Essential Oil Spotlight: Peppermint

​​Peppermint is another one of my essentials and I love the fragrance and flavour so much. There are a variety of benefits and methods for using peppermint. This is the first essential oil that brought me to dōTERRA, after a friend had recommended using it internally to manage allergies. You will find that most brands of essential oils are for topical use only, that is because they are not as pure as dōTERRA.
 
During a particularly bad allergy season, I was shut in my house and feeling lousy. I had all the windows shut, an air purifier on all day, taking maximum strength prescription antihistamines and still having to use my allergy inhaler the maximum 4 times a day. I was exhausted, struggling to breathe and running out of ideas. That is when a friend suggested I try ingesting peppermint essential oil.

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Add a drop of peppermint to your hot chocolate

Peppermint helps to clear mucus and unclog airways, supporting a range of respiratory conditions. Compounds in peppermint have anti-microbial, anti-viral and antioxidant properties which are thought to make it helpful against infections affecting the respiratory tract. Just diffusing it can have a beneficial effect, but consuming it can help also.
 
My friend recommended taking a few drops of peppermint oil every day in a capsule. DōTERRA sells empty veggie capsules to help with consuming essential oils and it’s recommended to add a carrier oil to dilute the oil. While my friend had recommended as many as five drops a day, I gradually built up and while my allergies seemed to improve, I also noticed other alarming symptoms. It’s important to draw your attention to the fact that dōTERRA include a caution on their Peppermint Essential Oil that says, “Take no more than one drop per day.” While many essential oil enthusiasts advocate using more than the recommended, I recommend taking note of cautions, following safe usage recommendations and speaking with a healthcare provider where appropriate.
 
Essential oils are volatile chemical compounds. Often people slip into the mindset that because they’re natural, they must be harmless. While I am a firm believer in natural remedies and prefer to use them as my first protocol before pharmaceuticals, it is important to respect their potency and the ability to overdose if not being careful. Side effects of overdosing on peppermint oil can include heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain and potentially more serious issues. For this reason, I would not recommend exceeding the safe dosage suggested on the bottle and I take it in the capsules only short term and on occasion, when I feel doing so would be beneficial to my wellbeing.
 
​​Another way to ingest peppermint is by adding a drop to a drink like hot chocolate; if you find a drop too strong, you can always dip the end of a cocktail stick into the oil and add to your drink bit by bit until you reach a strength you like. You can use it instead of peppermint food flavouring; just be aware that a drop of essential oil is probably stronger than the 1 tsp flavouring that your recipe calls for! When used in a recipe, you are most likely consuming less than a drop (depending on how much of it you eat!)
 
Peppermint can also give us a kind of mental energy boost, helping with alertness and improving concentration. It’s probably not a surprise that it’s one of the key oils used in dōTERRA Motivate Blend. I sometimes add a drop or two of peppermint to my morning baths as I prepare for a busy day or in my diffuser while I’m working. It can also help relieve muscle aches and joint pain, which is very helpful with Fibromyalgia and ME. I rub peppermint on my forehead to help relive migraines and I use it to reduce itching when my skin is irritated by pollen skin allergies.
 
DōTERRA Peppermint Essential Oil is a must have for any natural first aid kit. You can buy dōTERRA Peppermint at retail price on my dōTERRA page or become a Wholesale Member to get oils 25% cheaper. Get in touch if you'd like to know more.

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Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. The content of this article is my testimony, from personal experience, of Peppermint Essential Oil. This information should not be used to substitute medical advice and you should consult with a medical professional where necessary