This Month's Essential Oils

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Fennel is native to the Mediterranean area and is now grown in the United States, India, Japan, Asia, and Central Europe. There are two types, sweet and bitter. Bitter is usually used for commercial essential oil production, but the sweet variety is recommended for therapeutic purposes.

Historically, Romans consumed fresh fennel shoots as a vegetable and it is still considered to be an edible plant in Europe and the United States. The Romans also cultivated fennel for its fruits: Pliny, the elder, recorded at least 22 medicinal uses for it. The ancient Greeks Dioscorides and Hippocrates both recommended fennel to promote the flow of breast milk and it is still used for this today.

Historical records indicate that fennel shoots, fennel water, and fennel seed were all used as far back as 961AD. Charlemagne encouraged the cultivation of fennel in Europe. In medieval times, fennel was among the many herbs used against witchcraft. It often hung over the door to ward off evil spirits.

Margaret Maury, the Austrian who brought essential oils from France to England in the 20th Century, mentions the therapeutic benefits of fennel oil for rheumatism, gout, and kidney disorders, especially kidney stones.

Ways to Use Fennel Essential Oil Today:

Fennel is excellent for digestive issues such as bloating and gas, constipation, irritable bowel, and loss of appetite, or for babies with colic (rub a little on their feet and/or tummy, mixed with warm olive oil). Fennel water is also effective for colicky babies. Fennel has been shown to stimulate the production of breast milk and assist in balancing blood sugar. Because it reportedly repels fleas, powdered fennel may be sprinkled around animal bedding, in stables and kennels, or the essential oil may be mixed with water and sprayed.

Suggested recipe for breast congestion and soreness:

Fennel Foeniculum vulgare oil: 8 drops
Geranium Pelargonium graveolens or P. Odorantissimum oil: 4 drops
Peppermint Mentha piperita oil: 2 drops
Jojoba oil: 1/2 cup

Blend all the oils and pour into an amber bottle (use a funnel if necessary). Wash the breast well before breast-feeding. Fresh fennel leaves can also be used as a poultice, applied directly to the breasts.

Source: American College of Health Sciences, Aroma 201 manual.