Peppermint

Peppermint is my favorite tummy herb - a quick fix for common digestive problems.

Var. Vulgaris Wild Peppermint
Giclee Print

History
At Greek and Roman feasts, revelers crowned themselves with peppermint and enjoyed broths, sauces, ans wines flavored with the herb. Ancient Athenians perfumed each part of their bodies with a different scent, with mint scenting their arms. Ancient cultures also used mint as a restorative (the precursor to smelling salts).

One of the oldest remedies for colic and indigestion, it was officially admitted to the London Pharmacopeia in 1721 and the English began its commercial cultivation in 1750.

Healing Properties
A member of the mint family, peppermint has the following properties:

• Antacid - corrects overly acidic stomach or bowels, alkalizes blood
• Anti-emetic - relieves nausea
  
• Anti-inflammatory - reduces inflammation
• Antiviral - destroys viruses
  
• Anti-spasmotic - relieves nervous irritation, muscle spasms, convulsions, and cramps
• Diaphoretic - promotes perspiration, thus detoxing and lowering body temperature
• Expectorant - eliminates mucus from the throat and lungs
  
• Febrifuge - reduces fever
• Nervine - relieves pain, soothes nerves, supports the nervous system

Peppermint is effective against such conditions as asthma, bad breath, bloating, bronchitis, burping, colic, the common cold, diarrhea, digestive problems and gas, dizziness, dry coughs, fainting, fatigue, fever, the flu, headaches, heartburn, herpes, hiccups, indigestion, irritable bowel, laryngitis, menstrual cramps, motion sickness, nausea, nerves, sinus congestion, sore throat, toothache, and vomiting.

An "activator," peppermint also enhances the medicinal properties of other herbs.

Description
Peppermint leaves and essential oil distilled from fresh cut peppermint contain multiple healing properties. Major components of the oil are menthol, menthone, and menthyl acetate.

Many members of the mint family closely resemble each other, at times making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. However, because mints share many of the same properties, substituting one type of mint for another typically results in similar medicinal effects. Spearmint is a bit milder than peppermint and can effectively be substituted in children's remedies.

Preparation
Everyone can use peppermint, including babies and pregnant and nursing mamas.

My favorite preparation using peppermint leaves is tea. Simply brew a cup (or quart) of tea and enjoy as needed!

Peppermint essential oil can be placed directly (undiluted) on the skin and is also safe for internal use. To ease a headache, rub a couple drops of oil onto your temples. To ease a toothache, rub a drop onto your gums. To eliminate bad breath, place a single drop of essential oil directly on your tongue or drink a small cup of warm water mixed with 1-5 drops oil.

Strategically place fresh peppermint leaves or cloths scented with peppermint oil as a deterrent against ants, mice, and other rodents.