Thyme oil, an ancient traditional herb originates from the mint family. This magical herb s not just a culinary staple around the world for its abundant taste but also is a great remedy for different types of health conditions.
The botanical name of the herb is Thymus Vulgaris and is vernacular to Southern Europe and Western Asia. The same is famous for its numerous names like Garden Thyme, Spanish Thyme, Common Thyme, Vanya Yavani, Tomillo, French Thyme, and Van Ajwayan. Chinese, Siddha, and Ayurveda practitioners uphold Thyme for its effectiveness in treating types of respiratory disorders like sore throat, stomach pain, diarrhea, skin problems, whooping cough, gastritis, etc.
As unique as the herb, its name “Thyme” is initiated from the Latin word “thymus” which further initiates from the Greek word “thumus”, the same means “smoke” as it has an energizing aroma.
Rolling back to thousand years, the primeval Romans and Greeks burned traditional herbs, using them in a way of incense inside temples, holy places, and homes. The same was done to shoo away all the microbes, airborne bacteria, and infections.
Thyme Oil has also been regarded as a protector and healer. It is an antidote for safeguarding anyone from poisoning, is an aid to the digestive system, and is a great cure for cough and cold. Even the primitive Egyptians used essential thyme oil for hair to preserve mummies, believingly, the incense of the aromatic herb is a power-packed aid for helping the mummies for their afterlife journey. Later on, Thyme was disclosed to the entire world as a medicinal herb and a culinary with different types of good health benefits.
Thyme is present in four different types of varieties.
- Lemon Thyme
- Red Creeping Thyme
- Carway Thyme
- Common Thyme
Since, Thyme is home to active constituents, pharmacological properties, and essential oils, natural products made out of the same hold a great reputation in the treatment of n number of health issues.
Health Benefits Of Thyme Oil & Its Products
The juice or peel of lemons is used for huge types of foods and drinks. The lemon is useful for creating lemon marmalade, curd, and liqueur. The rind and slices of lemon can be used for garnishing any food dish or drink.
Adding lemon zest is a great idea, too. It is the grated peel of lemon which can be added to rice, puddings, baked products, and many other dishes. The leaves of the lemon tree are used for making tea and added to cooked meats and shellfish.
1. Bid Adieu to Respiratory Issues
It is served as a herbal remedy for sinuses, headaches, pharyngitis, bronchitis, and asthma. All you need to do is do some gargling for your sore throat with warm water filled up with thyme oil for instant comfort from congestion and cough.
2. Good Heart Health
It helps lower the cholesterol and prevention of deposition of debris which are in the capillaries, hence, protecting from ailments such as atherosclerosis. It brings down the risk of heart blocks and attacks.
3. Relieves Digestion
Thyme has anti-inflammation properties which are helpful in the prevention of harmful gases present in the stomach. The same interacts which the gastric enzymes, eventually, boosting digestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, giving relief from flatulence, and irritable bowel syndrome.
The impactful richness of the benefits of the volatile oil in curing abdominal cramps thereby preventing constipation.
Pro Tip: All you need to do is consume 1 spoon of thyme leaf powder accompanied with warm water early morning for the improvement of gut health.
4. Say Hello, Beautiful Skin with Thyme Oil
Thyme oil is an essential oil. It is used as a cosmetic product as well. Being fused with the pungent herb and packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, it is a superb natural product for use. If used as a natural skincare product it acts as a natural remedy for many skin issues like acne, rashes, cuts, pimples, and scars. Thyme oil for hair can be highly fruitful.
The same also helps prevents the oxidative damage of sun with the treatment of different signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. It gives a glowing, healthy, and rejuvenating glow to the skin.
Pro Tip: All you need to do is undertake an application of a wet cotton ball with 1 drop of thyme and tea tree essential oil on the affected parts of the face to be free from all the acne or scars.
5. Voluminous Hair With Thyme Oil
Thyme oil is an important ingredient in all hair care products. An unmatchable and multi-talented herb, it gives life to various healthy nutrients and products like hair serums, shampoos, and conditioners.
The same help with healthy hair growth, curing hair conditions like lice, dandruff, and hair fall. The anti-inflammable properties of Thyme oil help get rid of itching that arises from scalp infections.
6. Thyme Oil is Immunity Booster
A rich source of bioactive components and antioxidants, Thyme essential oil measures many folk remedies for the improvement of the immune system, attacking viruses, and safeguarding the body against millions of infections.
Inherited by anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties it is highly effective in the prevention of numerous infections like sore throat, a common infection, sore throat, fever, and other respiratory issues.
7. Kicks Off Bugs
Majorly, bugs and insects are the roots of major problems. They may carry various types of bacteria, microbes, and viruses. It infects the food leading to food poisoning, hence causing allergic issues such as itching, hallucination, rashes, and fever. Some insects can even lead to dangerous infectious diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, chikungunya, and dengue.
With the presence of strong anti-bacterial properties of Thymus Vulgaris and the addition of patchouli essential oil, it is used for killing different types of insects such as fleas, house flies, ants, mosquitoes, etc.
8. Soothe The Mind
Filled with huge inculcation of adaptogenic and sedative properties, the miraculous essential oil improves the mood and helps relieves stress.
