According to the Greeks, Oregano is translated to “Mountain Joy†and an absolute favourite herb to use in Turkish, Greek, Italian, Armenian, and Lebanese dishes.
The aromatic, warm and slightly bitter herb most definitely loves the higher altitudes and for the mountain tribes, it’s most certainly a joy to harvest such an important minty green.
It’s rather interesting how the healthiest spices and herbs are cultivated and used in the Mediterranean region, meaning that even with the high-fat diet, the populations are often some of the healthiest in the world. Good thing the rest of the world learned to emulate this example, Europeans keen on growing such amazing greens such as oregano.
According to NaturalNews.com, oregano is one of the most powerful healing herbs and antibiotics known to mankind. It is also potent both when fresh and dry, moreso in the former state.
How did the Ancient Greeks and Romans use oregano?
• To heal skin sores
• To relieve aching muscles
• As an antiseptic
• For asthma
• For cramping
• To relieve diarrhea
• To relieve indigestion
Well, the ancient peoples didn’t have the science we do now, but the herb is still used as both topical and infused with medications to heal and protect the body. Scientists doing their research properly have discovered even more amazing properties, however, which only prove that those ancients were actually not as backwards in thinking as many think. On the contrary, it seems they understood medication better than many do today, which is a rather strange situation to be standing in.
Science about the benefits of oregano
1. When it comes to fighting enteric parasites, Oregano’s got the muscle. According to Phytotherapy Research, 600 mg of oregano oil on a daily basis for 6 weeks meant improved gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as the complete disappearance of parasites inside the body in most patients.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/%28SICI%291099-1573%28200005%2914:3%3C213::AID-PTR583%3E3.0.CO;2-U/abstract
2. Women rejoice! Oregano has a killer effect on metastatic breast cancer cells, inhibiting tumor growth according to a study conducted in the UAE.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23874773
3. The antimicrobial component of oregano, especially the Arabic zaatar version, are astounding when it comes to fighting off E. coli and ensuring your baby greens are safe for ingestion according to this particular study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23874773
4. The antimicrobial effects can be applied to detergent as well as hand-washing, being found in a Greek study to be as effective as soap without the harsh additives. Just use oregano oil to wash those disgusting microbes away!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23848299
5. Protecting against neuronal damage, oregano is quite efficient in working towards producing Vitamin E and antioxidants, according to a study done on rats. Eat that oregano and you just might ward off damage to the brain which often becomes inevitable with age. Staving off that dementia is most certainly an amazing benefit!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23831191
6. It is not only women who should rejoice! Men will love the fact that oregano actually effectively destroys prostate cancer cells, meaning they can go on living their lives. No reason not to add oregano to your food on a weekly basis at least to help prevent the onset of this cancer.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1506/pizza-and-pasta-herb-could-treat-prostate-cancer
7. Oregano reduces triglycerides that can harm the heart’s function by 30%, meaning that even the fattiest of foods can be shaved of their negative side effects with a pinch of oregano.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/spices-added-high-fat-diet-good-your-heart
8. 200 mg of oregano 3 times a day means you have effectively destroyed the bacteria growing in your stomach, reducing tummy trouble and increasing your body’s immunity, according to Dr. Oz.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/11405/dr-oz-unveils-12-natural-immunity-boosters-enhance-health
9. New research shows that it isn’t just breast and prostate cancer cells that are prone to myurder by oregano, but pancreatic cancer cells as well, according to this story at EmaxHealth.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/spices-added-high-fat-diet-good-your-heart
10. Oregano essential oils have shown to decrease severity of seizures and increase its latency, according to a Greek study looking at the effects of multiple herb essential oils.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23819045
There are many more reasons to use oregano, but it’s anti-cancerous and antimicrobial abilities have been proven in multiple studies to be as efficient as other common treatment, or perhaps better, without the side effects.
Source: EmaxHealth
