Food
5 Benefits of verbena and side effects
Discover the 5 shocking health benefits of verbena and side effects.
The verbena plant is a lesser-known herbal remedy, but it has a long history of medicinal use when it comes to a variety of systems in the body.
In traditional herbal medicine, it has been used to treat headaches, insomnia, depression, anxiety, kidney stones, gout, jaundice, and more.
It has also been used to improve lactation in nursing mothers and as a natural treatment for painful menstruation.
Does verbena have magical properties? If you start researching this herb, you will see some pretty interesting information, including the suggestion that it has magical powers.
Some sources also say that vervain was used on Jesus’ wounds after he was removed from the cross, so “grass of the cross” is one of his many nicknames.
Let’s take a look at how traditional medicine has used verbena through the years, as well as what scientific studies have revealed about its medicinal powers to date.
I will also tell you about the different forms of Verbena Officinalis. You can even try growing this herb in your garden.
Verbena Vegetal Origin
Verbena is an herb that goes by other common names, such as the simplifier’s joy, the charmer’s plant, the cross herb, Juno’s tears, the dove herb, the dove herb, the dove herb. the dove, the grass of grace, the wild hyssop, the iron grass, the wild verbena, and the Indian hyssop.
The botanical name for verbena is Verbena Officinalis, which is often what it is called in scientific research.
Verbena belongs to the Verbenaceae family, it should not be confused with lemon verbena.
Lemon verbena is a completely different plant, but lemon verbena and verbena belong to the same plant family.
There are also varieties of verbena, including blue verbena (Verbena hastata) and white verbena (Verbena urticifolia).
How is the verbena? It is a slender perennial with serrated leaves and small pale lilac flowers on leafless spikes.
Where does it grow?
Verbena is likely native to Europe, specifically the Mediterranean region, but has become naturalized to other parts of the world, including North America.
The aerial parts (parts of plants on the ground) of Verbena officinalis are used for medicinal purposes.
These parts, namely the leaves and flowers, are known to contain active plant components, such as glycosides (verbenin), alkaloids, tannins, bitter principles, and volatile oil.
These plant chemicals give verbena its antispasmodic, antipyretic (fever-reducing), and diuretic abilities.
Health benefits of verbena
The traditional uses for this herb are many, but what has scientific studies shown when it comes to the benefits of verbena? Let’s take a look!
1.- Benefits of verbena for inflammation
• As I often mention, inflammation is the root of most diseases. When you can decrease inflammation in the body, you can improve so many common, chronic, and even important health concerns.
One of the main benefits of verbena is its ability to decrease both external and internal inflammation.
• Research published in the international journal Planta Medica looked at the effects of several verbena extracts (extracted in various ways) when administered orally to animal subjects.
The researchers found that all verbena extracts “induce remarkable anti-inflammatory activity.” Furthermore, the extracts demonstrated an ability to decrease gastrointestinal damage.
• Another study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology shows that verbena can provide anti-inflammatory effects, as well as pain relievers when applied topically.
2.- Benefits of verbena for Anxiety
• Research published in 2016 looked at the possible positive effects of verbena on the nervous system. The study used animal subjects.
The researchers found that crude verbena extract improved responses to seizures. The time it took to fall asleep also decreased while the duration of sleep increased for the subjects.
• Overall, the study concludes that its results indicate that Verbena Officinalis possesses anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and sedative activities, providing a scientific basis for its medicinal application in various neurological ailments, such as epilepsy, anxiety, and insomnia.
3.- Improves gum health
• For centuries, verbena has been used to improve gum health. For example, the early Celts used it in mouthwash to help their gum problems.
Combine 2 tablespoons of verbena with 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep (like a tea) and wait for it to cool down. It can then be used as a mouthwash.
• Is there any science to support the use of a verbena mouthwash to improve gum health? There is.
A double-blind randomized clinical trial published in 2016 looked at the effects of a verbena decoction (basically a verbena mouthwash) in patients with chronic generalized gingivitis, which is a form of gum disease. Subjects brushed their teeth and flossed.
