Chamomile Tea

Many people enjoy drinking Chamomile tea, and so do I. Some years ago I discovered that drinking a cup of Chamomile tea every morning or before going to bed helped me to improve my problematic digestive system. Also, inhaling the vapors of Chamomile infusion before the bedtime helped me to fall asleep much faster. Chamomile teas are made from fresh organic flowers of Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and can be purchased in almost every grocery or health food store in our country. Specialists estimated that the world’s population consumes about 1 million cups of Chamomile tea every day – wow! This tea has a unique soothing soft taste and very beautiful fragrance, resembling the smell of fresh apples. Besides, I have to mention that Chamomile tea is one of the safest herbal remedies, which can be used to treat children and adults. The most important restriction is possible allergy to Chamomile flowers.

This tea has quite a long history which dates back to the times of Ancient Egyptian civilization. Egyptians associated beautiful flowers of Chamomile with their main god Ra, the Sun God. Chamomile tea was used as an effective remedy for cold, neuralgia, insomnia, various ailments of women, as well as a perfect herbal infusion to calm down arthritis and back pains. In Ancient Rome, another type of Chamomile, Anthemis nobilis, was used to treat a great number of gastrointestinal disorders, problems with liver and kidneys, menstrual pains and the discomfort related with pregnancy and menopause. In the beginning of the seventeenth century Chamomile tea was introduced in the U.S. and Europe, where it was also recommended to use the vapors of the tea to calm down general anxiety and prevent fainting.

Undoubtedly, Chamomile tea has its important place among all herbal teas due to its numerous curative and therapeutic properties: anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-fungal, relaxing, soothing, disinfecting, anti-aging, antispasmodic, to name a few. Used internally as a tea, it can assist in relieving the symptoms of cold and bronchitis, ease arthritis and back pains, improve the function of kidneys and bladder, normalize the work of digestive system, relieve menstrual pains and muscle spasms, calm down the effects of stresses and anxiety, and induce sleep. Chamomile can be also used externally to treat such problems as skin inflammation and acne, corns and bruises, sunburns and skin rush, as well as toothache and hemorrhoids pains.

Finally, according to the results of one of the most recent researches carried out by the specialists of British and Japanese universities (publicized in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Sept. 2008), Chamomile infusion can help people who suffer from type 2 diabetes. Therapeutic tea can lower the levels of sugar in patients’ blood, inhibit the activity of an enzyme associated with type 2 diabetes and prevent such common complications of this diseases as nerve damage, problems with kidneys, loss of vision and so on. At that, specialists underline that having only 1-2 cups of Chamomile tea is enough to receive maximum therapeutic effects.

Chamomile tea is caffeine free and can be used by practically everyone. However, it would be better to consult a herbal practitioner or a physician if you are going to have this tea on a regular basis with therapeutic purposes. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, and also the people who suffer from allergies to the flowers in the chrysanthemum family should keep away from Chamomile infusions and products. Please, look for more competent medical advise on using Chamomile in your particular situation, educate yourself before using herbal remedies, and be always healthy!

Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.

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