You'll Breathe Easier with Eucalyptus Oil in Your E-Juice

Eucalyptus Leaves. Photo: kylie via Pixabay.com

Smokers eventually find it hard to breathe as years go by and develop what is called a "smoker's cough."

Tobacco smoke has many chemicals and particles that irritate the airways and lungs. When a smoker inhales these substances, the body tries to clear them by making mucus and coughing.

The early morning smoker's cough happens for many reasons. Normally, tiny hair-like formations (called cilia) beat outward and sweep harmful material out of the lungs. But tobacco smoke slows the sweeping action, so some of the particles in the smoke stay in the lungs and mucus stays in the airways. While a smoker sleeps (and doesn't smoke), some cilia recover and start working again. After waking up, the smoker coughs because the lungs are trying to clear away the irritants and mucus that built up from the day before.

The cilia will completely stop working after they've been exposed to smoke for a long time. Then the smoker's lungs are even more exposed and prone to infection and irritation. So-called "smoker’s cough" can be an early sign of COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

To combat this problem as you try to quit through vaping, why not mix eucalyptus oil in your e-juice? You don't have to make a DIY e-liquid. Just a drop of two of this oil can help you breathe easier. What's more, eucalyptus oil has been proven beneficial to your health.

Research Supports Eucalyptus Benefits

A 2010 article in Alternative Medicine Review examined the effects of cineole and noted that, "Surprisingly, there are also immune-stimulatory, antioxidant, and spasmolytic effects. Of the white blood cells, monocytes and macrophages are most affected, especially with increased phagocytic activity. Application by either vapor inhalation or oral route provides benefit for both purulent and non-purulent respiratory problems."

A 2008 study reported by NYU Langone Medical Center also found that a 200 mg serving of cineole (the active compound in eucalyptus), taken three times a day, helped improve certain sinus complaints.

Eucalyptus oil helps to reduce swelling and redness. Researchers at the Department of Physiology, School of Medicine of the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain noted this action may be due to the ability of eucalyptus oil to inhibit nitric oxide production.

The links to these research papers are available in the Global Healing Center article. Bold text is mine for emphasis.

It's also important to note that many people are already mixing eucalyptus extract into the water in their humidifiers. It's an inexpensive way of helping patients expel excess mucus caused by either smoking or an illness and help them breathe easier as they rested.

An eHow article, however, warns that putting too much of the oil or inhaling it directly without diluting it first can cause some bad side effects, including headaches and irritation of the mucus membrane. The article suggests two ways of diluting the eucalyptus oil:

Eucalyptus oil can be added to a humidifier in one of two ways with equal effectiveness. The simplest method is to place 4 or 5 drops of the oil into the water reservoir of the humidifier, where it will be vaporized with the water. Another method includes soaking a cotton ball in the oil and placing it in the reservoir. Both work well, but the cotton ball method creates a stronger scent since it diffuses into the water over time.

But, for e-juices the ratio should be lesser than what was indicated in the eHow article. A drop or two should suffice. Let the mixture steep before using.

For more information on eucalyptus oil, check out this Mercola article. It includes a short list of different types of eucalyptus plants and instructions on how to make your own oil extract from real eucalyptus leaves.