My fondest memory of encountering oregano is as a child hiking in the arid Greek mountain side. There, the oregano grows wild and smells intoxicating. I gathered as much as I could in my little hands and brought it back to the hotel restaurant where I was staying. I was enchanted with the beauty of wild oregano then, but it was only several months ago that I discovered oregano’s potent healing properties. During a trip to London with my boyfriend I became very ill on our second day there. I was super disappointed, in the bustling city only to be left bundled up in bed. We were staying with his sister and luckily for me, she had all manner of natural remedy ready to go. She gave me special medicinal tea, vitamin C and zinc, and last but not least, oregano oil.

While you may know oregano best for it’s culinary flare, oregano essential oil has properties that make it an antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, digestive, and anti-allergenic substance. The reason for it’s superior healing capacity is largely due to it’s having the highest content of phenols (phytochemical compounds that are rich in antioxidants) among all aromatic plants. The two predominant phenols are thymol and carvacrol and they are the powerhouses of oregano.

• Thymol: a natural fungicide with antiseptic properties. It’s an immune booster, shields toxins, prevents tissue damage and can encourage healing.
• Carvacrol: a natural antibacterial agent, can be effective at fighting bacterial infections such as Candida albicans, staphlylococcus, E. coli, samonella, etc.

The medicinal properties of oregano were first appreciated in Greece (where my for the herb appreciation was born as well), where they used oregano to treat bacterial infections on the skin and in wounds. Oregano itself means “joy of the mountains”. There are so many potential healing ways to use oregano oil, but I am going to explain several main ways you could try using it to improve your overall health.

Digestion

Oregano oil has been shown to stimulate the flow of bile into the digestive organs, thereby expediting the digestive process. It also increases nutrient digestibility and digestive enzymes that help you to absorb your food. This means you’ll be able to get more of the nutritional content out of your food and improve your overall diet. It can also be helpful in instances of infectious diarrhea or parasitic infections. You can get oregano supplements or put 2-3 drops of the oil into a full glass of water for help with digestion.

Mood Balancing

Oregano and some of it’s compounds (carvacrol and thymol), through preliminary research, have been shown to have an antidepressive effect when used as aromatherapy in essential oil form. It can reduce stress and balance your mood, all with just a couple sniffs!

Immune System Boosting

Like I’ve already harped on, oregano oil is an extremely potent immune system booster and protector. The compound carvacrol here can break through outer cell membranes and protect the immune system from infectious bacteria. It can also help the immune system fight off viruses, fungi and parasites. In the event of a respiratory infection you can vaporize oregano oil by placing one or two drops in a bowl of steaming water and breathing in the water vapor that rises from it. For basic cold, flu, or viral symptoms, the most basic way to consume oregano oil is to put 2-3 small drops in a full glass of water.

For Clearer Skin

As a result of it’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, some people claim that oregano oil can treat acne and rosacea. To do this you would mix oregano oil with an equal part of coconut oil or olive oil and apply with a cotton swap to the affected area. Don’t use this mixture on open wounds.

Nature’s Antibiotic

Hailed as natures most powerful antibiotic, I found it interesting that oregano oil is replacing conventional antibiotics at many livestock farms in order to keep the animals healthy. In many studies, simple oregano oil outperformed powerful antibiotics in resisting and eliminating bacterial infections.

Dental Health

To use oregano oil’s properties for dental health, you can use it as an oil pulling exercise. Mix 1 or 2 drops of oregano essential oil and half a teaspoon of coconut oil and put in your mouth. Swish for 10-15 minutes and then spit it out. This will reduce the microbial load in your oral cavity and can even improve overall immune health

Note: check with your primary care doctor before you start regularly consuming oregano oil. Pregnant women are advised not to consume oregano oil.

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