10 amazing health benefits of neem you ought to know!
Being a medicinal plant, neem is used since ages for a healthy life. Here's what you should know about health benefits of neem.
1 Helps you lose weight
Are you planning to lose weight, especially around your belly? Then, drink neem flower juice daily to achieve the feat naturally. These flowers improve your metabolism and aid in breakdown of body fat, thereby helping you in your weight loss goal. You can further boost your metabolism by using these flowers in combination with lemon and honey.
How to use: Crush a handful of neem flowers. Now, add a teaspoon of honey and half-a-teaspoon lemon juice to the flowers and mix properly. Consume this mixture on an empty early in the morning every day to lose weight.
2 Maintains your blood sugar levels
Did you know that neem acts as an excellent natural aid to control your diabetes? Neem leaves lower your blood sugar levels by enhancing insulin receptor sensitivity. Additionally they improve blood circulation by dilating the blood vessels. These leaves also help in providing better blood sugar control by lowering your dependence anti-diabetic drugs.
How to use: Drink the juice of the tender shoot of neem leaves on an empty stomach for best results.
3 Aids in cancer treatment
Neem Leaf Glycoprotein or NLGP, a purified form of protein from neem leaves, inhibits growth of tumour cells. Instead of targeting the cancer cells directly, this protein modulates the immune cells present in the cancer environment and blood. This in turn restricts further growth of the tumour thereby playing a key role in the treatment of cancer.
How to use: As neem is packed with medicinal properties, consuming neem juice early in the morning eliminates toxins from the body. This not only helps in treatment of cancer but also prevents you from cancer.
4 Relieves fungal infection
Are you suffering from athlete’s foot, ringworm infection or any other fungal infection? If yes, then try neem oil to treat fungal infections. As neem contains nimbidol and gedunin, medicinal compounds which posses antifungal activity thus help in killing fungus. Alternatively you can also use neem leaves paste to heal and prevent these infections.
How to use: Apply few drops of neem oil thrice a day on the infected nail for effective results.
5 Used to treat head lice
Neem is well-known for its potent antibacterial and antimicrobial agent. However, not many people are aware of the fact that neem oil can be used to kill head lice. So, if your child has lice and you don't want to use chemicals, try this natural remedy for effective results.
How to use: Crush few tender neem leaves and use the juice to wash hair. You can also add a few leaves of tulsi to boost its activity.
6 Acts as mosquito repellent
In addition to being an elixir for healthy life due to its myriad health benefits, neem is well-known for its mosquito repellent properties. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, applying a mixture of neem oil and coconut oil (1:1) over the skin keeps mosquitoes at bay. Being an effective anti-protozoal agent, neem lends your skin a particular smell that wards off mosquitoes.
How to use: Mix one teaspoon of neem oil and with one teaspoon of coconut oil and apply the mixture on your skin to prevent mosquito bite.
7 Is effective against skin problems
If you are suffering from acne, wrinkles, skin pigmentation, black heads, dry skin and other skin infections, then there’s one single remedy that might help you out to deal with every skin problem – neem leaves. As these leaves are known to posses antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, they soothe irritation and reduce inflammation. Apart from lightening acne scars, neem acts as a natural moisturising agent and a powerful skin toner.
How to use: Boil few neem leaves till the water turns green due to discoloration of the leaves. Now, strain the water and wash your face with this water to get rid of various skin problems. Alternatively, you can also add this water to your bath water to keep keeping skin infections in-check.
8 Helps to treat hepatitis
Due to its potent anti-viral action, neem has been used to treat hepatitis. It works by eliminating the harmful toxins from the body and thus, lowering the toxic load on the liver. Additionally, it also improves your immune functioning and thus, enhances your recovery.
How to use: Wash tender neem leaves and extract its juice. Now, mix around 30 ml of this juice with 15 ml of honey. Drink this solution early in the morning on an empty stomach for around 7 days to recover from hepatitis.
9 Prevents oral problems
In many parts of rural India, neem twigs are still used to brush teeth instead of toothpaste and brushes. The antimicrobial and antifungal properties of neem play a key role in prevention of gum disease, toothache, bad breath and mouth ulcers. Apart from this, it also acts as a powerful natural remedy to get whiter teeth.
How to use: Take a medium-sized neem twig and chew it at one end to make it a brush. Now, with this brush clean your teeth and rinse your mouth with water to prevent various oral problems.
10 Relieves symptoms of amoebiasis
Neem leaves act as an effective natural remedy against the amoebiasis parasite due to its antibiotic activity. When applied on the stomach, neem paste reduces the intestinal inflammation and painful cramps commonly seen in children suffering from amoebiasis.
How to use: Grind dried neem leaves to make a fine powder and add equal quantity of turmeric powder to it. Now, and make a paste by adding mustard oil to this mixture. Apply this paste over the stomach region to relieve symptoms of amoebiasis.