toe nail fungus, ring worm, warts (not genital), or other skin infection or fungus. Reports have shown it being effective at aiding with things like Alzheimer’s, lung infections, hair loss, and memory loss. In case of an internal infection, since it can safely be ingested when diluted, it can be added right to honey (only like two drops) and swallowed. It should be in your first aid kit.

#6- Litsea Cubeba

This is an oil most people have never heard of. Also called May Chang, it is worth its weight in gold as far as I am concerned. I have used it with my own lung problems and on my animals with much success. One example is when my new chicks came to me with a bout of what certainly appeared to be bird flu, which isn’t new to chicken keepers or hatcheries by the way. However, my baby chicks were dying, and I had to stop it instantly; I did with this oil! Avian Flu is viral, and so I quickly reached for this highly anti-viral oil. I placed a few drops into a quart of water with Vitamin B and gave them only this to drink. All my droopy looking chickens perked right up, and they stopped dying instantly. Litsea is an Asian citrus pepper fruit that is used often in other countries as an antiviral. It’s so powerful it is used in Asia to treat pneumonia, TB, COPD, asthma, and bronchitis, and other bronchial issues. This is one oil I will never be without, Lord willin’. It is truly my favorite. I ingested and inhaled it with Peppermint when I was dealing with pneumonia and nasal polyps. I believe firmly that it aided in the healing process. I blended it with the Peppermint in equal parts, and inhaled it in the cup of my hands. These two oils combined could possibly help an asthmatic in a situation where an inhaler or nebulizer isn’t an option. I now use the blend daily in place of my rescue inhaler most of the time and have reduced those medical costs significantly. They can be added to a spoonful of honey (1 drop of each), diluted and rubbed onto chest, and inhaled by the hands. I also put the blend onto the back of my tongue to get fast relief. It helped me so much that I was able to decrease my inhaler and nebulizer intake by 3/4ths. I did have to end up also taking a steroid during the worst of it, but the Litsea/Peppermint combo was very helpful (I believe) at killing the problem (infection or virus) that was causing my pneumonia. All flu and colds are also viral. We cannot overlook that more antiviral medication should be available, so here is an option in an emergency or worst case scenario. Here are the other things it has been shown effective at aiding in treating: athlete’s foot, skin tags, stress, eczema, psoriasis, skin infections, skin fungus such as ringworm, indigestion, inflammation, and warts. It’s easy to use on animals as well as humans for all the mentioned above. This is my “go-to” oil for animals. From skin issues, infections fungus, virus, and ringworm to any bronchial issues, this is the animal oil for most of my natural animal husbandry needs. All my new birds get this in their water with honey and vitamin B daily instead of antibiotics. You must change daily if using honey or it could ferment the water and leave them with nothing. So only add honey to animals water if changing daily. I then slowly wean down to weekly use of the Litsea on all birds and then to monthly. *At the first signs of Cocci, I was able to do this and stop an infestation before it started and only the one sick bird was lost. Highly effective at stopping disease and particularly virus in humans or animals! A total MUST for your emergency/first aid kit.

#7- Frankincense

This oil of oils and worker of good things is my ultimate cream topping on the pie. Frankincense (Carterri) has been shown effective for many uses. I would use for any wounds, diluted and combined with Clove oil. The nick name of Frankincense is “Heal All” because of its ability to help restore tissue growth and aid in good cell reproduction while also prohibiting tumor growth. I have, when sick, added it to my fruit smoothies to gain the possible healing effects by getting it into the body. I have seen a difference when I used it and also noticed a bit more energy than before. Sickness time has seemed to be shortened as well. Frankincense is my “go to” when allergies strike. It has been shown to be a calmer and help to block histamine when taken internally or breathed in. It can be dropped into a diffuser or diluted and rubbed onto nose, placed onto back of tongue, or breathed in from cupped hands. It is a main ingredient in my blend called Allergy Stop. It is one I would definitely keep around for any wound care in a first aid kit.

Here is the kit I have put together: Essential 7, The Essential Oil Survival Kit Remember no essential oils should be applied to an open wound without being diluted. Also some people are more sensitive to essential oils than others, so be careful and start out with a very small amount. I am not a trained physician and cannot give any medical advice. I am simply sharing what I would do, what has helped me or what I believe to be helpful to you in a “worst case” emergency type situation and a doctor or vet isn’t able to be reached. It is a good idea to have backup plans, because you never know what might happen, but please do not deny someone you know the ability to see a doctor if it is needed and available. I cannot/will not be held liable for anything you try on your own based on this informative and educational blog post. I hope you found this information helpful.

I am going to lay out the very best oils in my opinion to have on hand in a “worst case” scenario or emergency situation. I have used (ran a business and used personally) essential oils for 17 yrs now. They are a part of my life, in home and business every day. I am giving my wisdom, gleaned from experience and much research on the uses and abilities of essential oils. Although there is no replacement for a well-trained medical professional, I realize sometimes life puts us all into situations where what we need isn’t always accessible. So here are my top choices for that time of need when a doctor or vet are not in reach. I will also give why and how you can use the oils. I have put together a kit so as to give a more affordable option to people who do want to have these oils on hand. You may already have these oils, and if so great. If not, you can check out the oils I recommend below or the kit to compare for yourself. It is Essential 7, The Essential Oil Survival Kit. You can find it at Homesteadmoma.com.

I am trying to educate not push a product. I want everyone reading this information to understand that: 1) I am not a doctor and am not advocating that you should not visit the doctor for medical advice or a vet, if it involves your pet, and 2) I am not trying to sell you anything. My information, time, research, and willingness to share with you is all free. I am an essential oil business owner, but I’m also an herbalist, wild crafter, and most importantly a mom. I understand everyone has different budgets and different preferences when purchasing essential oils. I am giving you my first hand knowledge along with my time and research, because I believe God wants us to share what we know with others freely. So here are my picks for the essential oils for survival and why I chose them. I give links or works cited under a few oils, but most information you can easily research yourself with the Internet.

A Few Pointers Regarding the Proper Use of Essential Oils

To make an essential oil go farther and to use topically or when ingesting, you should always dilute. To do this, use a carrier oil, such as hemp oil, safflower oil, jojoba oil, or the like. In a pinch, any liquid cooking oil will do. Also note that if anyone gets the essential oils into the eye or on skin undiluted or is experiencing a severe burning sensation, DO NOT WASH with water. Simply rub a liquid oil onto the effected area, and this will “pull out” the essential oil instantly. They are attracted to fatty acids like a magnet, so this is the best way to remove it quickly. The burning sensastion will be gone in seconds.

If you used essential oil(s) for wound care and it is diluted but still burns, I would not flush with more oil to remove, because they need to be present in order to be effective. Removing then would also remove their antibacterial, numbing, and other properties.

#1- Clove

Clove oil is not only highly antiviral, anti-fungal, antiseptic, antibacterial, and pretty much “anti-everything”, it is a total favorite of the dental and medical community, including pharmaceutical companies. It was the predecessor of all the “caines”, such as benzocaine, novacaine, lidocaine, and others in the same family. It is synthesized now into a very powerful pain killer and antiseptic for use in wounds, because it has the ability to numb as well as kill germs including viruses. In a worst case scenario where there could be an out break of flu, Ebola, Avian Flu, or something else on that scale, this is the one essential oil I would reach for. If it is 100% pure (food grade), it should be diluted by placing a few drops into a carrier oil or into honey so it can be ingested when symptoms arise. Once diluted, it can be rubbed directly into lymph nodes and on wrists. It is very strong, so dilute well or it will burn. You want to get it into the blood stream so it can be internally effective, so that is why I say rub into lymph nodes. It is a stimulating oil and rubbed onto chest or lymph nodes, it can help to “move” chest congestion and lymph as well as kill bacteria, virus, or fungus that is causing sickness. If someone is having a problem with clogged glands, I would combine with Peppermint (both very productive stimulants) and rub into glands twice a day. It is all I used for my children when teething. I put a few drops into a tablespoon of liquid cooking oil and rubbed directly into gums to numb pain. This would also be my “go to” oil for wound care. In a worst case scenario, where an antibiotic or antiseptic product isn’t available, this can be diluted and poured right into a wound. It is the only oil known to be so highly effective at both numbing and fighting germs. It may sting for a second but will numb pain quickly. This is truly the 1st place winner, and many dentists today still use this on oral infections and tooth abscesses for fighting germs and numbing power. It is gold. Most of my information on clove and its essential oil comes from the book, Back To Eden by Jethro Kloss.

