More Than Just a Seasoning: Thyme’s Unexpected Health Perks
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), another herb from the mint family.
It’s energetics are hot (not just warm) and dry. So you’ll want to not overdo this one with someone that already has a hot and dry constitution.
The herbal properties of Thyme run the gamut from a carminative for stomach and digestive issues, to antiseptic properties, to its powerful antimicrobial properties for all kinds of bacterial, fungal and viral problems.
And it awesome for cold & flu season because it’s a stimulating and relaxing diaphoretic, an antispasmodic, and an expectorant. Everything you need for supporting a fever, helping to stop a cough or get the mucus up and out of your lungs.
For colds & flus
The antibacterial properties are great for sore throats and congested sinuses. And it’s antispasmodic properties are useful for helping to stop coughing spasms, like an antitussive.
It’s expectorant properties makes it great for expelling congested mucus from the lungs.
And as a diaphoretic it can help support the fever process. Helping your body heat up, then do its work in killing off the pathogen that’s making you sick. Then finally get you to the sweating stage which is to the other side of that fever.
Other infection issues
Thyme’s useful for other infectious issues too like urinary tract infections, topical fungal infections, burns, toothaches, inflammation, and digestive spasms.
It’s been shown to inhibit the mechanism that can make bacteria cells resistant to antibiotics. Always a plus.
Other uses for Thyme
Like other culinary herbs it not only tastes great but helps with digestion. Thyme moves stagnant digestion like bloating, belching & flatulence and can calm digestive spasms.
Thyme’s can be used as a liver tonic, stimulating the digestive system & liver function, which in turn helps alleviate skin complaints.
Or use it as an infused oil for pain relief for joints. And one my favorites, as a tea in baths for weariness.
Using Thyme as a remedy
Making your herbal remedy is as easy as infusing honey or vinegar to use in your everyday cooking. Or you can use the honey or vinegar infusion in a tea or other type of drink.
You can make a simple tea with the herb alone or create an infusion to use as a wash for fighting infection in a wound or other skin issue. Create a steam inhalation to help clear sinuses and prevent secondary infections that can come from sinus congestion.
Make it into a tincture, an infused oil or salve. Use the tincture internally or mixed with water externally for skin or fungal issues. Use the oil and salve externally for skin or painful joints or as a cooking oil for your gut health.
Or make yourself a cough syrup. Simply make an infusion and add honey to taste. You can make small amounts of this when you feel a cough coming on and keep it in the fridge to use as necessary.
Thyme’s historical uses
Thyme was used as a symbol of strength, power, courage, and sacrifice in ancient Greece and Rome. Roman soldiers would bathe in thyme to become courageous. And the Greek warriors were massaged with thyme oil to ensure their bravery.
One Greek myth tells that thyme was born from the tears of Helen of Troy.
In medieval Europe, wild thyme was thought to attract fairies, especially on midsummer’s eve.
the medieval use of plants rarely distinguished between the outer and inner person. The same remedy was used on the skin or taken internally. Consequently, people ate thyme to prevent illness, rubbed it on their skin to ward off disease and carried sprigs of thyme to protect themselves from plague or leprosy.
Precautions!
As is true with most of our culinary herbs, pregnant and nursing women should not use medicinal amounts of thyme or thyme essential oils. In large doses thyme can stimulate uterine contractions or menstrual flow.
Give thyme a try! Make yourself a nice cup of tea using a teaspoon of thyme in a cup of just boiled water. Sip it slowly and see how it makes you feel. Does it make you warm or hot? As you drink it do you begin to sweat? Does your belly begin to grumble? Maybe it’s helping your gut with digestion or relieving the tension you are holding there.
Do you like the taste or does it need a touch of honey?
Doing this will help you know when thyme can help you most. And you’ll have an idea of how much you need to drink to reach a specific goal or you’ll know you want to try a different herb, if you really don’t like it.
Might I suggest, filling 4 or 5 large tea bags and trying an herbal bath. While I love my herbal teas, my all time favorite way to use herbs is in a bath. Add a cup or 2 of epsom salt and your herbs and sit back and relax in a nice very warm bath. Sitting quietly just thinking how it makes you feel for several minutes is a wonderful way to meditate. In my humble opinion, the perfect way to meditate.
Comment and let me know how you gave thyme a try and what you thought.
Happy Herbaling!
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