Top Medicinal Plants and Their Uses

For all those who seek to incorporate herbal medicines into their lives, the following list of 5 medicinal plants can act as a beginner’s guide. Knowing medicinal plants and their uses to be incorporated into your healthcare regimen can be a harmless way to improve your health. Let us explore Indian herbs and plants used for medicine:

• Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Perhaps the host of medicinal benefits of tulsi makes it an important plant in every Indian household. Widely known as the “queen of herbs,” tulsi is known to cure a host of health ailments:

• Promotes a Healthy Heart: The antioxidants and vitamin C present in tulsi secure the heart from the harmful effects of free radicals. As it helps reduce cholesterol levels in your blood, tulsi also promotes a healthy heart.

• Anti-Ageing: The phytonutrients and vitamins A and C are great antioxidants that protect the skin from damage. Because it also helps fight infections and kills bacteria, the holy basil plant keeps pesky pimples away.

• Improves Oral Health: As an oral disinfectant, tulsi can be a natural mouth freshener. Tulsi can help cure ailments such as painful mouth ulcers. It also kills bacteria that cause dental cavities, tartar, bad breath, and plaque while protecting the teeth.

• Heals Respiratory Ailments: Amongst the most widely known benefits of tulsi is that it helps heal respiratory disorders. Tulsi-infused teas are an aged remedy to relieve throat aches from colds and coughs. In the pandemic frenzy, in addition to adopting a comprehensive medical insurance plan, several households also incorporated tulsi leaves in their healthcare routine to keep infections at bay.

• Relieves Headaches: Holy basil is a natural reliever for headaches. Several individuals suffering from migraines have come to rely on tulsi to heal their headaches.

• Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years for its antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic properties. This medicinal succulent comes with a host of medicinal benefits, including:

• Relief from Heartburn: If digestive disorders such as GERD are causing heartburn, you can use aloe vera to improve your condition and reduce the severity of GERD. It is also known to heal other digestion-related problems.

• Lowers Blood Sugar: According to a study, regularly consuming two tablespoons of aloe vera juice can help lower the blood sugar levels of individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes.

• Skincare: Aloe vera is widely regarded for its skincare, right from treating dry skin to relieving sunburn and healing wounds.

• Fenugreek

There are several impressive health benefits associated with fenugreek, and it has long been used as an alternative to medicine. Here are some medicinal uses of fenugreek:

• Promotes Hair Growth: Fenugreek seeds have been used as a natural remedy to boost healthy hair growth. They also help eliminate dandruff and strengthen hair follicles.

• Contains Anticarcinogenic Effects: According to a study, the diosgenin present in fenugreek seeds can help synthesise the progesterone and cortisone hormones. These hormones are known to play a role in anti-cancerous effects by hindering cell proliferation and killing cancerous cells.

• Comprises Antidiabetic Effects: The low glycaemic index of fenugreek makes it a healthy and safe food for diabetics. Moreover, fenugreek is also known to help with complications emerging from diabetes.

• Ashwagandha

The magical, non-toxic herb: ashwagandha is gaining global renown for its ability to modulate anxiety and stress. In ayurveda, the herb holds an important place for its medicinal properties. Here are some science-backed benefits of ashwagandha:

• Relieves Anxiety and Stress: Owing to its adaptogen properties and maintaining the normal endocrinological balance, ashwagandha is known to relieve stress and anxiety in individuals.

• Enhances Muscle Strength: Ashwagandha is known to be highly efficient in improving muscle size and strength. It also helps reduce cholesterol levels and the percentage of body fat.

• Improves Focus and Memory: Ashwagandha is also known to boost the mind's ability and improve cognition and memory.

• Promotes Heart Health: As ashwagandha can help increase VO2 max levels, which is the maximum oxygen that can be taken in when one is physically exerting themselves, the herb is also known to support heart health.

• Amla

The sour and astringent fruit: amla is packed with essential nutrients that are associated with numerous health benefits:

• Promotes a Healthy Immune: In the pandemic, we learned the importance of a healthy immune system. In addition to investing in a comprehensive medical insurance plan, individuals sought to include immune-strengthening foods in their diet. In this endeavour, there is hardly a better contestant than amla. As the richest source of vitamin C, amla can help enhance cell function, prevent certain infections, and shorten the duration of a common cold with regular consumption.
• Improves Digestion: Amla is also known to improve digestive health and avoid several health ailments that accompany poor gut health. Amla can help treat GERD, muscle spasms, stomach cramps, and ulcers.
• Boosts Hair Growth: Amla is popular for stimulating growth and promoting healthy, voluminous hair. It also helps prevent hair loss.

The aforementioned herbal plants and medicinal leaves and their uses are readily found in every Indian household making it easy to incorporate these into your healthcare routine.

Knowing medicinal plants and their uses can help treat various health ailments at home. However, certain complex health conditions need medical attention. Every individual must buy health insurance to help deal with the expenses of treating these ailments.

A medical insurance plan can cover the cost of treatment and hospitalisation so that the patient does not have to worry about the bills. Aside from protecting your savings, other benefits of health insurance include tax savings and peace of mind. You can customise the comprehensive health insurance by Tata AIG to meet your specific healthcare needs.