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What is Chamomile?
Chamomile has been praised for its medicinal and cosmetic benefits for centuries. Historians believe the Romans were the first to grow chamomile in large quantities, but others argue that botanists from Great Britain deserve the recognition.
Today, the chamomile plant grows around the world in various temperate locations, such as France, Belgium, Italy and Germany.
Oil from the chamomile plant contains flavonoids, terpenoids and numerous other disease-fighting antioxidants. It’s available as a tea, an essential oil, an extract, a powder, a tablet or a capsule. Traditional doctors often recommend chamomile extracts and powders since they deliver the highest concentration of antioxidants.
Chamomile tea is one of its most popular forms, and is used to treat gastrointestinal upset, such as nausea, indigestion, diarrhea and vomiting.
Many favor the essential oil as a remedy for skin conditions since using it topically relieves burning and itching. Some prefer it in diffusers as an aromatherapy treatment to ease anxiety and depression and promote relaxation and sleep.
Note: Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile or Anthemis Nobilis) ,German Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita or Chamomilla Recutita).
So how else can chamomile benefit your health?
Chamomile Benefits
Contains Powerful Antioxidants
Antioxidants protect your cells from oxidation, preventing disease and slowing signs of aging. The chamomile plant is chock-full of terpenoids, chamazulene, flavonoids and other valuable antioxidants. These compounds work together to suppress inflammation, hinder cell mutation, reduce pain and swelling, improve mood, support the immune system and even fight cancer.
Eases Depression and Anxiety
According to a study posted in both Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine and Pharmacology Review, chamomile tea and essential oil are two of the most sought-after remedies for relieving stress. One reason it’s such a popular ingredient in aromatherapy, candles and bath products is that inhaling its vapors has a calming effect on the nerves.
Improves Digestion
Chamomile tea promotes good digestion and decreases the risk of certain gastrointestinal issues. It offers a calming effect on the body and relieves cramping, constipation, acid reflux, and other digestive issues. It may be especially effective at reducing acidity in the digestive tract, which in turn can reduce the risk of ulcers. It’s gentle enough for children and pregnant women, too, and many women use it as a natural treatment for diarrhea and nausea during pregnancy.
Promotes Healthy Skin
Do you have red, chapped or dry skin? Since chamomile contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds, adding a few drops of chamomile oil to your body lotion can help relieve irritation and promote soft, smooth, healthy skin. Studies suggest chamomile can soothe eczema, bruises, burns, gout, wounds, canker sores, acne, chicken pox, poison ivy and diaper rash.
Eases PMS Symptoms
Chamomile eases back pain, headaches and cramps associated with premenstrual syndrome. It can also help with moodiness and depression–other common PMS symptoms– and promote feelings of calmness and well-being.
Relieves Arthritis Pain
Studies have shown that the antioxidants in chamomile tea and oil can penetrate deep into the skin to treat the painful, inflammatory symptoms of arthritis. You can apply the oil directly on your skin or add it to your bathwater.
Treats Insomnia
A study conducted in 2006 concluded that inhaling chamomile oil before bedtime produced a calming and drowsy effect, helping study participants enter a deeper and more restful sleep. Add chamomile essential oil to a diffuser before bedtime to promote a full night’s sleep.
Promotes Healthy Teeth and Gums
Chamomile can kill bacteria living inside the mouth, and reduce pain from canker sores and toothaches. Many chamomile-based organic toothpastes and mouthwashes are available to support better oral health.
Heart-Healthy
Flavonoids and other antioxidants found in chamomile can help protect the heart from coronary artery disease. Chamomile also relaxes blood vessels to lower high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart-related illnesses.
Did You Know?
- • The Egyptians dedicated chamomile to the sun gods they worshipped. They also used chamomile as a main ingredient in oils used to embalm deceased pharaohs.
- • The word chamomile comes from the Greek word khamaimÄ“lon, which translates to “earth apple.”
- • Before hops came along, brewers flavored beer with chamomile.
