Colorful ‘trade’ secret NEUTRALIZES culprit behind WRECKED nerves
There’s a storm that could be brewing throughout your body… and even in your brain…
And by the time you start to show any symptoms, it could already be too late.
I’m talking about free radicals WREAKING HAVOC…
STRESSING OUT your system…
And causing damage that could be IRREVERSIBLE.
You can’t FEEL it while it’s happening…
But if caught too late, the neurological effects could be DEVASTATING.
I’m talking about nerve damage… pain… mobility issues… and even brain bleeds.
If you’re a little on the older side, here’s a natural, time-tested way you can BLOCK oxidative stress from taking hold… and taking OVER your neurological health.
A folklore floral hero
You may have heard of safflower as “poor man’s saffron”…
But the thistle-like blooms of safflower have long been cultivated… and TREASURED… for their pigments in their own right.
Safflower’s common name means “yellow flower” (derived from the word saffron)… and the Latin words of its scientific name mean “to paint” (Carthamus) and “dye” (tinctorius).
Archaeologists have found remains of the safflower plant in Egyptian burial sites dating back to 3500 B.C.…
Including as part of some dyed textiles that surrounded King Tut in his tomb!
Other mummies of ancient Egypt have been known to wear safflower garlands in their places of eternal rest.
Thousands of years later, safflower reached China – where they used it to dye silk. A major component of the ancient Silk Road trade route, safflower also became popular as a coloring agent in rouge, lipstick, and other cosmetics.
But what you may have NEVER heard is how safflower also emerged as a Chinese medicinal hero, particularly when it comes to conditions that affect the blood supply to the brain (a.k.a. cerebrovascular diseases).
And its use isn’t limited to just Asia…
Because Iranian folk medicine… which refers to it as “Kafesheh”… has used it for paralysis… pain… numbness… and neurological conditions like sciatica.
That’s because traditional medicinal use has shown its neuroprotective and pain-relieving capabilities…
And modern research has confirmed the scientific actions behind those benefits.
Turns out safflower is a potent antioxidant!
That’s, in part, thanks to its flavonoid content of pigments like carthamin… which lends an orange coloring to the flower petals and a reddish coloring when used as a dye.
But don’t forget about safflower’s crucial yellow pigments – like hydroxysafflor yellow A (HYA) and anhydrosafflor yellow B (AYB).
These all contribute to safflower’s ability to SCAVENGE free radicals and REDUCE the levels of biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Research shows how antioxidant-rich safflower petal extracts could help protect against the neurological damage caused by stroke…
Partially because they bring the added bonus of anti-inflammatory action to the game.
Even better, these pigments appear to ENHANCE blood flow… which is CRITICAL to proper neurological function.
In Asia, many folks drink safflower tea…
And you can find whole or cut dried safflower petals at Asian specialty markets.
In Chinese herbalism, it’s known as “Hong Hua” or by the Latin name “Flos Carthami Tinctorii.”
The Japanese call it “Mogami-benibana” – named after Mogami River region in Japan, where it grows.
Safflower is available as a supplement in capsule form – but check the label to make sure you’re getting the blossom extract and not the seed oil in pill form.
To the nerve-protecting tricks of the trade,
Melissa Young
