Humorously called weeping willow, white willow has been in use for thousands of years to relieve pain and inflammation. White willow, botanically called Salix alba, is also called Salicin willow, Black Willow, and Willow. History says that Hippocrates, Father of medical Science, used willow bark to reduce fever and inflammation. It has been used throughout centuries in Asia and Europe as an effective medicine for pain and fever. It has been a handy home remedy for back pain, headache, and inflammatory conditions, such as bursitis. In short, it has been the ancient aspirin found in nature’s garden.
Health benefits of white willow
1) Willow bark has been widely used in all the alternative medicinal systems as a treatment for pain and fever.
2) In Europe, it was primarily used for various other purposes such as stopping vomiting, suppressing sexual desire, removing wart, etc. The European chemists purified salicin extracted from white willow and used the Salicylic acid for pain and fever. This salicylic acid was modified and aspirin was created.
3) Today the returning trec to go back to nature has made many people use white willow as an alternative to aspirin because of its side effects. Aspirin is known for irritating and damaging the stomach which is not found by using white willow. hence white willow is used for painful conditions such as osteoarthritis, bursitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
4) White willow helps heart health just like aspirin. Drinking the willow bark tea or extract of white willow thins blood, which can help prevent blood clots that cause heart attack. Since this is mild it does not cause ulcer as aspirin.
White willow has almost all the properties of aspirin and can be used for most of the ailments for which aspirin is used. The less-side effect quality of White willow is its plus point for its usage.
My post originally published on Fullofknowledge on 20 May, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment