In October I hosted an Oil of Oregano class for our Ladies Night Out. If you’re local, below is the group for upcoming get-togethers. We talked about the herb & made our own oil of oregano. Below I’ve added my notes from the night along with instructions. If you make your own, I’d love to hear from you. And if you love it but don’t want to bother making your own, you can purchase it in my shop, link below.
HISTORY
According to Greek mythology, the goddess Aphrodite created oregano as a symbol of happiness for her garden. The word “oregano” comes from the Greek words oros and ganos, meaning “ joy of the mountains”.
The Greeks used oregano in marriage ceremonies to provide joy and at funerals to provide peace to the departed & banish sadness. The Greek physician Hippocrates used oregano for antiseptic purposes and to protect against respiratory ailments and gastrointestinal distress. Ancient Greeks believed that oregano could also be used as a poison antidote. They also used it to treat skin irritations & infections.
Medieval Europeans would chew on oregano leaves to alleviate rheumatism, toothache, indigestion, and cough.
Oregano later made the journey to China. There, it was also used for medicinal purposes. The Chinese used it for fever, vomiting and upset stomach.
Oregano is most often used in Italian cuisine. It is a key ingredient in tomato sauces and on pizza, pizza sauces, vegetable dishes and for adding flavor to grilled meat. There, it was discovered by WWII soldiers who brought it back to the US.
BENEFITS
As you see, Oregano has been used for so many different ailments. To sum it up, Oregano is a natural antibiotic, a powerful antioxidant & anti-inflammatory.
It’s been used for stomach issues (nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea, etc), a natural pain reliever (arthritis, muscle & joint pain/soreness), to treat ear infections, yeast infections, skin infections, and so on.
OILS
Infused herbal oil means combining medicinal properties of herbs into a specific carrier oil. This extraction process is called infusion. It is where herbs or plant matter are chopped and steeped in carrier oil for weeks or months to get the most out of said herbs or plant matter. There are a variety of oils that can be used as carrier oils (olive oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, etc).
Essential oil is where the plant matter is distilled or pressed to draw out the essential oils of the plant. It takes a lot of plant. It takes about 10lbs to make this 5ml bottle of essential oil.
Here is where you get to create a powerful duo. Just add essential oil into any herbal infused oil and you would be able to maximize the healing properties from both the essential oil and the herbal infused oil.
HOW TO
Fill your jar with dried oregano and use the end of a wooden spoon to crush the herb to release the essential ois. Leave about an inch from the top. Make sure your herbs are completely dry to avoid mold. And if you’re not growing your own, I suggest purchasing from a small business. Commercial plants just aren’t cared for the same and may contain other chemicals used in the growing or drying process.
Completely cover the oregano with your choice of carrier oil. We used EVOO for our class. Don’t shake but flip around to mix everything well. Close up tight & label (don’t miss this step). Add what your concoction is & the date.
Set your concoction in the sun for a day to warm. Flip or roll it around gently a few times.
Store in a cool, dry place for 6-8 weeks. The longer, the better. Flip or roll it around every once in a while.
Strain your mixture into a clean jar with a clean cheesecloth. Don’t forget to squees that last little bit out, it’s the best part. This is when I add my essential oils. Make sure to mix well and let it sit for another couple days to completely infuse .
Now you can transfer some into dropper bottles or keep it in the mason jar, it’s up to you.