Thyme – effect, application and studies
General information about Thyme
Thyme or in Latin thymus is a medicinal and spice plant. Here in Europe, the so-called real thyme is usually used as thymus vulgaris. This plant grows up to a height of 40 cm. Thyme can be easily detected on its narrow elliptical leaves.
The top of the leaves is grey and the underside tends to be grey-white and hairy. Thyme can also be recognized by its small white, pale pink or violet blossoms, each of which are grouped together at the ends of the branches. The flowers grow from flowering cylinders or goblets and each has five petals. Thyme usually blooms from May to October.
By the way, thyme is an evergreen plant. Thyme grows in many areas of Europe. This plant prefers sandy soils and plenty of sunshine. Through the cultivation of the plants this plant was made hardy and can therefore also grow in Germany without further growth and the winter weather.
This is why he is also very happy to be planted in gardens. However, wild-growing thyme can be found mainly in Mediterranean countries and in southern regions of Germany on sunny mountain slopes. There are approximately 350 species of thyme, each of which differs in appearance and also in the ingredients. The ingredients are also due to the different locations and can vary greatly.
The thyme spice smells aromatic and can be used to spice up various dishes. Thyme fits well with meat and poultry dishes, but also vegetable dishes can be refined with thyme, for example the potato.
Thyme has been used for centuries as a spice, but also as a remedy. It is interesting, however, that in the Middle Ages thyme in Germany was not necessarily used as a spice, but was used as a burial addition. This was confirmed by archaeological finds. The origin of thyme can no longer be precisely determined today, but it is assumed that the origin of this spice in the Mediterranean region.
Thyme was already known to the ancient Greeks and also to the Romans. Here it was used not only as a spice, but also as a bath additive. In addition, Thyme had a mythological and religious meaning at that time. The Romans used thyme in ceremonies to give Warriors courage and strength. Thyme was used in ancient Egypt as a constituent for the embalming of the dead.
From doctors in antiquity, thyme was also used in mixtures with medicinal herbs. One application here was for example against breathlessness or asthma. But other diseases were also treated by the use of this herb.
The effect of thyme as herb
Thyme is a very effective herb, which can be used in various diseases and ailments. Thyme is very versatile and has even been chosen as the medicinal product of the year in 2006. Very interesting is the effect of thyme as a natural antibiotic.
Inflammations, such as tonsillitis, bladder infections and the like can be treated easily by ingesting thyme. Also, this spice herb acts antibacterial and germ-killing. Therefore, this herb is effective in infectious diseases and viruses. For centuries, thyme has been used as a remedy for respiratory infections, coughs and the like. Thyme has a slime-solving effect. In addition, the overall well-being can be improved and the immune system strengthened.
Important for the efficacy of thyme are the active substances that can be found in this herb. Among other things, the following ingredients are included in thyme:
Essential Oils with Thymol
Gernaiol
Camphor
Linalool
Menthon
Tanning materials
Flavonoids
Triterpenes
Bitter substances
Coumarins
Resins
Salicylates
Pentosane
Stigmasterole
The essential oils found in thyme are especially important in colds and coughs. Even bronchitis and whooping coughs can be treated with thyme. This is where the herb slime is acting. People who suffer from asthma can also experience a cure with thyme relief. However, this is not the only effect attributed to the essential oils in thyme. Also, this herb is resolving and antibacterial.
The cramp-releasing effect is especially interesting for women. This herb is especially helpful for menstrual cramps. Both cramps in the abdomen as well as irregular and severe bleeding can be treated with thyme. But also discomfort during menopause, such as irritability, nervousness and similar symptoms can be alleviated by the ingestion of thyme. It is advisable to drink a cup of tea in the morning. The most important thing is the regular ingestion.
Also worth mentioning are the active substances in thyme, for example Stigasterole, which are important for cholesterol levels. Bad cholesterol is lowered by ingestion and the good HDL cholesterol is promoted. Therefore, thyme is also good for heart health.
The essential oil of the thyme is, of course, also available online. It can be used as a bath additive. Here it has a stimulating effect on the circulation. In addition, certain skin spots can be rubbed with the thyme oil to treat, for example, skin diseases. Ointments made from thyme have been used in skin lichens from a very old age. If it is massaged into the scalp it can stimulate the hair growth.
