Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint and the spearmint plants. It is a perennial plant that flowers from mid to late summer. Its flowers are purple in color. It is regarded by some as the world’s oldest medicine. Archaeological evidence places it in use as far back as ten thousand years ago in the Greek and Roman empires. They used it to freshen the breath and aid digestion. It is even featured in the Bible, being used in crowns and bouquets in an attempt to ward off drunkenness. The ancient world used peppermint in its raw form, leaves or flowers.
Today it is used in commercial products as gum or mints. Also it is used in health promoting products such as skin treatments, toothpaste, mouthwashes and essential oils. It’s high concentration of menthol is the reason it is used in health products. Menthol is an organic compound that possess a powerful counter-irritant and has local anesthetic qualities.
Today we use peppermint in a refined or processed form, peppermint essential oil being the most common. It can be used to treat headaches, toothaches and nausea, heartburn, vomiting and indigestion. Aromatherapy uses peppermint essential oil to comfort and refresh the skin from its cooling and soothing properties, in a lotion to soothe irritated and painful skin due to chicken pox and shingles and when added to water can treat sunburned skin and refresh tired feet.
For a refreshing peppermint aroma try the scent of Cool Breeze in gourmet body massage soy candles or aromatherapy soy candles. Soy candles are a healthy choice to make and environmentally friendly to use.
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