Natural remedy of the month – chamomile

I first came across Chamomile when someone said it would make my hair blonder. In fact, the pretty chamomile plant, or chamomilla recutita, seems to have lots of great benefits.

Chamomile can also be spelt camomile and is a member of the sunflower family. It is a plant with pretty almost daisy looking flowers, with yellow centres and long white florets and grows happily in fields across England and most of Europe. Some people consider it a weed but it has provided some good uses over the years and it is now cultivated for commercial purposes. Many of its benefits are delivered from its spasmolytic action due to the presence of flavones, bisabolol and other constituents in its volatile oil.

The flowers have a distinctive apple like fragrance and give a unique aromatic taste to teas and infusions. Traditionally these teas were used to calm and help sooth sore stomachs, aid digestion, aid irritable bowel syndrome and also used as a gentle laxative and also a sleeping aid.

There are various varieties of chamomile teas and infusions and some are blended with other herbs or fruits to make a different flavour.

The soothing properties of chamomile are today also incorporated into several other products such as hand and body creams and soaps.

New research shows that drinking chamomile tea daily might help prevent the complications of type 2 diabetes such as the loss of vision and nerve and kidney damage.

Researchers in both the UK and Japan fed chamomile extract to diabetic rats and the extract appeared to cut blood sugar levels and block activity of an enzyme associated with the development of diabetic complications.

And if all else fails, chamomile can look pretty in a flower vase!!!

If in any doubt about any of the information covered in health and nutrition related articles and it's relevance for you, consult your GP.

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