6 Powerful Medicinal Herbs Hiding in Plain Sight

by Jes Williams @feelmoregooder

Our modern culture (at least in the United States) will have you thinking that the only places medicine exists are in pharmacies. However, you know if you regularly follow our blog, you know that nature offers us many forms of medicine– and many of them are free. Check out our posts on sunlight, grounding, cold plunging, sauna, and circadian rhythm for more on nature’s medicine.

In addition, nature also offers us medicine in the form of plants. Each respective plant in the botanical world possesses a unique lineup of constituents. This means that the components that makeup the plant possess capabilities to heal and nourish when they are ingested, inhaled, and/or applied topically.

These plant compounds in many plants offer exceptional benefits to the human body (and have even been used with athletes for sports injury/recovery)(9). And, the good news is that you can access many of the potent examples of this in your local grocery store. Too, they won’t break the bank!

Throughout this post (and in the corresponding Instagram posts this week - connect with us there for more), we’ll briefly mention the application of these herbs in Eastern Medicine. Why do this when we live in the Western world? Mainly, these are important notes to include on this topic because it can give you an idea of how far back herbalism goes.

“Plants, herbs, and ethnobotanicals have been used since the early days of humankind and are still used throughout the world for health promotion and treatment of disease.” (5)

Using plants and herbs for healing is both an ancient practice (this is acknowledged in the science, too)(1, 2, 3) and a frequent method used in forms of medicine all over the planet. We hope this rich history inspires you to explore plants more.

Ginger

Ginger starts off this list with a bang, as it is one of the most revered, researched, and widely used plant of the bunch. Studies on ginger indicate that it is effective in reducing nausea and vomiting (often linked to pregnancy), chemotherapy, travel sickness, inflammation, menstrual cramps, muscle pain, and is even indicated in blood sugar control. (4, 5, 6, 7)

Too, ginger is a part of a plant family that includes cardamom & turmeric. Its zippy, spicy aroma is mainly due to presence of ketones (especially the gingerols) which are the primary component of ginger studied in much of the health-related scientific research. (5)

The cultures in India and China are believed to have produced ginger as a tonic root for over 5000 years to treat a variety of ailments. And, ginger is now cultivated throughout areas closer to the equator, with India being the largest producer. Additionally, ginger is one of the most prevalent herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. (8)

Peppermint

A common seasonal favorite for coffee drinks and dessert connoisseurs, alike, peppermint’s benefits go far beyond being a trendy drink during the colder months. In the literature, we see that peppermint is beneficial for relieving symptoms of bowel irritability, stomach pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea, tension headaches (when applied topically). Too, peppermint has anti-inflammatory properties due to its menthol content. (10, 11)

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L. - a hybrid of water mint and spearmint) is one of the most widely consumed single-ingredient herbal teas (also called tisanes). (12) In TCM, peppermint is considered a cooling herb and is frequently used to clear heat, disperse stagnant Qi, and relieve liver Qi stagnation.

Cilantro

Depending on where in the world you live, you may use differing words for this herb. What we call “cilantro in the USA is what many in other parts of the world would refer to as “coriander leaves”, with “coriander” more commonly referring to coriander seed. Nonetheless, cilantro and coriander are different names for the same plant, Coriandrum sativum.

Encouragingly, much of the research around cilantro states that it is effective in treating many tissues and components of the nervous system, “due to its defensive properties and as a respectable medication of drug-induced nervous disorders or heavy metals toxicity attributed to antioxidant and chelation action.” (14)

Additionally, we see that research on cilantro has focused on its potential to treat nervous system disorders, heavy metal toxicity, and psychiatric disorders (13, 14, 15). 

Turmeric

This vibrant orange root (called ‘Olena in Hawaiian culture) has been used for thousands of years in both Ayurvedic medicine & Traditional Chinese Medicine for skin disorders, respiratory problems, joint pain, inflammatory conditions, and digestive disorders.

In recent years, turmeric has become a popular dietary supplement to aid a variety of conditions including arthritis, digestive disorders, depressive episodes, and allergic reactions.

As with any supplement, functionality and bioavailability are key. You can find turmeric’s beneficial constituent, curcumin, in an effective dose in CurcElite.

Radish

Though many look at radish as just a vegetable (which it is), it actually comes with some amazing benefits and uses when we look at it through the lens of TCM. There is a Chinese aphorism that says: “Eat radish in winter and ginger in summer, and you won’t need a doctor to prescribe any medicine.”

Radishes are revered in many parts of the world, and are shown to be immensely effective in clearing heat (inflammation) from the body, as well as having a cooling effect on your physiology. Radishes are also shown to be anti-adipogenic (preventing the formation of fat cells) and the greens are a beneficial source of prebiotics. Furthermore, the seeds of radishes are used for constipation, chronic inflammation of the trachea, and blood pressure disorders. (16, 17, 18, 19)

Cinnamon

Cinnamon (common forms are Ceylon and Cassia, or in TCM - Gui Zhi and Rou Gui) is another widely used herb in Eastern cultures, whereas the western world largely views this spice as a seasonal pleasure. However, let’s consider how powerful this plant truly is.

Cinnamon is shown in the literature to have beneficial effects on blood sugar regulation, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels, and overall cardiovascular health. (20) It is one of the most potent herbs in TCM for enhancing Yang Qi – which refers to the flow of expansive, warming energy in the body. Since many diseases begin with stagnation in the body, the implications of this are huge. This is perhaps why cinnamon shows up so much in medicine all over the world.

References:

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6766161/

2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5472722/

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92773/

4. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1364836/full

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229919303504

7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7019938/

8. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09064710.2019.1606930

9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667142523000763

10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5814329/

11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/peppermint

12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16767798/

13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10385770/

14. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8588955/

15. https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/how-cilantro-works-secret-weapon-against-seizures

16. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6412475/

17.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10385334/

18. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23935670/

19. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421003058

20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39053085/