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The One Herb to Save You That You Probably Overlook Everyday
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This herb does not get anywhere near the attention that others do, such as garlic, Echinacea, and goldenseal, but it has been used for ages thanks to its sweet savory flavor as well as its medicinal compounds. It was first used in the Mediterranean region but has since gone on to be used all over the world. This herbs scientific name tells you everything you need to know about this plant “Salvia”, which translated is “to be saved” or “to cure.” The plant that has been called “the plant of immortality” by some cultures is known to us as sage.
Used as both a preservative and medicinal purposes for thousands of years, sage was extremely valued by the Romans and Greeks, who even had a ceremony to honor it. The healers of the Arab world of the 10th century believed that those who ate sage would be immortal and the 14th century Europeans later used it to fight off witchcraft. The 17th century Chinese reportedly traded three cases of tea leaves for one case of sage leaves, it was considered to be so valuable.
A few of the medicinal properties and health benefits of sage are:
1. Super Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Compounds
This might be one reason that some cultures believe this herb keeps you forever young; its powerful anti-inflammatory compounds can help stop or improve conditions that are caused by inflammation such as asthma and arthritis. Sage contains rosmarinic acid, which is easily absorbed by the body and helps to control inflammatory response by the immune system. The leaves and stems of sage plants are also high in antioxidant enzymes, which can prevent oxidative stress, which can result in a wide variety of chronic diseases, including cancer.
2. Lowers Feels of Anxiety and Improves Mood
Besides helping your body, sage can also improve your mental well-being. In one study, subjects took either a sage leaf extract or a sugar pill. Those who took sage had an improved mood prior to taking a stress simulation test. Those who took the higher 600mg dose also had improved levels of calmness, lower feelings of anxiety, and they were more alert overall throughout the exam when compared to those who took a sugar pill.
3. Improves Brain and Memory Function
Research proves that sage alters a person’s cognitive ability and even shows potential for treating brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. One study done by Northumbira and the University of Newcastle compared sage to a placebo in tests done involving cognition. Those who consumed the sage oil did better on word recall tests than those who took the placebo.
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