Medicinal herbs health benefits summarized

Medicinal herbs used in times past
William J Keller PhD vice president of health sciences and educational services at Nature's Sunshine Products in Provo, Utah say that "before the discovery of modern pharmaceuticals, both Europeans and Americans relied on herbs. Even today, people in European nations use herbal medicines nearly every day. In this country (USA), however, we'd pretty much cast them aside – until about a decade or so ago".

Recognized health benefits of popular "medicinal herbs";

Thyme

• Eases cough and upper respiratory infections.
• Assists in decreasing flatulence (gas).
• Immune-stimulator, especially good for preventing an outbreak or decreasing the duration of an outbreak of sores caused by herpes simplex virus.

Dill weed

• Antioxidant, protects against free radicals & carcinogens.
• Digestive system health.
• Assist control blood pressure.

Peppermint

• Digestive system health. Eases upset stomach and reduces gas.
• In one study says Dr Mowrey, "people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome who took peppermint capsules were able to eliminate all or most of their symptoms. Peppermint tea is also effective."Caution with eating too much peppermint can cause heartburn in some people. In one study, researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that when people ate peppermint, their esophageal muscles lost some holding power within a few minutes.

Spearmint

Spearmint is said to be the most effective among the mint group.

• Assists digestive system. Flatulence.
• Prevents gum diseases. Bad breath.
• Fights fatigue, stress and headaches.
• Good for fevers.
• Prevents vomiting.
• Assists respiratory, glandular and nervous systems.
• Anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic.
• Increases metabolism to assist burning fat.

Basil

• Ease digestion.
• Lower the risk of cancer.
• Norwegian and American researchers found that basil is a rich source of antioxidants (more than dark chocolate, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries) which neutralize dangerous oxygen molecules called free radicals in the body before they can contribute to a variety of conditions like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
• Mildred Mattfeldt-Beman, Phd at St. Louis University in Missouri, recommends adding fresh basil to dishes containing fresh spinach or lettuce to reduce any possible germ contamination. Basil contains antimicrobial properties to fight against germs so as to keep the digestive system healthy.

Rosemary

• Eases digestion and helps stimulate appetite.
• Helps prevent breast cancer. Findings by State University of New Jersey in the US, found that a 2 per cent concentration of rosemary extract given for three weeks was able to significantly inactivate excess oestrogen. Researchers believe that it works by stimulating liver enzymes, which inactivate oestrogen hormones like oestrone and oestradiol.
• Skin disorders. Researchers working at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Catania, in Italy, rosemary extract helps protect the individual components of skin cells, which may prevent age-related skin damage such as wrinkles, reduce damage caused by stress, free radicals and other toxins on the skin.
• Assist with headaches.
• Boost functioning of liver.
• Mild diuretic.
• Antioxidant properties assist in fighting against cancers.

Garlic

• Immune-stimulator.
• Lowers blood pressure.
• Cancer prevention.
• Lowers cholesterol.
• Colds and flu
• Colon cancer prevention
• Stomach cancer prevention
• Prevent heart disease and stroke.
• Herpes simplex virus
• Infections
• Triglycerides
• Yeast infections
• Ease ear infections

Parsley

• A digestive aid and mild diuretic.
• Tends to increase the flow of urine, which causes the body to get rid of excess water.
• Used to control hypertension and conditions that cause edema; effective in lowering blood pressure to prevent heart attacks.
[Edema is an accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or other body parts causing swelling. Edema can be mild and benign as in pregnancy or prolonged standing in the elderly, or a serious sign of heart, liver, or kidney failure, or of other diseases.]
• Bad breath
• Premenstrual bloating
• Urinary tract infections

Tarragon

• Assist stomach cramps. Promotes the production of bile by the liver, which aids in digestion and helps speed the process of eliminating toxic waste in the body.
• Promoting appetite.
• Assist menstruation health if periods are delayed.
• Fights fatigue.
• Calms the nerves.
• Aid sleep as a mild sedative.
• Fights intestinal worms.

Stevia

• Help maintain normal healthy blood sugar levels.
• Help support healthy pancreatic function.
• Assist maintenance of healthy digestive system.
• Reduces craving for sweet and fatty foods.
• Increase energy levels
• Aid people with diabetes and hypoglycemia.
• Assist healthy skin and hair.

It should also be remembered that maximum health benefits from these medicinal herbs are obtained by eating a balanced and varied diet containing these herbs in moderation.

To enjoy a healthy life, everything we do can come back to the old saying "be balanced".

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