Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is an amazing herb with lots of benefits. It was called ‘Parthenium’ by the ancient Greeks because according to the Greek legend, this herb was used for saving the life of a person who had fallen from the Parthenon. Parthenon is a temple in Athens.
Feverfew is commonly known as wild chamomile. It belongs to the sunflower family ad is also known by many other names like featherfew, because of its feather like leaves. Europeans have been using this herb for a long time to treat various diseases and ailments. The leaves of feverfew plants are still used to make medicines. Feverfew is known for its health benefits as well as its benefits for the skin and hair.
Benefits of Feverfew for Skin:
Controls Skin redness and swelling:
Feverfew is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. This makes it great for reducing inflammation of the skin. You can use this herb for reducing swelling and the redness of the skin. It also prevents them from occurring in future. You can also use this herb for getting rid of ringworm, patches and scratches.
Promote healthy skin:
Feverfew tea is loaded with antioxidants. By consuming feverfew tea regularly and in moderate amounts helps in protecting your body from the actions of harmful free radicals, which lead to cell damage. The anti-inflammatory properties of this herb help in renewing and revitalizing your skin, so that your skin is made healthy and young from inside.
Benefits of Feverfew for Hair:
Stops hair fall:
Feverfew is very beneficial for reducing hair fall. This is because of its anti-inflammatory properties. People using this herb regularly have experienced a great reduction in hair fall. It is not recommended that you use feverfew herb directly on your scalp. This can be risky ad it can lead to side effects. So, the best way is t drink feverfew tea in moderate amounts. This helps in stopping hair fall and also keeps you away from baldness.
Health and Medicinal Benefits of Feverfew:
Arthritis:
Feverfew herbs contain certain compounds in them, which help in providing you relief from the pain and inflammation that you experience when you suffer from arthritis. It is also good for getting relief from fever.
Blood pressure:
Feverfew is effective for lowering the blood pressure. This is because it has the ability to reduce the actions of prostaglandins, which is a hormone responsible for causing inflammation in blood vessels.
Kills cancer cells:
This amazing herb has the power to kill cancer cells. The active compounds present in this herb helps in killing the cancer cells. Research conducted a few years ago shows that it is more effective for killing cancer cells than the chemo drugs that are so expensive.
Menstrual cramps:
You get relief from menstrual cramps by using feverfew. The reason is that this herb helps in restricting the release of a hormone called prostaglandin. It is this hormone that causes pain and irritation that you experience with PMS.
Migraine:
According to studies made, feverfew is very effective for decreasing the attacks of migraine as well as for reducing its frequency. It is seen to be more effective than the anti-inflammatory pills that you use for treating migraine, like aspirin etc. Feverfew prevents inflammations and blood vessel spasms, which are the root causes of migraine attacks.
You can have feverfew tea to teat migraines. If you do not like its bitter taste, you can have freeze dried capsules of this herb instead. A daily dose of 250 mg is enough for treating migraine. You can also grow feverfew plant and consume its leaves.
Relieves nerve pain:
Feverfew has the ability to reduce pain and inflammation that you feel in your body. This is because it prevents the release of inflammatory substances like serotonin. It provides you relief from pain just like any pharmaceutical pain relievers and fever-reducing medicines, but it has no lasting side effects like the other medicines.
So, now that you have seen some of the benefits of feverfew, try to include it in your diet and enjoy its benefits. If you are wondering how you can get hold of this plant, go to the market and ask. It is flooded with feverfew supplements, pills, capsules and tinctures. You can try them. But the safest way it use it is in the form of tea. This way you will get all the benefits of the plant. Although feverfew is safe for most people, there some side effects of this plant that you should know. They are as follows:
Side Effects of Feverfew:
- Some of the common side effects of feverfew are bloating, diarrhoea, heartburn, stomach upset, vomiting, constipation, flatulence and nausea.
- Some of the reported side effects of feverfew also include tiredness, weight gain, rash, stiffness in the joints, pounding heart and trouble in sleeping.
- Pregnant and breast feeding women should avoid consuming feverfew.
- Although chewing fresh leaves of feverfew is very beneficial, it can cause swelling of the lips, mouth and tongue in a few people. It can also temporarily remove the sense of taste and cause mouth sores.
In spite of the side effects of feverfew, it is used by many and is very beneficial. Just keep in mind that you do not over-consume it. Studies made have shown that consuming 50 to 100 mg of feverfew extract a day is enough to provide you relief from the attacks of migraine headaches. If you are suffering from any other ailments and problems, you will have to consult a doctor and take his opinion. If you prefer feverfew tea, make sure that you follow the instructions given on the pack.
