Plants and Herbs That can Benefit Your Health
Since the beginning of time, before the advent of synthetic drugs and modern-day medicine, ancient civilization relies solely on plants and herbs and use them strategically to treat all kinds of diseases and they are very good at it.
At present, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80 percent of the world’s total population still use herbal and traditional remedies as their primary tool for health care. On the other hand, the majority of the new drugs developed introduced in the U.S are derived from natural products, especially from plants.
Unfortunately, the use of medicinal plants in daily life is gradually declining as there are more doctors who recommend synthetic drugs over natural ones. But if you are really interested in using natural remedies to uphold your health, you can rejoice because there are a vast selection of plants and herbs that are easy to plant even in your own backyard.
If you want to harness the power of medicinal plants, below is an excellent starting point. It is just a portion of the countless medicinal herbs out there, but once you got yourself started, you’ll likely to explore more and get inspired by its healing wonders.
1. Ginger
There are a lot of healing properties in ginger and this includes anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-nausea, antibacterial, and anti-parasitic. This is just some of its more than 40 scientifically approved pharmacological effects of ginger. The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger are effective against some forms of pain like menstrual pain, headaches, joint pains, and more.
Ginger also has some promising effects against cancer, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, bacterial and fungal infections, asthma, and nausea (especially during pregnancy).
2. Garlic
Anti-inflammatory – garlic reduces inflammation in the body and reduces the risk of arthritis and other diseases associated with inflammation.
Immune Function Booster – garlic’s antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-parasitic properties boost the body’s ability to fight off bacteria and other causes of disease.
Heart Friendly – garlic is effective in lowering blood pressure, protects against clotting, improves lipids, and retards plaque. It improves cardiovascular health and blood circulation and lowers your risk of heart diseases.
Cancer Fighting Properties – garlic is toxic to at least 14 kinds of cancer cells including lung, breast, gastric, brain, and pancreatic cancer cells.
3. Peppermint
Adding peppermint oil to your favorite tea may also relax your intestinal muscles to treat abdominal pain by allowing gas to pass. Inhaling the aroma of peppermint can offer stress relief and memory enhancement. It also acts as a decongestant and expectorant and may clear your respiratory tract.
Peppermint oil can also help relieve a cough, nasal congestion, and cold symptoms by using it as a cold rub on your chest or by inhaling it using a vaporizer. Peppermint essential oil is effective for headache pain, for dental care, and aromatherapy.
4. Lavender
Here are some medicinal uses of lavender oil:
- Relieve pain
- Treat several skin disorders like acne psoriasis, wrinkles, and eczema
- Keep your hair healthy
- Improve digestion
- Improve your blood circulation
- Relieve respiratory disorders
- Stimulate urine production
5. Dandelion
Dandelion greens contain many nutrients including vitamin B6, riboflavin, vitamin C, thiamin, iron, calcium, manganese, and potassium. You can prepare it by simply blanching it in boiling water for 20 seconds to remove the bitter flavor. It is also particularly a good source of vitamin A and may also have anti-cancer properties.
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