Oregano Essential Oil

When one thinks of oregano, they may think of that extra spice to a delectable plate of spaghetti or that extra kick flavoring a chicken dinner. True, oregano is a wonderful spice, however, when it comes to the essential oil, there’s more to it than its taste.

In fact, oregano essential oil has been used for centuries in Greece for its abilities to treat bacterial infections and heal wounds. Oregano essential oil was also valued in ancient Greece for its ability to preserve food and prevent bacteria from invading, a necessary step to protect against food poisoning.

Extracted via steam distillation of the oregano plant, this herby essential oil has a wide array of uses that can add an extra layer of protection against infections and inflammatory conditions.

Can Oregano Essential Oil be Taken Internally?

Fortunately, this natural antibiotic is safe for internal use and can treat a wide array of bacterial infections. Internal application of oregano essential oil can help soothe a sore throat, eliminate intestinal parasites, and help speed up recovery time from food poisoning.

Because oregano essential oil is extremely powerful, its recommended to only be taken under the care of a physician.

Oregano Essential Oil Benefits

The medicinal properties of oregano essential oil make it a popular essential oil revered for its many benefits. From soothing coughing fits to protecting against bacterial infections, this powerful essential oil provides a number of benefits that can help speed up recovery time or even prevent infection from setting in in the first place.

1) Antibacterial

Oregano essential oil strengthens your defenses by working as an antibacterial. It is especially effective at protecting you from bacterial infections of the urinary tract and colon. By regularly using oregano essential oil, you may also receive protection from skin infections, sores, and food poisoning.

Keep this natural antibiotic handy in your medicine cabinet to treat infections without experiencing all the negative side effects of over-the-counter drugs.

2) Antiviral

If you’re looking for added protection against viruses and viral infections, consider keeping oregano essential oil in your medicine cabinet. By using this natural antiviral, you can help protect yourself from colds, measles, mumps, and other illnesses borne of a virus.

By keeping your immune system strong and fortifying yourself against viruses, you can even protect yourself from some autoimmune disorders. Oregano essential oil’s ability to stimulate the immune system rests in its ability to produce white blood cells, which is the body’s main method of protecting against viruses and infection.

3) Anti-fungal

There are many factors that can be responsible for causing illness and fungi is one of them. Fungi can cause terrible inflammatory conditions of the skin or it may infect your internally, causing dangerous infections in the throat, nose, and ears.

If some of these fungal infections are not treated early on, they can have severe consequences for your health. By regularly using oregano essential oil, you can protect yourself from many of these fungal infections.

4) Anti-parasitic

Unfortunately, as humans, we are susceptible to parasitic infestations and bites. Mosquitoes, bed bugs, lice, fleas, roundworms, and tapeworms can and will find a way to either turn our skin and hair into their own personal real estate or treat us a delectable meal.

These parasites can live inside and outside of our body, causing a number of unpleasant side effects and possibly infecting us with a communicable disease. If you are suffering from an intestinal parasite, ingesting oregano oil may eliminate the problem.

When applied topically, mosquitoes, bed bugs, lice, and fleas don’t stand a chance. Oregano essential oil is so effective at keeping bugs and parasites at bay that it is often used as an active ingredient in organic insect repellents and bug sprays.

5) Anti-inflammatory

Whether you are suffering from internal inflammation or external inflammation, oregano essential oil can help rectify the problem. When you apply this natural inflammatory externally, you can soothe redness and swelling of the affected area.

When applied topically, oregano essential oil also works as a natural pain reliever, particularly areas suffering from injury or arthritis.

6) Antioxidant

One of the most well known benefits of oregano essential oil is its antioxidant properties. The powerful antioxidant properties of oregano essential oil help to protect the body from free radicals while repairing damage previously done by oxidants.

Oregano essential oil seeks out the free radicals and neutralizes them, preventing them from causing further damage. This helps to slow the aging process, prevent wrinkles from developing, gives added protection from certain cancers, vision loss, hearing loss, and muscle degeneration.

Oregano essential oil is essentially the fountain of youth in a bottle, slowing the aging process while seeking out the oxidants that threaten the livelihood of your body and health.

7) Relieves Allergies

Allergies occur when your body perceives a threat and goes into hyper defensive mode. Fortunately, the anti-inflammatory and sedative effects or oregano essential oil helps soothe these uncomfortable allergic symptoms.

This soothing essential oil helps to decrease your body’s knee-jerk reaction to go into hyper defense mode while the anti-inflammatory properties of this essential oils help to decrease allergic symptoms already in progress.

8) Regulates Menstruation

Women who month after month have to play the guessing game of when their menses are going to arrive may find some relief with oregano essential oil, which helps to regulate menstruation.

Oregano essential oil also helps to delay the onset of menopause and all of its unpleasant symptoms. Oregano essential oil helps to regulate hormones and thereby helps to give balance to hormones out of whack.

