Herbs
Dong Quai (Chinese Angelica) / Green Tea (Camellia Sinesis) / Horsetail
People have been using herbs to treat all kinds of conditions and ailments for thousands of years. Indeed, some of these herbs, like valerian and foxglove, are the basis for modern pharmaceuticals. Here are three powerful herbs.
Dong Quai
Dong quai is also known as Chinese angelica and its root is used for herbal medicine. Though many people believe that dong quai is exclusively an herb for women's problems, it has other uses as well. Dong quai is used to treat allergies, because it reduces the number of antibodies made by the immune system. If there are fewer antibodies in the system, the allergic reactions to substances like pollen will be less severe. It also eases fatigue and may lower hypertension. Dong quai also has antioxidant properties, which means it guards against free radical damage.
But when it comes to women's conditions, dong quai is very good at reducing the discomforts of menopause, especially hot flashes. It also stimulates menstrual bleeding for women who suffer from amenorrhea. Dong quai should be avoided by pregnant women.
Green Tea
Green tea, like black tea, comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, but has had minimal processing. Green tea is affective in lowering high blood pressure and guards against cardiovascular disease. Some studies say that green tea also lowers the levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol in the body. It's very high in flavinoids, which are compounds that guard against certain cancers and have antioxidant properties.
Dong Quai (Chinese Angelica) / Green Tea (Camellia Sinesis) / Horsetail
People have been using herbs to treat all kinds of conditions and ailments for thousands of years. Indeed, some of these herbs, like valerian and foxglove, are the basis for modern pharmaceuticals. Here are three powerful herbs.
Dong Quai
Dong quai is also known as Chinese angelica and its root is used for herbal medicine. Though many people believe that dong quai is exclusively an herb for women's problems, it has other uses as well. Dong quai is used to treat allergies, because it reduces the number of antibodies made by the immune system. If there are fewer antibodies in the system, the allergic reactions to substances like pollen will be less severe. It also eases fatigue and may lower hypertension. Dong quai also has antioxidant properties, which means it guards against free radical damage.
But when it comes to women's conditions, dong quai is very good at reducing the discomforts of menopause, especially hot flashes. It also stimulates menstrual bleeding for women who suffer from amenorrhea. Dong quai should be avoided by pregnant women.
Green Tea
Green tea, like black tea, comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, but has had minimal processing. Green tea is affective in lowering high blood pressure and guards against cardiovascular disease. Some studies say that green tea also lowers the levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol in the body. It's very high in flavinoids, which are compounds that guard against certain cancers and have antioxidant properties.
Horsetail
This interesting plant, which, like fern, reproduces through spores instead of seeds, often grows as a weed in neglected gardens. Still, it has many beneficial uses. Like dong quai, horsetail is also used for women's problems. Horsetail has been known to reduce excessive menstrual bleeding and reduces scar tissue or keeps it flexible. This is important for women with endometriosis, a condition where uterine tissue attaches itself to other areas in the body and causes scarring. Horsetail was once given to people with tuberculosis to reduce scarring in the lungs. Horsetail is also good for supporting the formation of connective tissue, and can reduce bleeding caused by kidney stones.
Horsetail, dong quai and green tea can be taken in various ways. Horsetail and dong quai can be made into teas like the leaves of the camellia sinensis, though some users may find the taste off-putting. The tea can be sweetened with sugar, honey or glycerin. These herbs can also be made into tinctures, which are concentrated forms. The herb is steeped in alcohol, which draws out its best properties, including those that aren't water soluble. At the same time, the tincture leaves behind useless properties like cellulose. Tinctures are often both stronger than teas and better tasting.
Plants
Aloe Vera / Ginkgo Biloba / He Shou Wu / Saw Palmetto / Stinging Nettle
Nobody likes to look in the mirror and realize they are losing their hair. Men have options for baldness in the form of prescription drugs, and both men and women can use chemical hair loss treatments. However, all of these remedies for baldness come with some side effects. Fortunately, there are more homeopathic options to treat hair loss that are safer and more natural.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is a succulent plant with fleshy leaves. The leaves are filled with a gel-like substance that is used for many medicinal reasons like soothing burns, scrapes, and cuts. However, most people may not realize that it can also be used for hair growth.
Aloe Vera supports hair growth by increasing blood circulation in the scalp. An enzyme in the gel stimulates the growth of new hair follilcles as well as the growth of hair from existing hair follicles. Aloe Vera also cleans the scalp and balances its level of pH. With proper blood flow and a clean scalp, hair will grow faster. Aloe Vera also prevents the loss of exisitng hair if it is used when thinning is first noticed.
Ginko Biloba
Ginko Biloba has been used for over 500 years in China to treat many different disorders, including hair loss. Like Aloe Vera, Ginko helps to stimulate blood circulation, but throughout the entire body and not just in the scalp. More blood flow to the head is nourishing for the hair follicles. There have been studies that demonstrated that shampoos that contain Ginko Biloba decreased hair loss in the participants
Saw Palmetto
This plant is native to our country and can be found along Florida and Georgia's coast. The important ingredients in saw palmetto are in the berries that the plant produces. It has become a popular to use for the most common type of hair loss known as androgenic alopecia, otherwise known as male and female-pattern baldness. It is thought that saw palmetto blocks the enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, the main contributor to this type of baldness.
Stinging Nettle
The leaves, roots, stems, and seeds of the stinging nettle plant are used to treat many things from arthritis, to allergies, to hair loss. These plants grow wild in many places around the world and they are used not only medicinally but as food as well.
When used as a hair rinse, stinging nettle can not only regenerate the growth of hair but also help it change back to its original color. Like with saw palmetto, it is believed that stinging nettle stops the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone to stop hair loss.
He Shou Wu
This Chinese herb has been used for hundreds of years to stop hair loss. It is full of antioxidants and provides a number of important nutrients that are vital for healthy hair growth. It also improves the blood circulation in the scalp to stimulate new growth.
