Day by day, everyone across the globe is becoming more health-conscious. They have realized the real meaning of the phrase “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” In this article, we will discuss another gift of nature that will make us healthier and wealthier.
Are you now curious to know about the gift of nature? It’s thyme essential oil which comes packed with nutrients that are beneficial to the body. Read on to discover the health benefits of thyme essential oil.
The oldest Egyptian medical text, called Ebers Papyrus, dates back to 1550 B.C., and it records the healing values of thyme.
The word thyme comes from the Greek(1) word “thumos” which means smell, due to the rich fragrance of the plant.
Thyme Essential Oil: An Overview
Thyme is a significant ingredient in many of the favorite cuisines used for hundreds of years for its healing properties. Thyme essential oil is native to southern Europe and derived from Thymus vulgaris, a member of the mint family.
The word thyme comes from the Greek word thumos spelled as thymos, associated with strength and courage. In early times, thyme was believed to increase strength and courage.
In the 12th century, Hildegard of Bingen (German herbalist) prescribed thyme to patients suffering from the plague, leprosy, and body lice. In Scotland, before going off to battle, Scottish soldiers will make a tea of wild thyme to drink. During the Eighteenth century, thyme was an ingredient in an herbal preparation Le Baume Tranquille to relieve nervousness and relieve stress.
[Read: Essential Oils for Anxiety]
What is the Nutritional Composition of Thyme Essential Oil That Makes It So Effective?
Thyme essential oil contains 20% -54% thymol that gives thyme(3) oil its antiseptic properties. Also, it has a wide range of relieving properties, and the essential oil is well known for being an expectorant, insecticide, tonic, stimulant, antispasmodic, carminative, and diuretic. Its nutritional and chemical composition consists of borneol, carvacrol, p-Myrcene, p-Cymene, a-Terpinene, a-Pinene, and Linalool.
Top 10 Health Benefits of Thyme Essential Oil
Explore Incredible Thyme Essential Oil Uses and Benefits
1. Kills Bacteria and Infections
Thyme contains component like camphene and caryophyllene which is antiseptic and kills germs on the skin and within the body. 2011 study(4) results show that the thyme oil from the thyme plant exhibited potent activity against all the clinical strains.
Thyme oil contains antibacterial properties that inhibit bacterial growth, treating bacterial infections in the urethra, and genitals, intestinal viruses, and bacteria that build up in the respiratory system, and wounds that are exposed to harmful bacteria.
[Read: Essential Oils for Allergies]
2. Balances Hormones:
Thyme essential oil helps to balance the hormone progesterone. Low progesterone levels are linked to polycystic ovary syndrome and infertility. Research suggests that thyme essential oil is one of the top six oils to have the highest progesterone and estradiol binding.
The thyme oil delays menopause and relieves menopausal symptoms in women. The oil also stimulates blood flow to the pelvic area and uterus, stimulating menstruation and useful for irregular periods in women.
3. Reduces Gas
The thyme essential oil contains carminative properties that help reduce the build-up gas in the intestines and stomach. Excess gas can lead to cramps, stomach pain, and headaches. By massaging thyme oil onto the lower abdomen will reduce the discomfort caused by excess gas in your body.
[Also Read: Natural Remedies To Treat Gastritis ]
4. Relieves Anxiety
Thyme essential is a favorite aromatherapy oil for many reasons, but primarily known for its stress-relieving abilities. Inhaling thyme oil or tropically applying some diluted oil to your neck or chest, to your temples, can help lower your overall stress levels, leaving you to feel energized in a positive way rather than an anxious state
5. Detoxifies the Body
Linalool is one of the major components in the thyme essential oil. The linalool component of thyme oil has several detoxifying and antioxidant effects on the body. The element can stimulate regeneration and healing in the liver and to helps to detoxify the liver rapidly.
6. Treats Respiratory Conditions
Thyme essential oil drains congestion and cures the infection in the chest and throat that cause cough or the common cold. Common cold causes include lack of sleep, weak immune system, emotional stress, and unhealthy digestive tract. But thyme oil can reduce anxiety, kill infections, treat insomnia and rid the body of toxins and allows you to get relieved from cold and cough.
