To improve the overall health of the body, herbs have been playing a major role for decades; they help in healing wounds faster, make up for nutritional supplements and also deliver a host of benefits. Herbs strengthen the immune system, lower blood sugar and cholesterol, have anti-inflammatory properties, and prevent Alzheimer’s diseases and various types of cancer.
Herbs eliminate the nutritional deficiencies in your body and thus restore the correct function of the body. Herbs rectify problems rather than suppress them. It is also said that herbs nourish every part of the body with their vitamin and mineral content. In short, our body needs certain essential dietary nutrients to meet the everyday demands of life because herbs provide us with most of the necessary components for a healthy life.
Herbs are normally used as flavoring additives to culinary dishes. Along with that, herbs are now an integral part of various medicinal practices in most countries.
Many herbal extracts like those derived from mint, licorice, fenugreek, ginkgo, and aloe vera are used in medicines. The health benefits of herbs vary with their type. For example, ‘Artichoke’ cures different kinds of digestive problems, whereas ‘American Ginseng’ works as a health tonic and ‘Rosemary’ promotes healthy brain function. Almost all herbs have some health benefit and you can consume herbs for their comprehensive benefits after acquiring the recommendation of a medical practitioner.
Health Benefits Of Herbs
Given below are some general benefits of herbs. This is just an indicative list;
Strengthen the Immune System: Herbs are rich in many essential oils, antioxidants, phytosterols, vitamins, and other nutrient substances that equip your body to fight against toxins and germs, as well as boosting the immune system. In fact, you can call herbs ‘medicines’ in small dosages. Some of these immune-boosting herbs are elderberry, garlic, ginger, onion, hibiscus, cinnamon, and goldenseal.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties: The essential oils present in some herbs, like ginger root, have excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Some herbs inhibit the enzyme cycloxygenase (COX), which facilitates inflammatory reactions in your body. This is the reason why herbs are excellent natural remedies for inflammatory health issues such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel ailments like ulcerative colitis.
Reduce Blood Sugar Levels and Cholesterol: Some herbs have positive effects on the pancreas, thereby balancingblood sugar levels. Herbs have reportedly controlled many cases of Type I or Type II diabetes. For instance, fenugreek, bilberry and cayenne pepper extracts are said to be good blood sugar-stabilizing herbs. Herbs like psyllium, fenugreek and licorice can result in a noteworthy reduction of cholesterol and in blood pressure levels, thereby preventing various coronary ailments.
Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease: Many herbs have antioxidant, anti-amyloid and anti-inflammatory properties. These can effectively prevent Alzheimer’s disease. In Europe, the Ginkgo herb has been used widely to treat Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Prevents Cancer: Since ancient times, especially in Chinese medicine, herbs were extensively used for treating cancer symptoms. In fact, herbs also help to soothe the after effects of chemotherapy. Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have shown through a number of studies that gastric, hepatoma, colon, and breast cancer cells can be effectively destroyed by many medicinal herbs like oldenlandia, scutellaria, taraxacum, and phragmites. The herbs purify blood and prevent cell mutations that usually lead to cancerous growths. The volatile oils derived from certain herbs emit cytotoxicity action against pancreatic, prostate, endometrial, and colon cancer cells. However, the selection of herbs to cure cancer should be strictly done under the supervision of a medical practitioner.
Skin Care: For ages, herbs have shown significant benefits for natural skin care. Amongst the innumerable herbs found all over the globe, some common herbs like neem, turmeric, Aloe Vera and holy basil assure you radiant and healthy skin. If you mix the powdered form of holy basil, neem, mint leaves and a pinch of turmeric powder, it will eventually fade any dark spots on your face. Chamomile oil, when applied topically, helps to repair damaged skin tissues. Tea Tree oil is a great herbal extract used for face washes and creams, especially for oily skin, as it has the ability to control oil secretion from the pores. Aloe Vera is extensively used in manufacturing skin products, as this herb gives a smooth and youthful touch to your skin. Basil leaves are also an important ingredient for skin cosmetics, particularly in India.
Hair Care: Like skin care, hair care has also become a prevalent practice through herbal applications. Massaging your hair with jojoba oil stimulates bountiful growth to your hair. There are many more herbs like gotu kula, horsetail, ginseng, and marigold extract that similarly stimulate hair growth. If you use cooled chamomile tea as a hair toner, it will give you a natural blonde hair coloring effect. With the application of lemon juice, you can enhance the color effect as well. Aloe Vera juice or oil regenerates hair cells, thereby repairing damages and also soothing the scalp with a cooling sensation. Fenugreek enhances blood circulation to the hair roots. Ivy burdock cleanses hair and also cures scalp problems like itchiness and dandruff.
Dental Care: Herbal toothpastes are now widely available in the market, which often ensure a perfect set of teeth and gums for you without any side effects, after extended use. Some tooth cleaners in the market contain harsh abrasives, whiteners, detergents, or bleach that can cause harm to your teeth over the long term. Thus, opting for herbal methods is a wise choice for natural dental care. There are numerous herbs that, when used directly on the teeth and gums, gives wonderful and quick results. For instance, rubbing sage leaves over the teeth and gums cleans them instantly and makes the texture smooth. If teeth stains are a problem for you, rub alpine strawberry over the teeth. Bad breath can also be easily eradicated by using lavender water, fresh parsley or mint tea as an herbal mouthwash. For toothaches, clove oil is probably the most effective and readily available medicine. For a healthy mouth and gums, herbs like alpine strawberry, lavender, thyme, sage, neem, fennel, parsley, Aloe Vera, and mint are found to be very effective and are widely used in the manufacturing of herbal toothpastes, mouthwashes and tooth whiteners.
Herbs have a number of overall benefits for your body – the healing properties of herbs vary, but usually most of them are carminative (cures gastric issues), diaphoretic (controls water retention), lipolytic (helps in weight loss), anti-spasmodic, analgesic (relieves pain), deodorant, aphrodisiac (increases sexual drive), antiseptic, digestive, and stimulant when taken in correct dosage.
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