Peppermint Oil Benefits:
Some of the most common peppermint oil uses include:
- Reduces stomach aches
- Soothe digestive issues
- Freshens bad breath
- Relieves headaches
- Antimicrobial properties
- Improves mental focus
- Clears respiratory tract
- Boosts energy
- Releases tight muscles
- Cost-effective natural solution to replace pharmaceutical drugs
I cannot honestly think of one reason why anyone on the planet would choose not to have peppermint oil in his or her medicine cabinet at home!
The Wonders, that Peppermint Oil can do:
1. Muscle Pain Relief –Peppermint essential oil is a very effective natural painkiller and muscle relaxant. It is especially helpful in soothing an aching back, sore muscles, and melting away a tension headache. A study shows that peppermint oil applied topicallyhas pain relief benefits associated with Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain Syndrome. The study found that peppermint oil, eucalyptus, menthol, capsaicin and other herbal preparations may be helpful. Calyptus, menthol, capsaicin and other herbal preparations. Checkout the recipe for homemade muscle rub to ease muscle pain.
Homemade Muscle Rub:
Total Time: 20-30 minutes
Serves: 30
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup grated Bees wax
- 2 tsp cayenne powder
- 2 tsp ginger or turmeric powder
- 15 drops peppermint essential oil
- 15 drops lavender essential oil
- Glass Jar
DIRECTIONS:
- Pour all oils (except essential oils) in to a jar. Place a saucepan with 2 inches of water over medium low heat.
- Place jar in saucepan and allow contents to melt. Stir to combine. Add the cayenne and ginger/turmeric.
- Once combined, allow to cool slightly and then add in essential oils. Mix well.
- Pour mixture into metal tins or storage containers and allow to set.
2. Sinus Care –Inhaling diffused peppermint oil can oftentimes immediately unclog your sinuses and offer relief to scratchy throats. Peppermint acts as an expectorant and may provide relief for colds, cough, sinusitis, asthma, and bronchitis.
3. Joint Therapy –When your joints get achy, applying some pure peppermint oil mixed with lavender oil can cool muscles like an ice bath, but help you to stay warm and dry.
4. Reduce Hunger Cravings –Inhaling peppermint essential oil can stave off the munchies and can help you feel full faster. If you can’t have a diffuser with you at dinnertime, try applying a couple drops on your temples or chest, or take a couple of deep sniffs from the bottle.
5. Natural Energizer –For a non-toxic alternative to dangerous energy drinks, take a few whiffs of peppermint. It will perk you up on long road trips, in school or any other time you need to “burn the midnight oil.” For those with chronic fatigue syndrome, peppermint oil may improve focus and concentration.
6. Improve Your Shampoo –Add 2-3 drops of peppermint essential oil to your regular morning shampoo and conditioner to stimulate the scalp, energize your mind, and wake up! Because it is a powerful antiseptic, peppermint can also help remove dandruff and lice. Try a safe and economical shampoo for you and your family, The homemade rosemary mint shampoo:
Homemade Rosemary Mint Shampoo:
Total Time: 2 minutes
Serves: 10-15
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 oz Aloe Vera Gel
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 10 Tbsp Baking Soda
- 20 drops Rosemary Oil
- 10 drops Peppermint Oil
- BPA free plastic dispenser bottles
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix all ingredients together
- Store in an 8oz glass or plastic bottle
7. Allergy Relief –Peppermint oil is highly effective at relaxing muscles in your nasal passages and can help clear out the muck and pollen during allergy season. Diffusing peppermint along with clove oil and eucalyptus oil can also reduce allergy symptoms.
8. ADHD Support –Try spritzing some peppermint oil on your child’s shirt before study time or placing a drop on his/her tongue or under her nose for improved concentration and alertness.
9. Anti-Itch –Whether you’re battling a rash or poison ivy, applying some peppermint oil mixed with lavender oil is certain to cool and soothe any itch.
10. Fever Reducer –Because of peppermint oil’s cooling effects, it is an excellent natural treatment to bring down a fever especially in children. Simply mix peppermint oil with coconut oil and rub it on a child’s neck and on the bottom of their feet to help stabilize a fever instead of aspirin or other drugs.
11. Natural Bug Repellant –Ticks aren’t the only bugs that hate peppermint oil. In fact, ants, spiders, cockroaches, mosquitos, mice, and even lice will be repelled. Follow this recipe and make your own natural bug floor cleaner!
12. Skin Health -Peppermint oil has calming effects on skin inflammation. You can mix peppermint oil into lip balm and body lotion for a nice cooling sensation. Try my Lavender Mint Lip Balm to nourish lips throughout the year. Mixing peppermint and lavender essential oils can improve eczema and psoriasis when applied topically.
13. Acne Treatment – According to medical studies one of the best Peppermint Oil Uses is facial treatment thanks to anti-microbial properties so is an excellent ingredient to help cure acne naturally.
14. Headache Cure -Peppermint oil has the ability to improve circulation, heal the gut and relax tense muscles. All of these conditions can cause tension headaches or migraines making peppermint oil an excellent natural treatment. A study from researchers at the Neurological Clinic at the University of Kiel, Germany, found that a combination of oils, including peppermint oil had “significant analgesic effect with a reduction in sensitivity to headaches.” The oils were applied to the forehead and temples for pain relief.
