One of my absolute favorite things to eat during the summer months is a grilled vegetable salad filled to the brim with bell pepper, eggplant, onion, zucchini, tomato, mint (yes, that's right, mint) AND oregano, then lightly seasoned and tossed with a cayenne pepper, black pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil mixture. It is jam-packed full of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants and is oh SOOOO tasty!
What is the connection to and/or how does this relate to treating fungal infections you might be wondering? I'll give you a few hints:
One of the ingredients in the salad is high in antioxidants (more so than blueberries), vitamins B, E, & K, magnesium, iron and calcium AND is a favorite herb in Mediterranean dishes. This herb has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal benefits.
Ok, so if you haven't figured it out yet, let me give you the answer:
OREGANO has numerous medicinal benefits and can be applied in several different ways.
Oil
Tincture
Paste
Steam
Lotion
Poultice
For this post, I'm going to focus on the infused oil.
The oregano infused oil is a staple in my herbal medicine chest and is VERY simple to make.
Over the years, I have had many questions from family members and friends as to what herb (or natural medicine) should they use to treat foot and skin fungal infections and this is the one that I most commonly refer to. It's EASY to make and can be used in NUMEROUS other herbal medicine products.
USES:
A natural antibiotic
Powerful antioxidant
Treats acne
May help improve your overall gut health
Relieves athletes foot
Good for UTIs and food poisoning
Helps get rid of toe fungus
Treats staph infections, ringworm and cold sores
INGREDIENTS:
Dried oregano*
Olive Oil
* If you only have fresh oregano, you can dry it out quickly in your oven. Place the oregano on a baking sheet in the middle (or center rack) of your oven. Set the temperature to 170 degrees (or whatever the lowest temp you oven can be set to) and let the oregano "bake" for about 15 minutes. Make sure you don't over cook the oregano and burn the leaves.
DIRECTIONS:
In a glass quart mason jar, fill it up with dried oregano (leaving 1-3 inches of room at the top of the jar)
Now, fill the jar with your olive oil (make sure to have the oregano covered by 1 inch or more)
Cap the jar and give it a gentle shake for about 30 seconds
In warm climates, place outside in the sun for 2-3 weeks OR in colder climates, a window sill in full sun for the same amount of time will do**
Shake the jar 1x per day while baking in the sun
After the 2-3 week period, strain your oil into glass jars, label and store in a dark/cool space. This oil will have a 1 year shelf life and could be extended if you were to add Vitamin E oil (concentrate up to a 1%)
** If you don't want your oil to be in direct sunlight, feel free to wrap it in a brown paper bag.
APPLICATION:
Apply 2-3 drops of the oil to the infected area 3-4 times per day as needed.
For those nasty fungal infections, prolonged use (2-3 weeks) might be needed.
Oregano is such a versatile herb with many health benefits and can be easily grown at home. If you don't have a garden, no worries, you can plant it in a container just as long as it has ample exposure to sunlight and it doesn't get too cold.
Stay tuned this week, my next few blog posts will cover topics requested by Herbally Anointed's valued subscribers and will cover various topics such as tooth infections, weight loss, and top 10 herbs to grow at home.
If you enjoy this post, share it with your friends and if you have suggestions or want to learn more about a specific topic, drop me a note at jessica@herballyanointed.com OR click on the chat icon at the bottom right of your screen and I will reply as quickly as possible.
Thanks for reading and blessings to you!
NOTE: Please remember, the information contained here is for educational purposes only and isn't meant to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any disease. Before taking / using any of these items, please consult your doctor; especially if you're pregnant and/or taking any prescription medication.