constituents
medicinal properties









description














varieties




where to find, how to harvest



















medicinal actions in our body and uses





energetic qualities















herbal recipes:
















thyme infused honey
thyme syrup
thyme vinegar





my own experiences





thyme <3

Official name: Thymus vulgaris







strengthener of the lungs, calmer of coughs

protector from sepsis

brings warmth and decongestion. if experiencing cold and congestion/stagnation.

Family: mint family 

Parts used: flowering aerial parts of the herb

Constituents:
            Tannins

Bitters

Essential / volatile oil        (reddish-brown)

Terpenes

Flavonoids

Saponins

Caffeic acid

Salicylate

Labiatric acid 

Phenols: Thymol, Carvacrol 


Medicinal Properties:

decongestant
expectorant
bronchodilator
circulatory stimulant 
antispasmodic
relaxant
immunostimulant
anti-inflammatory 
antioxidant
antiseptic
antimicrobial
antihelmintic
carminative
digestive
diuretic
rejuvenative
rubefacient
febrifuge (reduces fever)



Description:


Height: little shrub

Stem: many branched woody stems 

Leaves: small dark-green 

Flowers: bluish purple groups of flowers at the end of stems       

When: evergreen

Full bloom: summer (may – august)

Scent: strongly aromatic 

Taste: pungent, strong, spicy 


Some varieties, types:

Winter / german thyme /typical garden thyme:             narrow-leaved                 more aromatic

            Lemon thyme:                                                      broader leaves                 lemon flavour                                                                   

            Orange thyme

            Silver thyme:                                                       hardiest of them all           most flavourful 
            ……


Where to find: Mediterranean countries. Find on dry, warm rocks that receive lots of sunshine. 


How to harvest: Ideally harvest when flowering (though it can be picked all year around as it is evergreen) and dry with care. 

Background:

The herb of choice to treat or prevent sepsis (internally and externally).

Has been used for colds and influenza for thousands of years. 

Associated with the Greek word “thumus”, meaning courage. A herb of courage and strength. 

Thyme stood for elegance, praise, bravery and admirableness. 

Actions in our body and uses: 

Immune system: Thyme´s volatile oils are strongly antiseptic and antimicrobial, making it the perfect remedy when dealing with infections of the respiratory, digestive or reproductive systems. 

Thyme helps the body to reduce inflammatory states.

 Helps the body to sweat and thus reduce fevers.



Respiratory system:Many beautiful actions on our respiratory tract. Its antimicrobial, bronchodilative, brochorelaxant, expectorant, decongestant properties render it a helper in need when experiencing colds and flus, especially when they come with coughs, bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia, and chest infections. Thyme is an excellent “dry cough remedy” – even if the cough is triggered by anxiety or asthma. 

Nervous system:Thyme is a strong supporter. It will strengthen you in times of exhaustion of the mind and body. Mentally, it can support you when dealing with anxiousness and depression. It helps bring relaxation when feeling tense all the time. Try using thyme for nervous tension headaches. 

Thyme also has healing effects on our brain: it increases memory and concentration. This suggests it might be a good support for ADHD. 

                        
Digestive System:Thyme is a good digestive supporter. It increases appetite, digestion and absorption. Its bitter constituents support the liver and skin. In conditions like IBS or spasms, it will help your gut relax, while its astringency will tone your gut walls and protect them from irritation and inflammation. If your digestive system is experiencing dysbiosis and infection, thyme´s volatile oils will help thanks to their antimicrobial qualities. 

After having undergone treatment with antibiotics, it is recommended to support and recover the flora of your digestive tract with thyme. 

Try drinking a cold thyme infusion in summer to calm an irritable bowel. 

Reproductive system:Try using thyme when experiencing period pain. It will help ease the cramps.



It is known to be helpful for treating pelvic inflammatory disease, as well as vaginal fungal infections.

Urinary system:Also, this system can benefit from thyme´s anti-infective, diuretic properties. 

Externally:As it is antiseptic, it can be used to disinfect wounds. 

It can be applied to aching, painful joints and muscles. 

It can be even used as a deodorant or to repel mosquitos. 

Use as a mouth gargle for sore throats or as a wash for vaginal infections. 

Make a steam inhalation with thyme for colds, flu, sinusitis, catarrh, and coughs. 

Parasites, worms, headlice:Due to its antimicrobial and anthelmintic properties, it is effective in treating parasites, worms and headlice. 

Traditional remedy: take a teaspoon of thyme tincture  with castor oil in the morning before breakfast. 

Circulation:Thyme stimulates our circulatory system. It promotes blood flow to the extremities. It is a warming herb that will keep you warm from the inside out during winter and protect you from the cold. If you are experiencing cold hands and feet, especially in winter, try drinking thyme tea regularly. 



Energetic qualities:
Warming
Pungent
Dry




Herbal recipe ingredients:



Thyme tea:Simply let 1 tablespoon of thyme sit in 1 cup of boiling water. Very important: keep the lid on! (so the volatile oils don´t escape)

Try inhaling the steam a little before taking a sip. 

Thyme vinegar:
Ingredients:
Freshly chopped thyme

Unpasteurised raw apple cider vinegar

Add some other herbs or spices if you like. 



Enjoy on salads. 

Take a little every day. Your gut will love it. 

Add sparkling water to make a soda. 



Thyme infused honey:
Ingredients:
Raw local honey

Dried thyme 

Add some other herbs or spices if you like. 


Take a spoon when having a sore throat or cough. 

Thyme syrup:

Ingredients:
filtered water

dried or fresh thyme

raw local honey

Take 1 tablespoon 1-3 times a day. 


Soulmates <3:
The number one soulmate duo: thyme and sage. Both are beautiful aromatic Mediterranean herbs, with high volatile oil content. They share lots of common healing actions. 

Bees are especially drawn to thyme flower nectar—no wonder the best-tasting honeys come from areas rich in thyme.



Safety/Caution:
A very safe herb, can be consumed ad libitum. 

Be careful to not overconsume during pregnancy.


My own experiences:
Thyme (and sage) is my personal favourite herb. I am in love with its aroma and taste. 

I use it for cooking a lot but honestly put it onto almost every dish I eat – it can be as simple as putting it on top of a slice of toasted sourdough bread, with butter and sea salt. I sprinkle it over my soft-boiled egg. I love putting it on raw fresh vegetables like fennel, cucumbers or zucchini (and ricotta). 

Together with rosemary, my favourite herb for meat dishes.

As I use so much thyme, my mum and I always pick and dry lots of thyme in Croatia, so we have filled up thyme supplies for the entire year ;) 

As I tend to have cold hands and feet all the time, a cup of thyme tea is my constant companion.

Also, whenever I deal with the flu, a cold or cough I like to make thyme inhalations. It warms me up and brings ease when my lungs are congested. 

I love that time of the year when you can find different types of thyme on the farmers´ market. in love with lemon thyme.