Search Our Topics:
Sitemap
Sitemap
Related Videos:
Herbs That I Love, part 1
Herbs That I Love, part 1
Herbs That I Love, part 2
Click here to read or leave comments.
The Benefits of Peppermint
Herbs Playlist
Peppermint has a natural ability to calm and soothe; which is why it has been used throughout the centuries to treat headaches, nausea, diarrhea, anxiety associated with depression, flatulence, menstrual cramps, indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome.
Peppermint heals indigestion by calming the stomach muscles and increasing the flow of bile -- which the body uses to digest fats; as a result, food passes through the stomach more quickly. Peppermint relieves flatulence the same way, by relaxing the muscles that allow painful digestive gas to pass.
Peppermint, when applied topically, has a soothing and cooling effect on skin irritations caused by hives, poison ivy, or poison oak. And one small study suggested that peppermint applied to the forehead and temples helped reduce headache symptoms. I have personally found this to be very true for the typical headache, but not so for the extremely painful migraines I use to suffer from. However, your own experience may differ.
Peppermint and its main active agent, menthol, are effective decongestants. Because menthol thins mucus, it is also a good expectorant, meaning that it helps loosen and breaks up coughs with phlegm. It is soothing and calming for sore throats (pharyngitis) and dry coughs as well.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint oil has a cooling effect on the scalp and fights both dandruff and head lice. Peppermint oil is widely considered very effective for hair growth, because it binds the hair roots and increases blood circulation, but there are others who claim it can have the opposite effect.
I have a difficult time believing this could be true. Why? The enormous number of Peppermint oil containing shampoos and conditioners on the market. If Peppermint oil could actually thin hair and/or arrest its growth, it would have been headline news a long time ago.
How to Use Peppermint
You can buy Peppermint tea in prepared tea bags anywhere tea is sold, but if you prefer to use your own dried Peppermint leaves, you'll need ½ tsp leaves per cup boiling water. Steep leaves 10 minutes, strain and cool.
For tension headaches, use a tincture of 10% peppermint to 90% ethanol (alcohol); lightly coat the forehead and allow the tincture to evaporate.
For itching and skin irritations, use a peppermint cream or ointment that contains up to 16% methanol (the active ingredient in Peppermint).
Adults can take 1-2 Enteric-coated capsules (0.2 ml of peppermint oil) two or three times per day for IBS. Enteric-coated capsules are specially coated to allow the capsule to pass through the stomach and into the intestine (0.2 mL of peppermint oil per capsule is standard).
For digestion and upset stomach in older children, dispense 1-2 ml Peppermint glycerite per day. These days you can easily find alcohol-free versions.
To stimulate your scalp for increased hair growth, add 6-15 drops of Peppermint essential oil to every tablespoon of base oil. Many sources suggest jojoba (which is actually a wax) is the best base oil for hair growth, but you may use whichever oil works best for you.
WARNING:
Although Peppermint is perfectly safe for most people 99% of the time, below are instances in which you should limit or avoid its use.
- If your symptoms of indigestion are related to a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.
- By relaxing the sphincter (The muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach), peppermint may actually make the symptoms of heartburn and indigestion worse.
- If you have a hiatal hernia.
- Pregnant or nursing mothers should avoid peppermint and peppermint tea.
<1 Next>
21ST CENTURY APOTHECARY
Site design by
Site design by
Save $5 on your
1st order:
Use code CAP613