It has great importance in offering mental stability with the regulation of the stress hormone which is a serotonin and attenuates different symptoms of anxiety like uneasiness, cold hands and feet, and restlessness, further initiating a fresh and happy feel.
9. Power Of Good Oral Health
The crucial anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of Thyme oil make the same good for oral health. It is used in different types of dental products. Thyme oil includes camphene and caryophyllene which helps in getting rid of cavities, dental infections, and bacteria.
Thyme products relieve plaque, and decaying of teeth, and combat bad breath. Thyme-infused products are safe to use as an alkaline mouthwash for the improvement of entire dental health.
10. Improvement Of Vision
Thyme oil is enriched with vitamin A and is a fat-soluble vitamin offering sharp and better vision. The extracts of Thyme are a great source of carotenoids that maintain and promote healthy mucus membranes. The consumption of Thyme tea helps in the treatment of dry eyes and the same is recommended by a lot of health coaches.
11. Cramp Reliever
Being a capable anti-inflammatory herb, Thyme takes care of your muscle cramps and headaches. The application of thyme oil droplets on the forehead acts as a warrior for mild and severe headaches. Even Thyme tea helps in soothing the PMS and abdominal cramps for women during their periods.
12. Encourages Bone Health
Thyme is a brilliant source of vitamin K, calcium, iron, and manganese. The minerals play a huge role in the maintenance of bone density and lowering the risk of osteoporosis.
13. Curing Fibroids
As Thyme has the power to level up the progesterone levels inside the body, it serves as a natural treatment for this condition.
Pro Tip: All you need to do is take 2 drops of thyme oil on the abdomen area two times a day and get relief from PMS symptoms during menstruation.
History Of Thymus Vulgaris
Thyme oil holds a history from the perennial herb called Thymus Vulgaris. The herb is one of the members of the mint family. It is widely used for different purposes like aromatherapy, cooking, potpourri, and mouthwashes. Thyme comes from the western Mediterranean to southern Europe and Italy.
With the herbs holding an essential oil, it has huge health benefits and is known for thousands of years in the Mediterranean. Thyme oil is an antiseptic, hypertensive herb that offers soothing properties. Being an antioxidant, it has been in use as a medicinal herb for a long time.
Thyme has a beautiful way of supporting the immune system, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and various other body systems. It is regarded as one of the major essential oils for hormones as it balances the levels of hormones, in turn, helping women with menopausal and menstrual symptoms.
It is a great protector of the body for different diseases and ailments such as arthritis, fungal, stroke, skin conditions, and bacterial infections.
Thyme Plant & Its Chemical Anatomy
The thyme plant is an evergreen bushy, wood kind of subshrub with tiny, beautifully aromatic, gray-green leaves. It has pink or purple colored flowers which bloom during the early summer season. Typically, they are grown from 6-12 inches in height and 16 inches in terms of width. It is highly cultivated in sunny and hot locations in well-drained soil.
The herb takes the drought situation quite well and puts up with deep-rooted freezes as well. The reason being it is wildly found growing in the highland mountains. Its plantation is done during the spring season and continues to grow as perennial. The roots, cuttings, or seeds of the plant can be used for propagation as well.
The magical herb is grown in different kinds of environments, soil, and climate. There are more than 300 varieties with kinds of chemotypes even though each one of them looks the same. However, the chemical structure of each type is different in terms of essential oil thyme benefits of each plant.
The major constituents of thyme essential oil are alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, camphene, alpha-thujone, alpha-terpinene, borneol, thymol, beta-caryophyllene, linalool, and carvacrol. The oil holds a warm and spicy fragrance that is penetrating and powerful.
Thyme oil has an inclusion of 20 to 54 percent of thymol which flourishes with antiseptic properties.
For the same reason, it is used in toothpaste and mouthwash. The oil holds a defense mechanism from all the germs and infections in the mouth and teeth. It kills off fungi and is a great addition to antifungal creams and hand sanitizers.
Thyme Oil & Usage
- Thyme oil is made out of the steam distillation of fresh flowers and leaves of the thyme plant.
- To create the oil at home itself, pick up a few fresh thyme, wash them and pat dry. Then, crush the herb.
- After the leaves are crushed, the natural oils are released.
- All you need to do is add the crushed leaves and 1 cup of coconut or olive oil to a pan at medium heat.
- Now, heat the mixture for 5 minutes till the time it is bubbling.
- After the mixture is cooled, it can be kept and preserved in a glass container in a cool place.
Thyme Soothers
Thyme can be used in our everyday life for the best possible uses.
- Add on 2 drops of thyme oil in your warm bath water
- You can rub 2 drops of thyme oil with coconut oil on the abdomen.
- For using Thyme oil as a mouthwash, add 2 drop of the same to the water and gargle.
- It is great for opening blocked nasal passages, too. All you need to do is add 2 drops of thyme oil to the hot water for steam inhalation.
- It kills toe fungus as well. Add 5 drops of thyme oil to warm water.
- For killing rashes and infections, rub 2 drops of thyme oil to the required area
- For encouraging the circulation, inhale or diffuse out 2-3 drops of thyme oil on a daily basis.