Side effects are not actually known by thyme. However, the dosage recommendations should be complied with. Overdoses may be harmful. It is believed that overdose could lead to liver damage, for example. However, thyme is healthy in normal dosages and has some benefits for general well-being. It is worth noting that thyme, although it is a recommended natural remedy for women giving birth, can be harmful to pregnant women. It can be abortive and should be avoided by pregnant women.
Then it is advisable to produce a tea from the leaves of the thyme plant. The leaves are simply doused with hot water. Also, there are already ready-made teas in pharmacies and reform houses. These can of course also be ordered online. You can also buy dried thyme online here.
Fields of application for thyme
For thyme There are some areas of application. Of course, thyme can be used in the kitchen to spice up food. Thyme fits well with meat and poultry dishes and here online some tasty recipes can be found. But besides in the kitchen, thyme is also used more often than herb.
Anyone interested in thyme as a herb will be surprised for how many diseases and ailments of this spice herb is effective. Among other things, thyme can be helpful in the following ailments:
To ward off viruses
For the treatment of fungal diseases
To strengthen the immune system
For the treatment of asthma
For the external treatment of acne
For wound treatment
For the treatment of menstrual disorders
In case of digestive problems
As painkillers
Inflammations such as inflammation of the
Almond inflammation
Gum Inflammation
throat inflammation
Bladder inflammation
An interesting example is the application as a means against menstrual problems. Pain remedies such as ibuprofen or similar are often taken here, but these may have side effects. Thyme can easily be used as a substitute.
Thyme has an anti-inflammatory effect and is also cramp-resistant. It is quite possible to make a tea and drink it from thyme. In addition, thyme drops are also available for menstrual complaints, which can be ordered online here. For the ingestion of the drops the package leaflet should be observed. However, it is recommended to take a dose of 25 drops up to 6 times a day.
The antibacterial effect of thyme has been known for a long time. This effect can be used to treat inflammation in the oral cavity. Also inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract is cured by the ingestion of thyme. This has a further advantage, because even annoying halitosis can be combated by ingesting thyme in a natural way.
If you want to prepare thyme from fresh or dried leaves, you should only use small amounts of leaves. Approximately one teaspoon of the dried or fresh leaves is quite sufficient. The leaves are then doused with hot water and should be pulled through for approximately 10 minutes. Then the leaves can be strained. The tea can also be sweetened with a good honey. If you prefer to use tea bags for the preparation of tea, you can also order them online here.
Online is often spoken of smoking the thyme spice. Of course, thyme has a spicy note and a pleasant smell, but the smoking of the thyme is not necessarily recommended. Because Thyme loses its healing power while burning and can, on the contrary, develop harmful substances, which are then inhaled.
Therefore, thyme should not be absorbed into the body in this way, but only in food and drink. However, it is always possible to apply thyme externally, as for example as a bath additive. Also, the inhalation of thyme is a good recommendation.
To inhale thyme, pour about two tablespoons of dried thyme in a large bowl of boiling water. Two litres of water are sufficient. The steam produced here should be inhaled for about 10 minutes. The head should be covered with a towel so that the steam cannot escape. This can counteract inflammation in the throat and sinuses.
The inhalation of the thyme also has a vapor mucus effect.
Thyme is in fact a very versatile herb and a miracle cure of nature. It should not be absent in any household, as this herb can be used as a first aid in so many symptoms. Of course, thyme in severe and chronic diseases is not necessarily a substitute for conventional medicine and with such diseases one should definitely consult a doctor. However, thyme can also be taken as a support to other medications in such diseases.
Scientific studies
Those who are interested in natural and therefore alternative remedies should definitely look at the scientific studies on the respective topic. So you can find out what effect the herb really has. Also for thyme, many scientific studies can be found online, as scientists have worked intensively with this herb in recent decades. From the tradition it was already known that Thyme has some healing effects, but it was important to check these effects.
Online There are also some treatises and publications about thyme. Furthermore, testimonials from people who have tried thyme as a cure can also be helpful. Thyme has a wide range of applications
Interesting about this topic is, for example, an article by Dr. Jörg Schweikart, which can be read here online in full length. This article compares the Lore and scientific studies on the spice Herb thyme.
