Healthy, Beautiful Peppermint

One thoughtful but simple gift that I received for Christmas is also one of my favorites. A candy jar filled with peppermints.

Peppermint is one of the signature flavors of the season. Candy canes adorn the Christmas tree and make refreshing and sweet post-Christmas treats. So, I began to wonder if peppermint had any health benefits.

Turns out that peppermint oil is considered to be an effective treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  

Peppermint oil in skin products can refresh and brighten tired skin. It's often added to foot creams. In facial care products, peppermint oil can brighten dull skin and remove excess oil. It is even said that peppermint oil will stimulate hair follicles and hair growth.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, peppermint "is also used to soothe an upset stomach or to aid in digestion. Because it has a calming and numbing effect, it has been used to treat headaches, skin irritations, anxiety associated with depression, nausea, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, and flatulence. It is also an ingredient in chest rubs, used to treat symptoms of the common cold. In test tubes, peppermint kills some types of bacteria and viruses, suggesting it may have antibacterial and antiviral properties."