If I could have only one essential oil in my natural medicine and skin care kit it would be lavender. If I could have two, the second would be tea tree. Many herbs have anti-bacterial and even anti-viral properties, but very few are also anti-fungal. Tea tree is the rare herb that hits the triple play, being effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Another beneficial property of tea tree is that it strengthens and stimulates the immune system. This helps our own bodies to respond more effectively when threatened by the bacteria, viruses, and fungi we encounter daily.
The best tea tree comes from Australia, where it has been used by the Aborigines for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. There is a cheaper tea tree oil on the market now from China, but I would advise you to stick with the Australian oil. The botanical name is Melaleuca alternifolia, and it is not related to the tea that we drink (Camellia thea). The scent can be described as pungent or medicinal, and is unpleasant to some people, although most folks don't mind it and a few people actually like the smell. It is related to clove and eucalyptus, and your nose can tell the similarities.
There are so many uses for tea tree it would take a book to list them all, but here are a few of the more common ways:
*Anti-fungal - Tea tree is the best herbal treatment for athlete's foot and fingernail fungus. You can also use it to treat ringworm and the yeast infections, Candida and thrush, as well as diaper rash.
*Anti-viral - Put a single drop of the undiluted essential oil on a new wart or at the first sign of a cold sore every day. Put 4 or 5 drops into your bath tub during cold and flu season to strengthen your immune system to fight off these viruses. Use it in a carrier oil for the blisters of chicken pox.
*Anti-bacterial - Use it for any wound on the skin.
*Skin care - Tea tree has many uses for skin care. It's great for oily skin, blemishes,and even dandruff. Remember that tea tree and lavender are the only two essential oils that can be used undiluted on the skin, but even so it is never a bad idea to put them in a carrier oil. None of the healing power is lost through this dilution, and it's easier to use. Come back in February when the newsletter topic will be carrier oils and continue to feel free to notify me with any comments or questions.
