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    • Mar 26, 2022
    • 4 min read

Healing Your Body Through Plants


When it comes to maintaining good health, food is the fuel to keep us going. Yet often, our schedules fill up, and life gets busy, so it is easy to place nutrition on the back burner. Not everyone has time to make a perfectly balanced meal morning, noon, and night. When you feel your body starting to grow weary, Ayurveda can offer herbal remedies that have been used for thousands of years to treat specific ailments. There are medicinal herbs and remedies for just about anything you can think of, whether physical, mental or even spiritual stressors. This post will cover three of the most widely known treatments you can pick up at your local natural food market. As with most things, it is always best to consult your doctor and research before incorporating any of these herbs into your diet, especially for pregnant women or those with preexisting conditions.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a green shrub plant native to India and some northern parts of Africa. It is popular in ayurvedic medicine and ancient Chinese medicine to treat general debility. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which is beneficial for managing daily stress and anxiety. When our bodies are stressed, our adrenal glands release cortisol as a fight or flight response. Ashwagandha is known for reducing these cortisol levels and thus revealing stress and inviting your body to slip back into a parasympathetic state. Some research has shown that it can lower blood sugar levels, aid in sleep, and improve memory and muscle though these studies are not complete. This plant can be taken by capsule, oil, tea, or as a powder with which you can cook. There are even ashwagandha gummies. The suggested dosage per day is anywhere between 250-500 mg per day for the best results.

Sage

The wisest plant of them all, Sage leaves, are a popular spice, oil, and medicine in ayurvedic practice. It is native to Mediterranean regions; however, it can grow nearly everywhere as it thrives in many different environments. This plant is known for its antibacterial properties, making it excellent for fighting illness during the cold and flu season and maintaining oral health. Boiling a few leaves in some hot water and using it as a mouthwash helps disinfect your mouth and keep bacteria from invading your digestive system. Add in some cloves with your Sage gargle, and it can help relieve toothache. Sage has also been used to treat patients with Alzheimer's and joint pain for women going through menopause. In my own experience, I have found Sage tea to be a natural antihistamine. When spring and fall allergies hit, drinking Sage tea is my go-to remedy for a sore throat, runny nose, or itchy eyes. Sage can be taken as a tea, oil, or capsule. You can even rinse your face with ground sage leaves as an anti-inflammatory wash to prevent dark spots. It is recommended you should take no more than 280-1500 mg a day.


Boswellia

Boswellia or Indian Frankincense is an aromatic extract from the resin of the Boswellia serrata tree, found in India, Africa, and certain regions of the Arabian Peninsula. This wonder plant has been used to treat anything from osteoarthritis/rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, IBD, and even certain types of cancer. Studies have found that Boswellia contains a powerful acid that can suppress inflammatory proteins and support the immune system, making it an excellent treatment for autoimmune or chronic disorders. Naturally, it can act as a painkiller. A 2003 study held by researchers in collaboration with Phytomedicine found that out of two groups, one given Boswellia and one without, the group who used the plant showed a much more effective relief and recovery rate. Many studies are still being conducted on the effects of this plant, revealing more and more benefits as research progresses. The recommended dosage is between 300 to 500 mg a day taken by mouth.


Bonus: Cilantro

While this herb is not necessarily used in ayurvedic medicine, it has just as many incredible benefits. Cilantro is technically not a plant itself but just the leaves of the Coriander plant, and it can be found growing all over the world. This herb goes perfectly with any dish (that is if it doesn't taste like soap to you), but it has been shown to reduce heavy metals in your body, treat toothaches, and even in some cases, treat cancer. As many of us are getting our COVID vaccines or other vaccines to keep our bodies safe from disease, it is crucial to care for the body as it receives some of these heavy metals. Heavy metals in the body can lead to issues with the nervous system, digestive system, and endocrine system.

However, cilantro can help to alleviate some of the adverse side effects. Cilantro has specific anti-inflammatory properties that bind to heavy metals and release through your excretory system. You can try incorporating the herb into your diet to gain the desired effects or take a cilantro tincture or capsule.


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