• The test group also rinsed their mouths with the verbena mouthwash. The results were impressive – the vervain test group lowered their scores on both the Gingival Index (GI) and Plaque Index (PI), which is a good thing since the lower the scores on these indices, the more healthy are the gums.
Overall, the results indicated the researcher’s verbena’s ability to improve generalized chronic gingivitis without negative side effects.
4.- Antimicrobial and Antibacterial
• Studies have shown that Verbena Officinalis possesses antibacterial and antimicrobial capabilities.
Something antibacterial can kill bacteria or prevent the growth of bacteria, while antimicrobial means that a substance can kill and prevent the spread of bacteria, as well as fungi and certain viruses.
• A scientific study published in 2016 in the Journal of Medicinal Food looked at verbena essential oil as a possible alternative to traditional chemical pesticides.
They found that verbena essential oil was able to successfully stop the growth of some specific unwanted plant and human pathogens in a dose-dependent manner.
• It is important for scientists to look for natural alternatives to antibiotics, as antibiotic resistance is increasingly becoming a problem these days.
Another 2017 study explored the effects of therapies combining antibiotics and four medicinal herbs, including verbena, on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
• More studies are needed, but the researchers found that Verbena officinalis is an antimicrobial and antibacterial herb that contains bioactive ingredients that may have the potential to help fight drug-resistant infections like MRSA.
5.- Benefits of verbena for heart
• Verbena has been shown to contain a natural plant glycoside called verbenalin or cornin.
A study conducted in 2016 isolated this cornin from the fruit of the plant to examine its possible protective effects against myocardial ischemia, which is when blood flow is reduced to the heart due to a partial or complete blockage of the arteries of the heart.
• The researchers found that animal subjects treated with cornin (30 milligrams per kilogram intravenously) exhibited that their hearts were protected from injury due to myocardial ischemia.
Based on the data, the researchers believe that cornin found in Verbena Officinalis has cardioprotective effects because it increases the expression of compounds in the body that play a key role in cell survival pathways.
History and Interesting Facts
• Verbena has a long history of being revered by many different cultures and peoples, including the Druids, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Thor worshipers in Scandinavia.
• In ancient Egypt, it was known as a divine herb that was believed to have come from the tears of the goddess Isis when she wept over the death of the god Osiris.
The Romans and Greeks also believed that it was a very sacred and sacred plant, so they used verbena branches to purify the altars of their temples.
• The Greek physician Hippocrates is also said to have recommended Verbena officinalis for fever and plague.
• The roots of verbena were used as a diuretic by the Aztecs who referred to the herb as “urination medicine.” Several Native American tribes used it as a natural treatment for headaches, insomnia, and circulatory problems.
How to use verbena
• If you’re wondering where to buy verbena supplements or the raw herb, both can be found in health stores as well as online.
Verbena officinalis is available in various forms, including powder, tincture, capsules, tea, and the flower elixir. It can be taken as a liquid tincture in a dose of 1 to 2 teaspoons three times a day.
• Essential oil is quite difficult to find, but it can be found online and is sometimes available in specialty stores.
• Verbena tea can also be made from the flower and leaves by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons (2 to 4 grams) to a pint of boiled water. To get the most out of this herbal tea, you should let it sit covered for 10 to 15 minutes. When used medicinally, the common recommendation is 1 to 3 cups of tea per day.
• To help with sleep problems, 1 cup about 30 minutes before bed may be helpful. Some people enjoy adding raw honey or lemon to their verbena tea.
• Verbena officinalis is a medicinal herb that you may consider adding to your current herb garden.
If you are interested in possibly including it in your garden lineup, it is helpful to know that this herb grows best in full sun with well-drained soil.
• It can survive in partial shade too, but it needs good drainage. Verbena officinalis plants and seeds can be found in some garden stores or online.
Side effects of verbena
• Verbena officinalis is generally not recommended for pregnant women because it is a known uterine stimulant.
However, traditionally speaking, it has been taken during the last two weeks of pregnancy to stimulate labor.
Anyone who is pregnant or has ongoing health problems should only take Verbena officinalis under the direction of a trained professional.
