Not many people are aware that essential oils can be used medicinally both externally (via diffusers, massages, and baths) as well as internally (via food and drink). When we think of cooking with herbs and spices we usually reach for the fresh or dry versions of those ingredients to add flavor and depth to our culinary dishes. Now imagine enjoying those herbs and spices in a concentrated medicinal form that not only provides an intense spectrum of flavor but is packed with different compounds (some of which cross the blood-brain barrier because of their small molecular size) and medicinal properties in which their usage in your cooking will take your food to new healing heights.

A History of Medicinal Use

Ingesting essential oils is not something new and actually dates back to 3000-2500 B.C. and is believed to have been first used in food preparation and preservation by the ancient Egyptians, although there are references that it was used in China and India around the same time, if not earlier.

Related: Understanding Essential Oils: A Complete Guide For Beginners

In terms of healing properties, Dr. Eric Zielinski states that essential oils “combat pathogens (harmful microorganisms), are a source of antioxidants (needed to prevent and cure disease), and have been shown to contain advanced healing properties in addition to cancer cell cytotoxicity amongst other things.” Also, Dr. Jockers points out that, “since essential oils boost and uplift the mood, they can actively alleviate binge eating and unhealthy cravings.”

It is interesting to note, that currently doctors in Europe particularly England, France, and Germany offer their patients a choice between either pharmaceutical drugs or natural essential oils when prescribing remedies for a health condition. That is why essential oils are readily available throughout apothecaries across Europe.

Related: How I replaced Medications with Essential Oils

Already Edible

In the U.S. our food industry uses essential oils in many products ranging from sweets, drinks, and chocolate just to name a few, so as to add intense flavor and strong aroma into the ingredient mixes. Because of their internal usage the FDA has compiled a “GRAS List” for essential oils (generally recommended as safe), whereby the following oils are listed and are considered safe for ingestion: Lemon, Orange, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Peppermint, Ginger, Mandarin, Sage, Tangerine, Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Fennel, Spearmint, Cinnamon Bark, Oregano, Lime, Dill, Rosemary, Clove, Basil, Geranium, Rose, Rosewood, Cumin, Cardamom, Lemon Myrtle, Tarragon, and Mountain Savory.

Approach With Caution

However, please be mindful that not all essential oils are meant to be consumed internally and you must always double check the oil name, bottle description and label recommendation before using any. Also, not all oils are created equally. Many companies use fillers, pesticides, and methods that do not make the oils safe for consumption. Make sure any oils you intend on using internally are 100% pure, organic, and unadulterated. If you are uncertain about specific brands and oil recommendations, consult with a holistic health practitioner just to be safe.

Related: Fight Cavities and Gingivitis Naturally With Homemade DIY Oral Health

Around this time of year, many people wish to keep their immune systems high; their respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular systems optimally functioning; and germs, viruses, and bacteria at bay. Below is my favorite original recipe, immune boosting peppermint essential oil tea I like to drink once a week during this time of year. It is great both for your mind and body. It is relaxing, uplifting, immune boosting, weight losing, and stress relieving all in one.

Peppermint Lemon Tea from the Alma Holistic Health Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1-1.5 cups of distilled water, boiled
• 2-3 teaspoons of raw unfiltered wildflower honey
• 2 drops of food grade, 100% pure Peppermint essential oil
• ¼ frozen lemon grated
• ½ fresh squeezed lemon juice

Bring distilled water to a boil. In a ceramic mug, place honey, essential oil, grated frozen lemon, and lemon juice. Add the hot water to the ingredients in mug and stir. Cover with a small plate for 3-5 minutes. Before sipping, inhale the aroma and reap its benefits first via your nose. Then slowly start to drink the tea and cover your body with a warm blanket and relax on a couch or bed. Feel the warmth and light tingle envelope your throat, sinuses, chest, lungs, and body. Take a nap after if you are able to.

