The spice and herb shopkeeper (attar) was once the pharmacist and healer of the Arab village. During the times of the Pharoahs, Egyptian healers performed miracles with simple natural plant-based remedies that were kept under great secrecy among them. Because the antidotes produced miraculous effects and cures, such healers were once called witch doctors.
It is also of no wonder that in current and ancient China, natural pharmacies come in huge sizes, containing alleys of thousands of boxes of endless varieties of healing seeds, roots, dried leaves, shrubs, gum, berries, bark, twigs, nuts, and other parts of plants, cultivated or grown in the wild. For millenniums in many cultures, fresh or dried plants or their decoctions have been known to heal and protect the human body, especially if they are used in the correct manner by specialized natural healers.
Healing with plants was not only an art but also a science. Centuries ago, great Muslim scholars, scientists, alchemists, and doctors (tabeeb, or hakeem) like Ibn Seena (Avicenne), Ibn Arushd, and others wrote books and compiled encyclopedias about thousands of medicinal herbs and their effects on different parts of the body.
Professor of pharmacology and herbalist, Jabbar Al-Qahtani at King Saud University, Riyadh, wrote an updated encyclopedia about the many varieties of herbs, seeds, and spices grown around the globe, their uses, doses, and healing benefits on different diseases.
I sometimes wonder why modern medicine and allopathic doctors reject the simple idea of using plants for healing and restoring health and energy. Is it because natural remedies cannot be patented and the financial rewards are not big enough for the drug industry? Then, why doesn’t the pharmaceutical industry announce that ‘red rice yeast’ is an active ingredient in certain patented statins to reduce cholesterol or that ‘aged star anise’ is the main compound that protects against the swine flu virus in Tamiflu vaccine? The answer to such questions is no big mystery. I shall leave that for you to figure out while I probe into a drop of the ocean of healing herbs, seeds, and spices.
Ginger is a digestive root that comes with a pungent flavor. It has many healing characteristics. It helps decongest the sinuses. The chopped root can be added to infusions such as chamomile or rosemary leaves three times daily to relieve sinus congestion.
Ginger relieves nausea and indigestion. The juice of one lime and a spoon of ginger juice should be added to a glass of sparkling water to ease both discomforts. The root not only has digestive and nausea-soothing qualities, but also detoxifies the intestines, protecting against food poisoning. Japanese delicacies like sushi and sashimi are always served with pickled ginger and wasabi (like horse-radish) to prevent food poisoning from raw fish.
Ginger also has significant effects in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease (cholesterol) and cancer due to its potent anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. According to a study at the University of Michigan, the root has compounds that trigger “cancer cells to self-destruct (a process known as ‘apoptosis’).”
A very recent research has found that turmeric mixed with black pepper produced an inhibiting effect on the propagation of breast cancer cells as well as the growth of colon and lung tumors in animals. In combination with gingerroot, it delivered similar actions.
Turmeric is another root that has a healing orange-yellow pigment, rich in detoxifying antioxidants. It is the basic ingredient in the Indian curry powder. Studies have shown the anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric on cardiovascular system, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. In other studies, turmeric’s antioxidant potency also demonstrated effectiveness by delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and preventing vascular disorders, resulting from cholesterol buildup.
The active compound curcumin, also found in mustard and cumin seeds, suppresses inflammation-causing enzymes provoked by bruises, fractures, and swelling. The Indians add turmeric powder to milk or yogurt to reduce inflammation and speed the healing of bone fractures and bruises.
Garlic’s sulfur compounds are very powerful. They have antioxidant effects that bolster the immune responses against bacteria, yeast, and disease. Garlic has similar active compounds to broccoli, which act on breast cancer cells. Chemicals in the pungent bulb fight the oxidation of cholesterol in blood vessels. Researchers have demonstrated the benefits of garlic on heart and cardiovascular health. Aged-garlic supplements lowered cholesterol levels and high blood pressure in un-medicated sufferers. An Australian study found that patients who took four capsules of garlic extract capsules managed their blood pressure better than those who took placebo. Garlic has anticoagulant agents that prevent platelet aggregation, reducing risk of blood clots and stroke.
Garlic’s potent properties treat acidic and yeast conditions. The condiment also has antioxidant characteristics that counteract free radical damage.
An old remedy of garlic-pickled olive oil relieves ear aches and infections by instilling a couple of warm drops in affected ears. Clear chicken stock, made with a head of garlic, four onions, ginger, and black peppers, relieves influenza patients by decreasing the symptoms of the cold and flu and shortening their duration.
Red peppers and cayenne powder have a pungency that enhances the flavor of food as well as a potency that is detoxifying and antimicrobial. Their powerful compound capsaicin causes the release of endorphins that alleviate pain and dilate blood vessels, thus lowering arterial pressure and increasing blood flow to the heart and brain. The pungent compound has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting effects and produces heat that energizes the circulation of the blood, thus lowering the occurrence of stroke and blood clotting. Certain healers recommend it to prevent fatal heart attacks.
Capsaicin, in studies, appeared to suppress the prevalence of cancer cells by destroying them. Obesity and diabetes can be helped with the addition of hot peppers to the daily diet. They stimulate the metabolism, increase energy, and inhibit the growth of fat cells. In ancient cultures, peppers were used to treat heartburn and lower fever.
Cayenne powder acts as a catalyst when mixed with other herbs. It enhances their effectiveness through stimulating the circulation, thus speeding the digestion, delivery, and absorption of the medicinal plant in the body. In ancient cultures, peppers were used to treat heartburn and lower fever. The piquancy of capsaicin is sometimes more than one can handle; a sip of milk or a spoon of yogurt soothes the burning sensation in the mouth.
Cayenne’s nutritional analysis is very interesting. The condiment, or vegetable, contains a variety of nutrients. It is rich in vitamins A and C, essential minerals like calcium, zinc, selenium, and magnesium, and both insoluble fiber for the digestion, and soluble fiber for heart hygiene. It also offers an important compound for the heart and cardiovascular health, nitro-glycerin, which acts as a blood vessel dilator, preventing fatal cardiac attacks.
The Middle Eastern and Indian kitchens pride in the endless varieties of herbs and spices they contain. Each kind offers flavoring culinary uses as well as multiple therapeutic benefits in so many different ways. They can be added to salads, soups, sauces, stews, roasts, and bakery; infused in hot drinks; or blended into medicinal formula. They are also found in supplement forms in health stores. Because of their multifaceted aspects and different utilization, they are important to keep in your pantry for health use.
The list of herbs and spices has grown too long for one article; hence I decided to break it in two parts in order to give you the time to contemplate and fully absorb the above-cited ones. So, until next week for the remainder of the series!
