We love reading stories of myths and legends as part of our homeschool, they give us a feel for different cultures and periods of time. As an herbalist I love the story of the Four Thieves. Legend tells about a group of four thieves that would go through the homes and bodies of plague victims, looking for anything they could steal. When they were finally caught, the authorities wanted to know what they used to protect themselves from the plague. In order to have a less painful execution for their crimes, they revealed their secret: antimicrobial herbs and spices. Whether this story is true or not (hence the designation of a legend) no one knows, but what we do know is that the Four Thieves blend does work to kill viruses and bacteria. Today I will share with you two ways you can use Four Thieves blend in your home pharmacy for treating illness: internally with herbs and externally with essential oils.
Herbal Blend
While using your essentials oils externally as described below, you can use this herbal blend of antimicrobial herbs for internal use. This blend can be made into a simple tea, a tincture or the traditional use of an herbal vinegar. Herbal vinegars are easy to incorporate into the diet by using as a vinaigrette on salads and in marinades or adding a splash of it into drinks. This herbal blend is a modification of The Herbal Academy recipe, use dried herbs (except for garlic) or double the amounts if using fresh herbs:
Turn this blend into a delicious vinaigrette, recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs:
1 part four thieves vinegar (above)
1 part olive oil
1/2 part mustard
salt
pepper
Add ingredients to a blender or whisk vigorously until well blended.
- 1 tablespoon sage leaf
- 2 teaspoons lavender flowers
- 2 teaspoons rosemary leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 16 oz. raw apple cider vinegar or water (for a tea) or Vodka (for a tincture)
Turn this blend into a delicious vinaigrette, recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs:
1 part four thieves vinegar (above)
1 part olive oil
1/2 part mustard
salt
pepper
Add ingredients to a blender or whisk vigorously until well blended.
Essential Oil Blend
The most common way to use Four Thieves is in an essential oil blend. I do not recommend taking essential oils internally so this method of using Four Thieves is for external use only. Here are some of the ways I use Four Thieves Essential Oil Blend in my home and for healing:
- Diffuse throughout the home during cold and flu season.
- Place a few drops in a humidifier and keep in the bedroom of the sick.
- Add about 10 drops to a spray bottle of water and use as a disinfectant. Spray on counter tops, door knobs, in bathrooms and any other place you want to disinfect. I also pour this in a small bottle for my purse and use as hand sanitizer.
- Massage a couple of drops onto the bottoms of the feet and along the spine of the sick. For those dealing with tonsil or ear issues also apply along the throat and glands up to just under the ears. If there is any irritation or discomfort to the skin, massage olive oil or coconut oil over the area you applied the essential oil.
- Add a few drops to 8 oz. water and use as a gargle. I also use this for a daily mouthwash.
The Recipe
This recipe comes from Mountain Rose Herbs. You can also purchase a pre-blended essential oil from most essential oil companies, although they will have different names, just check that the ingredients are about the same. My favorite blend is called Thieves, from Young Living. I have also used the Butterfly Express version called Spice C, and Mountain Rose Herbs called Shield.
- 40 drops clove
- 35 drops lemon
- 20 drops cinnamon bark
- 15 drops eucalyptus
- 10 drops rosemary
