Sage
According to Megan Ware RDN LD from Medical News Today, “The Sage plant has grey-green edible leaves and flowers that can range in colour from blue and purple to white or pink.”.(1) She states that Sage has historically been used to relieve and treat ailments, including mental disorders and gastrointestinal discomfort.
Benefits
- Mental alertness and memory recall
- Menopause symptoms
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Flatulence
What are the Benefits of Sage?
1) Mental alertness and memory recall
A study carried out at the Cognitive Neuroscience Unit at Northumbria University in the UK. Salvia lavandulaefolia (Spanish sage) essential oil was administered to 24 participants to look at its impact on cognition and mood. According to the results, the participants experienced faster memory speed and improved mood, alertness and calmness. (2)
2) Menopause symptoms
Women who are going through the menopause often have trouble sleeping due to the symptoms, which may include night sweats, hot flushes, dizziness and headaches. The good news is that some research shows that Sage leaf, in tablet form, may help to combat some of these symptoms, especially the hot flushes. (3)
3) Alzheimer’s disease
People with Alzheimer’s disease tend to have trouble with their cognitive functioning. They may experience poor memory, difficulty learning, and struggle to process information. According to WebMD “Taking extracts of two different Sage species (Salvia officinalis and Salvia lavandulaefolia) for 4 months seems to improve learning, memory and information processing in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease”. (4) It follows that Sage extract may improve some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
4) Flatulence
Sage has carminative qualities. This means that it prevents or relieves gas in the gastrointestinal tract, which may be useful to those who suffer from excessive flatulence.
Sage works well with
- Black Cohosh for menopause-related symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats
- Aloe Vera for digestive system conditions
- Charcoal for excessive flatulence
Some things to consider
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have medical conditions such as high blood pressure or epilepsy, or are on any medication, speak to your doctor before taking any supplement or alternative therapies.
Resources
Last accessed online 16/04/2020
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266480.php
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15639154/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21630133/
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-504/sage