- • A popular concoction of chamomile, lavender and coconut oils can soothe a bad sunburn by reducing pain and swelling.
- • In ancient times, monks used chamomile during meditation and prayer to relax their minds and promote spiritual enlightenment.
- • As far back as the ancient Egyptians, chamomile was used to cast spells for money, peace, love, and purification.
- • Some sprinkle chamomile petals on the thresholds of doors and windows to bring positive light and energy to the home.
- • The Anglo-Saxons considered chamomile one of the nine sacred herbs. The other eight were mugwort, plantain, watercress, viper’s bugloss, nettle, fennel, crabapple and sweet cicely.
Chamomile Side Effects
Chamomile is a gentle herb with few side effects, but there are a few considerations:
- • When taken early in pregnancy, herbal teas can cause uterine contractions which could cause miscarriage. For this reason, pregnant women should speak to their obstetrician before using them.
- • Don’t take chamomile if you’re allergic to plans in the daisy family.
- • Chamomile contains the blood thinning compound coumarin, so it should not be taken with warfarin or other similar blood-thinning medications.
- • Avoid chamomile for two weeks before and after surgery.
Chamomile Dosage
Chamomile supplements are available in several forms, including oils, tinctures, pills, capsules and herbal blends.
You can also take chamomile extract powder, which contains a higher concentration of beneficial compounds like antioxidants. As a dietary supplement, take 800 mg (scant 1/3 tsp) of the powder once or twice daily, or as directed by your physician.
The Bottom Line
Chamomile has been used for thousands of years to treat inflammation, various skin conditions, mood disorders and heart conditions. In fact, it is
one of the most common herbs used for medicinal purposes and
is widely recognized for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and mild astringent properties.
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Chamomile Benefits: Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Cancer
Considered to be one of the most ancient and versatile medicinal herbs known to mankind, dried chamomile flowers have numerous, widespread health implications thanks to their high levels of disease-fighting antioxidants like terpenoids and flavonoids.
Chamomile’s vital antioxidants are found in the plant’s potent oils and are the main contributors to its natural healing properties.
As an effective alternative medicine with almost no known negative side effects, chamomile has been used for nearly 5,000 years in standardized tea, herbal extract and cosmetic forms to promote tranquility, vitality, a youthful appearance and longevity.
What Is Chamomile?
Chamomile plants are a member of the Asteraceae/Compositae family. There are two common types of chamomile used medicinally today: German chamomile (chamomillarecutita) and Roman chamomile (chamaemelumnobile).
The chamomile plant is native to Western Europe and Northern Africa, but these days it’s grown all around the world in different temperate regions.
Records show that chamomile benefits have been recognized for centuries, with the herb being used both medicinally and cosmetically. Germans have used chamomile to resolve digestive issues since at least the first century, and records show that Egyptians worshipped the plant and dedicated festivals to its healing properties. Egyptian noblewomen were known to crush chamomile flowers and apply them to their skin to preserve their youthful glow and naturally slow signs of aging.
Romans used chamomile as a medicinal herb to fight disease and promote longevity. Its healing qualities spread throughout Europe and eventually the British brought chamomile plants to North America. Doctors throughout Europe and in the early settlements of America included chamomile in their medicinal bags because it was able to reduce pain, inflammation, allergies and digestive issues. People also used it as a natural deodorant, shampoo and perfume.
Today, chamomile tea and herbal extracts are sold worldwide for human consumption. One cup of chamomile tea has two calories, two milligrams of sodium and no cholesterol. Chamomile is commonly used for improving many different health conditions, including:
- • anxiety and depression
- • seasonal allergies
- • inflammatory conditions
- • muscle spasms
- • PMS symptoms and other menstrual disorders
- • insomnia
- • skin disorders
- • ulcers
- • wounds
- • gastrointestinal disorders
- • arthritis symptoms and rheumatic pain
- • hemorrhoids
How can one herb do so much? Chamomile benefits our health by soothing the body, relieving mild pain, fighting skin irritations and helping to ease anxiety. Research also shows that drinking chamomile tea can help to improve sleep quality and fatigue, and even alleviate depression.
