Wonder treatments in your own kitchen cupboard that could help you stay healthy.
With modern medicine finally confirming the long-held healing power of honey, which has been found to be more effective than antibiotics or over-the-counter medications in treating coughs and colds, it is a great time to plunder your kitchen cupboards and rummage through your fridge.
From easing eczema with porridge oats to whitening your teeth with sage and treating sore eyes with fennel, here we reveal some of the other natural medicines easily available to you at home.
SAGE TO MAKE YOUR TEETH PEARLY WHITE
Inhaling a bunch of fresh sage has been shown to help ease your levels of stress. It is also said to be particularly good at whitening teeth.
Renowned for its healing properties since the Middle Ages, when it was thought to help protect against the plague, this herb really does have antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.
Not just this, but research indicates that, whether you use it dried or fresh, it contains powerful natural compounds that could help protect against diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and using it in food may help to improve brain function and memory.
Simply pick a handful of fresh sage leaves, rinse with water, then crush them. Apply the crushed leaves to your teeth and leave for two minutes, before rinsing with warm water.
TURMERIC TO ALLEVIATE PAIN IN YOUR JOINTS
Because long-term, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every chronic Western disease, studies suggest that, as well as helping reduce joint pain, eating even small amounts of turmeric regularly may help prevent or slow down Alzheimer’s, possibly by helping prevent the brain plaques that lead to dementia.
This bright yellow powder contains a powerful plant compound called curcumin, which has strong anti-inflammatory properties comparable to some anti-inflammatory drugs.
It is most effectively absorbed by the body when consumed with black pepper and some fat, so a curry recipe containing these ingredients would be ideal.
CARDAMON TO CONQUER ULCERS
Cardamom pods impart a sweet, pungent flavour to food and the spice is known to soothe an upset stomach — even help to ease ulcers.
The seeds, oils and extracts of the spice are thought to have impressive medicinal properties and have been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
Now, modern laboratory studies have shown that cardamom can help fight inflammation, and suggest that it may protect against Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium linked to the development of most stomach ulcer issues.
PARSLEY TO STOP YOU FEELING BLOATED
Wasted as a mere garnish, fresh or dried parsley contains a powerful plant compound called apigenin which studies suggest could help reduce the risk of cancer by fighting damage to DNA. It is also extremely high in vitamin K, and a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, some folate (a B vitamin) and iron.
If you’re feeling bloated, parsley can be helpful because it acts as a natural diuretic, stimulating the kidneys to help you shed excess fluids.
BEETROOT TO GIVE YOU A BIG BOOST
Beetroot juice has been shown to help lower blood pressure because the nitrates it contains are converted by the body to nitric oxide, which helps widen and relax the blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow more easily.
The powerful nitrates found in beetroot juice increase blood flow to all parts of the brain and could even help fight dementia.
There are more nitrates in raw beetroot or juice than cooked beetroot and one study found that older people who regularly drank beetroot juice had better blood circulation in the frontal lobes of their brains (the area linked to degeneration from dementia).
FENNEL SEEDS FOR TREATING SORE EYES
These delicious aniseed-flavoured seeds are great to nibble as an after-dinner stomach soother, helping to relieve bloating, but fennel has also been traditionally used to soothe irritated, itchy eyes.
Pour boiling water over one teaspoon of fennel seeds or two fennel tea bags. Allow to cool and strain, then soak cotton wool pads with the fennel solution and apply to the eyes — using a separate pad for each eye to avoid cross-infection.
ROSEMARY TO AID CONCENTRATION
Extremely easy to grow, even in a window box, this delicious and hardy herb has been shown to boost concentration, memory and alertness when crushed in the hand and inhaled. Fresh rosemary contains the compound cineole, which could help boost brain activity.
The active ingredient in rosemary (Rosmarinic acid) can help suppress allergic responses and nasal congestion, and when brewed as a tea it has been shown to help treat upset stomach and nausea, too.
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