Bay

Species name: laurus nobilis.

Also known as: Bay is also known as sweet bay, laurel and Mediterranean bay.

Bay comes from an evergreen tree found in Venezuela, the West Indies, and the Guianas. The bay tree has long leaves, tiny white or pale yellow flowers and black berries.

The Romans believed that Bay oil was symbolic of wisdom, and peace. 

Further, they believed Bay would afford them protection, and keep them safe. Laurel leafs wreaths were presented to Olympians because they come from the Laurel tree, and ‘Laudis’ is Latin for 'to praise’.

Home Remedies using Bay Essential Oil:

Bay rum is a famous hair dressing obtained when bay leaves were distilled in rum, and the resulting tonic was used for sore muscles, and as the dressing for poultices to be used on the chest, when people were suffering from colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia.

The trees must be at least five years old before the leaves can be collected and subjected to salt water steam distillation. 

Bay oil’s chemical composition includes several elements, among those are a-pinene, methyl chavicol, and eugenol. For a complete list of elements, bay essential oil bears an ingredient list on its label.

Benefits of Bay Essential Oil:

Bay oil can be used in the treatment of joint, muscular, and nerve pain. It works equally well for diabetes related problems such as neuralgia, nerve impairment, or circulatory problems. It has been used to treat dental infections, colds, skin infections, and dental abscesses.

The therapeutic properties of bay oil are diverse, including antiseptic benefits when cleaning cuts, scrapes, abrasions, or burns. 

It helps prevent infections, it relieves pain, particularly nerve pain, it prevents spasms, cleanses like an astringent, has sedative effects, promotes blood flow in scanty menstruation, and works as a tonic and insecticide.

As most everyone knows, the kidneys and liver are the body’s filtration system. When the digestive system, liver, and kidney’s become sluggish and fail to work properly, the resulting toxicity affects the entire body.

Bay oil can help act as a tonic to get these systems working more efficiently, and benefit the whole body as a result. In small doses, bay oil is stimulating, but at larger doses, it produces a sedating effect.

• In vapor therapy, bay oil can be used to treat infections, fever, and various neural aches and pains. It can also trigger inspiration and has a calming effect on the mind.
• When bay essential oil is diluted with a carrier oil, the resulting mixture can be used as a massage oil or diluted in a bath. The resulting effect can help calm emotions and relieve aches and pains, but special care must be taken, because essential oil of bay leaves can irritate the mucus membranes such as nasal passages.

Side Effects of Bay Essential Oil:

Essential bay oil has a high eugenol content and may irritate the skin and mucus membranes, so it should be use with caution on the skin.

Pregnant women should avoid it.