Indian Borage and It's Health Benefits

Indian Borage, commonly known as Mexican Mint is one of the herbs which is present in my mother's garden for many years now. Aware of its health benefits, even I have started growing it in a pot. The plant has many medicinal values, mainly useful for curing a cold, cough and congestion. It is a common practise in our house to intake the juice prepared from its leaves whenever any of us, including the toddler gets cold or cough. We pluck the leaves, heat it, extract juice, add honey to it and consume multiple times during the day.
It is basically a perennial plant which is highly aromatic, much branched, possessing short soft erect hairs, distinctive smelling heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. The plant typically grows to about 50 centimeters in height.
There are many health benefits of using Indian Borage.

• Cures Respiratory Issues

If you are suffering from a cold, a sore throat, congestion, a stuffy nose, or painful sinuses, you can chew on the leaves of Indian borage or brew a tea from the leaves. The compounds contained in the herb act as a powerful expectorant to eliminate mucus and phlegm from your respiratory tracts and clear out your sinuses. This can also help to boost your immune system by preventing bacteria or other pathogens from lodging and developing in your tracts. Also if you have a blocked nose, crush some leaves and inhale.

• Skin Care

One of the most popular uses of Indian borage is an effective skin treatment. From bug bites and stings to eczema and psoriasis, Indian borage possesses the anti-inflammatory compounds that can quickly reduce redness and swelling, while also eliminating itchiness and irritation. Just pluck few leaves, crush it and rub on the infected areas. If you have dandruff, use an infusion to rinse your hair.

• Omega-6 Content

If you do choose to extract the essential oil from the leaves of Indian borage, the volatile compounds in that extract include omega-6 fatty acids, such as gamma-linolenic acid. This specific fatty acid has been linked to reducing arthritis by increasing joint regeneration; this can also be important for athletes or those with osteoporosis who have regular impact stress on their joints and bones.

• Vitamin A and C

The high content of ascorbic acid found in the herb makes it important as an immune system booster, while the carotenoids and vitamin A content can improve vision, reducing oxidative stress in the eyes, and prevent macular degeneration.

• Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Although this is one of the lesser-known benefits of Indian borage, some of the organic compounds and minerals found in this herb have been shown to be mildly sedative in nature, so this herbal remedy, particularly in tea form, is often offered to people with high anxiety or chronic stress to induce relaxation, peace of mind and healthy, restful sleep.

• Improve Kidney Health

Indian borage acts as a very effective diuretic, which means that it can clean the body of toxins by stimulating urination; this also reduces the amount of excess salt, fat, and water in the body, keeping the kidneys and lymphatic system functioning smoothly.

• Treats Fever

If you are suffering from a cold or the flu, one of the common symptoms is a fever. Typically, you don’t start getting better until your fever “breaks”, as a sign that your immune system is making some headway. Indian borage is a sudorific, meaning that it stimulates sweating, which also helps to clear out toxins through the skin and speed the recovery process.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

In traditional use, Indian borage was commonly used to settle upset stomachs and relieve irritable bowel syndrome by regulating digestion and soothing stomach inflammation.
Indian Borage is also used in cooking. A curd based rice accomplishment called "Tambuli" is prepared in the coastal region and western ghats of Karnataka. The leaves are fried in ghee with cumin and peppercorns, grinded with coconut and curd is added.
Since ancient times, we have used plants and herbs to heal ourselves. And India has a lot of herbs and natural remedies for almost every disease. So it's a good idea to have such medicinal plants at home because you never know when you might need them!