What Is Olive Leaf Extract?
Olive leaf extract comes from the leaves of the olive tree,
called Olea europaea. The olive tree is part of the Oleaceae family. It’s an evergreen tea or shrub that’s native to Israel, and Mesopotamia.
Typically a short tree that rarely exceeds 26 to 49 feet in
height, the olive tree flowers are small, white and feathery, and the leaves
are a silver-green color. The olives are harvested in the green-to-purple stage
and the seed of the olive is commonly referred to as the pit, and in Britain,
it’s called a stone.
In the early 1800s, crushed olive leaves were used in drinks
to lower fevers, and a few decades later, they were used in tea as a treatment
for malaria. In Moroccan medicine, olive leaf is infused in order to stabilize
blood sugar and control diabetes. These medicinal benefits of olive leaf
extract comes from the plants powerful compounds.
One bioactive compound present in olive leaves is the
secoiridoid oleuropein, which can constitute up to 6–9 percent of dry matter in
the leaves. Other bioactive components include secoiridoids, flavonoids and
triterpenes. These are plant metabolites that provide health benefits through
cell signaling pathways and antioxidant effects.
Other Herbs of the Bible
People have been using herbs for thousands of years for
their culinary and medicinal benefits. I want to tell you about some of the
most popular herbs of the Bible and what they were traditionally used for as
well as how they are still used to this day.
As the Bible states in Psalms 104:14, God provides us with
“herbs for the service of man.” Hopefully, after reading this article, you can
start incorporating some of these health-boosting Biblical herbs into your life
daily
1.
Aloes — He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man
who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh
and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. (John 19:39)
2.
The aloe vera plant has been used for thousands
of years. In ancient times, it was used to embalm the dead, as well as for
perfume. It also has a lengthy history
of use topically for skin complaints (including wounds, irritations and burns)
and internally for constipation.
Today, aloe is still commonly used to treat burns (including
sunburns), heal rashes and moisturize the skin.
Preliminary research has also shown that aloe may help to lower blood
sugar in type 2 diabetics and decrease the effects of liver damage caused by
alcohol. (1)
2. Anise — Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier
matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done,
and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23:23)
All parts of the anise plant were used during Biblical
times. The seeds, leaves and stem were used to cool high temperatures, as well
as for other medicinal purposes.
Today, anise can be used to help with digestion and can be
used as an anti-flatulence agent. It’s also used with some success for
breast-feeding support and parasites. As an antispasmodic, anise can be helpful
for coughs, bronchitis and COPD. (2)
Anise is commonly taken by crushing the seeds into a tea.
3. Balm or Balsam — And they sat down to eat bread: and they
lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelite's came
from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to
carry it down to Egypt. (Genesis 37:25)
Balm or balsam in the Bible refers to an extremely fragrant
resinous substance extracted from a plant. In Biblical times, balsam was
considered extremely valuable. The balm or balsam of Gilead in the Bible was
named for the region of Gilead where it was made and this balm was used
medicinally.
Today, it’s possible to find various herbal salves and oils
inspired by this Biblical balm.
4. Bitter herbs — They shall eat the flesh that same night,
roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter
herbs. (Exodus 12:8)
Bitter herbs are a collective term used for things like
horehound, tansy, horseradish, endive, parsley and coriander seeds. Bitter
herbs were mostly used for food in the Bible. In fact, the people of Israel
were commanded to have bitter herbs with their Passover lamb.
Today, bitter herbs like gentian and wormwood are known for
helping to prevent and relieve digestive complaints like dyspepsia. Experts
theorize that bitter herbs are able to aid digestion through their ability to
increase digestive secretions as well as blood circulation in the abdominal
organs. (3)
5. Cassia — Vedan and Javan paid for your wares from Uzal;
wrought iron, cassia and sweet cane were among your merchandise. (Ezekiel
27:19)
Cassia oil was popularly used as anointing oil during
Biblical times. Cassia has aromatic properties quite similar to cinnamon.
Today, cassia is used in natural hair care, coloring and
conditioning. The leaves are actually harvested, dried and ground into a powder
used for the hair.
6. Cinnamon — Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of
liquid myrrh, half as much of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant
calamus. (Exodus 30:23)
Cinnamon, once considered more precious than gold, has some
amazing medicinal benefits. The bark, where the oil comes from, was
traditionally collected for anointing oil, as well as perfume.
Today, cinnamon is used to help lower blood glucose levels.
Due to its antifungal properties, it’s also employed in the natural treatment
of yeast infections. It can also help to calm an upset stomach by relieving
gas. (4)
7. Cumin — When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow
caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its
plot, and spelt in its field? (Isaiah 28:25)
The ancient Israelites took cumin seeds, dried them and used
them to flavor their food.