Recommended:

• How To Correctly Use Essential Oils To Prevent the Flu and Other Illnesses
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources

• Ingesting Essential Oils: Are They Safe for Internal Use or Not? – Dr. Eric Living the Abundant Life
• History of Essential Oils – Essential Oils Academy
• The Benefits of Cooking With Essential Oils – Dr. Jockers
• About Essential Oils – Essential Oil Cookbook

After walking into a coffee shop in Washington D.C. recently, I was quite surprised that they were promoting a new drink for 2017 on the menu called “Cascara”, with a subtitle stating “Warm and nutty caramel tones made from the skin of coffee cherry blossoms”. I asked the barista if this was tea or coffee. She looked perplexed and said to me, “no, it’s a syrup”. Needless to say I was confused, but intrigued. So I thought to myself, a new drink being showcased at this coffee shop which could seem to be a healthier alternative to coffee, yet it’s syrup. This is the brilliance of marketing, which makes you excited about something new being available as a coffee alternative. I proceeded not to order it because I didn’t fully understand what they were offering.  Was it tea, coffee, syrup, or all of it mixed together? Either way, if I was to order Cascara, I would want the real super food coffee cherry tea version I heard of, not a syrup mixed into a hot drink. My visit to this coffee shop left me wondering, what is this elusive Cascara being offered, and is it really coffee or tea?

After further research, I found that Cascara (translated from Spanish meaning ‘husk’ or ‘peel’) is also known as coffee cherry skins in English. Cascara must not be confused with the herbal plant with a similar first name, Cascara Sagrada (Chittem Bark), which is completely different and has natural laxative properties when consumed. Cascara (coffee cherry skin) is the by-product of the coffee beans after they have been removed from their red skins and dried in the sun, much like raisins. In the past, these skins were usually placed in compost or thrown away during harvest because it was believed to ruin the taste of coffee. However, for centuries Cascara has been brewed in Yemen and Ethiopia before coffee beans were even used as a drink. Recently, this alternative sounding exotic drink has made a big move onto the U.S. market in various forms including everything from beauty products, tea infusions, enhanced waters, sports drinks, sodas, to vodka infusions and other alcoholic beverages.

What still remained unclear was how should this elusive and somewhat confusing drink be classified? It is believed that Cascara is something between coffee and tea, although it is derived from the coffee plant. It should be noted that Cascara does not taste like coffee nor does it contain its high caffeine content. According to Moldvaer, “Cascara caffeine content is fairly low, even at the strongest, longest brew, the caffeine content of Cascara came in at 111.4 mg/L, compared to broad range of about 400-800 mg/L in brewed coffee.”  Cascara comes in an interesting mélange of flavors ranging from sweet, subtle, earthy, to rich, warm, robust and nutty. Its undertones have a fruity flavor with hints of raspberry, red mulberry, currant, cranberry, and cherry.[2] Its classification is neither coffee nor tea, but it remains in its own realm because it does not come from beans or tea leaves, but from the fruit of the coffee plant. However, there is an opposing opinion suggesting that it is indeed coffee with high caffeine content.  According to Megan Wood, “cascara is a tropical, berry fruit that just happens to be coffee,” Wood says, “It’s not tea — it’s 100 percent coffee. But it smells like herbal tea.”  She also goes on to say that “It’s kind of like nature’s Red Bull.” So at the end of the day, you might have to make the decision yourself whether you want to categorize cascara as tea, coffee, or a hybrid, and whether it leaves you feeling caffeinated or not.

Regardless of its disputable classification, I would recommend you be courageous and jump on the trendy drink bandwagon for 2017 and give Cascara and its healing benefits a try. Even though you may not know whether it’s truly coffee or tea, the health benefits are numerous.  Due to its high concentration of polyphenols, Cascara is a true superfood. It will also help boost your immune system, provide antioxidants thus protecting you from free radicals, and offer you a host of anti-inflammatory properties. With extensive research over a decade, FutureCeuticals, has also discovered that Cascara produces BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor), a protein essential for maintaining healthy cognition, and other brain-related processes such as mood and sleep.

