Peppermint is so popular it has found its way into many aspects of our lives. It is an important medicinal culinary and cosmetic herb. However no record of peppermint is found in ancient medicinal texts si...
* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Aids Digestion and Beats Colic
Peppermint is so popular it has found its way into many aspects of our lives. It is an important medicinal culinary and cosmetic herb. However no record of peppermint is found in ancient medicinal texts simply because it was not discovered until the late seventeenth century.
Our ancient ancestors in general have used mints. Spearmint in particular has been mentioned in the Greek, Roman and Egyptian writings as a treatment for digestion.
Health Benefits
Unwinds the Spasm of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common digestive problems in modern society. It lies in a disregulation in the nervous supply to the bowel, causing cramping, wind, and abdominal bloating. It is not that lBS sufferers make more bowel gas, it is rather that their bowel is overly sensitive to the normal peristaltic movements caused by gas production. The gut of an lBS sufferer reacts to these sensations by going into spasm, causing urgency, a loose stool and an apparent increased passage of bowel gas. Once the gas or stool is passed, the pain is relieved. To help reduce this distressing problem, pure peppermint oil is commonly used. The antispasmodic effects of peppermint oil appear to be due to compounds known as polymerized polyphenols, but the other active principles such as menthol, menthone and methyl acetate probably play a vital role as well.
Combats Gallstones: Gallstones may be susceptible to a combination of naturally occurring chemicals in peppermint oil. Peppermint can reduce bile cholesterol levels while increasing bile acid and lecithin levels in the gall bladder. Treatment can safely be continued for years.
How to Take Peppermint
As a simple tea, peppermint can soothe the stomach and reduce the incidence of indigestion (dyspepsia). Used as a muscle rub for sports injuries or around arthritic joints, peppermint (menthol) extract can help ease pain and stimulate the circulation.
When treating the pain and spasm of colic or IBS-related pains, use an enteric-coated capsule. This guarantees the oil will reach the lower bowel to deliver the antispasmodic actions directly to the problem area before the capsule opens. Normal capsules just give you minty breath! The enteric-coated capsules should contain 0.2 mL of peppermint oil. Take 2 capsules between meals twice daily.
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Directions
Fresh drawn, boiling water contains the most oxygen, thereby giving the fullest taste to tea. Water that has been boiling for some time looses the oxygen and thereby the best taste.
Allow full expansion during the infusion and easy removal after the time for steeping has elapsed.
Draw into a tea pot or kettle the best fresh water that you have available.
Warm the teapot and cups while the water is boiling.
Cautions
May interfere with iron absorption.
Oil is toxic if taken internally in large doses; causes dermatitis. Menthol, the major chemical component of peppermint oil, may cause allergic reactions. Avoid prolonged use of the essential oil as an inhalant.
Mint should not be given to children for more than a week at a time without a break. Do not give any form of mint directly to young babies.
Peppermint can reduce milk flow; take internally with caution if breast feeding.
Check with the pediatrician before giving peppermint to a child.
Toxicity
Peppermint is generally considered safe. However, some individuals may be sensitive to the oil and develop a non-toxic rash, heartburn, occasionally a slowing of the heart rate, and very rarely muscular tremors. Topical applications can induce a hypersensitivity rash in some. If in doubt apply a small patch test before using peppermint or menthol extracts over a larger area.
Drug-Herb Interactions
People with achlorhydria (lacking digestive acid), and taking H2 receptor blockers e.g. Cimetidine or Ranitidirie, should avoid peppermint tinctures or capsules. In such cases peppermint should only be taken in enteric-coated capsules.
Additional Information
PhytoVie manufactures a wide selection of therapeutic and aromatic teas. The PhytoVie manufacturing process guarantees the quality and consistency of each and every tea bag. Our buyers select only the highest premium quality teas each season, importing from around the world. Each tea bag contains only the finest quality ingredients.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
