Respiration
Respiration
The respiratory system is in charge of your breathing and is made up of the lungs, airways and trachea. Every breath is used by your body to transport oxygen to your cells, allowing them to grow, reproduce and carry out their various functions. Essential oils like Peppermint have been used for hundreds of years to support healthy breathing.
TIPPS
- Recommended oils can be used in a diffuser, inhaled directly from the palms of your hands, or applied to the chest or soles of the feet when seasonal or environmental demands are high.
- Use Peppermint oil internally to promote a healthy respiratory function.
- To clear and soothe the airways, you can let a doTERRA Respiratory Drop dissolve slowly in your mouth. Repeat every two hours as needed.
How does oxygen travel from your breath all the way to the tips of your toes? It all starts at the mouth and nose. When you inhale, a muscle just beneath your lungs contracts – the diaphragm. This causes air to flow in through your nose or mouth, where it is warmed up. That matters: if the air is too cold or too dry, it can irritate your lungs and make breathing harder.
From there the air travels through the trachea and on through two tubes, the bronchi, into your lungs. Inside the lungs, the bronchi branch out into smaller and smaller tubes; the smallest are called bronchioles and are about as thin as a hair. The air travels through those tubes into tiny sacs at the end of each bronchiole: the alveoli. The alveoli are surrounded by minuscule capillaries, so narrow that blood cells can only pass through one at a time. From the alveoli, oxygen passes through those capillaries and binds to blood cells, which are then pumped by the heart and transported throughout your body.
While the blood carries oxygen to your cells, it picks up carbon dioxide along the way – a waste product of the body’s natural processes – and transports it back to the lungs. The carbon dioxide then takes the reverse route of the oxygen and is exhaled. That is how carbon dioxide leaves the body. This happens when the diaphragm relaxes and pushes the air out of the lungs. This process repeats thousands of times every day, mostly without you noticing – except in moments like coughing.
It is important to keep your airways healthy. Regular exercise, a balanced diet and enough sleep every day – these are the keys to a well-functioning respiratory system. Essential oils can also support the feeling of clear airways and easy breathing.* If you are looking for a good way to support your respiratory system, try oils like Peppermint, doTERRA On Guard®, Lemon or Cardamom.* You can also use doTERRA Air® on the skin, or Eucalyptus (diluted with fractionated coconut oil) for a cooling, soothing sensation.
If a change of season tends to weigh on you, try the TriEase® Softgels Seasonal Blend daily to support your respiratory system through every season of the year.
