Often people are quick to dismiss “old wives tales” as being archaic and primitive.  However, as it turns out, many ancient remedies still have much to offer us today in the way of health and wellness.

Prevention Magazine recently ran a story on six remedies that have been proven to be extremely effective even today.

Lemon balm -- Lemon balm has been shown to help with anxiety, and memory.  It also has been relied on as sleep aid for many years.  In fact, lemon balm is easily made into a tea.  Lemon balm has also been effectively used in aromatherapy.  The benefits of lemon balm don’t end there. It has also been shown to fight viruses, and help with overactive thyroids.

Onions -- Onions may seem commonplace, as they are used in a wide variety of meals. However, onions are more special than they may first appear.  They have been shown to help with digestive issues as well as breast cancer.  It should come as no surprise that our ancestors also used onions for similar health issues.  Research does back up the fact that onions can help with diabetes symptoms and heart disease.

Ancient Greeks even ate and drank onions hoping to improve athletic performance!  Scientists have since found that onions do make sense for boosting endurance as the quercetin in onions increases metabolism.

Cayenne Peppers -- Cayenne peppers were an extremely valuable commodity in the ancient world.  The capsaicin in cayenne pepper helps with muscle pain, as well as arthritis.  According to scientists, the chemicals that transmit messages of pain the brain are slowed by capsaicin.  Cayenne has also been shown to help with abdominal fat and to control blood sugar.

Plantains -- Plantains were traditionally used for skin problems.  Today, it has been shown that the plantain has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.  The psyllium in plantains can also help with the digestive system. You may have seen psyllium in laxatives; psyllium is actually a seed from plantains.

Parsley -- Parsley is an herb with the interesting property of being able to increase urinary output.  Therefore it has been shown to be useful for cystitis and urinary track disorders.  Parsley also has the ability to freshen bad breath. It was used for this purpose in days gone by and it is still used as breath freshener today.

Hawthorne -- Lastly, Hawthorne may not be a common ingredient in your kitchen, but research shows that it helps with symptoms of coronary artery disease.  The flavonoids in Hawthorne can treat cardiac problems including congestive heart failure.  Many patients with heart problems have benefited by taking a tea tincture of capsule of Hawthorne. Of course, in this case consult with your doctor before adding Hawthorne to your regime.

It is important to remember that many of our modern day medicines are based on herbal and natural cures.  Take aspirin, for example, which is a synthetic medicine made from compounds from the willow tree.  When we can simply use these natural remedies we eliminate being exposed to the potentially harmful chemicals in medicine.  Additionally, we are far less likely to experience side effects when we take advantage of natural remedies.

Sources
online.prevention.com