Peppermint leaves may be the oldest known medicine, records of its use date back ten thousand years. The tea and essential oil of this plant are well documented in many remedies including aiding digestion, even in difficult digestive orders like irritable bowel syndrome.
Photo by ximenacab
When I was first introduced to essential oils a number of years ago, I had no idea what they were. One of the first ones I used frequently was peppermint, and to this day my husband and I still use it almost daily. It has so many benefits, we find ourselves grabbing the bottle often.
One drop of peppermint essential oil (eo) has the equivilant active compounds as in 26 cups of peppermint tea…so a little goes a VERY long way! Like all the eo’s that contain menthol, bringing the oil too close to your eyes will produce tearing and discomfort, so use the oil sparingly and with discretion.
Here are 4 of the top ways I use peppermint.
1. To aid digestion.
- Peppermint tea and essential oils will help alleviate upset stomaches, excess gas or discomfort due to IBS. Even when I am not in discomfort I use peppermint to help promote healthy digestion. I generally put 1 drop of peppermint essential oil in a LARGE pitcher (remember a little goes a long way). Then I sip glasses of peppermint water throughout the day. If you need to ingest peppermint essential oil to help with intestinal trouble, it is important to consume capsules that will only dissolve in your intestines not in your stomach, as you don’t want a concentrated amount in your stomach.
2. To alleviate headaches.
- When a headache begins to come on (especially due to tension) I will put one drop of peppermint essential oil in a palmful of olive or coconut oil. Then I’ll massage the back of my neck (at the nape) with the oil. I may also rub the top of my head or temples (being extremely careful not to get too close to my eyes). This has thwarted many headaches of mine.
3. To give myself a quick “energy” lift and feel refreshed.
- Mints just jump out at you with their cool sensation…so naturally they are fantastic refreshers. Both the peppermint water and the peppermint massage I mentioned above work wonders for leaving me feeling awake and refreshed through the day. Or I will put a drop of peppermint oil in my hands, then cup my palms around my nose and breath deeply. Be careful to always wash your hands throughly after using essential oils to prevent them getting on others.
4. To freshen my breath.
- Essential oils are very powerful…far more than any gum out there. My husband has a bottle of peppermint oil at his desk and takes a bit on his finger to his tongue to freshen his breath throughout the day. Some of his colleagues have asked for their own bottles and now they are hooked too!
As with all herbs and natural products it is so important to know you are getting pure products. Be sure to check the company you purchase from that they grow their herbs organically, never add anything artificial or chemically synthetic, and that they test their products regularly for purity.
Do you have any experience with peppermint tea or essential oils?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
you might want to mention whether it can be used or is recommended for children or pregnant women…I can’t remember whether there are any issues with this EO.
I always use my essential oils in homemade cleaners for around the house or body oils. I’ve always been nervous about using them internally. I’m really excited to try out some of your peppermint suggestions!
Thanks!
@susaninfrance: great points– thank you for bringing it up. It is important to note that all essential oils are extremely potent and should always be used with caution on children. At most I will only use essential oils on my children’s feet and that is when one or two drops are diluted in a pure vegetable oil (like olive or coconut). Be especially careful never to use the essential oils on their chest or near their eyes or ears.
There are a few different schools of thought on how essential oils can be used safely- overall and in pregnancy. Most of aromatherapy in the United States stems from a British philosophy, which tends to be highly cautious of putting essential oils on the body (or ingesting them)- The French school of thought feels much more confident on using the oils liberally (and they have done so for many many years)…So who do you listen to? Much depends on your comfort level and the guidance you receive from a health care practitioner that is well versed in herbs and essential oils. I can speak from someone who uses the oils myself, but I am not formally trained in them.
During my pregnancy, I was comfortable using many essential oils and stayed away from applying the highly invigorating ones on my body (like peppermint or cinnamon) – though I had no problem using them to breath in. I also avoided ones that have strong estrogenic molecules like fennel.
I primarily used ones that worked to calm and soothe like chamomile, lavendar, and ylang ylang…one that lift and refresh like citrus (orange, lemon, tangerine, grapefruit), and ones that balance like palmarosa and geranium–to name a few.
If you search on google you can find different safety lists for oils during pregnancy– I just wanted you to be aware of the different philosophies and why some experts will advise to avoid certains oils, and some will advise they are OK.
As always please be sure to check with a trusted health care practitioner before using herbal remedies!
@jenni: I also use essential oils in my cleaning all the time! And have ingested some of them for years now. Certain essential oils like orange, clove, thyme, frankincense I take every few days — they are powerhouse antioxidants. The fish oil I take has clove, lemongrass, and chamomile in it. This is where I go a little nutty about purity- there are too many essential oil companies that cut their oils with synthetics and chemicals.
Maybe I’ll give an Essential Oils 101 teleclass soon! I was blown away when I first started studying about them, would love to share what I’ve learned
I’ve been using organic cleaners and am trying to make the switch to homemade. I’ve read a little about using essential oils in cleaners but wonder if someone would pass along their recipe for an all-purpose spray (for sinks, counters, etc.)?
HI Kika, I am actually planning to do a post about cleaners in March as part of a Preparing for The Great Spring Cleanse series…but to quickly answer I keep my all purpose spray super simple. I rarely need to really “scrub” with it and my main goals are to get a quick clean with some healthy antimicrobal qualities so I feel good about using it in the kitchen and bathrooms. I do not use commercial antibacterial anythings, but the essential oils I use in my cleaners do that job even better (they are often not only antibacterial, but antiviral and antifungal– all without potentially letting those little bugs get stronger…)
SO, I put a healthy squirt of liquid Dr Bronner’s soap (generally the unscented kind) and a few drops of a blend of essential oils I buy that contains clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary. Its a highly antimicrobal mix (even proved to work against MRSA)– plus I love the scent.
I find this simple solution works great for most of my “daily” needs like countertops, quick floor clean ups, and bathroom wipe downs.