Bay Laurel(Laurus nobilis) is in the Laurel family of botanical plants and the essential oil comes from Croatia where it is steam distilled from the leaves and twigs.
Bay laurel is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 65 feet in height.
It has dark green, glossy leaves and black berries and is often cultivated as an ornamental shrub.
Traditionally the leaves of bay laurel were used to crown the victors by both the Greeks and Romans.
Both leaf and berry were used for a number of different purposes including hysteria, colic, indigestion, loss of appetite, to promote menstruation and for fever.
During the Middle Ages it was used for angina, migraine, heart palpitations, and liver and spleen complaints.
How Can Bay Laurel Be a Health Benefit Today? Bay laurel today is observed to have antimicrobial, expectorant, mycolytic, antibacterial, antifungal, anticoagulant and anti-convulsant properties.
It is used for nerve regeneration, arthritis, and oral, respiratory and viral infections.
Bay laurel can be diluted 50-50 and applied on location or on the chakras/vita flex points, it can be directly inhaled, diffused or taken as a dietary supplement.
However, many resources state that when taken internally it can have narcotic like properties.
Bay laurel blends well with pine, cypress, juniper, clary sage, rosemary, olibanum, labdanum, lavender, citrus and spice oils.
This oil is relatively non-toxic, and non-irritating.
It can cause dermatitis in some individual.
It should be used in moderation due to possible narcotic properties attributed to methyl eugenol.
It should not be used during pregnancy.
Want to learn more about the healing properties of bay laurel and other essential oils? Consider becoming a certified aromatherapist.
Educational courses in healing energy and aromatherapy can help you understand how essential oils heal the body/mind/spirit.
The institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy teaches courses throughout the United States on aromatherapy and energy healing.