22/01/2019
Thyme, Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
“If you’re lost and you look then you will find me, Thyme after Thyme…………..”
Ah Cyndi, how we love thee and though it’s obvious you weren’t talking about the herb type of time, you will always remain an 80’s icon to me.
Thyme, culinary and medicinal, it’s a superstar. When using it to cook I throw it in to any dish where I’m after a Mediterranean taste and it can also be added to dishes where it would accompany a lemony taste ie. lemon chicken or herb encrusted roast veg etc.
There is a UK native Thyme, Thymus serpyllum. It is a pretty plant, which is mildly aromatic, fairly hardy and can be used in cooking and medicinally, but Thymus vulgaris is much more pungent and flavoursome and is known for its superior medicinal properties.
Thymus vulgaris is a hardy plant. In fact, it’s so hardy that I’ve got a very tragic looking Silver birch stump ‘pot’ rotting outside in the snowy Winter weather and there grows a ruddy Thyme making the best of a bad situation!! Poor thing, I must make an effort to transplant the little blighter.
And as for its medicinal qualities! My goodness, brace yourself, it’s a long list.
Thymus vulgaris is antibacterial, antifungal, expectorant (promotes the discharge of mucous from the lungs, bronchi and trachea) , antitussive (prevents or relieves a cough), carminative (relieves flatulence), spasmolytic (relieves spasm of smooth muscle), a bitter tonic (stimulates appetite and aids digestion), astringent (causes contraction of skin cells and other body tissues) and is also used as a anthelmintic (expels intestinal worms, but only if used in large doses).
So, it’s expectorant, astringent, antibacterial and antitussive properties make it a superb choice for cough remedies. Whether it’s a dry irritating cough or a chunky chesty phlegmy cough, Thyme’s your man. It can also be used for bronchitis, asthma, bronchial catarrh and whooping cough. It’s antifungal properties also make it useful in treating Aspergillosis (a condition caused by aspergillus mould).
The remedy that I make for my clients I combine Thyme with other herbs to make it more powerful and palatable.
Thyme is useful in cases of cystitis and when you feel the first symptoms of a urinary infection, I can helpfully recommend cooled thyme tea mixed in a fresh watermelon smoothie made with water from boiled Barley grains (Barley is a mucilage and a diuretic so helps flush the system with an agent that lines the urinary tracts mucous membranes). I like to also add fresh Persimmons to the smoothie as both the watermelon and the persimmon help with the pH levels of the urine. Now, I can’t attest to you finding that concoction delicious, but I like the taste and it’s an excellent preventative to the cystitis getting any further. Everyone’s a winner here. NB. Note here that I have said water from boiled Barley grains, NOT lemon barley water. The cordial will do nothing to help and is often made with citric acid so will aggravate more than soothe the urinary tract.
Enuresis (bed wetting) in older children can also be helped by a small dose of strong Thyme tea (or a tincture) at bed time. There are reports written from a successful experiment done in 1972 where a large group of older children were given Thyme at bed time and 78% of the children were cured of their bed wetting. It is not stated how this experiment was carried out and whether it was double blind, controlled, etc. Although I haven’t had personal need for this in my young family, all I can say is try it out if your child is having trouble with bed wetting, you’ve got nothing to lose!
Thyme is of benefit to the gastrointestinal tract as well, with use in Enteritis (inflammation of the intestine, especially the small intestine, usually accompanied by diarrhoea), colic (by the pipette a weak infusion is ideal for babies), diarrhoea, dyspepsia and acute & chronic gastritis.
Externally it is effective as a gargle for tonsillitis, a mouthwash for oral thrush, and as a topical treatment for infected or fungal skin conditions. Vaginal thrush is treated with a do**he, a small sterile cloth soaked in a strong infusion of Thyme tea, inserted shallowly into the va**na, replaced every two hours over the space of 3-4 days. NB. Do not leave the do**he in overnight.
The only precaution recommended with Thymus vulgaris is excessive amounts of Thyme taken internally could threaten miscarriage. It is safe in therapeutic doses.
