I used to have someone in my life who lovingly mocked me by saying "so is this the latest twigs or berries that you have discovered from the rainforest?" While it irked me at the time, there was real merit to this statement. Since attending cooking school, my interest in the health benefits of all sorts of vegetables and plants became more of a personal hobby than ever before. So during this past summer when I developed a rash, I naturally shunned the advice of doctors to take prescription medicines, and instead consulted my friend who worked behind the lunch counter at Cosmos market. She directed me to the front of the store where a small display near the cash registers held bottles of herbs, oils and tonics. I can't even recall how many years I have been shopping at Cosmos. How had I not seen this before? This was my first introduction to Neem. I started by using the oil on my skin. Honestly, the smell is appalling. Sort of combination of garlic and ginger. It took several attempts to wash it out of my clothing. But it did the trick. So then, I got curious. What were the other benefits? Turns out, neem is flat out amazing, and of course, very little research has been done on it. I am sure the list of benefits are longer than this, but here is what I have found out on my own thus far.
- Neem relieves dry skin.
- It soothes itchines, redness and irritation.
- It improves general skin health and immunity, combating bacterial infections, as in acne, boils and ulcers, psoriasis, eczema, scabies, head lice and more.
- Used as hair oil, neem promotes shiny, healthy hair, combats dryness, prevents premature graying and may even help with some forms of hair loss. Neem oil also makes a great nail oil. No more brittle nails and no more nail fungus.
- anti-bacterial; anti-viral; anti-septic; anti-diabetic; anti-fungal
- spermicidal: neem shows great promise as a natural means of birth control.
- Neem helps our body to combat mild infections.
- Neem works as blood purifier. Consuming raw neem leaves or powder helps in eradicating toxins from the blood.
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It helps in proper healing of wound, burns and injuries.
- Removal of dark circles under the eyes and skin infections.
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Neem is helpful in constipation, indigestion and restoring taste of mouth.
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Neem helps in maintaining proper secretions of liver etc.
I am a complete believer in this plant. I have started taking 2 pills a day for general health, one in the morning and one at night. If you want to learn more about this, I suggest starting your reading here: http://www.neem-products.com/neem-medicinal-properties.html. In my opinion, at approximately $5 a bottle, and all these benefits, what do you have to lose by giving it a shot?