15. Hair Growth -Peppermint oil is used in many high quality hair care products because it can naturally thicken and nourish damaged hair. Simply add some peppermint oil to your current shampoo or make your own homemade rosemary mint shampoo that can help stop hair loss and thinning.
16. Sunburn Relief -Peppermint oil can hydrate burnt skin and relieve the pain from sunburns. You can mix peppermint oil with a bit of coconut oil and apply it directly to the affected area, or make my natural homemade sunburn spray to relief pain and support healthy skin renewal.
17. IBS Treatment -Peppermint oil taken internally in capsule form has been proven to be effective at naturally treating IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). One study found a 50% reduction in IBS symptoms with 75% of patients who used it.
18. Improve Bloating and Indigestion -Peppermint oil has been established as a natural alternative to drugs like Buscopan to reduce spasms of the colon. It works by relaxing the muscles of your intestines, which can also reduce bloating and gas. Try peppermint tea or adding 1 drop of peppermint oil to your water before meals.
19. Freshen Breath and Reduce Cavities -Tried and true for well over 1,000 years peppermint has been used to naturally freshen breath. According to studies, peppermint oil performed better than the mouthwash chemicals chlorhexidine at reducing cavities. You can make homemade toothpaste, mouth wash, or add a drop under your tongue followed with glass of water, this freshens bad breath too.
20. Reduce Nausea –A medical study found that peppermint oil uses reduced nausea that is induced by chemotherapy better than standard medical treatments. Simply adding a drop of peppermint oil to water, or rubbing 1-2 drops behind your ears, or even diffusing it can help to reduce nausea.
21. Respiratory benefits -Peppermint essential oil has the ability to open your airways and act as a decongestant. Mix it with coconut oil and eucalyptus essential oil to make my homemade vapor rub to help reduce the symptoms of asthma and bronchitis.
22. Colic -Medical research has discovered using peppermint oil is equally effective as the drug Simethione for treating infantile colic, without the side effects associated with prescribed medications. Peppermint oil is an essential part of my natural remedies for colic.
23. Teething -Peppermint oil is a great natural remedy to relieve the pain associated with teething in infants. Simply mix peppermint oil with coconut oil at a 1:1 ratio and rub on the gum area.
24. Balance hormones and relieve symptoms of PCOS -Peppermint oil may have hormone balancing effects and be therapeutic for polycystic ovarian syndrome.
25. Cancer treatment -Clinical research indicates that peppermint contains the compound menthol, which inhibits prostate cancer growth. Also, studies found peppermint protects against radiation-induced DNA damage and cell death.
Peppermint Oil Studies and Research
At the time I wrote this article, there were 302 scientific studies referring to peppermint essential oils and 2297 about menthol. Believe me when I tell you, the research out there is air-tight! If you make it a point to incorporate this powerful remedy into your daily routine, I promise you that your life will change in more ways than you can imagine.
Take for instance, a 2012 study out of Clayton State University that tested peppermint oils ability to reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting. Generally occurring as a common side effect of general anesthesia, about one-third of all people undergoing surgery suffer from these conditions at various degrees of intensity.
For Moms who just had a C-section, this can be especially devastating as it is very likely to interfere with breastfeeding and could prevent them from that wonderful bonding experience with their baby.
The study tested evaluated how 35 Moms responded to this ancient aromatherapy and discovered that peppermint essential oil was not only quite effective in reducing post-operative nausea and vomiting, it “significantly lowered” the sickness levels of participants compared to women who received standard anti-nausea medications.
More than just aromatherapy, just one drop of peppermint oil rubbed on the stomach or taken internally can calm indigestion in no time flat. The powerful ability of peppermint to help with gastrointestinal concerns has just been tapped by the scientific community.
New research has found peppermint can improve antibiotic resistance and help heal your body from the overuse of prescription antibiotics and other chemicals that affect your body. This is probably part of the reason it is so effective in treating IBS.
A combined medical study of all the literature on peppermint’s ability to cure irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was just published this July and, of the nine studies combined they stated:
“Peppermint oil was found to be significantly superior to placebo for overall improvement of IBS symptoms and improvement in abdominal pain.” They concluded,
“Peppermint oil is a safe and effective short-term treatment for IBS.”
Peppermint Oil To Repel Bugs
Growing up in mosquito country, one of my favorite uses for peppermint oil is definitely to repel bugs!
A study that was published out of Israel last year compared how 7 different commercial bug repellents fared against each other. As you’d expect it, the All-Natural Essential Oil Mosquito Repellent (which is a blend of cinnamon, eugenol, geranium, peppermint, and lemongrass oils) was tied as the most effective mosquito repellant with OFF!® (which is loaded with toxic chemicals like DEET). A further study showed that peppermint oil resulted in 150 minutes of complete protection time against mosquitos, with just 0.1 mL of oil applied on the arms. The researchers noted that after 150 minutes, the efficacy of peppermint oil decreased, and needed to be reapplied.
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