Summer is well settled in and the hot days are lined up. Did you know that Peppermint has the ability to cool your core body temperature and prevent heat stroke? In Arizona I used to hike every chance I got, even when it was 110 degrees. I would often make peppermint tea to take with me, or sometimes I would just put peppermint leaves in my water.
 
Peppermint, like all herbs, has a wide variety of phytochemicals which create a diverse set of benefits when it comes to health. There are historical documents showing peppermint being used for preventing and relieving health issues going back more than a thousand years. The dried herb has even been found in Egyptian pyramids.
 
Many use peppermint to increase circulation by drinking it as a tea or even making a compress that can help muscle cramping. Peppermint has also been used to prevent colic in babies, and in medical studies was as effective as Simethicone. Peppermint is often used to help nausea associated with undergoing Chemo therapy. It has been shown in medical studies to be ameliorative for IBS and Crohns due to peppermints ability to reduce inflammation. Peppermint is also known to have anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties as well and can be very effective for reducing itchiness. It has even been shown to have benefits with intense issues such as Shingles, reducing the intensity of the burning discomfort.

Peppermint can be grown almost everywhere and is one of the staples in any herbalist retinue. To find out more about Peppermint or any of the herbs we carry at Discover Teas, just email me at kenneth@discoverteas.com with Ask the Herbalist in the subject field. I will try to reply within a day or two and will select a question to write about in the next blog.