10 Uses for Peppermint Oil For Your Health and Around the Home

With its refreshing scent and unique cooling properties, peppermint oil is an age-old favourite of natural remedies. Whether you are using it for natural medicine, cooking, or simply for clearing the air, peppermint is a wonderful addition to any natural home remedy kit. Here are 10 uses for peppermint oil for your health and around the home. The peppermint plant as we know it today first originated in Europe and the Middle East, and it is actually a hybrid species that results from crossing spearmint with water mint. Mint, in general, is a time-honoured plant with a very special place in Greek mythology. Minthe was once a beautiful water nymph that Hades, the god of the underworld, took a shine to, but of course his wife Persephone did not approve. In fact, she was quite jealous and attacked Minthe by kicking and stepping on her. As this was happening, Hades took pity on Minthe and turned her into a plant that began to release a beautiful sweet scent as Persephone was treading on her. Thus, to this day, when mint leaves are pierced or bruised, they emit a delicious aroma. In ancient times, mint was used as a perfume and a strewing herb to cleanse the air of homes and temples. Today it is still used as an air freshener, perfume, and it's the main ingredient in breath mints.

Peppermint plants are now grown all over the world, and because of their high menthol content and anti-microbial properties, their leaves have many health benefits. For example, you can make a peppermint infusion simply by adding boiled water to a few tablespoons of dried peppermint leaves. People have been drinking delicious peppermint tea since time immemorial. It is a natural home remedy for many different kinds of digestive ailments, including: indigestion, bloating, flatulence, nausea, cramps, constipation, and diarrhea. Because of its potent anti-microbial properties, drinking peppermint tea, or even chewing on fresh peppermint leaves, can also alleviate body odour and halitosis. As we can see, the peppermint plant, in and of itself, can be of great use as a natural remedy, but what about peppermint oil? Peppermint oil is made by extracting the mint oil from the plant's leaves through a distillation process. This process results in pure peppermint oil that has concentrated peppermint properties and, therefore, potent medicinal ones. Only a few drops of the oil is necessary when using it as a natural medicine, air freshener, or natural home cleaning product. And so, with peppermint oil, a very little goes a long way � for example, if you have a headache, try diluting a few drops of peppermint oil in a teaspoon of carrier oil, like olive oil or almond oil, and rubbing it into your forehead and temples. Be careful not to get it near your eyes. You might feel a strong cooling sensation as it penetrates the skin, but stay with it � it doesn't last very long. Within ten to twenty minutes, it's very possible that you will forget you ever had a headache at all.

This informative article on using peppermint oil as a natural remedy and natural home cleaning product comes from the Natural News Network, a directory of natural news blogs, websites, and news sources that educate the public on the benefits of natural health. If you are interested in learning about natural remedies, natural therapies, and natural medicine, the Natural News Network can be a very useful reference.*