The Romans called fennel the “herb of sight,” and recent studies show that fennel does have potential in treating glaucoma. In India and Pakistan fennel flavors spicy dishes, and as an after meal breathe freshener. China combines it with other spices, and the Lebanese use it in a special omelet recipe. The Germans and Italians mix it with avocado and chicory in salads, and it’s even an ingredient in toothpaste. Fennel oil contains anethole, which explains why the oil is an essential part of aromatherapy. The polymers in fennel act as phytoestrogens so the medicinal uses for fennel oil were [...]
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The allspice tree is one of those finicky members of the plant family that only grows in certain areas of the world. Jamaica is well known for allspice tree growth, but some South American countries have also been successful in growing and harvesting allspice berries. Different types of allspice berry oil are made using not only the berries, but the stems and leaves as well. When allspice berries are steam distilled, very light and very heavy chemicals emerge. Those chemicals are combined to produce allspice berry oil. Leaves and stems are also used to produce allspice oil, but the berry [...]
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Ancient texts list cinnamon as an important ingredient in incense and in perfume making over 4,000 years ago. The Egyptians used it everyday thanks to its irresistible aroma and taste. The Hebrew Bible mentions cinnamon several times. Moses said the oil should be used in the holy anointing, and Proverbs mention it as a perfume for a lover’s bed. Cinnamon was also a component in Hebrew incense (Ketoret), and it was described in the Hebrew Talmud as Haketoret. Cinnamon bark oil has always been a highly prized gift; it was given to monarchs and even gods like Apollo to express [...]
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Basil oil and basil leaves share a rich history with modern man. Indigenous societies were the first humans to discover the amazing properties of basil and the oil derived from the plant. It has been cultivated around the world for thousands of years. During the early years it was also used to treat headaches as well as to enhance the sex drive. Pliny, the Roman author and naturalist, claimed it was an aphrodisiac, and the Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed it for headaches, but his contemporaries used it as horse feed during breeding season. In modern aromatherapy, basil oil is used [...]
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