A fever, stomach pains or a simple case of the sniffles can send people rushing to the pharmacy for a drug to cure their symptoms.
But Mother Nature provides a number of medicinal plants with healing properties that also can nurse you back to health, a fact more North Americans are beginning to discover.
Doctor Sodhi -” more North Americans realize the effectiveness of remedies found in nature”
“The use of herbal medicine, although traditional in many Eastern cultures, had been only a minor fad in Western medicine until recent decades,” says Dr. Virender Sodhi, founder of the Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Medical Clinic , which provides complementary and alternative medicine.
That trend has been shifting as a growing body of studies and research has demonstrated the effects of traditional remedies on chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, says Sodhi, author of the new guide, “Ayurvedic Herbs: The Comprehensive Resource for Ayurvedic Healing Solutions”.
That’s not necessarily news to ailing people in other parts of the world, such as Asia and Africa. For centuries, they have found relief through herbal medicines derived from shrubs, vines, trees and other plants, Sodhi says.
Here are four examples, a couple of which are recognizable by better known names and purposes.
American licorice is a native, perennial legume that grows in temperate climates of North America. Licorice, which grows in Europe and Asia, is the root of varieties of the Glycyrrhiza plant.
• Glycyrrhiza glabra. Most people would recognize this plant by its more common name – licorice. It has been used for centuries in the traditional and folk medicines of Asia and Europe to treat ailments ranging from the common cold to liver disease, Sodhi says.
Most Americans likely encountered licorice as children because the sweet root of the plant is used to make candy. Licorice can cure more than a sweet tooth, though. It can protect people from the influenza virus. In cell line studies it was shown to reduce titer of the influenza virus by 90 percent and have strong immune modulation properties.
It’s an important ingredient in many herbal preparations, Sodhi said, especially for bronchial conditions. Because of its expectorant properties, powdered licorice has been used for centuries to treat coughs. Modern cough syrups often contain licorice extract.
• Piper nigrum. This flowering vine’s berries, when still unripe, are used to produce black pepper, but spicing up food isn’t its only talent. Piper nigrum has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-spasmodic properties that make it ideal for treating digestive disorders, Sodhi says.
It doesn’t stop there. Drug resistance is a major concern in cancer patients. Piper nigrum can reverse multiple drug resistance many fold and significantly increase the apoptotic effect of many pharmaceutical drugs.
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• Boswellia serrate. Commonly known as Frankincense, this herb has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Several patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s colitis have gone in to remission using a Boswellia preparation.
In brain tumor patients it has reduced cerebral edema by 75 percent. Sodhi has mentioned case studies of many patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and ulcerative colitis who went into remission.
• Bael. Commonly known as “golden apple”, this fruit-bearing tree indigenous to the hills and plains of central and southern India has numerous uses. The fruit promotes healthy digestion and is used medicinally to treat such conditions as diarrhea, dysentery and cholera. The leaves, roots and bark of Bael also have medicinal value.
They help relieve acute bronchitis, heart palpitations, intermittent fevers and many other ailments. Dr. Sodhi has observed 100 percent success in treating patients of clostridium difficile, who did not respond to standard medical protocol of metronidazole (Flagyl), Dificid (fidaxomicin), or vanconycin.
New York, NY – It is no secret that many common health woes can be mended homeopathically through the use of natural herbs and antioxidants. Health-conscious consumers can now drink hot teas to experience wellness benefits like weight loss, detoxification, better sleep and appetite control. Luckily for the estimated 160 million North Americans who drink tea on any given day, one global brand is at the forefront of wellness tea offerings. Known internationally as ‘The Aristocratic Tea’, Hyleys Teas caters to tea drinkers’ health demands with a series of 100% natural herb- and fruit-infused blends.
According to the “Today” show, among the “Top 10 health benefits of drinking tea” is the fact that “tea’s antioxidants protect bodies from the ravages of aging.” The Huffington Post adds to that list “6 Amazing Benefits of Tea,” including: 1) “Tea can help you in maintaining a healthy weight;” 2) “Black tea can help to reduce stress levels;” and 3) “White tea can help you look younger.”
Award-winning, international brand, Hyleys Tea, is introducing two new teas to its 100% natural line of herb- and fruit-infused teas. Hyleys Slim Tea (MSRP $5.99USD) promotes weight loss and is available in flavorful options like acai berry, blueberry, goji berry, pomegranate and raspberry as well as a five-flavor assortment. What’s more, the weight-loss-enhancing properties of the Slim Tea offer consumers a safe, pound-shedding alternative to risky pills and surgery.
Joining the new Slim Tea is Hyleys Sleep Tea (MSRP $5.99USD) in both mint and chamomile variations. Designed to naturally help individuals fall asleep easier, the caffeine-free herbal formulation acts fast and gently, encouraging healthy sleep patterns while promoting a refreshed awakening.
Slim and Sleep teas are the latest additions to Hyleys’ high quality, all-natural products that include a series of Wellness teas that have earned the company innovation and best product awards for its host of health benefits. The existing Nature’s Harmony selection (MSRP $5.99USD) consists of the following green and black teas with health-boosting, 100% pure additives.
Detox – Chock full of antioxidants, Detox helps the body naturally expel harmful toxins.
Garcinia Cambogia – Billed as the miracle find of the 21 st Century for losing weight the safe and natural way, Garcinia Cambogia is extracted from a tropical fruit.
Anti-Aging – An antioxidant-infused blend, this Nature’s Harmony tea diminishes the skin’s damaging effects of free radicals and contains strong anti-aging properties. Regular consumption of this tea has been shown to reduce wrinkles decrease stress levels and leave the skin looking youthful and supple.
Desire – This tea promotes sexual well-being by stimulating hormones in both men and women for beneficial libido function.
On top of all this, Hyleys Tea also offers loose tea beautifully packaged in Gift Tins and Wooden Tea Boxes that are perfect for gift giving this holiday season. (MSRP $14.99-$69.99USD)
Hyleys Tea full line of wellness-promoting teas is available in the United States at HyleysTeaOnline.com Canadian shoppers can find Hyleys at Loblaws.
About Hyleys Tea
Since 1998, Hyleys Tea has been one of the most distinguished brands in the world tea market. The high quality of its 100% natural black and green teas, which are fused with real fruits and herbs, is what sets the brand apart. The company was created in response to the lack of teas containing purely natural components. Every tea in Hyleys’ Nature’s Harmony Collection has been carefully selected from the best plantations in Ceylon and China and is complemented by 100% pure, natural herbs and fruits. Hyleys Tea’s fine taste and essential health benefits earned the company Gold medals in the “Best Product – 2010” and the “Innovation Product” categories at ProdExpo 2010. For additional information on the company and its products, please visit HyleysTeaOnline.com.
