Oregano

It was my late Lola Ebeng who introduced me to this wonder plant when I was just a little girl, forty-two years ago to be exact. Lola made sure my siblings and I take a spoonful of freshly squeezed Oregano whenever we have cough and colds. I hated that experience but it was actually very effective. Since Lola and Mama have long been gone and the passing of time created a fast-paced life, it led us to rely mostly on pharmacy-bought medicines.

Now that I'm trying to go herbal, I'm happy to see that my small Oregano, which was given last year as an event invite by Lysol, is now bountiful.

Oregano is a species of Origanum, belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Its name comes from the Greek words oros (mountain) and ganos (joy). Oregano typically grows 50 cm tall and has purple leaves around 2 to 3 centimeters in length. The chemicals that give the herb its unique and pleasant smell are thymol, pinene, limonene, carvacrol, ocimene, and caryophyllene.

According to The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, oregano is also used for the following illnesses and conditions like Cold, Muscle pain, Acne, Dandruff,  Bronchitis, Toothache,  Bloating, Headaches, Heart Conditions, Allergies, Intestinal parasites, Earache, Fatigue,  Repelling insects, Menstrual cramps.

However, it's important to note that further high quality study results are necessary to confirm these claims.