There really is no way to accurately narrow down the most healing herbs in the world to just a few in a list of literally thousands, with still more being discovered in remote rainforests every day. However, among nature’s cornucopia of healing plants, roots, flowers and berries, there are a few that stand out for their seemingly miraculous medicinal properties.
Moringa Oleifera – The Moringa Tree is also called the miracle tree. Moringa Oleifira, which comes from the tree or bush, is so good at detoxing, that it might just provide clean water inexpensively to the more than 783 million people worldwide that don’t have access to it. It also just happens to be an incredible detoxifying agent and adaptogen for us, too. That means that by taking Moringa, your body uses it exactly as it needs to in order to help boost immunity, energy, mental clarity and other important functions.
Ayurvedic practitioners have used Moringa for at least 4,000 years to cure a list of over 300 diseases. The plant is so helpful, largely due to its incredibly dense nutrient profile. IT contains high levels of protein, calcium, beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium and more.
Oregano – Anyone who wants to protect against colds, the flu and other bugs will want to add oil derived from the leaves and flowers of the Origanum vulgare plant. This specific variety of oregano, of over 40, can also help to rid the body of parasites, and even naturally kill athlete’s foot. Oregano oil made from the plant is a concentrated version of phytochemical compounds called phenols. These boost its antioxidant effect considerably. For example:
Thymol, one of the phytochemicals in oregano, has both antiseptic and fungicidal properties. It boosts your immunity and also prevents tissue damage, while helping your body to heal.
Terpene, another phytochemical, is well known for its powerful antibacterial properties.
Carvacrol has been found to be effective for a number of bacterial infections ranging, from E.coli, campylobacter, salmonella, klebsiella, the aspergillus mold and giardia, to Candida albicans.
This potent healing herb also contains rosmarinic acid, an antioxidant that helps to protect against free radical damage. It also is full of naringin, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells, and Beta-caryophyllin (E-BCP), which has extremely beneficial anti-inflammatory properties.
Along with all this, oregano oil contains Vitamins A, C and E. Calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, manganese, copper, boron and niacin are also found in oregano oil.
Manuka Honey – Though not technically a plant, but made by bees who have visited thousands of them, Manuka honey is a rare form of this sweet nectar that is so powerful it even cures diseases that are resistant to antibiotics. Manuka comes from New Zealand, where bees visit the Manuka bush in order to gather its pollen. Regular honey is already extremely potent, and full of healing constituents, from its high content of antioxidants, calcium, copper, B Vitamins, iron and amino acids, to important trace minerals and nutrients like zinc, manganese, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium, but Manuka really packs a healing punch.
Manuka honey has up to four times the nutritional content of regular honey, due to the plant which bees visit to make it. Manuka also contains high levels of enzymes that are particularly rich in hydrogen peroxide, methylglyoxal and dihydroxyacetone—all of which act as potent antibacterials.
Manuka can be more expensive than regular honey, and especially so with its Unique Manuka Factor (UMF), which is a number which signifies its purity, which is up to sixteen or more. The higher the number, the more you will find the presence of antibacterial factors. The high level UMF numbers have even been shown to kill superbugs resistant to antibiotics, including MRSA.
Korean Mint – Also known as Indian mint, or hyssop, this plant has a number of medicinal benefits, and it practically grows like a weed. Mint is famous for soothing headaches, fighting nausea, calming the stomach and reducing nervousness and fatigue. Peppermint and mint were used as early as 1704 for treating ‘stomach weakness.’ It may even reduce fevers in some instances, and acts as a carminative, antispasmodic and stimulant.
Turmeric – This healing root spice, found throughout India and Asia, might be one of the most widely used healing herbs in history. It is also one of the most thoroughly researched plants by modern science, with over 5,600 peer reviewed scientific articles covering its medicinal benefits. Its bright orange color is derived from curcumins in the root of the plant, and no matter how high the dose (tested up to 12,000 mg), are considered to be harmful. This means that unlike the many pharmaceutical drugs which turmeric can replace, it is very unlikely to cause any adverse side effects.
Turmeric has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, but modern medicine has looked to the high levels of curcumin, the phytonutrient which makes turmeric so powerful, it can heal a number of diseases and conditions. Here are just a few:
- Reduced obesity
- Improved blood markers
- Lowered incidence of Alzheimer’s disease
- Anti-inflammatory
- Heart health boosting
- Works better than Prozac and Tofranil for beating depression
- Improved digestion (halts acid reflux, gas, bloating, etc.)
- Faster healing from surgery and injuries
- Improved eyesight
- Stops allergies and asthma before they start
- Enhanced overall cognitive functioning
- Greater synaptic plasticity in the brain
- Reduced incidence of a number of different cancers by:
o Inhibiting enzymes like COX-2 that can lead to cancerous tumor growth
o Starving cancer cells by impeding vascular epithelial growth
o Inducing a tumor suppressor gene
o Stopping metastasis of cancer cells
o Killing large B-cell lymphoma cells
o Preventing regrowth of cancer stem cells
Olive Leaf/Oil – This herb comes from the olive tree, known the world over as a life-giving plant. In animal trials, olive leaf extract and olive oil was able to shrink cancerous tumors. Due to the high levels of oleuropein, a polyphenol in the plant, olive leaf can help lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure, prevent cancer, diabetes, protect against oxidative damage and help guard against cognitive decline, as well as neurodegenerative diseases.
Olive leaf extracts have been shown to be highly effective in treating hypertension, without the side effects that often accompany drugs prescribed for the same ailment. The phytochemicals work to open blood vessels and decrease blood pressure.
Cannabis – Definitely one of the most healing herbs humankind has ever discovered, cannabis oil and its phytochemical compounds are nothing less than miraculous. Scientists have identified 483 different chemical compounds in cannabis. Of these numerous chemicals, THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), THCa (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid), CBD (Cannabidiol), CBN (Cannabinol) and CBC (Cannabichromene) are just a handful that modern science have even begun to understand as medicinal. Just the few compounds of cannabis that have been studied by modern science heal a host of medical issues. These constituents are anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. They help with brain functioning, and inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.
CBD alone has been used to treat:
- Acne
- Multiple Sclerosis
- ADD
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Glaucoma
- Schizophrenia
- Depression
- Chronic Pain
- PTSD
- Dravet Syndrome
- Alzheimer’s
- Mood Disorders
THC has been able to replace 40 medications for those suffering from Lupus and other serious diseases, and THC has been able to help AIDS patients regain an appetite.
With such astounding healing properties in just a few plants, we can only imagine all that Mother Nature has to offer.