The article makes it clear that there are many areas of application for thyme known by the tradition and that the scientific studies still do not cover all areas of application. Nevertheless, the studies clearly showed that thyme is antibacterial and can be used very well in coughs, asthma, bronchitis, bacterial infections, fungal infections, viruses, pain and also for wound treatment. Other fields of application are possible, but perhaps scientists have not yet studied them in more detail.
A study dealing with the antibacterial properties of thyme comes from Oman. The study was conducted at the Sultan Quaboos University in Muscat. The active substances were separated by cooking the medicinal herbs and the trapping of steam and then examined. These active substances of the medicinal herbs were then brought together in the laboratory with various viruses, such as salmonella viruses, staph and similar viruses.
The reactions were recorded in this scientific study. It was found that the oil-based extracts were more effective than the water-based extracts. Thyme could not fight any of the viruses tested, but the scientists had success with a number of viruses. The exact data can be read online here.
For centuries, thyme has been used as a cure for women. Scientists in Iran have made it their task to investigate these effects more closely, particularly in the case of menstrual disorders, such as convulsions, and severe menstrual bleeding.
Thyme was compared with a painkiller in this study, which is often taken by women because of these symptoms. For this study, 84 patients with menstrual disorders were investigated. The subjects were divided into groups and they were either thyme, ibuprofen or a placebo product prescribed. Thyme was administered in the form of thyme oil. 25 tropics were taken every 6 hours.
The two groups with ibuprofen and thyme were able to observe an improvement in symptoms, especially both products were pain-quenching, while the placebo group did not observe any improvement. There was no difference between ibuprofen and thyme, which allows the conclusion that the thyme is in any case an effective means for menstrual disorders.
Many more studies online deal with the antibacterial active ingredients of thyme. The efficacy as a means of combating fungi is also discussed in some studies. It is worth noting that most of the studies here are online from abroad and are therefore not available in German language. They were, however, published in the English language. It is definitely worthwhile to read these studies a little more closely in order to better understand the effect of thyme.
Conclusion
Thyme is an aromatic spice, which grows mainly in Mediterranean countries. By breeding This plant, however, it can also be grown in Germany and is now over the winter. Thyme can be used in the kitchen for the seasoning of meat and poultry dishes. Vegetable dishes can also be refined by this spice
Besides being spiced, thyme is also used as a medicinal plant. If you are interested in alternative and natural remedies, you should try thyme in any case. This herb is versatile. Thyme can be used especially to relieve pain, menstrual discomfort, cough, asthma, but also other diseases and symptoms.
Thousands of years ago, thyme has been used in various countries as a remedy and the tradition provides clues as to which diseases this herb was used. Scientific studies in recent years have shown that many of these applications still apply today. Of course, not all areas of application have been investigated so far. However, the already existing studies give an information about the efficacy of this medicinal herb.
This herb can be used both fresh and dried. Those who do not grow thyme themselves in the garden can easily buy it online at the pharmacy or even here. Meanwhile, there are also finished products with the extract of thyme. There are tablets and capsules, drops, tinctures, teas and of course the thyme oil, which can be ordered easily online.
What you ultimately decide is simply your personal taste. However, it is also advisable to store the dried thyme leaves at home to simply pour them with hot water as tea. The dried leaves can also be poured to inhale with 2 litres of boiling water.
Side effects cannot be detected in the use of thyme. Also interactions with other drugs have not been recorded in the many scientific studies. It is advised that pregnant women should consult a doctor before using thyme or should not use thyme as a remedy. Although online smoking of thyme is often described here, doctors advise to refrain from doing so. The healing effects of thyme are eliminated by burning and harmful substances are inhaled when smoking, which can pose a danger to health.
Thyme should only be taken in the recommended dosage. For a thyme tea, a teaspoon of the dried herb is quite sufficient. Of the thyme droplets can be taken up to 25 tropics, 6 times a day. For other products, the package leaflet should be observed. One thing is sure, thyme belongs to the medicinal herbs, which should not only have a place in the kitchen, but also in the medicine cabinet.