7. Improves Skin Health
Thyme essential oil protects the skin from fungal infections and harmful bacteria. Thyme essential oil works as a natural home remedy for healing acne, scars, and cuts, wounds, sores, treat eczema and relieves burns. Research highlights the potential benefit of thyme oil as a dietary antioxidant, improving fatty acid composition and brain function.
[Read: Essential Oils for Acne Treatment]
8. Regulates Blood Pressure
Thyme essential oil contains many medicinal properties and very beneficial for those who suffer from lower blood pressure. Those people suffer from feeling sluggish and fall unconscious. The thyme essential oil can standardize their blood pressure by raising it, and also lowers it when it is high.
9. Boosts Immune System
The volatile components of thyme essential oil including alpha-pinene and camphene can strengthen the immune system with their antifungal and antibacterial properties. The antioxidants properties help to reduce free radical damage from the body. These properties make them useful both inside and outside the body, protecting the gut, mucous, and respiratory system form potential infections.
10. Promotes Circulation
The therapeutic properties of thyme essential oil improve circulation throughout the body and enhance the healing process. Increasing circulation can enhance the blood flow to areas of the body that require more oxygen, relaxes veins and arteries, reduces the risk of developing a blood clot, and protects the heart. The thyme oil strengthens cardiac muscles and reduces stress on the heart and blood pressure.
Different Ways to Use Thyme Essential Oil
Here are some different ways through which you can use thyme essential oil:
- Rub two drops of thyme essential oil with an equal parts carrier oil on your abdomen to relieve menstrual cramps.
- Inhale or diffuse 2-4 drops of thyme oil daily for increasing the circulation.
- Rub three drops of thyme essential oil to a specific area to kill the rashes and infections
- Add two drops of thyme essential oil to water and gargle to use as a mouthwash
- Add two drops of thyme oil to hot water for steam inhalation or inhale two drops of thyme oil to open nasal passages
- Add four drops of thyme essential oil to warm foot bath to kill the toe fungus
- Add 2-3 drops thyme essential oil to heat bath water to ease fatigue
How to Make an In-House Thyme Oil Infusion by Yourself?
Fortunately, you can also make an in-house thyme oil infusion by yourself. Here are the steps by step recipe of making oil infusion of thyme at home.
What You Need:
- Half a cup of fresh thyme
- 8 ounces of carrier oil like coconut oil or olive oil
- Funnel
- Saucepan
- Glass container
How to Do?
- Wash the herbs and pat dry with a clean cotton cloth.
- To release their natural oils, crush the herbs using the pestle and mortar
- Place the crushed thyme and its oil into the saucepan and add carrier oil. Simmer the mixture for slight heat for 5 minutes
- Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Pour the mixture into the glass container then store in a cool place
DIY Recipe of Thyme Essential Oil Serum for Hormone Balance
What You Need:
- 25 drops of thyme oil
- 25 drops of clary sage oil
- 25 drops of ylang-ylang oil
- 1 ounce of evening primrose oil
How to Do?
- Mix all the ingredients in the 2-ounce bottle.
- Put into a glass bottle with a dropper
- Rub five drops onto your neck two times regularly
Keep These Things in Mind While Using Thyme Essential Oil
Here are some of the precautions and safety to keep in mind while using thyme essential oil.
- Do not take thyme oil if you have a bleeding disorder because taking thyme can increase your risk of bleeding and might slow blood clotting if used in large amounts.
- Thyme essential oil also acts like estrogen in the body and don’t use thyme if you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen.
- Always use thyme essential oil with a carrier oil like olive oil or coconut oil. Do a patch test first before you use thyme oil due to some skin irritation.
- Another possible side effect is disrupting the digestive system if you notice this stop using the thyme essential oil right away.
Thyme essential oil contains a lot of health benefits. The benefits of thyme essential oil are wondrously discussed above and do not cause any harm to you and your body. However, you should keep things in mind while using thyme essential oil, rest assured, you’ll love this essential oil too much to relax your mind and relieve stress. So, try to the thyme essential oil recipe and infusion to start a new healthy life.