9) Expectorant

Oregano essential oil helps give relief to a respiratory system in distress by loosening up or getting rid of excess phlegm and mucus in the sinuses and respiratory tract.

Those suffering from an irritating cough or coughing fits may find some relief with oregano essential oil; this powerful essential oil soothes an inflamed throat and lungs.

Uses for Oregano Essential Oil

Due to all of its health benefits, there are a lot of ways you can use oregano essential oil. If you’re looking to soothe a sore throat or alleviate the symptoms of skin conditions such as psoriasis, included are some recipes you can try at home to help treat a wide array of ailments and conditions.

1) Psoriasis

Oregano essential oil has lots of benefits for the skin, namely soothing inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Try mixing a couple drops of oregano essential oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or jojoba oil and then apply directly to the infected area.

This will help soothe redness and painful inflammation while moisturizing the skin and killing any bacteria or fungi responsible for the condition. Oregano essential oil is also great for treating the symptoms of rosacea.

Oregano essential oil is considered a “hot” essential oil and therefore should never be applied to the skin without first being diluted with a carrier oil. Not diluting the oil prior to application can result in redness, sensitivity, and worsening to the condition being treated.

2) Nail Fungus

Nail fungus is a recurring problem that plagues many people. By applying oregano essential problem, you can get rid of the fungus and prevent it from coming back.

• Simply mix equal parts oregano essential oil and olive oil together and apply to nails.
• This is also a great way to prevent secondary fungal infections from occurring, such as psoriasis.

3) Athlete’s Foot

Oregano essential oil’s powerful anti-fungal properties help to protect against athlete’s foot. Athlete’s foot is easy to catch, especially if you frequent changing rooms, the gym, or a public pool.

To get protection from athlete’s foot:

• Combine 2 drops of oregano essential oil with a teaspoon of jojoba oil and massage onto the feet after visiting potentially infectious areas.
• If you’re already infected with athlete’s foot, apply the above mixture 2-3 times a day until the infection is gone.
• Sprinkle some baking soda into your shoes for extra protection.

4) Natural Insect Repellent

If you are spending the evening outdoors and want to repel insects and prevent bug bites without dealing with a bunch of chemicals, try using oregano essential oil.

• Mix a couple drops of oregano essential oil with a carrier oil like jojoba oil or coconut oil and rub onto exposed areas of skin.

5) Sore Throat

If you want to get relief from a painful sore throat while killing the bacteria or virus responsible for causing it, try ingesting some oregano essential oil.

• Add a couple drops of oregano essential oil to a glass of water and drink.

This healing water will coat your throat, reducing painful inflammation while fighting infection. Drink anytime you need natural pain relief for your sore throat.

6) Arthritis

Oregano essential oil is known as a natural anti-inflammatory. If you are suffering from arthritis:

• Mix a couple drops of oregano essential oil with a tablespoon of jojoba oil and massage directly onto the affected area.

This will help alleviate swelling and provide natural pain relief.

7) Skin Tags and Warts

If you have developed stubborn warts and skin tags, oregano essential oil may be the solution. This powerful essential oil will help shrink the skin tag or wart until it falls off.

• Simply apply oregano essential oil with a cotton swab directly onto the wart and skin tag.
• Be sure to only apply the essential oil only on the wart or skin tag, taking care not to get the oil on surrounding skin, which can result in irritation.

This is the only instance where you do not need to dilute with a carrier oil when applying the essential oil topically. Use this remedy twice daily until the wart or skin tag vanishes.

8) Protect Against Colds

While oregano essential oil won’t cure your cold, it will help fortify your immune system and give you extra protection against infection. This is especially beneficial during cold season.

• If you want extra protection against colds, add 3-6 drops or oregano essential oil into an empty capsule.
• Take this capsule two or three times a day before meals.
• Using this regimen for 5-10 days can exponentially cut down your probability of contracting a cold.

If the cold virus has hit your home, consider adding a couple drops of oregano essential oil to your diffuser to help purify the air and eliminate any bacteria or viruses that may be floating around.

9) Moles

Although there is currently no scientific evidence supporting this home remedy, some believe that oregano essential oil may be able to remove moles.

• To give this home remedy a try, mix one teaspoon of oregano essential oil with 8 teaspoons of almond essential oil in a seal-able jar or bottle.
• Vigorously shake the bottle and apply the mixture directly onto the mole once a day until it disappears.

Oregano Essential Oil Side Effects

When using oregano essential oil, it important to take the following into consideration:

• Oregano essential oil is considered a hot oil, meaning it will cause irritation unless its diluted. With the exception of treating warts and skin tags, always dilute oregano essential oil with a carrier oil before applying topically.
• Always do an allergy test before using oregano essential oil as a topical treatment.
• Oregano essential oil is not recommended for the use of pregnant women, infants, and children. There are currently no studies on using oregano essential oil during pregnancy, however, its always best to err on the side of caution.