Section: alternatives
natural healer
Just a whiff boosts motivation and mood
* WHAT IT IS The refreshing, frosty blast of peppermint (Mentha piperita) makes this garden perennial a popular flavoring--in 1996, more than 4,000 tons of peppermint oil were added to mints, gum, toothpaste, and other products.
* WHAT FOLK MEDICINE SAYS The Cherokees used peppermint for upset stomach, colic, and gas.
* WHAT WE KNOW Peppermint has been shown to relieve indigestion and bloating due to excess gas; its essential oil eases irritable bowel syndrome.