Healthy Chamomile Tea Benefits against Various Ailments

Chamomile tea benefits have been recognized for many centuries. Chamomile has been found to be effective against many ailments, so much that the ancient Egyptians considered it as a universal remedy. The tea that many at present derive a cure-all comes from the German Chamomile or matricaria recutita, which is also known as manzanilla. It includes both the leaves and flowers of the plant, which are brewed and then prepared into a delicious and aromatic beverage. Drinking chamomile tea is a practice that has been going on for many centuries and it shows no sign of stopping. Over a million cups of the herbal tea is estimated to be consumed each day, proof that a huge number of people all over the world trust the health benefits that are given by chamomile tea.

The health benefits of chamomile that was first found out by the Egyptians has been given a fresh foundation when British researchers uncovered new evidence that suggests taking the herbal product relieves a wide variety of health disorders that include menstrual cramps and colds. The study found out that drinking chamomile tea gives a significant increase in the urinary levels of the amino acid glycine and a byproduct of some plant based compounds called hippurate. The various beneficial effects of chamomile is so many that it has been used as tea for arthritis, tea for anemia and even tea for cancer. As a home remedy, it has been used as tea for cough and tea for fever by many people. However, the best-known benefit of chamomile tea is its ability to help you sleep and calm down nerves. It has even been claimed that taking the herb will stop nightmares if you drink it before going to bed.

The parts of the plant used in making teas include the chamomile flowers, leaves and even stem, which when mixed with water and brewed produces a fragrant concoction that is effective against many maladies. The active ingredient is bisabolol, an essential oil that has been proven to have various anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-irritant properties.

A Few Benefits of Chamomile

Here are some of the beneficial effects of chamomile:

• Chamomile tea helps in relieving stomach cramps. Because of its strong anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic action, the green tea is effective against intestinal and stomach cramps. Preparing a cup of the tea can be done by simply following the instructions printed on the package. Drinking a cup once in the morning before eating breakfast and one in the evening before going to bed, until your symptoms disappear.
• Chamomile is an excellent tea for insomnia. To cure various sleep disorders like insomnia or sleeplessness, take a cup of chamomile tea about half an hour before you go to bed. It is also an effective tea for depression.
• The tea is effective against the headaches caused by migraine as well. As soon as you notice the symptoms of a migraine attack, drink a cup of chamomile tea. The brew is most effective when you take it before the headache actually becomes severe.
• It is an excellent remedy for IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Because the tea helps in reducing bowel pain and cramps it is effective for treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. In addition, it also relieves bloating and excessive gas. Simply drink a cup of chamomile tea for relieving IBS, as well as gastroenteritis, stomach flu and nausea.
• Chamomile tea is excellent for treating scrapes and burns. Simply make a strong mixture by putting three chamomile tea bags to one cup of boiling water. When it cools down to a comfortable level, dip a cloth into the mixture and apply it on the affected area as a compress. For bad burns, you can use chamomile oil instead. Just take a small amount and use it for rubbing across the burn once each day.
• Another of the tea benefits that you can take advantage of is its effect menstrual cramps and PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome. Just drink a cup of the tea until your symptoms disappears.
• For lightening your skin tone naturally, using chamomile tea is very healthy and effective. A concoction can be made by boiling a couple of quarts of water with two tea bags of chamomile in it. Position your head above the pot to let the steam touch your face. Bathing in water mixed with chamomile tea also benefits the skin.
• You can also use chamomile tea to reduce dark circles around the eyes. Simply put a couple of chamomile tea bags in warm water. Remove them after five minutes and let the mixture cool down to room temperature. You should then apply the mixture as a compress to relieve eye fatigue and reduce dark circles.

Side Effects of Chamomile

Just like any other herbal products, the key to enjoying the benefits of chamomile tea and avoiding the adverse reactions it can cause is moderation. Some of the potential side effects that can be harmful is drowsiness, which makes it dangerous for a person to operate heavy machinery or drive a vehicle. High intake of chamomile tea can also cause skin allergies in some people as well as vomiting. If you have hay fever or a known allergy to ragweed pollen, it may not be advisable for you to use chamomile tea.

If you are pregnant, you should avoid using chamomile tea as well since it is an abortifacient, which means that it induces abortion. People who are taking blood-thinning drugs should also refrain from drinking chamomile tea since the herb contains coumarin, a substance that also thins the blood.