Four Thieves Oil

The new strain of flu’s are in the news daily. We had Bird Flu ,Swine Flu and now H1N1. The government is telling everyone to get a flu shot, which is something I’m not comfortable with. So I turned to nature to see what she has to offer and remembered I have a recipe for “Four Thieves Oil".

There are many stories about where it came from and why or who created it. Here is one story: The Four Thieves Vinegar. Perfumers by day, robbers by night. Four men made a concoction of herbs and essential oils in a base of vinegar and would douse their body with this before they went our robbing plague victims. They had a pretty good track record of stealing riches until the King found out and captured them, forcing them to give up their secret weapon against the plague. The herbal ingredients were wormwood, meadowsweet, juniper berries, rosemary, camphor, sage, cinnamon and cloves in a base of white wine vinegar.

Current Thieves Oil Recipe : The essential oils in this blend have been noted for anti-bacterial, anti-viral and antiseptic properties while stimulating the immune system, circulation and the respiratory system. According to research at Weber State University, Thieves Oil was found to have a 99% kill rate against airborne bacteria when diffused.

Recipe :

FOUR THIEVES OIL

1 part eucalyptus
1 part rosemary
1 part cinnamon
1 part clove
1 part lemon
Must be mixed and stored in glass.

Apply 1-2 drops of Four Thieves on the bottoms of the feet and on the nape of the neck.
Apply under the arms and on the chest.
Diffuse for 20 minutes or less at work or at home.
You can also mix with olive oil if you feel too strong. I recommend 1 tablespoon of each in a 2 oz bottle then fill remainder with oil.

To use as a disinfectant spray: Add one tablespoon of blend to a spray bottle with one cup water and one cup apple cider vinegar .Spray on doorknobs, cabinet handle, showers, anything you want disinfected.
To use as a hand sanitizer: In a small bowl mix one drop of Cinnamon, clove, rosemary and eucalyptus oil with five drops of lemon. Mix this with one ounce of distilled water and ½ teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel. Store in a squeeze bottle or travel size container.

As reported by Anahad O'Onnor in the NY Times:
A recent study by a team of surgeons, for example, found that a solution made with cinnamon oil killed a number of common and hospital-acquired infections, like streptococcus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The study found it was just as effective as several antiseptics widely used in hospitals. Another study by French researchers in 2008 had similar results, showing that at concentrations of 10 percent or less, cinnamon oil was effective against Staphylococcus, E. coli and several antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

CAUTON: Due to the cinnamon and clove contained, one must be cautious--it may cause irritation if improperly used. Fair skinned, blue-eyed individuals, redheads and those who tend to sunburn easily need to heed and dilute Thieves Oil blend in a carrier oil like olive oil , almond or macadamia nut before applying to the skin. I have used 1-2 drops of Thieves on the bottom of my feet and also at the nape of the neck. Other places could be under the arms, and on the chest. I do not suggest using this in a bath or in a sauna! Diffuse for only short periods of time--20 minutes or less at work or at home.