Catnip is a flowering plant in the mint family whose health benefits date back to the early days. Originally from Europe and Asia, Catnip has long been associated with cats. It’s believed that both the big and small Felines adore this minty weed.
However, Catnip consumption is not only a preserve for cats. Humans can also use it for various health benefits. The plant has long been used in ancient medicine, and it’s thought to have numerous potential health benefits to humans. Experts, however, argue that its health benefits are only hinged on how you consume it and the dosage amount.
How to Consume Catnip
You can easily use Catnip to entertain your little Feline in the form of catnip toys. Alternatively, you can provide them with the leaves or flowers as snacks. The aroma that comes from the plant will help the cat to calm and be less nervous.
For humans, there are a few proven methods of consuming Catnip that can grant you all the health benefits without harming your lungs. First, you can brew it into tea to help with digestion and reduce discomfort. A few teaspoonfuls of fresh leaves added to boiling water will produce more potent benefits, including relieving chest congestion.
Besides consumption in tea, Catnip is also available in tinctures and herbal pastes. You can take a Catnip in a glass of water or any fluid a few times a day. This method of consumption is also considered safe even for children under the age of ten. Herbal pastes from Catnip are often effective when used to treat soft tissue injuries and joint ailments.
Catnip poultices from dried leaves and flowers can also be smoked. While reports link smoking Catnip to have similar effects to smoking marijuana, you’re less likely to suffer a comparable psychoactive effect.
Smoking only affords you a sense of calm and tranquillity, which are all due to Catnip’s sedative effects. Other than that, smoking catnip can also serves as one of the remedies for lung congestion.
Ways to Improve Your Health by Consuming Catnip
Catnip’s Nepetalactone is the only ingredient responsible for its medicinal effect. This active ingredient is considered an organic chemical that first acts on the nervous systems in both felines and humans. Here are a few ways you may want to consider Catnip for its health benefits.
Smoke it to claim its Best sedating Effect
Smoking may not be the best way to consume Catnip. However, it’s considered the perfect way to get the most of Catnip’s calming effect and soothe your troubled mind. The active ingredient nepetalactone is thought to have a better calming effect that’ll help you get hours of sleep.
By doing so, the compound can promote efficient relaxation and meditation. As a result, you can easily control anxiety, restlessness, nervous breakdowns, and a host of other psychological disorders. You can also be sure of lesser or no psychoactive effects.
Drink Catnip Tea to Improve Your Digestion
Catnip tea can also serve as the proper remedy for your digestive issues. It helps flush out the digestive system to heal your stomach in case of constipation, bloating, and any other gastrointestinal infection.
The Catnip leaves are also helpful in the removal of excess air in the stomach. These properties are also vital in regulating the excess production of bile and gastric juices to keep your digestive system healthy.
Use It in Tea to Relieve Pain and Headaches
You can also leverage Catnip’s soothing effect to treat any form of chronic pain in your body. It’s thought that using the dried leaves in tea provides substantial soothing relief for mild to moderate headaches.
Besides headaches, Catnip poultices made from dried leaves and flowers also provide a remedy for toothaches. In addition, Catnip’s antimicrobial properties effectively prevent oral infection and boost your dental health.
You can also use other Catnip extracts in tea to caution yourself against bacterial infections and prevent the growth of bacteria in your body.
Smoking Catnip Can Induce Good Sleep
Catnip’s sedative effect is known to promote good sleep, especially if you’re suffering from unending sleep deprivation. It can induce the release of crucial neurotransmitters, which slows down the body’s natural cycles to give you much-needed calm.
Catnip works best with other compounds like damiana to relieve you from the effects of chronic irritability. Other than smoking, you can also use fresh Catnip leaves or flowers to curb drowsiness, relax your muscles and relieve tension in the body.
Catnip May be Good for Weight Loss
The struggle with weight loss can be frustrating, especially if you don’t have a proper weight loss diet plan. However, taking a cup of catnip tea is thought to have weight-cutting properties by inducing perspiration.
Through accelerated sweating, your body rids off any toxins, frustrating your weight loss efforts. Using Catnip both in herbal paste, tincture, or tea every day will significantly boost your metabolism and accelerate the weight loss process.
Final Thoughts
There’s limited evidence on the health benefits of Catnip. However, subjective evidence still points to a few healthy gains, mainly when used in tea. You can also smoke it to achieve these health gains.