The list of ways that chamomile extract can be used is surprisingly long. Drinking chamomile tea is the most popular way to use this powerful herb. You can also diffuse chamomile essential oil at home, use the oil to soothe skin conditions. Chamomile extracts are also available and used to relieve digestive issues and promote liver detoxification.
Chamomile Benefits
1. High Source of Antioxidants
The main antioxidant components extracted from chamomile flowers are the terpenoid group of antioxidants, including chamazulene and acetylene derivatives. Because these delicate compounds are unstable, they’re thought to be best preserved in an alcoholic tincture or “essential oil” form. Other major constituents of the flowers include several phenolic compounds, primarily the flavonoids, including apigenin, quercetin, patuletin as well as various glucosides.
These compounds help to reduce inflammation by fighting free radical damage and preventing cell mutation. Chamomile benefits start with antioxidants that are associated with better immune function, lower rates of mood disorders, reduced pain and swelling, and healthier skin, hair, nails, teeth and eyes.
2. Fights Anxiety and Depression
Chamomile, whether in tea, tincture or essential oil form, is one the best medicinal herbs for fighting stress and promoting relaxation, according to research from Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine and Pharmacognosy Review. Inhaling chamomile vapors using chamomile oil is often recommended as a natural remedy for depression and general anxiety, which is one reason why chamomile oil is a popular ingredient in many candles, aromatherapy products and bath-soaking treatments.
In extract form, chamomile is frequently used as a mild sedative to calm nerves and reduce anxiety because its vapors travel directly to the olfactory part of the brain, turning off tension and reducing the body’s stress response. This is why practitioners use chamomile to effectively relieve symptoms of chronic anxiety and stress, including hysteria, nightmares, insomnia and various digestive problems.
Smells are carried directly to the brain, and they serve as an emotional trigger. The limbic system evaluates the sensory stimuli, registering pleasure, pain, danger or safety; this then directs our emotional response, such as feelings of fear, anger and attraction. Our basic emotions and hormonal balance are in response to the most basic smell. Scents are a direct pathway to memory and emotion. Fragrances, like chamomile, relieve pain and generally affect personality and behavior. Research proves that using oil fragrances is one of the fastest ways to achieve psychological results.
3. Improves Digestion
Believed to be a powerful digestive relaxant, chamomile can be used to treat various gastrointestinal disturbances, including gas, acid reflux symptoms, indigestion, diarrhea, anorexia, motion sickness, nausea and vomiting. Chamomile extract can help shorten the course of diarrhea and colic in children as well as relieve symptoms associated with the conditions like pain and anxiety. Chamomile oil also contains anodyne compounds that are anti-spasmodic, reducing cramping, constipation and other stomach pains.
Many of these benefits are due to chamomile’s natural relaxing effects. Because the brain and the gut communicate directly back and forth via the vagus nerve, a more relaxed mind can also help heal leaky gut, which can mean reduced symptoms of chronic conditions like leaky gut, IBS and other gut-related issues. Chamomile benefits include mellowing effects also make it a good choice for pregnant women in order to relax the digestive tract and act as a natural remedy for nausea.
4. Has Strong Anti-Inflammatory and Pain-Reducing Abilities
Chamomile is sometimes called an “herbal aspirin” since it’s been a popular home remedy for lowering pain for centuries. Chamomile flowers are used alone or in combination with other anti-inflammatory foods to reduce pain, congestion, swelling and redness. They’re effective at reducing facial swelling, skin irritations, toothaches, pain from infections and underlying issues of inflammation. This is the reason chamomile extract is commonly added to beauty products like facial or body lotions, toothpastes, and bath soaps.
