Herbs and Other Natural Medicinal plants.

Herbs and Other Medicinal Plants for a healthy lifestyle.

Lemon Myrtle

Lemon myrtle is a beautiful flowering Australian shrub naturally occurring in the wetter coastal areas of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales and It grows up to 3 metres high, with graceful hanging branches of soft green leaves. The clusters of fragrant cream colored flowers usually appear in Autumn, creating a spectacular floral display.
The botanical name for this plant is Backhousia citriodora . It is also know by some common names such as lemon scented ironwood,lemon scented myrtle,lemon scented verbena, sweet verbena tree, lemon scented backhousia and sweet verbena myrtle,
Lemon myrtle, which is used as an herb in a variety of dishes, also has many antimicrobial properties.
Because of the high concentrations of citral found in lemon myrtle oil, this plant has a wide variety of applications in medicine.
Some of the compounds in Lemon myrtle oil include citral and citronellal. Lemon myrtle contains a much higher content of citral than lemongrass, lemon peel and some other plant sources.
Lemon myrtle also contains many other essential oils that have anticonvulsant ,antiseptic,anti-rheumatic,analgesic, expectorant, astringent, anti-neuralgic benefits.
It can also be used as a and hair toning product and is used in soaps and other cleaning products.
The main active ingredient found in lemon myrtle is a very high concentration of citral in its leaves. Citral comprises 90-98% of the essential oils in lemon myrtle. Where as lemons and limes only contain up to 10% of this essential oil.
Some of the properties of citral are.

It is an anti-fungal agent.
It has antibacterial properties
It is non-acidic.
It contains large amounts of anti-oxidants.

Lemon myrtle has been used to help treat sinus infections, bronchitis,depression, fatigue, indigestion and irritable gastrointestinal disorders, the common cold, influenza, allergies, dental infections,acne and headaches. Itching and athletes foot.
Scientific studies have indicated that citral can inhibit the growth of the pathogen which is one of the causes of many gastro-duodenal diseases, including ulcers.
Some claims have also been made that it can aid in the reduction of cellulite and the anti-oxidants in citral can also be used to help boost the immune system.
Uses

Lemon myrtle can be made into a refreshing cool drink by simply pouring a cup full of boiling water on two or three fresh leavres in a glass Jug. when it cools top the jug up with cold water and use as a refreshing thirst quencher with out any added sugars.
Make a soothing tea for sore throats or colds by the above method but instead of cooling it pour into a cup and add a teaspoon of honey for a soothing and medicated drink.
Make a fragrant cleaner and polishing product by crushing or shredding 15-to 20 lemon myrtle leaves and add aproximatly 2 cups of boiling water then place a lid to stop vapours from escaping. When the mixture is cold pour it through a tea strainer then again through a fine weave cloth such as a cotton sheet ot tea towel then add 5 drops of any good brand of detergent to act as a surfacant. Mix thouroughly then add more water to make one liter. This can be stored in the refrigerator in hot climates for up to 6 months. Use this as a polish for stainless steel and timber furniture by adding 250 mls to a spray bottle and top up with 750 mls of fresh water.-Just spray on to the surface and polish off with a clean microfiber cloth.

Turmeric:

Tumeric is a spice that has long been used in making the making of curry. Turmeric powder is made from the root of the Curcuma longa plant which has a tough brown outer skin with a very orange colored flesh.
Turmeric has long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both Indian and Chinese forms of medicine. It was traditionally named "Indian saffron" because of its deep yellow-orange color and has been used throughout history as an additive to spices and other foods. It has also been used traditionally as a healing ingredient in many medicinal remedies and was also use extensively as a textile dye. This herb contains an ingredient called curcumin which is a powerfull natural anti-inflammatory agent. It is said to help the body reduce the amount of Cox-2 enzyme that is responsible for causing the swelling and pain associated with arthritis. During some Clinical tests run by the John Hopkins University it was found that turmeric can also help to reduce the size of
pre - cancerous lesions called colon polyps . During tests subjects took Medical curcumin along with a small amount of a drug called quercetin which is a strong anti-oxidant found in fruits and vegetables like onions,cabbage and apples. During the clinical studies using this combination it was found that in subjects with these type of polyps had the average number of cysts were reduced by over 60 percent and the polyps that remained had been reduced in size by more than 50 percent.
In this which was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's disease by researchers at UCLA it was also found that curcumin helped in removing a type of plaque that is associated with people that have Alzheimer's . So using turmeric in your meals could also help in reducing the risk of getting this disease

Cinnamon:

This sweet tasting herb is noted to help in lowering blood sugar levels.In a recent German study of type 2 diabetics, taking cinnamon extract daily successfully reduced blood sugar by about 10%.
It has also been found to help lower cholesterol levels. Cinnamon packs a one-two punch for people with type 2 diabetes by reducing related heart risks.

