Ahhh, the cool minty freshness of peppermint! Its' not just for fresh breath! When I first began my essential oil journey, peppermint was one that I totally underestimated. Yeah, so it makes your food taste minty and it's good to help combat bad breath. But did you know that this little wonderful bottle does so much more!?
I get headaches....not just headaches but knock me down migraines. When I first heard that peppermint oil helps to get rid of headaches, I made a roller bottle. In fact, I've made several "headache be gone" roller bottles with a blend of different essentital oils (sometimes I use lavender, sometimes Panaway, sometimes Valor) but it always included peppermint! I try to have my headache roller bottle with me at all times so when I feel a migraine coming on, I'm able to whip it out in time before I have to use pain meds....99% of the time it works. It's only when I don't have my oils on me that I don't catch it in time and might have to resort to taking something stronger. But it's a rare occasion when I don't have my oils on me! Peppermint is definitly one of those "don't leave home without it" oils for me. Even without my roller bottle blends, I can usually just dab a couple drops of peppermint oil on my temples or back of my neck and that helps to stop a headache in it's tracks.
Peppermint pure therapeutic grade essential oil also helps to combat nausea. It's great when fighting heartburn and indigestion (especially when combined with Digize), it's helpful in reducing fever, and works with lemon and lavender essential oils to combat allergies. I actually use peppermint, lemon, and grapefruit essential oils in my weight loss trio capsule to help curb hunger and aid in my weight loss journey! Oh, did I mention it's great for cooling down on a hot day or after a workout? Just add a drop onto a cool, wet washcloth and apply to face or back of neck for an instant cool down! It also helps to increase blood circulation, helps to reduce infecton, and also helps to clear the respiratory tract. It is great for mental stimulation too! It's often one of the essential oils I diffuse in the morning to help get the mental juices flowing and to feel more awake! My favorite morning combination is Joy and Peppermint. It's got a sweet aroma and helps to start my day off right!
And of course, you can still always use it as a natural breath freshener (and skip those chemical laden mouthwashes and mints or gum) and always to flavor food with! Along with basil and lemon, peppermint is one of my favorites to use in the kitchen! We make a lot of smoothies in my house and I'm always looking for ways to make a yummy smoothie that my kids will drink. This Chocolate Mint smoothie tastes like a Thin Mint cookie!
You will need:
a blender
1 banana
handful of spinach (it's not necessary but I'm always sticking green stuff in our smoothies)
3-4 dates, pitted and soaked (for about 15-30 min)
2-3 TBSP of organic cocoa powder
1-2 TBSP of pure maple syrup (optional for sweeter taste or if not using dates)
1-2 cups of almond milk
4 ice cubes
Blend the dates and spinach with a little of the almond milk first until smooth. Add in the banana, cocoa powder, peppermint oil, maple syrup (if using), ice cubes and the rest of the almond milk. Blend and pour into a glass (my kids like to use their "special shake glasses" for their smoothies) and enjoy!
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