Monday, December 29, 2008

Science Recognizes Mint

Wild Plants and Wooly Bears


Leave it to science to “discover” something that herbalists first identified in the early 18th century. A recent news item from The Discovery Channel highlighted a researcher’s supposed revelation regarding the curative powers of peppermint.

The gist of this “ground-breaking” discovery? Mint oil relieves indigestion and also has antiviral and antibacterial properties. While the researcher didn’t mention menthol by name, everyone else is probably aware that mint oil contains menthol, among other useful substances.

As a child, I was given mint extract in water. Grandma kept a little bottle of the stuff in her medicine cabinet. A few drops in a shot glass of water and in minutes, my tummy felt better. Mint has other medicinal uses and as such, should have a place in every medicine cabinet.

Even though modern science is 300 years late in giving mint the green light, the fact that a plant remedy is given official credence means much. Now, perhaps, officialdom will slack up a bit in their ongoing campaign to discredit chiropractors, herbalists and homeopaths. At least we can hope.

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