Thyme a favorite miracle plant

Rarely in life do we run across things that are true benefits in many areas of life. Thyme is one of my favorite examples, of things that are just that.  Let’s take a closer look at thyme benefits and uses and why this is one powerful herb you want in your life.

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Thyme is so amazing, in so many areas. In the garden thyme is a miracle plant. In our bodies, it’s a miracle cure, a miracle medicine.  Thyme is beautiful, delicate and powerful. Its known use goes back to ancient Egypt. Throughout the ages, it had many different uses from warding off nightmares to a natural antiseptic and a ton of others in between.

Thyme essential oil benefits

As an essential oil, Thyme has many actions and uses, powerful uses. It (in my humble opinion) should be in everyone’s medicine cabinet.

Thyme Essential Oil properties

• Anthelmintic (destroying and expelling intestinal worms)
• Thyme is antimicrobial
• Antioxidant
• Another benefit of thyme is its antiputrescent properties (Prevents and combats decay)
• Additionally, thyme is an antirheumatic  (prevent/relieve rheumatism)
• Antiseptic
• Antispasmodic
• Antitussive (relieves coughs)
• Antitoxic (counteracts the effects of poison)
• Aperitif (appetite stimulant)
• Astringent
• Aphrodisiac
• Bactericidal (destroys bacteria)
• Balsamic (soothing medicine)
• Carminative (settles the digestion system)
• Cicatrisant (promotes healing by the formation of scar tissue)
• Diuretic
• Emmenagogue (assists menstruation)
• Expectorant (promotes removal of mucus from respiratory system)
• Fungicidal (prevents/combats fungal infection)
• Hypertensive (raises blood pressure)
• Nervine (strengthening to the nervous system)
• Revulsive (relieves pain by diversion)
• Rubefacient (causes redness to the skin)
• Parasiticide (prevents and destroys parasites to include fleas and lice)
• Stimulant- to the immune and circulatory systems
• Sudorific (causes sweating)
• Tonic (strengthens whole or specific body parts)
• Vermifuge (expels worms)

Check out the book The Encyclopedia of Essential oils by Julia Lawless an amazing resource.

The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to the Use of Aromatic Oils In Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health, and Well Being

That’s a long list right! Seeing this list now takes me back to times I wish I knew that just thyme oil would do this. Times when I opted for much less healthy chemical alternatives. A dog with fleas, carpet with fleas, kids with lice, a house with sickness/ germs. My list of what ‘I wish I did do instead’ could go on forever!

However, what I do know and can attest to is using it now. A few years back two of my kids were exposed to hand foot and mouth an illness related to chickenpox, affecting mostly children. It was the holiday season and it spread quickly before symptoms were even showing. We gave our kids baths with thyme oil. We had 2 rough days of cranky kids, with low-grade fevers and very few sores. Whereas others in our extended families were covered in sores and were out of commission for up to 3 weeks! As a very infectious illness, we were hardly affected more than a common cold. I am a believer in natural medicine, and about of hand foot and mouth proved the amazing healing and restoring abilities of thyme on a couple of sick kids.

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Thyme companion planting

Thyme benefits and uses don’t stop at essential oil, thyme is also one powerful herb can in your garden!

Companion planting thyme next to many plants keeps pests away with zero chemicals. Thyme is great at keeping many types of worms away. Cabbage worms, corn earworms, and tomato worms, as well as potato beetles. So companion planting them with potatoes, corn, cabbage, tomatoes, strawberries, onions, chives, asparagus, carrots, and lima beans, just to name a few!

• Repels garden pests
• Increases the flavor of some plants (tomatoes)
• Attracts Bees
• Looks and smells amazing in the garden
• Gives you fresh thyme on hand
• Grows as a perennial

Ways to use thyme

As a natural health advocates and a family striving to removes toxins and chemicals everywhere around us, we look for ways to replace all those unhealthy products with natural or home-made ones (not to mention it saves money too!)

1. Grow in a garden to repel pests
2. Plant near other plants for companion planting
3. Start thyme in flower beds to attract bees
4. Fresh or dried thyme in chicken nesting boxes
5. Dried for on hand herbal tea
6. Tea made from thyme during almost every sickness
7. Thyme oil for natural pet/ carpet flea spray
8. Making air and house disinfectant spray using thyme oil
9. Thyme oil for making natural DIY hand sanitizer
10. Using thyme oil for acne skin cleansing
11. Thyme in a DIY  healing salve
12. Tame a lice outbrake with thyme oil in a  a shampoo
13. Use Thyme oil for those who forgo vaccinations wonderfully powerful against measles, mumps or chicken pox or even hand foot and mouth. (always diluted with carrier oils or in bath water)
14. Plant creeping time instead of grass for easy lawn maintenance
15. Infusing fresh thyme into oils for health, beauty or nutrition purposes.
16. Infuse fresh thyme into honey, for supercharged immunity booster
17. Thyme dried for potpourri or dried flower arrangements with a health kick
18. Infusing in a tincture with other herbs for natural non-deet insect spray for body
19. Thyme in food used fresh or dried as a spice or flavor additive

Sure there are many more things that can be added to that list. I am also sure there is much more still to learn about this amazing plant to help everyone make more natural healthy choices.

Thyme is one of those things everyone should plant and use. Fewer bottles of Lysol in the trash and more houseplants (or gardens) of thyme is just what the world needs! If it would help be more healthy food for bees. If it could help a family use fewer prescription antibiotics. It is so worth the little effort and it such a cheap alternative to so many things to explore ♡♡♡

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Beth

Beth is a mother of 6 living on a handful of acres in an old farmhouse in central Kansas. Beth has a background in the military and health and fitness however her passions come from her homestead life. Beth is an enthusiastic homeschooling mom, avid organic gardener, chicken & goat wrangler, who is obsessed with herbs and natural remedies and maintaining an all-around Do-It-Yourself lifestyle. Beth loves to share all she has learned about and sustainable living. While striving for a healthy, natural life, family-centered life.