Chamomile Health benefits
Chamomile is an amazing plant that I often find growing on derelict spaces as well as the edges of farmers’ fields. When I do find it it’s usually site in fairly large quantities and can be collected quite quickly. It’s always best to use it fresh but drying out the flowers is also a good idea for use later on – do this either in a dehydrator or a hot place like an airing cupboard.
- For the treatment of Wounds and Burns – a Salve can be made out of chamomile flowers and leaves, mushing it in water and applied externally on to wounds and burns or take orally as a tea which is proven to speed up the body’s ability to heal. This is due to its anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Diabetes – some recent research is showing that the ingestion of chamomile tea can aid diabetes. “Camomile tea ‘can help keep diabetes under control’”, reports the Daily Mail . A new study has suggested that “the drink lowers blood sugar levels and can help prevent complications arising from the condition, including blindness, kidney disease, and nerve and circulatory damage”, the newspaper says.
These findings come from a study in rats, and Dr Victoria King, of Diabetes UK, is quoted as saying that, “More research would be needed before we can come to any firm conclusions about the role camomile tea plays in fighting diabetes-related complications.”
- Antibacterial – The antibacterial effects of drinking chamomile tea can help to prevent and treat colds while protecting against bacterial-related illness and infection.
- IBS – chamomile can lessen muscle spasms and in doing so can also lessen stomach ache, I personally have mild IBS and often use chamomile along with Peppermint to calm and inflamed stomach.
- Promotes Sleep – Chamomile tea is most well known for helping to aid sleep, it calms the nervous system therefore allowing you to achieve sleep more quickly as well as achieve deeper sleep. Sedative effects may be due to the flavonoid, apigenin that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain
- Natural Hemorrhoid Treatment – Chamomile ointment can help to relieve haemorrhoids – this is very similar to how it can be used to treat wounds and burns.
- Fights Cancer – Apigenin is found within chamomile which, in recent tests carried out in Ohio State university, stops certain cancerous cells from living longer than healthy cells – therefore severely reducing its ability to spread around the body.
- Promotes Healthy Skin – As it also helps with wounds, burns and haemorrhoids chamomile helps to lessen the effects of eczema, rashes and general skin irritation.
So there we have it, if you were previously just having chamomile in your tea before bed then you were having all these other fantastic health benefits without even knowing it – Brilliant!
To see how to identify Chamomile Click here
For Chamomile recipes click here