Today, research has shown that cumin seeds contain a
substance called cuminaldehyde that may be useful in fighting diabetes. (5) A
study published in 2017 demonstrates
that black cumin contains an anticancer phytochemical known as thymoquinone and
thymoquinone may be considered as a future drug in cancer treatment. (6)
8. Frankincense — On coming to the house, they saw the child
with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened
their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
(Matthew 2:11)
Most popularly known for incense, frankincense was used
during ceremonial offerings and considered an article of luxury.
Today, it can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent,
analgesic, antidepressant, and sedative, in addition to being a powerful
healing herb. Frankincense oil is also a great stress-reducer known to improve
anxiety. (7)
9. Garlic — We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt, along
with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. (Numbers 11:5)
Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many
cultures for thousands of years, dating back to when the Egyptian pyramids were
built.
Today, garlic is used to boost the immune system and help
prevent heart disease. It also is known to have helpful effects on hypertension
and high cholesterol. Consuming garlic on a regular basis may help guard
against cancer formation in the body. (8)
I highly recommend checking out my article 7 Raw Garlic
Benefits for Reversing Disease if you want to even more about the health benefits
of this incredible medicinal herb.
10. Hyssop — Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
Hyssop is a sweet smelling plant from the mint family. It
was used in many ceremonial rituals of the Israelites, as burning hyssop
typically meant an inner cleansing.
A research study published in 2003 demonstrates how hyssop
may be “a useful food for hyperglycemia,” which is an abnormally high blood
sugar level. (9) Hyssop is also known for being an expectorant and improving
respiratory related problems such as asthma, coughs and bronchitis. (10)
Hyssop can be found in tea and tincture form at most health
stores. Warm hyssop tea or hyssop tintcure diluted in warm water can be used as
a gargling liquid for sore throats.
11. Mint — Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier
matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done,
and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23:23)
Mint has been used for thousands of years as a culinary herb
and for medicinal purposes.
Today, peppermint is still being used medicinally for its
calming effects. It’s often used to improve some common health concerns like
flatulence, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, nausea and headaches. Some studies even
point towards peppermint’s ability to help improve indigestion and irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS). (11)
12. Mustard — And the
Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to
this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey
you.” (Luke 17:6)
One of Jesus’ most famous parables was about the mustard
seed. This may be because mustard grew so abundantly in Israel.
Today, mustard seed has been studied for its possible
anti-cancer properties. Specifically, mustard seed contains a compound called
allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and animal research has shown that AITC-rich
mustard seed powder “strongly inhibits bladder cancer development and progression.”
(12)
13. Myrrh — Then their father Israel said to them, “If it
must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your
bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey,
aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.” (Genesis 43:11)
Myrrh is mentioned over and over in the Bible. (13) In
Biblical times, it was sold as a spice and as an ingredient of the anointing
oil used in the Tabernacle, or as a salve for the purification of the dead. In
the Roman world, it was considered a natural remedy for almost every human
affliction from earaches to hemorrhoids.
Today, myrrh oil is used for its anti-parasitic, antifungal
and antibacterial benefits. (14) Many people enjoying diffusing this Biblical
oil into the air during prayer and meditation.
14. Saffron — Nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with
all the trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, along with all the finest
spices. (Song of Solomon 4:14)
The most expensive spice in the world today was also very
dear during ancient times. Because of its distinct yellow color, saffron was
used not only for flavoring but to make ancient dyes as well. Ancient peoples
used saffron to treat stomach upsets, bubonic plague and smallpox.
Today, recent studies have indicated possible health
benefits including cancer-inhibiting properties (specifically for breast
cancer), antidepressant effects and promoting a feeling of fullness for mildly
overweight individuals. (15, 16, 17)
Now read KJV Ezekiel 47: 9-14
9 And it shall come to pass, that
every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come,
shall live; and there shall be a great multitude of fish, because these waters
shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whither
the river cometh.
10 And it shall come to pass, that
the fishers shall stand upon it upon it from En-gedi even unto En-egiaim : they
shall have a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their
kinds, as the fish of the great sea exceeding many.
11 But the miry places thereof and
the mashes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
12 And by the river upon the bank
thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose
leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: It shall
bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters have issued
out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be meat, and the leaf thereof
for medicine.
13 Thus saith the Lord God; This
shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve
tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.
14 And ye shall inherit it , one
as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to
your fathers; and this land shall fall unto you for an inheritance.
