Sage can be found in a variety of forms at your local health food store. You can get sage as a tea, as a supplement in capsules, or refined as a tincture or essential oil. Sage has been used throughout history as an anti-aging herb, and its use can be dated as far back as ancient China. The herb is high in antioxidants, it has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties, and it functions to increase appetite and as a diuretic and a stimulant. Let’s dive in a little deeper to find out how sage can benefit you and enhance a healthy lifestyle.
Aids Indigestion
When taken as an herbal tea, sage can help with all kinds of stomach problems, from gas and bloating to indigestion and heartburn. This is due to sage’s anti-inflammatory properties, and a cup of sage tea goes straight to the stomach. Working its way through, sage helps your whole digestive system fight inflammation. Sage tea can even help reduce diarrhea.
Increases Respiratory Health
If you are experiencing a mild asthma attack or shortness of breath, a few drops of sage essential oil in a pot of hot water can be used as a vapor to inhale through your respiratory passages, opening your sinuses and improving your air flow.
Improves Focus and Memory
Many times, modern science proves that ancient herbalists may have gotten a few things wrong here and there. That is not the case when it comes to sage, which has been used for centuries to help people improve their mental focus and cognitive functions. Sage is even being studied to help combat dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Helps in Diabetes Care
A 2006 study in Portugal showed that sage oil is effective in lowering the blood glucose levels of diabetic mice. In fact, Sage is actually said to mimic many of the common pharmaceutical drugs that are meant to combat diabetes. Sage helps to control the release of glucose into the bloodstream, therefore stabilizing the blood glucose levels and limiting major fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Relaxes Muscles
Sage is an anti-inflammatory agent that can soothe cramps and relieve tension. Sage has also been used to treat menstrual cramps due to its antispasmodic effects that soothe tense muscles.
Strengthens Bones
Sage is also a great source of vitamin K, which is not found in many common foods but is essential in maintaining bone strength and building bone density. Don’t wait until it’s too late and osteoporosis has already set in—drink at least one cup of sage tea per day, and add sage to your culinary regimen. Just one serving of sage tea gives you nearly 30 percent of the vitamin K that your body needs per day.
Treats Skin Conditions
Sage used in tincture form treats many common skin conditions, such as psoriasis, eczema, and even acne. You can use tinctures, dilute sage in a carrier oil and massage it into trouble areas, or you can make or purchase a sage salve to treat unsightly blemishes.
Usually when people think of sage, they think of pot roasts and savory foods or a flowery free spirit type burning sage while dancing around a room, but sage is not just for the kitchen any more. Most of its benefits have been proven and backed by modern studies. So here’s some sage advice: plant sage in your gardens this year, and consider using it for any of these amazing health benefits.
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[Source: Best Health Mag, Healthy Focus, Livestrong, Organic Facts, WebMD]
