{Essential Oils for Autoimmunity} Immune Stimulating vs. Immune Supporting Oils {free chart download}

Essential oils are a great tool in your health arsenal!

Just make sure you are using them correctly with autoimmunity.

**This post and chart have been updated as of November 2019 to include 15 new oils and state which part of the body is stimulated when an oil is used.

Do you use essential oils? I certainly hope so! Do you have autoimmunity? Well, I hope you don’t but since you’re here it’s safe to assume you or someone else you know might.

If you are an oil user, it is crucial to understand the difference between an immune-stimulating essential oil versus an immune-supporting essential oil if you have autoimmunity.

What is Autoimmunity?

Autoimmunity is when organs and tissues in your body are being attacked and damaged by your own cells. Autoimmune conditions trick your body into thinking that the protein your organ and/or tissue is made from is actually a foreign pathogen that needs to be attacked and killed.

When this attack happens it causes inflammation and heightened immune response. Chronic inflammation can cause a whole host of symptoms that build one on top of another and sometimes eventually cause multiple autoimmune conditions. (1)

The goal of healing or remitting autoimmunity is to find the root cause of the inflammation and put out the inflammatory fire. You can certainly work with me to discover and eliminate your root cause so that you can feel better.

A Multi-Faceted Approach for Healing

Putting the chronic autoimmune fire out is a multi-faceted process that can take many lifestyle changes and diet changes. A supporting factor in extinguishing inflammation from autoimmunity can be the use of essential oils.

An Immune Stimulant versus an Immune Supporter

Consider that anything you put on or in your body has the potential to ignite inflammation or cool inflammation. That’s why it’s important to know and understand the difference between an immune-stimulating oil and an immune-supporting oil.

Since autoimmunity is an immune response in our body that causes damage to an organ/tissue then it’s likely you won’t want to flare up that immune response with something that you put on your body.

An immune-stimulating essential oil could re-kindle the flame. An immune-supporting oil can cool the fire as well as help to balance and support our immune system.

Definition Stimulant and Immune Supporter

Stimulant

• an agent that stimulates the immune system
• induces an immune response
• immuno-stimulants can lead to non-specific stimulation of the immune defense system
• can cause autoimmune symptoms to flare up
• possibly puts the immune system in overdrive

Immune Supporter

• normalizes autoimmune response
• balances the immune system
• boosts immune system

Most essential oils either stimulate or support and it’s a really great idea to get educated on which oils do what. At the end of this post, I have included a free chart for you to download that you can print and will tell you which oils are stimulating and which are supporting.

The free printable download of this chart is at the bottom of the post.

Important Points to Know About Immune-Stimulating Essential Oils

• If an essential oil is immune-stimulating, you may still be able to use it. Every person’s body chemistry is different even within the realm of autoimmunity, For instance, if you need thyroid support as I do, you may be able to use a certain immune-stimulating oil that I can’t and notice positive effects. We are all bio-individual.
• Just because it’s immune-stimulating doesn’t mean if you have autoimmunity it’s one you can’t or should never use.
• It’s important to know what part of the immune system the essential oil stimulates. For instance, I know that I should not be using an endocrine stimulating oil consistently, long term because it is possible for it to ramp up my immune system and cause an autoimmune flare.
• For certain immune system threats, not related to autoimmunity, it is important to know that using an immune-stimulating oil may cause prolonged symptoms and or turn the threat into another different immune threat.
• The bottom line is don’t be scared of immune-stimulating oils, be educated about them and use them with knowledge and understanding. They can be wonderful!

Example of How I Would Use an Immune Stimulating Oil

Even with supporting the thyroid, I use and enjoy immune-stimulating oils. However, I use them with caution and don’t go crazy with them.

In the event of a bug that is going around our house, often a certain immune-stimulating oil is right for the job. For me personally, I know that I can use that stimulating oil for a short time, in fewer amounts than others in my family, and still benefit from the therapeutic properties that it has.

I also know that if I use that particular oil consistently every day for more than four days I start noticing some of my autoimmune symptoms coming back slightly. Due to my knowledge of which oil does what, I am able to switch to another oil that is immune-supporting but may still have the same anti-bacterial, purifying, germ-destroying, and naturally cleansing constituents and not flare my immune system.

The alternative to using the immune-stimulating oil in the first place is that I can just start with using the immune-supporting essential oil instead.

A word of caution: Essential Oil blends have many different oils in them. If the oils listed in the particular blend you want to use are on the immune stimulant list in this chart then that oil blend will be immune stimulating. You can still use it, just follow the same precautions with the knowledge that it is an immune stimulator.

Essential Oil Education is VITAL

It’s my passion for those who purchase essential oils through me that they are educated. That’s why I teach my members every single week live so they can ask questions. It’s also why I create educational classes and provide my members with the tools they need to use oils safely and effectively.

Don’t use oils without proper education, please. They are very powerful and can produce amazing positive effects in your life. However, if used incorrectly and without understanding, they can cause adverse reactions.

As a Certified Essential Oil Coach (through the AADP), I teach, mentor and provide that education! You can open your wholesale account by clicking the blue image below or clicking here. If you need help choosing where to start, please contact me via email.

The chart you are about to download below has been absolutely fundamental in the way I use oils for autoimmunity. I refer to it all the time and absolutely love the difference it makes in my life having this as a reference! I know you’ll love it too.

Keep Your Chart Handy

Once you print your chart out, you’ll want to keep it handy. It’s a great reference for you to use when you are trying to decide which essential oil to use for a particular issue. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.