It’s no secret to most of us by now that ancient civilizations had special knowledge of plants and herbs, and what ailments they were useful for. It may however surprise many to know that a good deal of these natural remedies have been researched in modern times and have actually held up to their claims. Just how these discoveries were initially made is a bit of a mystery, and while rational thought would tell us that it must have been a long process of trial and error, many ancient cultures claimed the information was given to them by their sky gods. As a result, many of these medicines were held in very high esteem and even made their way into religious writings. One such herb is the amazing Black cumin seed or Nigella sativa, which is pressed into an oil. This plant goes by many different names such as Melanthion as mentioned by Hippocrates, and Curative black cumin as mentioned in the book of Isaiah within the Bible. It has been used as a cure all in many cultures of the past including India, China and all throughout the middle east. In fact, when archaeologist Howard Carter opened the sealed burial chamber of King Tutankhamen in 1923, one of the items discovered among the ancient relics was black cumin seed. There have also been writings found in which Cleopatra herself attributes her beauty to the use of this oil as a facial cleanser. Even the Prophet Mohammed is quoted as saying “Use this Black seed, it has a cure for every disease except death.”
So what is it about this plant that makes it so useful? Black cumin seed oil is quite high in essential fatty acids, especially omega 6 and 9. Also contained within this mighty oil are extremely powerful phytonutrients Nigellone and Thymoquinone. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and has even been found to be effective as an anti-histamine.Traditionally it has been used in the treatment of all things bronchial, such as coughing, pneumonia, and congestion. It has also been used to aid in wound healing, Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, digestive issues, parasites (such as worms), renal disorders, cardiovascular health, acne, lowering blood pressure, candida, and on and on. In the case of heart health, studies have shown the thymoquinone present in the oil acts by relaxing arterial walls and increasing oxygenation in the heart itself. The same is true in the lungs where the oil works as a bronchial dilator. It also relaxes the tissues of the digestive system, allowing better processing. All of these actions are anti-inflammatory; inflammation is the root of most diseases, and so its no wonder this oil plays such a large role in treating so many of them. Black seed oil has also been shown to assist the immune system and may re-sensitize the many cells of the body to the insulin being produced by the pancreas, making it potentially beneficial to those with type 2 diabetes. Some claim to have increased mental clarity with regular use of this herb as well, though I have not seen many studies in this area. It would seem to make sense though if the reason for one’s mental fog had to do with inflammation. The Greeks did use it to relieve headaches, and many today rely on it for ridding themselves of migraine pain, but further study is needed.
As for my own experience, I have used it in the case of cough and chest congestion and found that it definitely cut down on the time it took my body to overcome these problems. Most recently, I had a cough that had been lingering for around three weeks or so, and while it wasn’t extreme and I felt fine otherwise, it just would not go away. I began taking 1 teaspoon of the oil twice a day, and by the third day my cough was gone! My daughter, who had been coughing for a couple months straight due to having Mono found that her cough went away after a few days of taking the oil twice a day as well. That was a huge deal for her as you can imagine. Having a lingering cough for so long was keeping her from going out to eat, enjoying time with her friends, going to the movies, and even interrupting her sleep. Better sleep by the way is something else many users of this oil have reported; many claiming it cured their insomnia. 1 teaspoon once or twice a day is really all that is needed to maintain good health, but most of the medicinal benefits have been found when an individual works their way up to 2 tablespoons a day. Here are links to a couple of the brands I use and which have the highest levels of thymoquinone (TQ).https://amzn.to/2AMCzU5 .https://amzn.to/2SXpezy .
While this oil has been proven both scientifically and anecdotally to be extremely beneficial, I would recommend an individual taking it long term also consider taking a good omega 3 supplement, as too much omega 6 in absence of omega 3 has also been shown to increase inflammation. This is one reason why grass fed beef is so much better for people than corn fed, as corn fed contains a 20 to 1 omega 6 to omega 3 ratio which is a recipe for inflammation. A 3 to 1 ratio is ideal, and this can be found in grass fed. Wild caught salmon is my personal favorite source of omega 3 though it tends to be seasonal, and therefor hard to find year round. Don’t even get me started on the problems with farm raised. These are some Omega 3 supplements I know, use and trust. https://amzn.to/2M8vemi .https://amzn.to/2VQnw4A .
On a final note I would warn anyone taking blood pressure medication to exercise caution and check with their Doctor before taking said oil as it has been shown by itself to lower blood pressure and also to work synergistically with medications which could cause an extreme effect.
Thanks for reading! I strongly recommend the use of Black seed oil to anyone looking to better their health.
