I started taking oregano a few months ago after hearing about its many benefits. I felt that it could help me get even clearer skin.
The way I work, regarding skin, is I do EVERYTHING I can to improve my health because every little bit counts – especially for my skin.
This is where oregano comes in.
Oregano oil is made from leaves and flowers of Origanum Vulgare, an herb and a member of the mint family. It’s native to Europe, but it grows in many areas around the world.
The name comes from the Greek words “oros” and “ganos,” which are words for mountain and joy or delight — oregano means “joy of the mountain.” I certainly get a lot of joy from it, because it helps me when my immune system is sluggish or plain down.
The most therapeutically beneficial oil is produced from wild oregano. Take special care to find certified organic oregano in the form Origanum Vulgare.
The stuff you’ll find in grocery stores is most likely not made from this particular form of oregano, and doesn’t come with the same list of therapeutical benefits.
The Benefits Of Oregano
Oregano is high in natural phytochemical compounds such as phenols which have beneficial antioxidant effects.
Major phenols in oregano are thymol and carvacrol.
Thymol is a natural fungicide with antiseptic properties. It boosts your immune system, shields you against toxins, prevents tissue damage, and promotes healing. These are all amazing properties for skin health!
Carvacrol is the most important component of oregano and is found to be effective against many strains of bacteria and food-borne pathogens like Candida Albicans, Staphylococcus, E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and many more…It has powerful antimicrobial properties!
As you might have heard, candida can be responsible for acne in some people. Candida is a fungus that is present in all of us, specifically in the gut. It helps with nutrient absorption and digestion. The problem occurs when there’s too much candida, and it begins to break down the walls of the intestinal lining, leaking into your blood stream. This can result in major leaky-gut.
If you think you might have candida, then I recommend that you research it further and go through a candida cleanse. There are many different ones on the market, but it seems that most literature also says to supplement with oregano as well to help get rid of excess candida.
Read about how to heal your gut here.
Taking oregano as a supplement or adding it to food is a great way to not just kill bad bacteria, but it may also alleviate food poisoning symptoms.
But Oregano also contains other beneficial compounds like rosmarinic acid and beta-caryophyllin (E-BCP). Rosmarinic acid prevents free radical damage and has an antihistamine effect lowering fluid retention from allergic reactions, while beta-caryophyllin lowers inflammation!
You know by now that clear skin requires lowering inflammation. High levels of inflammation are super detrimental to your overall health, and especially skin health. Chronic inflammation is responsible for red, swollen pimples…
Only 5 grams of Oregano oil provides an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score of 8765 – and I take 40mg doses of it. For reference, a whole apple contains just an ORAC score of just 4000. ORAC units is a system measuring antioxidant content.
Some people apply oregano directly to the skin, but this isn’t something I’ve experimented with.
Oregano is meant for short-term use if you take it orally. You don’t have to take oregano every single day…
I’ve found information that says that oregano should only be taken from 7-10 days at a time, but I’ve also heard people superposing on oregano regularly without any negative side effects.
Why Do I Take Oregano?
When I feel like I’m not sleeping enough, or that I’m too stressed, or I feel like I’m about to get a cold – I take a TON of oregano!
I take oregano as a preventative measure, and mainly to boost my immune system and lower inflammation.
High inflammation and high-stress mess with the immune system. The immune system really matters when dealing with acne – the stronger the immune system, the fewer pimples.
Although oregano doesn’t directly impact skin, it improved immune function which ultimately helps your skin.
Another reason I take oregano is to kill yucky bacteria…Though I live in a developed country, food-borne illness is still possible. I don’t know how my food is handled, and I don’t even know if I wash everything properly, or always cook my meats to the right temperature.
So I take oregano as a preventative measure against pathogens, fungi, and parasites. These can disrupt digestive function and have a negative effect on the skin!
I take oregano at random, but relatively regularly – about 3 times a week in 40mg capsules. I up the dose to 2-4 capsules a day if I’m feeling like I’m about to get sick to help my immune system fight off infection faster and more effectively.
I’ve found that oregano has been very helpful, and it’s definitely going to stay in my acne-fighting, immune-system-boosting, inflammation-lowering arsenal!
Have you ever tried oregano?
Love,
Olena
P.S. If you need help on your skin-clearing journey, sign up to get 28 of my BEST hacks for clear skin here!
The Oregano I take: Health First Orega Supreme