Cascara can be consumed as a hot drink or as a cold refreshing infusion. According to 44 North Coffee, Cascara is loaded with flavor, vitamins, natural sugars, and anti-oxidants. Dr. Debbie Palmer states that, “Cascara is rejuvenating because it’s high in polyphenol compounds: proanthocyanidins, chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, ferulic acid and caffeic acid. The coffee berry fruit has been found to be higher in antioxidants than tea, vitamin C and E, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and pomegranate.” In preparing Cascara, Wood and Raftery recommend steeping three tablespoons of cascara in 10 ounces of hot water for four minutes. For a cold brew, they suggest six tablespoons to 12 ounces of water, steeped for 12 to 16 hours. To purchase Cascara, there are a number of coffee roasters making it available online. Let this year be the year where you become an independent taste tester, and you can make your own personal decision on whether Cascara is coffee, tea, or something in between.  Either way, it’s a highly recommended alternative as a superfood drink option. For a great recipe on making a cold brew of Cascara (Coffee Cherry) tea, visit Alma Holistic Health.

Interesting fact: In Yemen, Cascara is consumed as Qishr (a hot beverage containing spiced coffee husks, with ginger and cinnamon) which is usually consumed instead of coffee because it is much cheaper.

Recommended Reading:

• Three Homemade Toothpaste Recipes – Better Oral Health for Less Cost
• Inexpensive, Easy Detox – The One Gallon Challenge
• How to Optimize Curcumin Absorption – With Golden Milk Tea Recipe
• Cherries – The Superfood You Should Know About

Sources:

• What is Cascara? – Fresh Cup Magazine
• What Does a Coffee Cherry Taste Like? – Stack Exchange
• Cascara ‘Tea’: A Tasty Infusion Made From Coffee Waste – NPR
• Discover Coffee Fruit, Nature’s Wasted Superfood – Paste Magazine
• Cascara ‘Tea’: A Tasty Infusion Made From Coffee Waste – NPR

When naturally treating shoulder, knee, or chronic pain few people consider the wonder herb, ginseng (Chinese Panax Ginseng), and its ability to help with inflammation. This prized herb with its nutritious roots, which can live up to 100 years, has been used for centuries in Oriental medicine to alleviate numerous conditions.

Based on two-thousand-year-old writings, the Chinese believed ginseng helped supplement the spleen, calm nervous irritation, aid the heart, nourish the body, eliminate evil Chi energy, sharpen and quiet the mind, and prolong life. Throughout history, ginseng was so prized that it yielded a higher value than gold and was considered a most beneficial tonic and cure-all. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), ginseng was known as the herb that could restore the dying to health and restore the dead to life.^[1]

Ginseng is an Ancient Remedy

According to Dr. Dharmananda, the use of ginseng in China, and throughout Asia, is based largely on the description in the ancient text, Shennong Bencao Jing (Classic Herbal of Shennong) written around 100 A.D.^[2] This text mentions ginseng, also known by its two other names, renxian and guigai, and it describes in detail its nature, its sweet and cold taste, and its healing effects, but it never outlines a description of how to take the herb.

Chinese Ginseng and Korean Ginseng

Oriental ginseng can be divided into Chinese ginseng and Korean ginseng. Chinese Panax ginseng is grown in the Chiang Pai mountains, in the northeastern area of China (Manchuria) and is usually available as a tea or tincture. It is often white in color because the roots are dried in the sun, breaking down enzymes and therefore decreasing its potency. Chinese ginseng has milder energy boosting effects, so it is thought to be better suited for young children, the elderly, and the very ill as cited in “Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica.”^[3]

Red Panax Ginseng is the Most Potent

Korean ginseng, or Red Panax ginseng, is considered the most potent and the most popular due to it being harvested after six years and undergoing steam harvesting before drying, thereby preserving its health benefiting ginsenosides.^[4] This variety contains vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, B-sisterol, panaxic acid, ginsenosides (0.7 -3%), and essential oils, which help in numerous areas including anemia, memory loss, depression, blood sugar and uric levels, promoting biosynthesis of RNA, cancer and influenza prevention, helping erectile dysfunction, enhancing sports performance, and aiding stress reduction by producing more endorphins in the brain.