• Verbena officinalis currently does not have any well-documented interactions or adverse side effects, but it should not be taken in large doses. Always talk to your doctor before combining any medication with verbena.
• Blue verbena (Verbena hastata) is known to interfere with blood pressure medications. It can also interact with hormone therapy. Large doses will cause diarrhea and vomiting.
• If you haven’t used herbal remedies before, teas can be a great way to benefit from herbs in small doses.
If you don’t like the taste of Verbena officinalis tea, you can find it in many other forms as well. Of course, always speak to a professional if you are unsure how to use an herbal remedy.
Final thoughts
• The verbena has an intriguing and mystical history that goes back thousands of years.
• Sometimes the traditional uses of herbs are not adapted to current science.
• But, as you can see, research has supported many of its historical uses.
• Thanks to its antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, Verbena officinalis can improve gum health.
• It is also a natural sedative and relaxant that many people find helpful for anxiety and sleep problems.
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Discover the 25 shocking health benefits of a hot shower.
A hot shower could be an amazing treatment to calm your mind. Imagine how nice it is to touch your body with hot water after working so hard during the day.
At least you can ward off tiredness and there are still other health benefits you can get just by taking a hot shower.
25 Health Benefits of a Hot Shower
Here are the health benefits of taking a hot shower, which will change your life.
1.- It helps you feel better
• The first health benefit of a hot shower is to make you feel better.
• Feeling stressed and anxious is common, especially when you have a job that takes up most of your time.
• Taking a hot shower can make you feel better as it calms your nerves, which affects the general state of your body and mind.
• The more stressed you are, the more tired your body will feel.
• So de-stressing can make you feel fresher.
2.- Clean pores and skin
• If you have clean skin, it does not guarantee that you also have clean pores, but if you have clean pores, you have clean and clear skin.
• Exposing your face to air pollution, dirt, and toxins daily causes them to accumulate inside the pores and cause some skin problems like pimples and acne.
• The key to clean skin is having clean pores, so if you want to start it all off, first clean your pores by taking a hot shower.
• Hot water can open pores so that accumulated dirt can be washed away by the shower water.
• After showering, your skin will feel better and cleaner. If you want to clean your pores, it is best to wash your face with cold water afterward so that the pores do not remain open after you shower.
• Sometimes, to keep your skin clean, you don’t need to use expensive skincare products, as the hot shower might help.
3.- Effective for headaches
• Headaches occur when your blood vessels narrow.
• The hot shower can reduce this pressure so that the blood vessels can return to normal.
• In other words, showering with hot water helps you reduce the feeling of headaches, so you may not need aspirin.
• This easy and natural treatment can be safer.
4.- Relax the body
• As mentioned in the first point that the hot shower can make you feel better, one of the reasons is because it is a relaxing activity.
• You can spend a little of your busy time experiencing the feeling of relaxation under the hot shower.
• Warm water is great for comforting your body and reducing all the tension on your muscles after a long and tiring day.
5.- Helps blood circulation
• The healthy heart is greatly influenced by proper blood circulation.
• The hot shower can help improve blood circulation, so you can do some light exercises for your heart with the water pressure to improve it.
6.- Relieves flu and cough
• The hot shower helps dry up mucus when you have the flu.
• Mucus in your throat is the big reason you are experiencing a persistent cough, so drying it out can cure your cough and make you feel better.
• It doesn’t have to be a lengthy treatment, but a simple 5-10 minute shower is great for treating flu symptoms, treating cold sores, and curing coughs.
7.- Protect your body
• The result that your body feels during exercise and the hot shower is the same: it makes it very hot.
• So instead of doing strenuous exercise, just take a hot shower for a while.
• Like exercising, showering in hot water can also cause your body’s cells to release HSPs or heat stress proteins.
• This is one of the reasons that exercise helps build muscle as HSPs do the support.
• This case has even been investigated with mice and the result was surprising.
• Exposing your body to heat can build your muscle by up to 20 percent.
• This research conducted the test for one hour, so it may be the measure of the time required for muscle building.
8.- It helps you sleep better
• If you want a good quality of sleep, taking a hot shower at the end of the day can help you get a good night’s sleep.
