Among the three herbs—mugwort, calamus, and garlic—mugwort stands out as a perennial herb found nationwide. Its versatility and numerous benefits make it a staple, especially during the Dragon Boat Festival when many boil it for washing. But what makes it so remarkable? Let's explore.
Boil mugwort leaves for hair washing, and benefits will follow over time:
1.Reduces Oiliness
Most people wash their hair every two or three days. But for those with oily hair, even a morning wash can leave hair greasy by evening—looking like days have passed since washing. If this sounds familiar, try washing with mugwort water. It helps regulate oil production and reduce excessive greasiness.
2. Relieves itching and dandruff
Some people experience dandruff shortly after washing their hair, accompanied by an unbearable itchy scalp. Scratching only makes it worse, causing flakes to fall like snow.This issue can also be addressed by washing your hair with mugwort water. It effectively kills fungi, mites, and other scalp irritants, thereby relieving itching and aiding in dandruff removal.Try washing your hair with mugwort water. The nutrients in boiled mugwort water nourish the scalp and may help reduce hair loss to some extent.
4. Calming the Mind and Promoting Sleep
Those with insomnia can also try mugwort water hair washes. It stimulates the scalp, relaxes nerves, and improves sleep quality.For women during menstruation, washing hair can be a dilemma—fearing catching a chill yet feeling greasy otherwise. Using mugwort-infused water for washing not only cleans thoroughly but also helps dispel internal cold.
Mugwort leaves can be used both externally and internally. Traditional Chinese folk practices have long employed mugwort to dispel cold and dampness to prevent illness. From a medical perspective, wind-cold coughs primarily result from wind-cold invading the lungs. Mugwort can help warm the middle burner and expel cold.
Mei Quanxi, Director of the Pharmacology Laboratory at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine's Zhongshan Hospital, explains: "When mugwort decoction is used for foot soaks or baths, its volatile oils absorbed by the body can warm the body, dispel cold pathogens, suppress coughs, relieve asthma, and eliminate phlegm."
Additionally, mugwort baths offer therapeutic effects for certain skin conditions like folliculitis and eczema.Moreover, its ability to promote blood circulation can enhance skin metabolism, achieving beautifying effects.
In daily life, some individuals experience lower back pain during the rainy season, potentially linked to kidney qi deficiency or invasion by wind and damp pathogens. Applying moxa leaf poultices can effectively alleviate such aches.
Beyond medicinal use, mugwort leaves are also edible and nutritionally valuable, containing glucose, B vitamins, vitamin C, soft resin, tannic acid, and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.Therefore, from a health preservation perspective, incorporating mugwort into therapeutic dishes offers multiple benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and lipids, dispelling cold, and nourishing the stomach. Director Mei Quanxi recommends five common ways to consume mugwort: 1. Mugwort Leaf and Brown Sugar Decoction: Significantly improves cold-type menstrual cramps. 2. Mugwort Leaf and Egg Soup:This offers relief for stomach pain caused by cold, as mugwort leaves warm the stomach and alleviate pain.
3. Mugwort Leaf and Hen Soup: Try this remedy for symptoms like excessive menstrual bleeding due to blood deficiency, insomnia with vivid dreams, and lower abdominal cold pain. It can significantly improve these conditions.
4. Mugwort Leaf and Ginger Tea: Highly effective for children's coughs, especially those caused by exposure to cold or wind-cold.
5. Mugwort and Brown Sugar Poached Egg: This dish effectively warms the uterus, stops bleeding, and stabilizes pregnancy for conditions like uterine cold irregularities or infertility due to uterine coldness.
Wu Wenbo, Chief Pharmacist of the Preparations Department at Shijiazhuang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, states: "If the 'apricot' represents the flower of traditional Chinese medicine, then 'mugwort' embodies its herb."
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that mugwort is a warming herb that stops bleeding, excels at warming the middle burner, expelling cold, and dispelling dampness. It is most suitable for women with blood and qi stagnation due to cold. Thus, mugwort is known as the "wellness herb" for women. Therefore, by utilizing it properly, it can bring many health benefits!