Turmeric, cloves & co. help against these complaints

They give something specific, they make dishes tastier. The healing power of spices is also convincing: they relieve pain, promote healing processes and much more.

Aromatic spices

The leaves, fruits and roots of some plants provide us with substances that enhance our health. Some spices stimulate digestion, others strengthen the immune system or stimulate the cardiovascular system. This is mainly due to the essential oils, but also due to the spicy, bitter and tannic substances contained in the plant

Participation, as we know it today thanks to modern research. In general, experts are now experimenting with spices more and more. In their laboratories, experts want to scientifically prove known or suspected positive properties.

Curcumin against intestinal problems

And they are succeeding more and more. Example: Researchers have long been interested in the active ingredient curcumin found in turmeric. For thousands of years, people have been using hot spices in Ayurvedic medicine — especially against infections. Since these little fires in the body also play a role in cancer, scientists sensed the potential here. American researchers then found that intestinal polyps, from which colon cancer often develops, can regress with the help of curcumin. The spice can also be used for serious diseases, in addition to traditional treatment methods. And many daily complaints often correct everything on their own. Here we will tell you which spices help!

Saffron brightens the mood

We know from nursery rhymes that saffron makes the cake white (yellow). More precisely, the orange-red filaments of the pistil, which come from saffron flowers, native to the Near East. Because saffron is harvested or processed by hand, it is one of the most expensive spices in the world.

With any complaints?

Against bad mood

Against mild to moderate depression

Application: You can get preparations with a sufficiently high dose of saffron extract in the pharmacy without a prescription (eg "Cefasafra"). It is definitely worth a try.

Mustard strengthens the immune system

Whether hot or sweet, smooth or rough – there are a number of variants of the spicy paste. In addition to vinegar, salt and sugar, they all contain a crucial ingredient: the grains of the mustard plant, a plant native to the Mediterranean region.

With any complaints?

Against colds and strengthening the immune system

Against headaches and migraines

If you suffer from these ailments, you should try foot bath with mustard flour. Essential oils stimulate the foot area and act as a feedback loop on other parts of the body. Blood circulation increases, the immune system increases.

Usage: Fill a bucket to calf height with water at about 37 degrees, and mix 2 tablespoons of mustard flour (in pharmacies). Soak both legs in it for ten minutes. If it burns badly, stop. Then rinse your legs with lukewarm water.

Cloves for inflammation and pain

Gingerbread without these spices? Unthinkable! The clove tree comes from the Moluccas, an Indonesian archipelago. The dried flower buds make some delicious dishes – including some hearty dishes and pickled vegetables – their typical note.

With any complaints?

toothache

Mouth infection

The flower buds contain an essential oil that is 95% eugenol. The substance prevents the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Eugenol also has a mild analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.

application:

Soak a cotton ball in water. Put a few drops of clove oil from the pharmacy on top. Gently press on the sore tooth. If the gums are inflamed, add a few drops of clove oil to a cup of water and gargle with it.

Caraway soothes the digestive system

In all probability, we are dealing with the oldest spice. Because caraway was actually found in the tombs of the Pharaohs and during excavations of mound dwellings from the Stone and Bronze Ages. Scientists identify its origins in the Middle East and Mediterranean countries.

With any complaints?

Digestive problems such as gas, bloating and colic

It has an appetizing effect and stimulates the production of gastric juice

Essential oils of caraway fruits, especially carvone and limonene as the main component, have a soothing effect on the digestive system.

application:

Crush 1-2 teaspoons of caraway seeds in a mortar and pour it into a tea filter or tea strainer. Pour boiling water over a cup and let it steep for ten minutes. Strain and drink the caraway tea in small sips.

Cinnamon has an expectorant effect

Most of us associate this spice with Christmas. It consists of the dried bark of various types of cinnamon trees, for example from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon).

With any complaints?

The tannin B1 contained in cinnamon lowers the blood sugar level, which is especially useful in the case of type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, the essential oils contained in the spice have an expectorant effect. They have proven themselves in influenza-like infections.

application:

Pour hot water over a cinnamon stick (health food store) in a cup. Let it stand for ten minutes. Bonus tip: Buy real Ceylon cinnamon, the variety with the highest percentage of healthy substances.

Garlic reduces high blood pressure

The terror of all vampires was cultivated in Central Asia more than 5,000 years ago.

With any complaints?

When we crush or squeeze a clove of garlic, the amino acid alliin it contains produces another substance: allicin. This not only causes the typical garlic odor. It also helps combat high blood pressure and reduces harmful cholesterol in the blood. The substance can also reduce calcium deposits on the walls of blood vessels, protecting the cardiovascular system.

application:

It is better to eat a raw toe every day - which is unthinkable for most people. Alternative: garlic preparation from the pharmacy.

Turmeric as an anti-inflammatory

We can also call the South Asian plant root a native relative of saffron – at least in terms of its orange-red colour. Processed into a powder, they are used in every curry mixture for an unmistakable appearance.

With any complaints?

The plant compound curcumin not only gives turmeric its distinctive color. For example, it also inhibits enzymes that play an important role in inflammatory processes in the body. Therefore, turmeric has an anti-inflammatory effect and soothes the skin. a. Rheumatic pain and psoriasis.

application:

Fat-soluble curcumin is difficult to dissolve in water. This is why the body cannot absorb the substance well and little reaches the blood for it to have an effect. Supplements that use micellar technology to significantly increase this bioavailability are available in capsule form from pharmacies (eg “curcuminLoges”).