I have already talked about my favorite Essential Oils: FRANKINCENSE, PEPPERMINT and also OREGANO Oil. It was time to talk about the other one that I am using almost every day: Tea Tree Oil.

Tea Tree Oil is made from the leaves of the tea tree plant, an Australian Native plant (Melaleuca alternifolia) from the myrtle tree family.

Primitive Australian communities have been using those leaves as a highly effective therapeutic natural medicine. They used to crush the tea tree leaves and apply the mixture especially on cuts, burns or any skin infections.

Today, science is catching up and recent studies and medical research have shown the powerful healing properties of this oil.

Tea tree oil is today known to be a beneficial healing agent with:

- Antifungal

- Antibacterial

- Antiviral

- Antiseptic

- Antimicrobial

therapeutic benefits.

Tea Tree Oil became more famous in the 20s, and then in the 30s and 40s when Australian doctors were sending it to their troops in the first aid kits during the Australian World War II to help quickly heal wounds and prevent further infections.

There are more than 100 active components in Tea Tree Oil. The most potent and active ones are the so-called terpenes: monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and their alcohols.

These terpenes are very potent primary active ingredients that are volatile, aromatic and travel through air, skin pores and mucus membranes.

MOST COMMON USES OF TEA TREE OIL

1. In Aromatherapy

Add a few drops in a hot steaming bowl of water and breathe in deeply… This will relieve and help fight chest or head congestion, and any other flu or cold symptoms (stuffy nose, headaches…)

2. Use topically with a carrier oil

Mix a few drops of Tea Tree Oil with Coconut Oil for example, and you get an effective anti-acne skincare.

Tea Tree Oil has also been often used to help treat fungus infections, like toenail onychomycosis for example. Always use with a carrier oil to dilute it and improve its benefits. (COCONUT OIL more particularly will help boost the effects of Tea Tree Oil)

This will also help combat bacterial infections, especially on wounds. Some studies have already shown that Tea Tree Oil may even help treat severe infections like MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus). This shows how effective and potent this essential oil can be, even more than some industrial antiseptics or antiviral medication out there.

3. For your mouth and teeth health

Mix some drops of Tea Tree Oil with Coconut Oil and swish it into your mouth for a few minutes. This will help kill all harmful bacteria and protect your teeth and gum from bad bacteria infections. This will also help for bad breath, that is sometimes due to bad bacteria flora in the mouth and gut. But DON’T SWALLOW Tea Tree Oil, this can be too aggressive for your internal tract! Tea Tree Oil is best used topically or as a mouth wash, but not swallowed.

4. Other common uses of Tea Tree Oil

Due to its powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal benefits, Tea Tree Oil is also used to help treat:

- Cold sores

- Earaches

- Congestion and Respiratory tract infections

- Psoriasis

- Itchy insect bites

- Sunburns

Tea Tree Oil is also often added in shampoos, skin lotions or face wash to help clean and kill all bad bacteria naturally.

Regarding household, Tea Tree Oil can be used as:

- An antimicrobial laundry freshener

- Insect Repellent

- Mold killer (when being diffused in the air)

- Overall household cleaner

The uses can be multiple, get creative and use it as much as you can to replace harmful chemical laden house cleaning products or even skincare lotions. Tea Tree Oil is a powerful disinfectant that is non-poisonous and gentle. Therefore, you will have great results with no harmful side-effects if you use it wisely.

Studies are investigating its potential therapeutic benefits to help fight skin cancer, and the Journal of Dermatological Sciences published a study showing its rapid effect on reducing cancerous tumors by boosting the Immune System.

Even if further longer studies need to be done in order to confirm those results, the experience of communities who have been using it for thousands of years shows that yes, Tea Tree Oil is a powerful oil that will help your system heal better from infections, whether they are viral, bacterial or fungal.

Again, always use a carrier oil like Coconut Oil to apply it on your skin or anywhere else.

Use a good natural Organic and clean source.

Treating acne requires 5-15% Tea Tree Oil in your mixture.

Treating fungal infection requires 70-100% Tea Tree Oil.

All is safe as long as you don’t swallow it. Start with small doses is order to evaluate your tolerance to it (some people may be allergic to it).

MY PERSONAL TEA TREE OIL USE

I love the smell of Tea Tree Oil. I always add a few drops when I am taking my EPSOM SALT BATH, together with other Essential Oils.

I also add it sometimes to Coconut Oil and baking soda for an amazing efficient mouth wash.

I recently burnt myself with extra hot coconut oil (Holistic cooking accident :-) ) and have been applying regularly Aloe Vera with Tea Tree Oil and Lavender Oil (for its calming effects) on my wounds and nothing else. And it is healing in a good way, nothing got infected and I will let you know if I get some scars but I think it should be fine :-)

As always, I trust Nature much more than anything chemical in the modern pharmacy. It is up to us to educate ourselves and to know when and how to use those magical natural healing plants.

In Health and Happiness,

Stephanie