Myrtle and Its Uses

Myrtus Communis

Myrtle essential oil is a fantastic addition to your health routine.  Historically the plant has been associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the leaves were used to honor soliders, similar to use of bay leaves (see Bay Laurel Post).  The plant's flowers, leaves, and stems are used to create essential oil through steam distillation.  The properties of myrtle essential oil are as an antiseptic, astringent, deoderant, sedative, and even an aphrodisiac.  The oil can be blended with others to create a wonderful vapor treatment for colds and respiratory issues.

MI regularly stocks this oil and is excited to share this oil with you.  The herbs are grown and distilled in the Tirana county in central Albania.  We hope that this information encourages you to try this oil and experiment with its uses.

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Gjithe te mirat
"All the best"

MI

The Gifts of the Magi

"...they presented unto him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."  Matthew 2:11.


The three wise men presented gifts to Jesus in the story of his birth in the Bible.  To get into the holiday spirit, MI decided to focus on the two lesser known gifts of the three- frankincense and myrrh.


Frankincense is a dried resin used in perfumes, aromatherapy, and religious celebrations.  The essential oil is created from steam distillation of the resin.  It is harvested from the boswellia sacra tree that is predominantly found in Yemen and Somalia.  The tree's bark is slashed and the sap that bleeds from the cut bark is dried to create frankincense.  Quality is determined by size, color, harvest location, age, and shape.  Traditionally it was used to mask the smell of corpses at funerals.  The Egyptians used it to create eyeliner from the charred resin called kohl.  Today, it is used medicinally to treat ailments like leprosy, inflammatory diseases, and depression.  There is even research that shows frankincense may be effective in cancer treatments.


Myrrh is created in the same manner as frankincense.  The dired resin from the cammiphora myrrha tree found in Yemen, Somalia, and Ethiopia.  It is used in religious rituals, specifically in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox liturgical ceremonies.  The essential oil is created from steam distillation and is also used medicinally for stomach, gum, and respiratory issues. 

This post is to serve as a little historical lesson in how essential oils are used throughout the years.  Also, since Epiphany just passed last week, which is the celebration of the visit of the three wise men, it seems appropriate to show how essential oils have been of value throughout the ages.

Gjithe te Mirat,
"All the best"
MI