Fennel
What is all the fuss about Fennel and Fennel seeds; is it true that there are medicinal remedies surrounding these forgotten plants? It’s funny you should ask! Not too many people are acquainted with Foeniculumvulgare, its scientific name; or, in ordinary parlance, Fenel.
This plant, which is considered by some to be an herb or a weed, is found in the wild regions of the Mediterranean. Fennels, including their seeds, roots, and even leaves are often used for medicinal purposes and have proven valuable as a home remedy. Every housewife and the public at large must be made aware of this very important natural source of curative remedy. This is a plant that could very well be part of every home.
Fennel and Orange Tea:
Flabbergasting Foundations
Oddly enough, they are unlike ordinary medicinal plants that can be grown efficiently in a garden.
The seeds of the Fennel plant contain from 2% to 6% volatile oils, 20% fixed oils (composed of petroselinic acid, linoleic acid and oleic acid), and concentrations of tocopherols.
Aside from its naturally high calcium and potassium content, other compounds include stigmasterol, kaempferols, umbelliferone, flavonoids, proteins, sugars, certain vitamins, and other minerals.The oil consists of limonene, camphene, anethol, fenchone, estragole, and alpha-pinene.
In addition, there are also components of monoterpene hydrocarbons, terpinenes, fenchyl alcohol, fenchyl alcohol, sabinene, alpha-phellandrene, myrceneanisaldehyde, and myristicinapiole. Indeed, they are unlike any other in structure, alone. Almost the entire plant is utilized for its medical benefits. This is its more sophisticated description in terms of scientific studies.
How Fennels Fight
For the ordinary layman, here is how the Fennel plant is believed to fight ailments and even epidemics that periodically threaten a community such as Salmonella. The volatile oils found in Fennel and Fennel seeds supposedly contain properties that stimulate the necessary organs to induce flatulence, effectively inhibiting even Salmonella growth and Listeria monocytogenes. In fact, extracts have been found to elicit positive response that produce involuntary movement from various animals such frogs, guinea pigs, and rats.
Studies seem to imply that there is consistency in inducing cellular response; hence, there is a calculated possibility that it may have a positive effect on human subjects. This may possibly be a breakthrough as the result shows a suppression of inflammation and carcinogenesis. If that is pursued and it helps discover a cure that would fight carcinogens, what a revolution it would bring about in the medical world! Unfortunately, further research is imperative to make it come to a full realization. Nonetheless, no effort is too much for a very vital cure that, up to the present, has eluded the field of scientific research.
Fact and Fiction
Fennel and Fennel seed have been home remedies in the past. They have been historically used to treat irritation in bowl movement, indigestion, and even colic. On the other hand, claims that its properties can be utilized as treatments for other conditions such as the inducing menses, increasing milk secretion, and libido, are still questionable.
The fact remains that the intake components from Fennel and Fennel seeds is not a suggested remedy for patients who have estrogen-dependent cancers. They are not recommended for those who are in the stages of pregnancy or are increasingly hypersensitive to particular vegetables such as carrots and celery.
In other words, it would be imprudent to resort to these measures as part of an instant home remedy. It would be wiser to consult a physician for all conditions, especially in the absence of knowledge about the product. Actions, otherwise, would indisputably result in detrimental repercussions that may not be easily reversed. As a general rule, use caution in applying properties of plants and other herbs, especially if they are grown in the wild and there is a lack of found clinical data to support its efficacy.
Moving Forward
In this age when alternative medicine is becoming very popular, and in fact already accepted, Fennel as an alternative to scientifically prescribed medication has a very bright future in the medical world. Even doctors themselves are becoming more and more aware of this fast-growing craze for herbs and do not out rightly dispute their effectiveness. So, let us open our minds and make Fennel and Fennel seeds a part of our medical portfolio as a home remedy.
See the homeopathic and herbals remedies on special for this month from Native Remedies!
