When the swine flu pandemic first broke out in 2009, I received emails from both readers and family/friends who were worried about becoming infected. Now that new flu viruses emerge every season, you may want to have some natural self-treatment remedies in your toolbox. So I’m going to share with you what I do that has worked so well for me, my family, and my readers time and time again. This wild oregano oil antiviral protocol uses a commercial brand of wild oregano (such as Joy of the Mountains or Oreganol – which is already diluted 3:1), NOT oregano essential oil.
For each Viruses that have a cough or respiratory componentThen you can also gargle with wild oregano before swallowing. And in severe cases, you can use inhaled glutathione or diluted hydrogen peroxide in a nebulizer or other essential oils in a steam tent – instructions are at the end of this post.
I have used wild oregano oil on several occasions to protect myself from contracting the extremely virulent vomiting flu virus that struck our city about twice a winter. When they were younger, they and three children always brought these viruses home from school. However, once they are old enough to take care of themselves prophylactically (preventatively), we now remain virtually flu-free every winter.
Back then, I was repeatedly vomited by some or all of the children and was up practically all night when they were sick (until the onslaught was over). It’s safe to say that my exertion was quite intense and my resistance was low. However, even though other adults in my household had also become ill with the pathogen, I had avoided all of them by using this intensive antiviral protocol with wild oregano oil – because I REALLY, REALLY hate throwing up. And I still use it today when needed! So here we go…
Jini’s 7-Day Antiviral Wild Oregano Oil Protocol
*Remember to use a commercial brand of wild oregano (not essential oil) already diluted at a 3:1 ratio
- Take 5 drops every hour for 24 hours – Start with the first contact with the virus or the first symptom. If you’re sleeping, don’t wake yourself up to take it, just let yourself sleep (which helps your immune system tremendously). However, when you get up to go to the toilet, etc., take a double dose of 10 drops.
- Then take 10 drops every 3 hours for 48 hours – Again, if you’re sleeping, don’t wake yourself up to take it, just let yourself sleep (which helps your immune system tremendously). However, when you get up to go to the toilet etc. take a dose of 10 drops.
- Then take 10 drops 3 times a day for the next 2 days – Simply take the dose during waking hours.
- Take 5 drops 3 times a day for the next 2 days – Simply take the dose during waking hours.
- Take high-dose probiotics for the next 2 weeks to repopulate your intestines with good bacteria. Remember that wild oregano oil has both antibiotic and antiviral effects. Therefore, after a high dosage like this, you MUST balance the bacterial flora in your gastrointestinal tract by flooding it with good bacteria. If you are taking the Natren probiotics I recommend, this means taking 1 tsp of each powder three times per day OR 1 Healthy Trinity capsule twice per day. Remember to use the powders if you have more than 3 bowel movements per day – otherwise the transit time through your gastrointestinal tract will be too fast for the capsules to dissolve properly.
NOTE: For maximum effectiveness, take on an empty stomach and drink a full glass of water immediately afterward to dilute in the stomach. This dosing protocol is for adults only – see below for my dosing experiences with my children.
Wild oregano oil is also anti-inflammatory so it should be fine for most people, but like any substance, some people cannot tolerate it. In this case, use olive leaf extract or two or more of them instead other recommended antivirals: colloidal silver, aged garlic, grapefruit seed extract (GSE) and potassium iodide (if used for more than 2 weeks, you must monitor your thyroid).
Intravenous vitamin C is probably one of the best antiviral agents, but it must be administered repeatedly. However, if you can take an oral dose of 7,000 to 10,000 mg per day (without getting diarrhea), then the dose is high enough to prevent infection or speed recovery.
Here is the easiest way to take wild oregano oil
Follow the instructions in this video as my daughter Zara shows you the easy, burn-free process! Way to consume wild oregano. As I mentioned above, if you have a cough or sore throat, simply gargle for about 20 seconds before swallowing:
Dosage of wild oregano oil for children:
Standard herbalist protocol is to NOT use wild oregano oil on children under 5 years of age. When my young children were sick, I felt that giving them wild oregano was better than antibiotics or other medications if I diluted the dosage enough.
Although I cannot give you any recommendations for your children, I would like to share with you the dosing protocol I would use in my children for acute or severe flu viruses:
Babies up to 2 years: I would further dilute the commercial brand oil (which is not an essential oil – it is already diluted 3:1) with olive oil to achieve a 7:1 dilution (7 drops of organic olive oil to 1 drop of commercial wild oregano oil). I would then apply this 7:1 dilution to the soles of the feet and the lymph nodes under the jaw and on the sides of the neck. As a breastfeeding mother, I would alternate between taking astragalus and medicinal mushrooms in my tea (to strengthen the immune system) and high doses of Natren probiotics – which then have an effect on the immune system.
Children aged 2.5 – 4 years: I would give my children diluted wild oregano at a dilution of 7:1 (see above), 10 drops, 2-3x/day. Watch the video to see how I got her to swallow it. My then 2 year old son swallowed it straight and quickly and then drank water. Since it’s a 7:1 dilution, it’s not crazy hot.
Children aged 5 – 7 years: I would give my children of this age the commercial wild oregano, 3-5 drops, 3 times a day. Watch the video to see how they shot it. Then I add Natren probiotics, which I stir into yogurt or mix with chocolate milk.
Children aged 8-11: At this age, I would give my children 5-8 drops of regular (commercial, non-essential) wild oregano oil three times a day. If we really want to get going, I would give it to them every 3 hours. Of course, I then add Natren probiotics, which I stir into yogurt or mix with chocolate milk.
CAUTION: I do not use wild oregano on children like a drug (crutch). I don’t use it repeatedly or continuously. If my children were to get more than 1 or 2 flu viruses per year, then wild oregano is not the solution: I would have to pay attention to diet, toxins in the environment, vitamin D levels, probiotic supplementation, immune system boosting, etc.
I also believe that it is important that children’s immune systems are trained and strengthened. That’s why I only use this protocol for severe flu viruses or when I really need a quick recovery. But often I don’t give them wild oregano, but let their immune system handle it and instead give immune-boosting herbs such as astragalus, elderberry syrup, medicinal mushrooms – twice a day in a little warm water or herbal tea.
Additional treatment for viruses with respiratory problems
If you already have respiratory distress or the virus you are infected with targets the respiratory system, there are two additional methods you can add to this wild oregano oil antiviral protocol:
Steam tent with essential oils
I have used it repeatedly on my babies, children and myself. It’s super easy and quick and delivers amazing results.
- Get a large stainless steel or ceramic bowl (not plastic or aluminum) and fill it with boiled, filtered water.
- Add 20-30 drops of eucalyptus essential oil or olbas oil.
- Position your head over the bowl and place a clean towel over your head so that it hangs down on all sides of the bowl. You’ve essentially created an enclosed steam tent for your head.
- Breathe deeply into your lungs and stomach. Breathe in alternately through your nose and mouth.
- If it gets too hot, deflate one side of the towel or move your head further away from the bowl. Stop and blow your nose as needed.
- Continue for as long as is comfortable, your body knows when it has had enough.
- Repeat this as often as desired throughout the day.
Note: If I use it with a baby, I keep the baby under the tent and watch closely for any signs that it is too hot or too hot.
Glutathione or hydrogen peroxide in a nebulizer
For someone with acute lung problems, it may be useful to use hydrogen peroxide or inhaled glutathione via a nebulizer. I have detailed instructions on inhaled glutathione here because I used this method as part of my pneumonia healing protocol in 2006 – I have not had a recurrence of pneumonia or any other lung problem since then.
Many clinics that administer vitamin C intravenously can also administer inhaled glutathione at the same time. That’s how I found out about it and after learning how well it worked, I bought my own nebulizer to continue the treatment at home. Read this post for all the details – and the comments below the post also contain some great information and tips.
Diluted food grade hydrogen peroxide in a nebulizer also works very well and is significantly cheaper than glutathione (and does not require a prescription). I have all the details on using nebulized hydrogen peroxide here.
Original post April 2009. Last updated March 2020.
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert in natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s disease and has been medication and surgery free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcasts, TV and radio shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, giving people hope and vision on how to heal their colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using all-natural methods. Her books on natural healing of digestive diseases have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Jini is married and has three children, nine sheep, 11 horses, a cat and three dogs.
