peppermint essential oil Archives - Momma On The MoveMomma On The Move

My son’s first hiking experience was the Fenland Trail in Banff at the age of 2. I had decided that I wanted to get Matthew out there, knowing that starting early with kids was the key to getting them to know and enjoy things. When introduced at a young age, it becomes natural and what they know.

There is also value in getting kids outdoors and nurturing their innate curiosity about nature and their connection with the environment. The Fenland Trail, which is just on the outskirts of the Banff town site, was the perfect introduction to hiking as it is a short 2 km self interpretive loop trail, that is mostly flat. There is a self guided pamphlet available at the trailhead that highlights 8 markers along the loop that teach you about the lifecycle of the montane forest. Not only does this help keep kids engaged as they are often looking ahead for the next post, but it teaches them about nature and about the environment of the trail that they are on.

Plus the trail itself is beautiful. It winds through a white spruce forest along the eastern edge of the Vermillion Lakes marshland; and part of the trail also runs along the Echo & Forty Mile Creek. And I don’t know about you but I always love a trail that has some kind of water along the hike. It just adds something to it listening to the trickling water as you’re hiking along.

There is also the opportunity to view wildlife on this trail, as you may catch a glimpse of a muskrat or busy beaver in the creek. Elk and deer in the open fields and a plethora of songbirds chirping in the background, such as the black capped chickadee and gray jay.

I love this trail for young kids and toddlers because even though it is about a 30- 40 minute hike, you can go at a nice leisurely pace, allowing the kids to stop and pause along the way, exploring and checking things out. Playing by the creek or sitting at one of the benches along the trail for a break or a snack. You don’t have to rush, you can take an hour or more if you want. I think the first time we went it took us 2 hours! but that was fine, Matthew finished the hike having enjoyed it and feeling successful (and yes he still had energy to burn).

One thing that you do need to keep in mind is because it is close to both the creek and the marshlands the mosquitoes can be abundant. So make sure you take your bug spray or natural bug repellent, so you can enjoy the trail without swatting at the bugs! (If you do get bitten you can use Lavender and Peppermint essential oils on the bites to reduce the inflammation and itchiness).

There are many benefits of taking your kids out hiking and the Fenland Trail is an excellent place to start! Once you have captured their desire to hike more and nurtured their curiosity, it will be easy to move on to longer hikes with maybe even a little bit of elevation gain.

As you do progress the kids on their hikes, remember to keep these tips in mind when hiking with kids and most of all have a good time!

Cool fact: Fenland refers to a wetland that is nourished by nutrient-wet groundwater

Check out other great Alberta hiking trails for kids, like the Alder Trail near Bragg Creek.

Peppermint essential oil is one of the most commonly known and used essential oils yet many people do not fully realize the benefits of this fabulous oil. Personally I love peppermint, well all things mint really, I’ve always loved the freshness of it and the invigorating smell that peppermint provides. I’ve used peppermint in many things from smoothies to chocolates but until I embarked on this journey learning about oils I honestly thought that that was about all it could do. Sure it smelled nice but that was it right?

Wrong! Peppermint has many uses and health benefits to support us in our health and wellness, plus the smell is fantastic! In fact, many of them I now use daily to support my own health (can we say muscle tension after sitting all day at the computer?)

Benefits of Peppermint Essential Oil

Invigorating and energizing – if you’re experiencing that afternoon slump or just need a pick me up, peppermint essential oil will do the trick. Place a drop in your palms and rub them together then loosely cup your hands over your mouth and nose and breathe deeply. Within moments you’ll feel energized and refreshed. You can also diffuse peppermint with wild orange to enhance the effects and keep you energized all day.
Supports digestion – add a drop of peppermint into your water to support healthy digestion. This is also very effective if you’re experiencing digestive discomforts to alleviate those as well.
Reduces heartburn – eliminate the discomfort of heart burn within minutes. Put a drop on your hand and lick it off or add to your water and drink.
Alleviates headaches – place a drop on the back of your neck or on the temples to assist in eliminating headaches. Be careful when placing it on your temples not to get it too close to your eyes.
Relieves muscle tension and stress – ok I didn’t think this one would work but my shoulders were feeling so tight one day I tried it. Put a drop on the area that is bothering you and give yourself a nice little massage 🙂 not only will you immediately notice the cooling sensation which is nice in itself, but it will start to release and relieve muscle tension (my shoulders say thank you).
Supports breathing – peppermint clears the airways and opens things up for good clear breathing. I have a friend who’s having some breathing issues, having a hard time taking a full breath and constantly coughing. She started drinking peppermint tea on a regular basis (1 drop peppermint oil in the bottom of your mug, then add hot water and approach the mug respectfully) which has reduced her cough and opened up her airways so she can breath more deeply.
Freshens bad breath – add a drop on the tongue or to your toothpaste for fresh clean breath.
Improves mental focus and clarity – place a drop in the palm of your hands, rub them together and then cup your hands gently over your nose. Breath deeply, this will bring you back to a place of focus and a clear head.
Natural insect repellant – there are many bugs who do not like peppermint. Ants, spiders, ticks, mosquitos and even lice will be repelled.
Allergy relief – because it is highly effective in opening up the nasal passages it can clear out the muck and pollen during allergy season. Taken in combination with lemon and lavender essential oils this can be a very effective method of clearing allergies during allergy season (In fact, we recently went camping and soon after we arrived at the site my daughter got red itchy eyes and her face started to puff up. I gave her the lavender, lemon, peppermint combination and within 20 minutes she was clear and comfortable).
Anti itch – any time my kids get a bug bite we immediately put on a drop of peppermint and lavender which cools the redness and soothes the itch.

Ok so that was 11 but I thought I’d throw in a bonus one. I also use peppermint essential oil in my homemade chocolates as well as many of my smoothies. It works great in a pinch when I don’t have any fresh on hand (be aware though one drop is likely all you need).

We love peppermint and use it daily in supporting our health and wellness. Give it a try and see how peppermint essential oil benefits you and your family.

*One thing that is important to note is that not all brands of essential oils are safe to ingest. Not all oils are created equally and many store brands have synthetics and fillers in them. If one brand gives you a headache this could be why, so try another brand.

Make sure that your essential oils are 100% certified pure essential oils. I trust the doTERRA Brand Essential Oils because they exceed the highest quality standards and many of them are safe to ingest. They are clearly labeled and indicate whether or not you are able to use them internally. They are also highly potent oils because they are 100% pure and of such high quality – so you will be using less oil for the same effect compared to other brands.

Want to learn more about essential oils but don’t know where to start? Check out the Top 5 Essential Oils for Beginners.