Health Benefits of Wormwood

If you've ever tried the famous alcoholic beverage Absinthe, then you've got in contact with wormwood.

How come, you ask? Well, because Absinthe is made from wormwood (along with anise and fennel).

In fact, it's Latin name is "Artemisia absinthium".

Artemis' bitterness

This is an herb in the family of daisies and sunflowers (lat. Asteraceae).

This cousin of chamomile, marigold, dandelion, milk thistle and other daisies, originates from the temperate regions of Europe and Asia.

It is a green-grayish herb with yellow flowers and it can grow up to approximately 1 meter/ 3 feet.

The botanical name of this herb comes from the Greek goddess 'Artemis' and the Greek word 'absinthion' which means 'undrinkable', and that is because it is very bitter.  

Health benefits

Wormwood is great for getting rid of various kinds of intestinal parasites.

It contains a powerful antimalarial compound called 'artemisinin'.

It is also used to treat various different intestinal and digestive issues such as indigestion, stomach aches and appetite loss such as anorexia.

It contains antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It also contains thujone, a compound which can be potentially poisonous and you should, therefore, be careful when taking it.

Absinthe is banned in the U.S. and many other countries but allowed in EU as long as it contains less than 35mg/kg of thujone.

But now let's see how this herb can do us good: 

1. Breast Cancer

Wormwood has been shown to treat breast cancer cells which are rich in iron. 

Studies found that artemisinin, wormwood's active compound can effectively kill breast cancer cells basically in its entirety.

2. Parasites

Wormwood is very effective in treating different types of worms, such as roundworms, pinworms, tapeworms etc. They are not resilient to the toxic properties of wormwood, which makes it one of the best natural parasite killer.

You can combine wormwood with black walnut and clove to completely kill off intestinal parasites.

3. Malaria

A bite from a malaria-infected mosquito can cause great problems in your red blood cells.

Since wormwood extract artemisinin is regarded as the most powerful antimalarial on the planet, it is good to apply it on yourself if you suffer from this horrific disease. It will affect your red blood cells and reduce the number of parasites attacking them.

4. Salmonella

Salmonella is a serious health problem which can even lead to death. In fact, more than 300 deaths from salmonella are reported each year.

Wormwood's antibacterial properties make for an excellent remedy against this dangerous genus of bacteria.

5. Candida albicans

Candida symptoms can vary from skin problems such as acne to digestive issues, a weakened immune system, new allergies etc.

If you experience any of these and think that candida has overproduced in your body, wormwood's antifungal properties can stop further candida growth, as proven by research.

6. Crohn's disease

People who suffer from Crohn's disease use steroids to improve their symptoms.

Research has proven that wormwood can be as effective as steroids, so much that it can completely eliminate the need for steroids.

It also improves mood and life quality of Crohn's disease patients, which can not be achieved by standard medications.

7. Digestive issues

Acting as a cholagogue, or in other words, discharging bile which helps break down food, from the liver into the stomach, wormwood can improve the quality of digestion, and neutralize unnecessary amounts of acids in the digestive tract.

8. Stimulates menstruation

Wormwood can act as an emmenagogue. That means it can induce blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus and stimulate menstruation when it is absent for reasons other than pregnancy.

Here's how you can make powder or tea:

Powder (for parasites):

Grind 2 pinches of dry flowers, mix with 2 pinches of licorice powder and half a pinch of anise and take 2-3 pinches a day for 5 days, take it with dry plums

Tea:

10-15 pinches of flowers on 1 liter/quart of water, sweeten by desire

Word of caution:

• Wormwood should not be consumed by pregnant or nursing women
• it can cause allergic reactions with those allergic to the plants from the daisy family
• may cause epileptic seizures