A 2018 crossover study published in Neurological Science found that a chamomile gel was able to reduce migraine pain. Chamomile can also naturally lower pain associated with arthritis, injuries, back pain, fevers and pregnancy. In fact, its pain-reducing qualities are even used to soothe the body and mind after giving birth. For example, in some parts of the world like Mexico, chamomile tea is given to women after labor to relax their abdominal muscles and help them rest.
5. May Help Fight Cancer
Recently, several studies dug into the anti-cancer activity of chamomile. Evidence shows positive effects of chamomile stopping cancerous tumor growth and acting as a natural cancer treatment. Inhibition of cancerous cells is believed to be due to chamomile’s antioxidants called apigenin, which are bioactive constituents that appear to help fight skin, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers.
In a recent study published by the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, chamomile extracts were shown to cause minimal growth inhibitory effects on normal healthy cells, but showed significant reductions in human cancer cells, especially androgen-refractory cells that often lead to prostate cancer.
6. Relieves Congestion
Because chamomile benefits include both fighting infections and reducing mucus congestion, it’s added to many nasal sprays. Chamomile tea is also a good choice when you’re sick and want to beat a cold, the flu or sinus infection.
Studies indicate that inhaling steam with chamomile extract is helpful in common cold symptoms. Some people even gargle chamomile tea or extract to fight inflammation of the mucous membranes and within the mouth and throat.
7. Promotes Skin Health
Suffering from breakouts or dry, irritated, aged, red skin? Try using chamomile oil mixed into lotion. Chamomile promotes smooth, healthy skin and relieves irritations thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Chamomile’s flavonoids and essential oils penetrate below the skin surface into the deeper skin layers of the skin, preserving its youthful appearance, completion and immune defenses. As a traditional medicine, it’s been used for centuries to treat wounds, ulcers, eczema, gout, skin irritations, bruises, burns and canker sores.
Today, we know chamomile benefits and uses go even further — it’s also useful for getting rid of signs of aging like dark spots and fine lines, reducing dandruff naturally, treating chickenpox quickly, and fading scars. Additionally, it makes a great natural diaper rash treatment and can even be used around the eyes to fight infections and sties.
8. Keeps Gum and Teeth Healthy
In addition to healing skin and the respiratory tract, chamomile benefits include the ability to fight various bacterial infections of the oral cavity, teeth and gums. Chamomile benefits help reduce pain associated with cancer sores, wounds and toothaches, plus they fight harmful bacteria that can live within the mouth.
A pilot study published in the Journal of Oral Science found that a mouthwash containing 1 percent chamomile extract effectively reduced biofilm accumulation and bleeding in patients with gingivitis. This was likely due to the herb’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities.
9. May Improve Heart Health
Recently, chamomile has been associated with providing cardiovascular protection. Because of its high level of flavonoids, chamomile consumed in foods is linked with a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease in elderly men.
One study published in The Lancet assessed the flavonoid intake of 805 men aged 65–84 years and found that higher flavonoid intake from foods and herbs was significantly inversely associated with mortality from coronary heart disease.
How to Buy and Use
Today, chamomile is widely available and used in various forms, usually as a tea, essential oil, dry powder or tincture. Which type you want to buy depends on how you plan to use it.
Dry powder and extract forms of chamomile flowers are usually most recommended by traditional practitioners since these provide the most potent forms of chamomile’s antioxidants. If you come across chamomile powder, look for a product made with pure chamomile flower leaves (where the oils are held), but not fillers like the plant’s stems or roots. Extracts are also used to make chamomile capsules, which are often used to treat anxiety and sleep issues. The standard dosage for these types of conditions, which have been used in studies, is 220–1,100 milligrams per day, for about 8 weeks.
In most parts of the world, chamomile tea is the most popular way to enjoy the plant’s calming effects. You can find chamomile tea in nearly any grocery store, but look for organic, pure tea leaves to get the most benefits.
How many cups of chamomile tea can you drink in a day? Because chamomile’s oils aren’t very water-soluble, tea won’t have as strong of an effect as chamomile essential oil uses, powders or tinctures, but it can still help you to kick back and soothe your stomach after a long day. This means that you can drink one to four cups of chamomile tea per day.