In another study of diabetics, it was reported to slash cholesterol levels by up to 13% and triglycerides by nearly 23%.

Rosemary:

This usefull and aromatic herb is said to help us to avoid carcinogens. It has been discovered that when we Fry, broil, or grill meats at high temperatures this can create HCAs (heterocyclic amines),which are potent carcinogens found in many types of cancers. But it has been discovered that these HCA levels may be significantly reduced when rosemary extract which is a powder ground from rosmary. This powder is then mixed into beef before cooking. Kansas State University researchers say that . "Rosemary contains carnosol and rosemarinic acid, which are noted to be powerful antioxidants that can help to destroy the HCAs produced during the cooking of meats," explains lead researcher J. Scott Smith, PhD.
It has also been found to stop or reduce the formation of tumors. Rosemary extract helps prevent carcinogens that enter the body from binding with DNA, whic is the the first step in tumor formation, according to several animal studies. When researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign fed rosemary extract to rats exposed to dimethylbenzanthracene, a carcinogen that causes breast cancer, both DNA damage and tumors decreased. "Human research needs to be done," says study author Keith W. Singletary, PhD. "But rosemary has been shown to have a lot of cancer-protective potential."
Maximize the benefits: To reduce HCAs, Smith recommends marinating foods in any supermarket spice mix that contains rosemary as well as one or more of the spices thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, or parsley.

Ginger:

It is said that ginger can help to Avert nausea and may also prevent stomach upsets from many sources, including pregnancy, motion sickness, and chemotherapy.

It is said to contain a powerful antioxidant,which works by blocking the effects of serotonin, a chemical produced by both the brain and stomach when you're nauseated, it is also reported to control the production of free radicals which is another cause of upset in your stomach. In one study of cruise ship passengers traveling on rough seas, 500 mg of ginger every 4 hours was as effective as Dramamine, the commonly used OTC motion-sickness medication. In another study, where subjects took 940 mg, it was even more effective than the drug.

It has also been found that ginger is usefull in helping to decrease blood pressure,reduce arthritis pain, and reduce the risk of cancer. Ginger is also reported to regulate blood flow, which may contribute to lower blood pressure, and its anti-inflammatory properties are said to help ease the pain of arthritis. In a study conducted at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Miami ,ginger extract was reported to have a significant effect on reducing pain in all 124 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee . Those same anti-inflammatory powers help powdered ginger kill ovarian cancer cells as well as—or better than—traditional chemotherapy, at least in the test tube, found a study by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Although further testing is needed, the study's authors are excited about its prospects: "Our preliminary results indicate that ginger may have significant therapeutic benefit for ovarian cancer patients."

Basil:

Holy Basil: Is a a special variety of the plant you use in your pesto sauce, It is effective at reducing stress by increasing adrenaline and noradrenaline and decreasing serotonin. This is no surprise to Pratima Nangia-Makker, PhD, a researcher at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, whose mother and grandmother relied on a tea made from the leaves of holy basil to relieve indigestion and headaches.
It might also: Inhibit breast cancer. First in test tubes and then in mice, a tea made of holy basil shrunk tumors, reduced their blood supply, and stopped their spread, found Nangia-Makker, who plans to study the effects in humans.
Maximize the benefits: For stress relief, try holy basil extract from New Chapter or Om Organics, widely available in health food stores. To aid in breast cancer treatment, Nangia-Makker advises drinking this tea daily: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 10 to 15 fresh holy basil leaves (other varieties of basil won't work) and steep 5 minutes. Remove the leaves before consuming. If you are being treated for breast cancer, be sure to check with your doctor. You're unlikely to find the plants at your local nursery, but you can order them and organic holy basil seeds from Horizon Herbs.