Spotlight on Black Pepper

Where I live it’s very cold out, so when I started experiencing muscle soreness and stiffness, I wanted a lovely warming oil to help loosen my muscles and relieve my pain. Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is known for enhancing circulation.

It is a warming stimulant.

It can be used to improve focus.

It can be used in hair oil blends to increase circulation to the scalp.

It has been rumored to assist those who are quitting smoking.

Black Pepper is also considered to be a carminative, so you can use it topically on the abdomen to relieve cramping, bloating and gas.

I created a muscle stiffness blend called “Agility”. Within three days of using the Black Pepper essential oil in my Agility blend my muscles are way less stiff and sore. Between my aromatherapy bathing and yoga, my muscle stiffness is effectively completely relieved. 

• 4 parts Copaiba
• 4 parts Black Pepper
• 3 parts Black Spruce
• 2 parts Ylang Ylang
• 1 part Carrot Seed
• 1 part Vetiver

I created this blend with "parts" being "milliliters" and blended all the oils together, then bottled them into a one-ounce amber glass bottle so I could get several uses from the blend. You can also use drops for a single-use blend as well. I am using this blend before my yoga practice in the bathtub. I mix the oils with unscented oatmeal body wash, stir until the oils are fully blended into the body wash, and add to running bathwater.

I was surprised to learn the active constituents in the Black Pepper essential oil are trans-carophyllene 30.33% and limonene 12.12%. Carophyllene is a natural sesquiterpene and cannabinoid, so you expect the oil to be anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and calming and soothing to the nervous system.