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Herbs for Evidence-Based Health & Healing
Plus: the health benefits of eating cashews daily
The 10almonds Team
September 16, 2023
Today’s almonds have been activated by:
Shanah tovah to all and any subscribers celebrating Rosh Hashanah today!
And, indeed, to the rest of the readership too. No reason not to have a good year 🙂
⏰ IN A RUSH?
Today’s 30-Second Summary
If you don’t have time to read the whole email today, here are some key takeaways:
Herbs have been used since prehistoric times to treat injuries and illnesses, but not all of them come with modern-day scientific backing.
Today we look at the evidence, as applicable, for ten popularly-enjoyed herbs touted for their medicinal properties:
Basil
Chamomile
Echinacea
Elderberry
Evening primrose
Fennel
Ginkgo biloba
Ginseng
Lavender
Sage
Valerian
Videos can teach you the stretches and poses of yoga, but what of the mental health benefits that come in large part from yoga’s philosophy?
Today’s sponsor, Daily Yogi, is a free newsletter offering a daily dose of timeless wisdom from the world of yoga—an easy way to dip one’s toe in!
Read on to learn about these things and more…
👀 WATCH AND LEARN
What are the benefits of eating cashew nuts every day?
Tasty cashew menu:
(What is the deal with the thumbnail image, though? It seems to suggest that if we eat cashews every day, there will be no sperm in our coffee cup?)
🌿 MAIN FEATURE
Herbs for Evidence-Based Health & Healing
Herbs have been used since prehistoric times to treat injuries and illnesses, but which ones actually work, as opposed to being “old wives’ tales”?
Even today, in pharmacies herbals products may come with a disclaimer “based on traditional use only”, which, in scientific terms, means it likely performs no better than placebo.
This is a “Saturday Life Hacks” edition, not a “Research Review Monday”, so we won’t be doing any deep-dives today, and will instead keep things short and snappy. We’ll also spotlight one main benefit, rather than trying to cover all bases, as we often have room to do on a Monday!
Basil
Helps boost immunity:
Chamomile
Significantly reduces symptoms of osteoarthritis:
(This one challenged your writer’s resolve as it does so many things, it was hard to pick just one. So, she went with one that’s less known that “settling the stomach” and “relieving PMS” and “relaxation” and so forth)
Echinacea
Significantly reduces the risk of catching a cold (but won’t help once you’ve caught it):
Elderberry
Significantly hastens recovery from upper respiratory viral infections:
Evening Primrose
Fights neuropathy, along with many other benefits:
Fennel
Antinflammatory, along with many other benefits:
Ginkgo biloba
Antioxidant effects provide anti-aging benefits:
Ginseng
Combats fatigue:
Lavender
Enjoyed for its sedative effects, which is really does have:
Sage
Helps fight HIV type 1 and Herpes simplex type 2 (and probably other viruses, but that’s what we have the science for right now):
Valerian
Inconclusive data; “traditional use only” for restful sleep.
Can’t have everything!
❤️ OUR SPONSORS MAKE THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE
Daily Yogi | Your Daily Dose Of Yogic Inspiration
At 10almonds, we sometimes talk about the many health benefits of yoga. We also talk about the importance of a sound mind in a sound body, and about how “mental health is also just health”.
Yoga has more than a thousand years of philosophy behind it, something you won’t get from stretching videos alone! But, where to start, for the person who wants to learn?
Daily Yogi provides a daily dose of timeless wisdom from the world of yoga, to brighten your mornings and broaden your perspective.
If this sounds like something you might enjoy, you can subscribe directly (it’s free!) using the widget below:
Please do visit our sponsors—they help keep 10almonds free
🌍 AROUND THE WEB
What’s happening in the health world…
Antidepressants may reduce negative memories, and improve memory in depressed individuals
Study identifies cellular processes that likely lead to Parkinson's disease
How your sugar fix affects your vitamins: Surprising link between added sugar and nutrient intake
A win for science: UK finally rejoining Horizon Europe will boost research
The world’s goals to save humanity are hugely ambitious — but they are still the best option
Psoriasis vs. atopic dermatitis: New study reveals surprising inflammatory differences in age-specific groups
Is exposure to infections or autoimmune diseases associated with dementia incidence?
More to come tomorrow!
📖 ONE-MINUTE BOOK REVIEW
The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine – by Ted Kaptchuk
At 10almonds we have a strong "stick with the science" policy, and that means peer-reviewed studies and (where such exists) scientific consensus.
However, in the spirit of open-minded skepticism (i.e., acknowledging what we don't necessarily know), it can be worth looking at alternatives to popular Western medicine. Indeed, many things have made their way from Traditional Chinese Medicine (or Ayurveda, or other systems) into Western medicine in any case.
"The Web That Has No Weaver" sounds like quite a mystical title, but the content is presented in the cold light of day, with constant "in Western terms, this works by..." notes.
The author walks a fine line of on the one hand, looking at where TCM and Western medicine may start and end up at the same place, by a different route; and on the other hand, noting that (in a very Daoist fashion), the route is where TCM places more of the focus, in contrast to Western medicine's focus on the start and end.
He makes the case for TCM being more holistic, and it is, though Western medicine has been catching up in this regard since this book's publication more than 20 years ago.
The style of the writing is very easy to follow, and is not esoteric in either mysticism or scientific jargon. There are diagrams and other illustrations, for ease of comprehension, and chapter endnotes make sure we didn't miss important things.
Bottom line: if you're curious about Traditional Chinese Medicine, this book is the US's most popular introduction to such, and as such, is quite a seminal text.
What did you think of today's newsletter?We always love to hear from you, whether you leave us a comment or even just a click in the poll if you're speeding by! |
Wishing you a wonderfully restorative weekend,
The 10almonds Team