Good day! I hope your week has been not too challenging so far. Maybe challenging enough to keep it interesting but not so challenging that it has already knocked you down. The plant that's in the spotlight today for us is: Feverfew.
The Latin name of this plant is Tanacetum Parthenium.
Feverfew is a vasodilator, meaning it opens up the blood vessels in your body. Headaches mean vasoconstriction is occurring, essentially your blood vessels are constricting and causing pain. The leaves of this plant are known as a preventative against these chronic headaches and migraines. It’s not particularly effective when taken if you have an active headache or migraine, but for people who have regular recurring headaches, when taken on a daily basis it can prevent those headaches from happening so often. This plant has antihistamine properties as well, meaning it can help relieve mild allergies when taken regularly UNLESS you have allergies from plants in the daisy family, like ragweed or sunflowers.
The plant has a real bitter flavor to it, which makes it less preferred as a tea. A tincture of feverfew is a great alternative to tea. You will want to use the above ground green and bendable parts of the plant, not the woody stem. The easiest way to get the benefits of this herb is to simply eat 1 leaf between 1 to 3 times a day for headache prevention. If you're someone who has headaches throughout the week and you have this growing in your garden, try taking 1 leaf a day and see if you notice any of the benefits after a couple weeks.
Have a magical day!
Jenny
PLANT INGESTION WARNING!
As with all herbs and plants you plan to ingest, never ingest them before doing your own research and/or talking with your doctor - it’s possible that medications you take or health conditions you have could have a negative effect if paired with feverfew. Better safe than sorry!
Photo credit goes to Dr Paul G Tuli