#2- Bergamot

An Italian Citrus, this oil has been studied and shown effective at lowering blood sugar, cholesterol, and is highly effective on anxiety. I would not rely on Lavender as my “mood calmer” for those who are anxious in an emergency. Lavender is good, but the studies (and my personal experiences) point to the fact that Bergamot is multitalented on the body and mind. In a worst case scenario, many of us could be surrounded with friends and family members who have medical needs for problems that need to be controlled. These most likely will include anxiety, nervousness, ADHD, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Not only have these studies shown the Bergamot oil to be highly effective at calming nerves and adding balance to a hyper, nervous, or upset person, but it is shown to be effective and medically useful at lowering high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. One study from the University of Taiwan shows that Bergamot is highly effective at calming the mood and helping to reduce stress of elementary school teachers. I read another that sited it usefull at lowering blood pressure. This oil should be diluted and then rubbed into temples, wrists, on chest, and into neck of anyone who is stressed. A few drops into a diffuser will help to disperse the oils effectiveness into an entire room and aid everyone in the area with its aromatherapy. If there is someone around who needs treatment for high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or high cholesterol in your care, it would be helpful to research this more as to exact usage that would benefit them. I personally would have them consume it in a natural smoothie, mixed into peanut butter, or placed under the tongue, only starting with a few drops diluted into the carrier oil to make sure that there aren’t any adverse reactions. Use only 100% pure (food grade) when ingesting any essential oils. In a worst case scenario, this oil will be an invaluable oil. In my opinion it has shown to be much more effective at calming nerves than Lavender Oil, and with an ability to add balance to the entire body’s system I would not forget this oil when making my home emergency and first aid kit.

• The Physical Effects of Aromatherapy in Alleviating Work-Related Stress on Elementary School Teachers in Taiwan
• Clinical Studies Show Bergamonte™ Exhibits Breakthrough Results for Healthy Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Support
• Benefits of Bergamot

#3- Peppermint

This oil is tops at reducing fever and calming upset stomach. Although Ginger is really good at tummy trouble, this one is much more appetizing and therefore easier to get down. I not only have personally used it to reduce fever, I have also used it to open the airways of an asthmatic– me! I have had some bouts with pneumonia and even pleurisy in the past. This oil will certainly open up the airways and has been shown to aid in circulation. If in a time of need someone cannot breathe, isn’t getting enough oxygen or isn’t responsive, I would reach for this to hold under the nose, and diluted it can be rubbed on the chest. If breathing is troubled, I would dilute and drop onto back of the tongue or put an undiluted drop into hands and cup over nose and mouth to breathe in. For fever reduction, place a few drops (diluted just a bit) onto spine, temples, soles of feet, and lymph nodes, and rubbed in. For upset stomach, I would place a few drops into honey to ingest or a drop into warm tea; you can add honey, if you please. Honey will also help calm the stomach upset. Again, combine Peppermint with Clove diluted, for a way to simulate the circulatory system, move lymph, and loosen chest congestion. Peppermint alone, or combined with Clove, could possibly aid an elderly person, a diabetic, or someone suffering from hypothermia with circulation. Simply rub diluted mixture right into skin with a good massage. Also these two combined are a powerhouse on someone with the croop or flu with coughing. Diluted you can rub on chest and into lymph nodes to help the cough be more productive and help with fighting the infection from the glands.