Have you heard of pau d’arco? This canopy tree is native to South America where it’s been used for centuries for the treatment of numerous health issues. The interesting name is from the Portuguese language and it means ‘bow stick’.
It’s used for plenty of health issues, including ulcers, cancer, inflammation, arthritis, fever, dysentery, etc. One of the easiest and most common ways to consume it is in tea form or applying the warm tea topically onto the skin.
This evergreen tree has pink flowers and there are around 100 species. However, only a few species have the most healing power. These are the lapacho tabebuia impetiginosa and red lapacho tabebuia.
The bark has medicinal properties, especially the inner lining known as phloem. Below, learn the best health benefits of consuming pau d’arco.
The Healing Properties of Pau d’arco
- Relieves ache
Pau d’arco tea helps relieve pain naturally in cancer patients or patients with other health issues. It can also help with the arthritic ache.
- Fights off candida
Candida or candidiasis is a common yeast infection that can cause a lot of other health issues.
Although the body naturally produces yeast in the vulva, mouth, rectum, and digestive tracts, if the normal pH is upset, its amount increases and causes unpleasant symptoms. Pau d’arco was found beneficial for its treatment.
- Lowers inflammation
When the immunity is overreacting, it can flood the body with defensive cells and hormones that will damage the tissues.
This causes an increase in the inflammation-the root of many diseases.
In one 2014 study, it was concluded that pau d’arco helps increase the protein in charge of regulating antioxidant proteins that are pivotal in the fight against oxidative damage associated with inflammation.
- Useful against ulcers
Ulcers form in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract’s lining. When they develop in the stomach, they’re called gastric ulcers.
When they form in the small intestine, they’re known as duodenal ulcers. They can be caused by higher stomach acid that results from an unhealthy diet, medications, stress, bacterial infections, excessive alcohol intake, etc.
According to a 2013 study, pau d’arco extract sped up the healing of gastric ulcers by boosting mucus and cell proliferation in lab mice. This may mean that pau d’arco could be of aid in the treatment of peptic ulcer illness in humans.
- Helps in the fight against cancer
According to a study done at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, pau d’arco’s compound known as beta-Lapachone was found helpful in the treatment of prostate cancer.
Namely, it was also helpful in destroying cancerous cells in animal studies.
- Lowers pain
Pau d’arco can naturally lower pain in patients with cancer and other health issues. Consuming pau d’arco tea was also found effective in minimizing the pain caused by arthritis.
How to Make Pau D’arco Tea at Home
You can purchase pau d’arco online or in the local health food store.
You need:
2 tsp of pau d’arco bark
4 cups of boiling water
Prep:
Add the pau d’arco to the boiling water. Cover it and leave it for 20 minutes. Then, remove the cover and leave the tea to cool down for at least an hour.
Afterward, strain the content into a cup. Drink it in small portions throughout the day.
You can also use the cold tea for external purposes like flushing or topical application.
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