Marshmallow – Althaea officinalis
No, I’m not talking about those crappy, sugar-fluff things you buy at the supermarket that taste weirdly good when cooked over a fire – I’m talking about the Marshmallow plant! It features this beautiful big pinkish flower, as well as big broad leaves. In Western Medicine, the leaves and root of this plant is used for a range of different things.
- This plant is known to be made up of a lot of mucilage, or ‘slimy stuff’, that has fantastic protective properties. This property means that marshmallow is used to protecting the linings of your gut.
- This property is also applicable for the skin. Because it is so soothing it does fantastic things for you skin, like having a vulnerary action. This means that it can speed up the healing time of your skin.
- This herb is also fantastic for your urinary organs due to that lining action. It can improve inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, and also help with kidney stones and cystitis.
- Marshmallow, again due to its soothing actions, can help painful conditions in the respiratory system. Got a sore or tickly throat? Lots of yucky mucus or a blocked nose? Marshmallow can help to soothe those ails.
- It has also been proposed that marshmallow could be antibacterial, further advancing its healing properties and potential to heal infections.
Please note that because marshmallow lines the gut, it can affect the absorption of some medicines and nutrients.
Anyway, marshmallow is available in a dried form from your local health food shop. You can create a soothing tea or even add it to your bath to create a soothing bath.
Enjoy! xx
*Remember to always talk to a professional practitioner.
REFERENCES
Fisher, C 2009, Materia Medica of Western Herbs, 1st edn, Vitex Medica, New Zealand.
Natural & Alternative Treatments 2011, Marshmallow, viewed 4 October 2016, <http://www.ebscohost.com>
HEALTHY WHOLEFOODS 