• The muscles can be relaxed with hot water so you can refresh your mind as an escape from your busy world.
• Not only the hot shower but also the hot tub work well for a relaxing treatment.
• Just make sure you don’t stay in the tub too long.
9.- Heals sore muscles
• Normally, your muscles will get tense and sore after running or competing for a long time.
• You need to give them a little heat to recover the pain and thus be able to return to normal.
• Warming up your body helps increase the rate of the metabolic reaction so that your muscles can recover after pain.
• When the rate of the metabolic reaction is reasonable, the chemical processes in your body can function properly and one of the results is that your muscles heal better.
10.- Helps to lose weight
• The hot shower can be a good trick to lose some weight, and it has been shown in a study that people with diabetes can feel the benefit of lowering their glucose and sugar levels.
• However, the study investigated with a hot tub, not a hot shower, so the result could be different with the shower and another study should also be conducted.
11.- Relieves pain
• Muscle-related aches and pains tend to occur after injuries or sports, so treating your muscles with a good hot shower can help.
• Finish your exercise with a hot shower is an amazing idea to keep your muscles healthy.
• Also, joint and muscle pain in arthritis can also be treated with hot water.
• It may not be a total cure in the end, but relaxing your muscles, reducing inflammation, and relieving pain is what you can do.
• Hot water is good for improving blood circulation and results in loose muscles as well.
• In the case of sore muscles, the Jacuzzi is more useful than the hot shower.
12.- Treatment of high blood pressure
• High blood pressure is closely related to heart disease and must be treated appropriately to prevent the deadly disease from growing.
• The effectiveness of hot water in reducing high blood pressure was shown in a study that conducted hot bath research.
• However, even if this natural treatment seems easy and simple, it should be done only when your doctor has said yes for allowing you to do this.
• Hot water can affect your heartbeat, so making a consultation first is very important.
• Remember that it is a hot bath that is said to be helpful, according to a study, not a hot shower.
13.- Promotes hair health
• Not only your skin but also your hair can reap the benefits of hot water.
• While your skin may become clean and fresh after a hot shower, your hair may be healthier as the water is rejuvenating.
14.- Eliminate stress
• The relationship between HSPs or heat stress proteins and hot water has been mentioned, and now there is something more good about this.
• Those proteins are used to protect your body from stress.
• By maintaining their production, your body can resist stress because they work to protect your body and if they are successful in that work, the next time they feel stress, they will work even better since they have learned how to do it from the beginning.
• Previous experiences. For this reason, it is necessary to maintain your production and hot water is one of the simple ways to do it.
• It can be as simple as taking a hot shower every day and keeping the amount of HSP in your body.
15.- Keeps the skin hydrated
• The good effect of hot water on the skin is more than just cleaning the pores, but it is also helpful in moisturizing the skin for longer.
• You can avoid dry and chapped skin by taking a proper hot shower.
16.- Relieves menstrual pain
• Period cramps are annoying and frustrating.
• Instead of taking medication to deal with this, it is better to take a hot shower and the cramps can be treated well.
• It is easy, simple, and cheap.
17.- Treat itchy skin
• When your skin itches, try to drink some hot water when you shower and it will help to soothe your skin.
• Even when there is a rash on the skin, hot water can be used to remove it.
• You can feel your skin better after taking a hot shower.
18.- Fight migraine
• Since hot water can help improve blood flow, taking a hot shower is one of the simplest ways to combat migraines.
• With better blood flow, migraines can be eliminated so you can feel more energetic without the migraines stopping you from doing your activities.
19.- Decongests the nose
• A stuffy nose is annoying.
• You are very distracting from sleep, so you have to spend the whole night just to find the right way to breathe properly.
• If it ever happens to you, don’t stress, just wake up and take a hot shower.
• With the hot water’s ability to dry up the mucus in your nose, you can finally breathe properly and sleep well.
20.- Become an easy warm-up
• The health benefits of a hot shower could make you overheat.
• Instead of spending a few minutes stretching to warm up your body before exercises, consider simply taking a hot shower and the result could be the same.
