MILK THISTLE - the importance of this prickly little flower!

We've spoken in previous Health Tips about the importance of the "liver" and that it's responsible for filtering our blood. And the past few days we've been talking about eliminating toxins from the body.

So what does the flowering "Milk Thistle" have to do with the human body?

Milk thistle is a plant named for the white veins on its large prickly leaves. And one of the active ingredients in milk thistle is "silymarin", which is extracted from the plant's seeds.

Well . . . "silymarin" is a flavonoid believed to have "antioxidant" properties that have been shown to reduce "free radical" production. Therefore . . . it creates a detoxifying effect. We spoke of this the other day.

Milk thistle is used as a natural treatment for liver problems which include cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis and gallbladder disorders.

It's also been shown that Milk thistle provides heart benefits by lowering cholesterol levels, decreasing liver inflammation, targeting estrogen dominance and correcting the balance of hormones.

And Milk thistle has been used as a traditional remedy for neurological conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease for over 2000 years.

It's also been shown to stimulate bone mineralization potential, this protecting against bone loss, helping cleanse the liver of toxins, helping to breakdown excess fat in the liver, improve blood circulation, increase your energy level, help protect the liver from future damage and help healthy weight management

And finally . . . Milk thistle has been a useful complementary therapy to help manage type 2 diabetes by helping improve insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar.

So this may be a natural way to help with elimination and/or finding your optimal health.

Side note: Please make sure you consult your own healthcare provider before taking any herbs.