Trees are a lot more powerful than we imagine. Not only do they look good but they are good for the environment too,improving the quality of the air we breathe and the soil beneath them. But apart from that they also have some very powerful medicinal qualities.
Whether its the bark, leaves, fruit or seeds, trees have something amazing to offer apart from their natural beauty.
Trees have been used throughout history for their medicinal properties and scientists are just beginning to rediscover those benefits.
Trees have already produced a life saving treatment for asthma; bromine from Cacau trees, and the chemotherapy drug is derived from pine trees.
For centuries we have screened the leaves and bark of trees for their useful properties, but modern technology now has found tree peptides which could open up a whole new world of natural medicines.
The willow tree that is found worldwide, and has been used for centuries, as far back as the ancient Egyptians, for pain relief. We know this derivative now as aspirin, more commonly used for thinning the blood rather than pain relief. Some patients taking aspirin can also reduce the risk of heart attack. Research has indicated that aspirin could also protect against some cancers.
Quinine is also found in trees, and is useful in treating malaria. Olive trees are good for heart health and protects against type 2 diabetes, and this is where olive oil comes from, which is a central part of the mediterranean diet, and can help to kill harmful bacteria in the gut.
So trees give us a lot more than we realise, we really can’t live without them!