Peppermint in pregnancy

Fragrant mint is used as a flavoring additive for tea, other drinks and dishes. It is incredibly useful and contains about 3% of essential oil, as well as aroma components, tannins, organic acids, phytoncides, flavonoids, vitamins, microelements, etc.

There are about twenty-five species and a dozen subspecies of mint, but we know peppermint better. Leaves, flowers and shoots bring equal benefits to humans. The plant has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic and vasodilatory effects. Mint is destructive to all types of pathogenic bacteria in the stomach, is a natural sedative for nervous and heart disorders, and perfectly restores strength.

Useful and aromatic mint attracts with its versatility and ease of use in cosmetology, folk medicine, gastronomy. Mint during pregnancy, like any medicinal plant, has its indications and contraindications.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ]

Can you eat mint during pregnancy?

Opinions on the use of mint during pregnancy vary in different sources. The main warning concerns the large amount of estrogen hormone in mint, which can trigger premature labor.

However, doctors themselves classify mint as a medicinal plant, permitted for use during pregnancy. Being a natural aphrodisiac, mint helps restore libido, which decreases in at least forty percent of expectant mothers.

If you are pregnant and you are tormented by the question: "Can I use mint during pregnancy?", consult a gynecologist. Most likely, the answer will be positive. The plant relieves frequent headaches, is effective in treating coughs and earaches. The smell of mint helps with fainting and dizziness. Mint has healing properties in the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, relieving stomach cramps, intestinal colic, normalizing stool, improving bile secretion. Few people know about the benefits of mint in the treatment of muscle, heart pain, and as a means of relieving itching.

Mint during pregnancy: contraindications

Lovers of fragrant mint should be careful during pregnancy. Uncontrolled intake of any medicinal plant has its unpleasant consequences, especially during pregnancy.

Mint contraindications during pregnancy are associated, first of all, with the presence of the female hormone estrogen in the plant, which affects uterine contractions and promotes premature labor.

The property of mint to lower the tone of venous vessels should warn fans of the fragrant plant with low blood pressure. In the presence of varicose veins, it is also not recommended to consume mint. The essential oil contained in mint can cause allergic reactions and is prohibited during pregnancy.

Mint tea during pregnancy

Obstetricians and gynecologists recommend taking mint to combat common ailments – toxicosis, heartburn, bloating.

Tea with mint brings maximum benefit and effectiveness during pregnancy. Pregnant women can drink up to four cups of aromatic drink per day, prepared from fresh and natural plant. When buying ready-made compositions, give preference to pharmacy analogues with quality control to avoid all kinds of impurities and additives. It is good to combine mint with lemon balm, black currant, rose hips, strawberries and currants.

Pregnant women enjoy drinking mint tea and report only beneficial effects. Mint tea solves the problem of constipation, normalizes sleep and relieves the effects of nervous exhaustion.

Peppermint during pregnancy

Of all the existing types and subspecies of mint, peppermint is the most widespread due to its strong aroma. It is used as a basis for cosmetics, medicines, and the plant is also used in cooking.

Before the flowering period, the plant contains the maximum amount of essential oil - menthol, which can have a negative effect on the fetus. It is this fact, especially at the end of pregnancy, that makes pregnant women be more careful and not abuse it or even wait with taking mint.

Peppermint during pregnancy will help get rid of painful toxicosis and restore appetite. To prepare the decoction, you will need a glass of dry raw materials, a liter of boiling water and about an hour of patience. It is recommended to drink the infusion in small sips (100 ml) at intervals of several hours.

You should not indulge yourself with peppermint if you are intolerant to one of the components included in its composition. Peppermint during pregnancy is prohibited for use in cases of low blood pressure and a tendency to varicose veins.

Mint and lemon balm during pregnancy

Professional herbalists agree with the public opinion that adding mint or lemon balm to tea has a beneficial effect on the health of the nervous system, metabolism and quality of sleep. However, they make some adjustments:

• teas with mint and lemon balm should be taken in courses, no longer than three months, with a mandatory break. The fragrant drink is drunk before going to bed, as it has a pronounced relaxing and calming effect;
• for tea, three large or five small leaves of mint or lemon balm are enough;
• A lemon wedge is a must-have addition to mint tea for gastritis with low acidity.

Mint and lemon balm are used together during pregnancy to relieve symptoms of toxicosis, to increase appetite and normalize stool. Melissa has medicinal properties similar to mint. It has a pleasant lemon aroma and helps to cope with flu or colds during pregnancy, when taking pills is undesirable. The diuretic effect of lemon balm relieves pregnant women from swelling.

Melissa, like mint during pregnancy, has its own contraindications:

• tendency to allergic reactions;
• low blood pressure;
• changes in hormonal levels.

Based on herbalists' recommendations for the general public, pregnant women should consult a doctor before using herbal remedies.

Mint decoction during pregnancy

Mint in the form of an infusion will help improve the condition of flaky, elastic, acne-prone skin during pregnancy. The decoction is prepared from 1 tbsp. of dry raw materials, poured with a glass of boiling water. Use for wiping the skin of the face and body.

A decoction of mint during pregnancy with valerian root, yarrow herb and marigold flowers is an excellent remedy for toxicosis. Take 2 teaspoons of each component, pour in two glasses of boiling water and strain after thirty minutes. Take 60 ml up to six times a day. You can add mint leaves to food or chew them after a meal to avoid vomiting.

Peppermint Oil During Pregnancy

Aromatherapy during pregnancy can become an alternative to medication if necessary. Smells help to find peace of mind, relieve fatigue, create a festive atmosphere, protect against viruses and ease the condition of a cold.

Most common problems during pregnancy such as back pain, varicose veins, swelling, toxicosis, bowel problems, increased emotionality can be treated with essential oils. Here there is a big but: the fact is that aromatherapy can negatively affect the developing fetus. The list of prohibited compositions includes peppermint oil during pregnancy, which contains a large amount of menthol. Essential oil increases hormonal activity and can cause bleeding.

An undesirable effect can be achieved by using lemon balm oil, which has a diuretic effect and promotes menstruation. Peppermint oil has toxic and abortive properties.

The degree of toxicity is determined by the method of application and the quality of the essential oil itself. The most dangerous method is oral, so pregnant women are prohibited from taking oils internally.

Peppermint Essential Oil During Pregnancy

The period of expecting a baby is a time when you should be careful with familiar products, cosmetics and popular aromatherapy. Essential oils are often used for inhalation by means of an aroma lamp. The effect of ethers on the course of pregnancy has not yet been studied. It should also be taken into account that essential oils are concentrated extracts that have no analogues in the natural world. Therefore, they cannot be considered natural.

Peppermint essential oil during pregnancy is one of the most dangerous due to its embryotropic action, that is, it has a negative effect on the fetus, even leading to its death.

[ 3 ], [ 4 ]

Mint when planning pregnancy

Doctors recommend giving up mint in any form if you are just thinking about having children. This warning is due to the content of menthol in mint, which suppresses gonadotropic activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary system, reducing the effect of hormones necessary for conception and the normal course of pregnancy.

However, there is also an opposite opinion that mint is useful when planning pregnancy, as a means of normalizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, strengthening the immune system and the nervous system.

It is better to give preference to freshly picked or self-dried mint.

There are very few things in the world that would suit everyone without exception, except for clean things - water and air. The same is with medicinal plants. Mint during pregnancy in any form should be used carefully and competently, based on the individual characteristics of the body.