I used to get the flu vaccination, but I didn’t find it effective since there are so many strands of various viruses. I used to get sick each winter, regardless of whether or not I took the vaccine.
Recently, I had a tooth infection. I was taking antibiotics (because my dentist insisted) and even after 5 days of being on the antibiotics, I wasn’t feeling any better. I was about to drive back to his office and ask him to prescribe something strong, when I decided to try the oregano oil that was sitting in my medicine cabinet. I knew about the health benefits of oregano oil, which is why I bought it in the first place, but I hadn’t come across an opportunity to try it just yet.
So, I put one drop of my doTERRA oregano oil in a cup of warm water and drank it. Now, I’m not going to sugar coat it. It didn’t taste all that good. It fact, it was a bit spicy and I could feel my lips and tongue burning from its potency. But within 30 minutes of having my first cup, the pain in my cheekbones and the swollen glands under my ear and in my throat reduced significantly. I actually could feel my body kick up a notch into higher gear. The sensation before and after was crystal clear and I knew instantly that how I was now feeling was due to the boost the oregano oil gave me.
I continued to take my prescription of antibiotics, until there were complete, but I also continued on with the oregano oil (just 1 cup a day for the remaining 2-3 days).
That same week, my husband started to show signs of a cold brewing in his system. I decided to give him a cup of water with a drop in it as well. With just one dose, he cold stopped in its tracks and he started feeling normal again the next day.
Now, I’m going to be honest. I am a huge believer that Allah has created illness and created its cure, but I’m sometimes skeptical to believe that one herb or one oil can have such superpowers that is often attributed to it when I read online or in books. So the actual test and measure experience is very important for me.
Fast forward a few more weeks, and my two toddlers (3 year old and 22 month old) started to get sick. Feverish, stuffed up, the typical beginning to any cold or flu. Now I can’t give children that young oregano oil. It’s too potent and I wasn’t comfortable experimenting on them. But I still wanted them to benefit from the immune boost of oregano, so I decided to steep some oregano leaves and make a tea concoction for them. Both drank up and loved its taste (slightly sweetened with honey for that additional immune boost). I drank a cup along with them, and I have to say, I prefer the tea to the oil, because the taste is so much better and the entire sensation of drinking the tea is so much more soothing.
Here’s how to steep your own oregano tea:
- Bring water to a boil
- Wash oregano leaves (a pinch for every cup you are making)
- Turn off boiling water, then add the washed leaves. Cover pot and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Sweeten with some honey (for additional healing benefits)
Don’t forget to test and measure.
Oregano is beneficial for many different ailments. The best way to know how it works for your body type is to test and measure. Always begin slowly when trying new herbs and remember, children should be given a fraction of what you would take. I don’t let my boys drink more than a ¼ cup.
Get to know your herbs. Read about them. Taste them. Experience their effects. Rekindle the knowledge that our ancestors had, and pass it down to your children. We can’t afford to lose this invaluable knowledge.