Studies Show Ginseng Helps Chronic Inflammation and Pain

If ginseng is reported to help with such a broad spectrum of conditions, does ginseng also help with chronic inflammation and pain? Recent studies have confirmed the answer to be yes.  Allan Lau and his team of researchers from the University of Hong Kong have identified seven ginseng constituents or ginsenosides, which showed immune-suppressive effects. A. Lau said, “The anti-inflammatory role of ginseng may be due to the combined effects of these ginsenosides, targeting different levels of immunological activity, and in doing so, contributing to the diverse actions of ginseng in humans”.^[5] A 2013 study conducted in Brazil has shown that Panax ginseng effectively promoted an improvement in pain in patients who suffer from fibromyalgia.^[6] This research has shown ginseng’s steroid-like phytochemicals (ginsenosides) being adaptogenic and anti-aging.

The University of Maryland Medical Center mentions that the gnarled ginseng root has been traditionally used to treat fever, headache, infertility, and indigestion as well as being considered an all-around stimulant.^[7] Ginseng has also been found to be helpful for treatment of postmenopausal symptoms and as a natural alternative to anabolic steroids for athletes and body builders.

Eastern vs Western Dosage

It is interesting to note that the usual recommended dosage of ginseng in Asia is around the range of 3-9 grams/day. By contrast, in the West, people are recommended to use far less, with amounts so low that they are deemed questionable in providing any of the desired ginseng health benefits.^[8] Despite continental dosing differences, healing benefits are still believed to be present, and it is estimated that around 6 million people regularly take ginseng in the U.S.

How to Prepare the Best Ginseng

The key in taking ginseng is to ensure taking an all-natural and high-quality ginseng. The Dr. Shen clinic in California states that dried ginseng root tea is best. Use 3-9 grams per person. Slowly boil the sliced herb for about an hour, and drink the tea on an empty stomach.^[9] The clinic goes on to state that, “Most Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners prefer whole herbs or simple water extractions over standardized extracts because extracts are often taken from herbs that have poor appearance, weak taste, and lower potency. Low-temperature water extracts, which have not been chemically manipulated in order to standardize ginsenocides, are more like the herb as it is found in nature.”^[10]

So the next time you reach for something to help alleviate your pain and chronic inflammation, try some Red Panax ginseng and make it part of your natural medicine cabinet. For a specific recommendation on ginseng, visit almaholistichealth.com and contact us for more information.

Interesting fact: The Chinese Emperors used wild Manchurian ginseng.

Related Reading:

• Cinnamon – Ceylon Vs Cassia, Health Benefits, and Other Interesting Facts
• The Power of Pau d’Arco – Herbal Remedies and More
• The Amazing Herbal Power of Ginger
• Turmeric – Learn More about This Ayurvedic Herb
• Garlic – The Most Amazing Herb On The Planet
• How to Optimize Curcumin Absorption – With Golden Milk Tea Recipe
• Herbs and a Protocol that Eliminates Parasites from the Body

Sources:

• Subhuti Dharmananda, “The Nature of Ginseng: From Traditional Use to Modern Research,” Jou [1]
• Ibid.rnal of the American Botanical Council no.54 (September 2002). ^[2] 
• Chinese Ginseng vs. Siberian Ginseng – livestron.com [3]
• Ibid.^[4]
• Bioactivity-guided identification and cell signaling technology to delineate the immunomodulatory effects of Panax ginseng on human promonocytic U937 cells, Journal of Translational Medicine – BioMed Central [5]
• Effects of Panax ginseng extract in patients with fibromyalgia: a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria – Science Direct ^[6]
• Asian Ginseng -University of Maryland Medical Center  ^[7]
• Subhuti Dharmananda, “The Nature of Ginseng: From Traditional Use to Modern Research,” Journal of the American Botanical Council no.54 (September 2002). ^[8] 
• The Whole Truth About Ginseng – Dr.Shen ^[9]
• Ibid. ^[10]