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Home Remedies - Chamomile - McDowell's Herbal Treatments

Chamomile, a herb that originates from a flowering plant from the daisy family, is one of the most widely used flowers for herbal tea. Chamomile tea is so popular and can be found in most grocery stores. It is used as a mild sedative, and is good for insomnia as well as many other nervous conditions. It is nervine and sedative and is especially suited to teething children and those who have been in a highly emotional state over a long period of time.

stock chamomile SMLLCRP

The anti-inflammatory properties make it good for rheumatism, arthritis, and other painful swellings. Additional uses in herbal medicine include an antispasmodic for intestinal and menstrual cramps, relieving gas pains, and a very mild but efficient laxative. Milder tea in large doses is given throughout the day for fevers, sore throats, the aches and pains due to colds, flu, and allergies. Except for a very small risk of allergy to the daisy family, chamomile is also one of the safest herbs to use. It is safe for even the youngest baby.

Chamomile flowers are used in herbal medicine as;

  • An anodyne (pain relief)
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Anti-spasmodic
  • Nervine
  • Stomachic
  • Tonic
  • Vasodilatory

For Digestion

Chamomile is well known as a digestive support. It contains a compound called 'esquiterpene lactone', which helps the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes. This, in turn, helps break down food and improves the digestion. Being an anti-spasmodic, it can help reduce spasms, abdominal cramping and bloating in the stomach and intestines. Chamomile can also help with irritable bowel syndrome, abnormal stool consistency, and constipation. 

For Anxiety

Chamomile has also been used through the ages as a relaxant. A study showed that long-term use of chamomile significantly reduced anxiety (2). Reducing stress and anxiety can then help with headaches, tiredness, and muscle aches (6)

For sleep

Chamomile tea is a well-known and effective home solution to getting to sleep! Studies found to help improve sleep latency and can help you fall asleep faster (4)

For immunity

Many studies have shown that Chamomile tea will not only help illnes, but can also be a preventive measure. It fights harmful bacteria, and has the ability to boost your immune system. 

For premenstrual syndrome

Chamomile tea has pain-relieving and antispasmodic properties for premenstrual symptoms. It relaxes the uterus and decreases the production of prostaglandins (hormone-like substances that cause inflammation and pain).

For your hair?

There's not a great deal of evidence supporting the use of chamomile for hair but it smells and feels great! There is a cooling and mildly anti-inflammatory properties, so chamomile could help ease dry and inflamed scalp conditions like dandruff or itchiness (3). Some people swear by it to treat dandruff and a hair 'lightener'.

References
(1) Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jan.12836
(2) Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27912875/
(3) 10 Unexpected Benefits of Sipping Chamomile Tea
https://www.oprahmag.com/life/a32493950/chamomile-tea-benefits/
(4)  Shinomiya, Kazuaki, Toshio Inoue, Yoshiaki Utsu, Shin Tokunaga, Takayoshi Masuoka, Asae Ohmori, and Chiaki Kamei. “Hypnotic activities of chamomile and passiflora extracts in sleep-disturbed rats.” Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 28, no. 5 (2005): 808-810.
(6) Generalized Anxiety Disorder: When Worry Gets Out of Control
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml

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McDowell's staff Herbalists can not diagnose your disease or illness. What they can do is offer a herbal program to assist with healing, after you have had advice from your doctor or specialist. If you have unexplained pain or symptoms, seek medical advice.

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