If you want to use chamomile on your skin, in the bath or combined with other products you already have, look for chamomile extracts that contain about 50 percent alcohol and a standardized extract of 1.2 percent of apigenin (which is one of the most effective bioactive agents).
Chamomile essential oil can also be bought in health food stores and online. It’s an excellent remedy for solving skin issues and reducing pain, plus you can burn chamomile as an aromatherapy treatment to ease tension, relax and fall asleep easily.
Recipes
Aside from drinking chamomile tea, here some simple ways to use chamomile essential oil around your home:
- Aromatherapy to reduce anxiety: Diffuse chamomile and lavender essential oils around your home to reduce feelings of stress and tension. They can also help you fall asleep easily.
- Heal irritated skin: Heal blistered skin by mixing two drops of tea tree oil and chamomile, and then apply to the blistered area up to five times per day. You can also make a jar of your own skin-healing oil with my Homemade Anti-Aging Serum; add 20 drops of chamomile oil to this recipe that delivers vital nutrients and hydration.
- Soothe a sunburn: Combine lavender or chamomile oil with one tablespoon of coconut oil and apply to the skin with a cotton ball to reduce swelling and pain.
- Spiritual enlightenment: Diffuse chamomile with frankincense essential oil while praying, meditating or reading to increase spiritual awareness and relax your mind.
- Bathtub scrub: Mix a half cup of baking soda, half cup of vinegar and five drops of chamomile and bergamot oil together. Rub into your muscles and soak in the tub for at least 15 minutes to calm your mind and help soothe muscle aches.
- Nighttime face lotion: Apply two to four drops of chamomile, lavender and peppermint essential oil to your temples for a cooling effect, immediate relaxation and help staying asleep. Try making your own lotion using soothing essential oils; my Homemade Frankincense and Myrrh Lotion will tone, lift, heal and protect the skin — just add five drops of chamomile for anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving benefits.
- Improve depression: To boost mood and relieve depression, add chamomile oil and rose essential oil to your baths, or inhale the mix and diffuse it throughout your home to improve your mood.
- Calm an upset child: Help soothe and calm children by adding lavender or chamomile oil to their stuffed animals or blankets.
- Relieve PMS: Mix two drops of chamomile, sage, basil and rosemary oils, and then apply to a warm, moist hand towel and apply to abdomen.
- Relieve motion sickness: Inhale chamomile, peppermint, lavender and ginger oil to reduce motion sickness.
- Achy muscle rub: Mix chamomile oil with eucalyptus, wintergreen and cypress oils, as well as an unscented lotion or coconut oil, and then rub it into sore or aching muscles.
Risks and Side Effects
Chamomile is recognized as “likely safe” when it’s taken in amounts found in food and “possibly safe” when it’s taken by mouth or applied to the skin for short periods of time.
If you’re going to use chamomile essential oil, remember that it’s meant to use topically on the skin, but not to ingest. Do a patch test first on a small part of your skin to make sure you don’t have any negative reactions to the plant’s oils before using in other applications.
Chamomile oil shouldn’t be used by anyone with existing seasonal allergy symptoms, such as allergies to ragweed or its relatives, since this can bring on allergic reactions. If you suffer from hay fever, frequent hives or dermatitis, it’s also a good idea to stay away from chamomile products or at least to talk to your doctor before using it on your own. What are the side effects of chamomile if you are allergic? You may experience sneezing, drowsiness, itching and respiratory issues.
People with a hormone-sensitive condition, such as endometriosis, fibroids, or cancers of the breast, uterus and ovaries should avoid using chamomile because it may act like estrogen in the body.
One other thing to note is that chamomile products are thought to be mild uterine stimulants, so if you’re pregnant, speak with a professional before ingesting chamomile extracts (mild chamomile tea shouldn’t cause any problems).
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