21.- Promotes the health of the lungs
• If you experience shortness of breath like asthma, just use hot water and it can open your lungs so you can breathe easier.
22.- Prevents infections
• The reason why hot water can prevent infection is that it can kill bacteria, which is primarily the cause of the infection.
• Taking a hot shower every day can keep you healthy due to infection with the germs on your skin being cleaned.
23.- Eliminate toxins
• It acts as a detox by removing toxins from your body through sweat.
• With its hot temperature it can increase the heat of your body, making you sweat and healthy.
24.- Acts against arthritis
• It has been mentioned above that hot water is good for relieving muscle pain, including arthritis.
• You only need to dedicate 20 minutes of your time every day to take a hot shower so that your arthritis-related pain can be relieved due to improved blood circulation.
25.- Helps to heal wounds faster
• Don’t worry about taking a hot shower when you have open wounds on your skin as it will stimulate your healing processes.
• Still on the ability of the hot shower to improve blood circulation, plays an important role in helping the healing process improve, thus acting as an antibiotic for the skin.
• Note that you should not attempt this for large and bad wounds as it might be appropriate only for smaller ones.
Hot shower side effects
Just because the hot shower is packed with many benefits does not mean that it is completely and completely healthy. There are still other side effects to watch out for, so you won’t be taking the shower too long and too long.
1.- It affects blood pressure
• Although hot water can be good for blood flow, it can be bad for blood pressure.
• Hypotension can occur when blood vessels dilate due to the heat of the water.
• Even when you are healthy without cardiovascular disease, such a condition can make your heart work harder and faster, resulting in a difficult situation.
• The worst effect of this strained heart is fainting that begins with lightheadedness.
• You can imagine how dangerous it is to collapse in a bathroom where the floor is so wet and slippery.
2.- It causes nausea
• Your blood flow can change during a hot shower as the temperature of the water influences it.
• Such a change in some people can cause nausea and even vomiting, especially when they take a shower after finishing eating something that could trigger it.
• However, this type of nausea can easily go away once you get out of the shower.
• So if you experience such a condition, just stop the hot shower and get out of your bathroom.
3.- Stun
• The aforementioned change in blood flow also influences the brain and leads to dizziness.
• In this case, you may feel dizzy and unbalanced.
• This imbalance is very dangerous because it can prevent you from getting out of the shower easily, especially on wet floors.
4.- Exposure to chlorine
• This can be dangerous to your health as warm water is the potential to expose your skin to chlorine due to its ability to open pores.
• Once your pores open when you take a hot shower, the chlorine from the shower stream can easily enter your body through the pores.
• Imagine the amount of chlorine your pores will inhale since the skin is the largest part of the body.
• Chlorine, compared to tap water, is much more dangerous.
• If you drink water that contains chlorine, there are still liver and kidneys inside your body that can filter it, but when it enters your pores, and then there is nothing to filter as it will move directly into the bloodstream.
• One study showed that chlorine can cause bladder cancer, but the number increases when chlorine is inhaled, such as people who swim in chlorinated water or take a hot shower, which means that inhalation increases the risk of bladder cancer.
• Therefore, the longer you are in a hot shower, the more you will get chlorine and other chemicals in your body.
5.- Dry the skin
• Although hot water can adequately cleanse and hydrate the skin, exposing the skin to hot water for too long can lead to dryness.
• This is because the temperature of the water causes the skin’s oil barrier to be removed.
• It is best that once the hot shower is over, your skin is applied with moisturizer to retain its moisture.
• Dry skin is not comfortable as it sometimes itches and scratches and scratches you.
• So don’t forget to use the moisturizer afterward and stick with a shower gel that contains moisturizer to prevent dryness.
The key to getting the benefits of your hot shower is not taking too long.
Chemicals can be the most dangerous thing that could harm your body, so you should not put your health at risk.
It is very nice to take a hot shower during the cold months, but you must remember that your body cannot resist it.
Take it properly, feel the heat, and as the benefits roll in, stop and go.
You can do this every day as long as it’s only for a few minutes.
To reduce the number of chemicals inhaled during shower time, turn on the bathroom fan so that air circulation can occur.
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