Essential oils have become incredibly popular in recent years, and with good reason. As people discover more about the amazing health benefits to be derived from the extracts of plants like rosemary, eucalyptus, rosemary and others, their use and popularity have grown steadily. Much of this is in reaction to the unfortunate and sometimes harmful side effects of mainstream medications; people simply want therapies which will help their condition in more natural ways.
One essential oil that women in particular should know about is the essential oil of thyme. It has been used in Mediterranean cultures in particular going back to the time of Hippocrates and in the modern age, is proving beneficial for women’s ailments, ranging from fatigue to breast cancer.
Thyme Oil as a Breast Cancer Treatment
When researchers at the Celal Bayar University in Turkey noticed that incidence of breast cancer were in general much lower among Mediterranean than American women, they wondered if use of thyme oil – very common in this culture’s cuisine – was not one of the reasons for this.
This would be not very surprising, as thyme oil has been known since ancient times for its medicinal properties: it is a strong antioxidant as well as having proven antimicrobial properties and has been used medically in the Mediterranean as well as Chinese traditional medicine and Indian Ayurvedic traditions because of this.
The results of the research out of this university, however, surprising even researchers. Thyme oil was found to be effective at killing 97% of breast cancer cells in vitro after just 72 hours of treatment, and this was at a relatively low dose of a 0.05% solution. This study, published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, calls for further research on thyme oil with a view to developing clinical treatments for women suffering from breast cancer. (1)
Other Benefits of Thyme Oil for Women
Because of the therapeutic properties mentioned above, thyme oil and it active ingredient thymol, are also effective for other ailments which women commonly face, including the following:
- Eases nervousness, stress and anxiety
- Regulates and normalizes menstrual flow
- Prevents formation of cellulite
- Fights sleeplessness and insomnia
- Eliminates body odor and bad breath
- Improves circulation
In other words, apart from its anti-carcinogenic properties, thyme oil is also useful for an array of other health conditions and can be considered a definite “woman’s herb” along with other plants like black cohosh or wild yam. (2)
In conclusion, from ailments ranging from the mild to the severe, thyme oil can prove a useful therapy for improving a woman’s health. And modern research into this ancient herb might just provide an effective treatment for breast cancer and save the lives of countless women who struggle against this disease.
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