Discovering the Health Benefits of Herbal Supplements
Herbal supplements promote overall wellness and can aid with specific ailments. With few side effects and higher tolerability for those allergic to prescription drug components, herbal remedies offer more comprehensive wellness support than ever.
Plants are nature’s pharmacy, offering us access to herbs, berries, roots, flowers, leaves and fruits with medicinal qualities that we can tap into by making herbal preparations such as tea or tinctures.
1. Stress Reduction
Feeling overwhelmed on a regular basis can have serious repercussions for your health, as high levels of stress hormones can reduce immunity while raising blood pressure, heart disease, and anxiety levels. While healthy diet, plenty of sleep, and seeking mental health assistance may help, herbal remedies are an invaluable ally.
Herbal medicines are botanical products derived from plant seeds, leaves, roots, bark and flowers used medicinally. Some varieties have been around for millennia and could provide an effective alternative to certain prescribed medications.
Before taking herbal supplements, however, it’s essential that you consult a healthcare provider first as some may interact with certain medications – particularly antibiotics and blood thinners – making their consumption even more important if pregnant or breastfeeding.
2. Digestive Health
Digestive health is vital, moving waste through your system while keeping you regular and feeding the gut microbiome. When diet, hydration, and regular exercise don’t suffice, herbal supplements may offer additional support for digestion.
These herbs and nutrients serve as carminatives to relax intestinal sphincter muscles, relieving excess gas, soothing queasiness, decreasing pain and supporting digestion. Additionally, these herbal and nutritional remedies act as choleretics – stimulating liver function while aiding the body to eliminate toxins more efficiently.
If you’re experiencing digestive issues, consulting a naturopathic doctor in Dallas could be invaluable in finding the appropriate herbs and supplements to treat them. Ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb known for relieving stress and restful sleep may assist digestion by supporting healthy blood sugar levels; its various lifestyle-friendly forms such as capsules, tablets, liquids or teas may offer relief as well.
3. Immune System Support
Strengthening immunity is a fantastic way to combat illnesses like colds, the winter blues and headaches. Many herbal remedies offer effective ways to do just this without side effects associated with over-the-counter drugs.
Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties that help support immune health. According to studies, ginger may also ease symptoms associated with colds. Echinacea has been shown to stimulate white blood cell activity and can be taken in various forms like tincture, tea or tablets.
Folate (folic acid) is an essential B vitamin. It can boost immune system health while protecting DNA mutations from occurring.
Vitamin C is an all-natural antioxidant that can protect immune cells. You can take vitamin C in supplement form such as powder or Immune Prime which contains Wellmune WGP(r), the most clinically researched single beta glucan that naturally primes immunity cells.
4. Energy Boost
When feeling fatigued, try altering your diet, increasing physical activity and getting enough restful sleep to restore energy levels. Also try herbs for energy like Tulsi (Tulsi is an ancient Indian plant used for religious and ceremonial purposes), Holy Basil and Cordyceps which has been shown to increase endurance by stimulating production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which transports food-sourced energy directly into cells.
Herbal supplements often have fewer side effects than pharmaceutical medicines; however, they still may cause interactions with other medicines or medical conditions, or foods. Therefore, before beginning any herbal remedy be sure to consult a healthcare provider and ensure it has been manufactured according to current good manufacturing practices and is pure.
5. Weight Loss
Herbal remedies may help increase metabolism, promote fat burning and curb appetite to facilitate weight loss when combined with a healthy diet.
Certain herbs can serve as adaptogens to reduce stress- and age-related issues (hot flashes, fatigue, low energy/fatigue levels, poor sleep patterns, insomnia and high cholesterol), by decreasing cortisol levels. Examples include ashwagandha, medicinal mushrooms and Rhodiola.
Whole herb formulations designed to aid weight loss should contain adaptogenic herbs that regulate stress response and support immune function as well as herbs that suppress cravings, support digestion and elimination, thermogenic herbs in concentrated dose extracts such as green tea, guarana or yerba mate can stimulate metabolism and energy for weight loss while herbs such as fenugreek or gymnema may help modulate carb metabolism for further weight loss.
