by Tamara Mctee—Chartered Herbalist

Thyme is famous for its use in savory culinary dishes. Often used with roasted chicken, and an excellent addition to winter soups and stews, in the kitchen this herb combines nicely with bay leaf and parsley. Not only an essential spice in your kitchen, thyme is also an primary herb for the medicine cabinet. It contains high amounts of two volatile oils, thymol and carvacrol, making thyme is an antispasmodic, antiseptic and a digestive.

Thyme has many aromatherapeutic uses. Burning essential oil of thyme will help cleanse the air. A combination of the essential oils thyme, mint and rosemary infused into the air can sooth headaches and migraines. Try mixing it with lavender essential oil to relieve insomnia.

Adding essential oil of thyme to a household spray bottle of water can help fight mold. A few drops in a small dish of olive oil can be used as an external rub to relieve muscular pain and rheumatism. Add some thyme essential oil to a plain cream as a handy antiseptic medium for your medicine cabinet.

There are many ways to use an infusion of thyme externally. A bath of thyme can sooth sore breasts in women and sore eyes in children. It’s a good external disinfectant for wounds, abscesses and burns. This tea can help heal bruises; a compress can be used to soothe a toothache. Thyme makes a good gargle for mouth ulcers when mixed with sage and raspberry leaves.

The Romans used to burn dried thyme to ward off “venomous creatures”, and in the Scottish Highlands, wild thyme tea was said to prevent nightmares. All myths aside, small doses of thyme tea taken before bed can prevent bedwetting in children.

There are two main types of thyme, common and garden, thymus vulgaris and thymus serpyllum in Latin. Thyme grows best in dry grasslands and chalky soil. It is most potent when harvested in the summertime; yet in our mild climate thyme can survive all winter long, and is best when harvested fresh. If a weak infusion is wanted, use one teaspoon of crushed herb per cup of boiling water and allow to steep, covered, for ten minutes. For a stronger infusion, steep one tablespoon of crushed herb per one cup of water and allow to steep, covered, for ten to twenty minutes. Thyme has a very strong flavor; so, when making a tea for children, use the weaker infusion It is nice to add a little bit of honey to sweeten the brew.

Thyme, taken internally, has many uses. Thyme tea is known as a specific cure for whooping cough. It is excellent for all types of respiratory infections, and soothing to irritable coughs/ Thyme acts as an expectorant, while reducing spasms at the same time.

Breastfeeding moms can take a strong dose of thyme tea a few times a day to have the medicinal effects of this remedy transferred to a congested infant via the breast milk. Pregnant women should avoid taking large amounts of thyme; keep its use to a minimum. This herb can be as a tea if there is a prolonged labor.

Thyme can be used for treating childhood asthma and diarrhea. It makes a great after-dinner tea, aiding digestion while strengthening the whole system. Thyme is an overall tonic for the body, It will give the nervous system a boost when one is feeling lethargic and dealing with depression.

From the kitchen to the medicine chest...time to give thyme a try.