Oil of Oregano - An Influential Force

Sounds simple, but it is an impressive herb.

An essential oil, expressed from the leaves of the herb Oregano. Although it has been used for centuries, medical research is now proving it’s amazing abilities.

Oregano oil (Origanum vulgare) is well known in the Mediterranean world for its ability to slow down food spoilage. Medical Science is now researching and proving its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-microbial, and anti-oxidant activities. The related herbs thyme and marjoram are often labelled incorrectly as oregano and do not contain the wild oregano's healing properties. Carvacrol and Thymol are the two phenol components that destroy Candida, mold, staphylococcus, E. coli, Giardia, and Pseudomonas, as well as boosting the immune system, scavenging free radicals, shielding against toxins, and encouraging tissue healing. Even skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and athlete’s foot can be improved.

The active ingredients in Oil of Oregano are carvacrol and thymol, with these two components being responsible for the majority of this oils therapeutic effects. Oil of Oregano also contains magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, manganese, copper, potassium, niacin, and beta-carotene. With it’s powerful abilities, Oil of Oregano is being considered as a treatment option for replacing antibiotics and penicillin. These pharmaceutical drugs are losing their abilities to provide effective cures due to the serious over use of antibiotic prescriptions and the resulting drug resistance. The dangerous microbes of salmonella, staphylococcus, E. coli, and pseudomonas cannot develop a drug resistance to Oil of Oregano.

Other ailments treated with Oil of Oregano include indigestion, diarrhea, nervous tension, insect bites, toothache, earache, rheumatism, intestinal gas, digestive problems, as well as sore throat, breathing difficulties and coughs from whooping cough and bronchitis (due to its antispasmodic effects). Oil of oregano can help against bee stings and many venomous bites until medical attention can be reached, it has even been suggested as a treatment for dandruff, diaper rash, and other skin disorders.

But this list continues, other amazing abilities it has shown is to halt allergies, hay fever and sinusitis and stopping colds and flu. Oil or Oregano has been written up in many best-selling books on natural remedies, such as “The Cure is in the Cupboard”, and “Supermarket Remedies”, by Cass Ingram, D.O. Look for the wild mountain variety (vulgare) with a minimum carvacrol and thymol content of 75%.

The oregano that is in your spaghetti sauce is not the same as the wild mountain grown oregano oil. This healing essential oil can be found in Health Food stores.

For use as a natural nasal decongestant, you may use it internally and/or topically, (try diluting it in a drink for internal use, it has a strong taste). If you feel an allergy attack in approaching, again, dilute a drop or two in a liquid to drink. Try it first in a liquid that may cover up it’s strong taste, such as juice or honey. Start with one drop per day working up to 4 drops per day. Take for two weeks, stop for two weeks, and then repeat.

As strong as it is internally, it can be used undiluted on the skin, to treat itches, infections of the skin, gums and teeth. There are no side effects.

Indigo Earth Notes: This essential oil can be quite strong, (in a menthol/tea tree way), so do dilute a drop in something like orange juice to help soften the taste the first time you try it.