Best Traditional African Herbal Medicines for People Living With HIV AIDS
Herbs can improve digestion, stimulate appetite, preserve foods.
Traditional African herbal medicines may help to treat many of the symptoms of opportunistic infections that are part of HIV AIDS.
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Best Traditional African Herbal Medicines for People Living With HIV AIDS
Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture
A list of herbs and the beneficial effects by people living with HIV AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and how to use herbs for traditional African Medicines.
HIV AIDS is not a traditional African illness and so far, there is no hard evidence to believe that traditional African medicines can treat HIV and cure AIDS. The effects may not be the same for all people. People can try these herbs and spices in moderation and decide for themselves whether they are helpful.
Remember that all herbs should be used in moderate amounts. Exceeding these amounts may cause problems and have a toxic effect; moreover, the function of the herbs and spices will not be increased if you take more than required.
Herb
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Benefits found by some people living with HIV AIDS
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How to use
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Aloe
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Helps to relieve constipation
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Use as extract; boil and drink the concentrated water. To be used in limited amounts; stop immediately if it causes cramps or diarrhea
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Basil
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Helps to relieve nausea and aid digestion; has an antiseptic function for mouth sores
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Add to food to treat nausea and digestive problems. Use as gargle for mouth sores
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Calendula
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Flower heads have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and healing function. Helps with infections of the upper digestive tract
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Use as a compress to treat infected wounds. Prepare as tea to help digestion
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Cardamom
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Helps with digestive problems, pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite
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Add to food during cooking or prepare as tea
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Cayenne
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Stimulates appetite, helps fight infection, heals ulcers and intestinal inflammation
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Add a pinch to cooked or raw foods. For an energizing drink add to fruit juice or water
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Chamomile
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Helps digestion and provides relief for nausea
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Prepare tea from the leaves and flowers and drink several cups throughout the day
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Cinnamon
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Good for colds and for weakness after colds or flu. Also used when feeling cold, for diarrhea and nausea. Stimulates appetite. Gently stimulates digestive juices, encouraging bowel movements
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Either add to meals or in tea, particularly ginger cinnamon tea for chesty colds or tuberculosis
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Cloves
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Stimulate appetite, help weak digestion, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
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Use in soups, stews, warmed fruit juice and tea
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Coriander
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Helps to increase appetite and reduce flatulence. Controls bacteria and fungi
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Add herb to meals
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Eucalyptus
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Has an antibacterial function, particularly for lungs and during bronchitis. Eucalyptus oil from leaves increases the blood flow and reduces the symptoms of inflammation
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Prepare tea from the leaves or extract
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Fennel
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Helps to increase appetite, combat flatulence and expel gas
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Add as spice to foods or prepare tea from the seeds. Use in limited amounts
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Garlic
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Has antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal function, particularly in the gut, intestines, lungs and vagina. Helps digestion and feeling of weakness. Also good for thrush, throat infections, herpes and diarrhea
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Prepare tea or energy drink , or use in food
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Improves digestion, energizes, relieves diarrhea and stimulates appetite. Used for treating common colds, flu and nausea
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Use either as a spice in meals or prepare a ginger tea
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Lemon
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Is antibacterial and helps digestion
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Add lemon juice to food or drinks
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Lemon grass
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Has a calming effect as well as soothing digestion and alleviating stress
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Use as tea
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Mint
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Has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps digestion
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Use as tea or gargle for mouth sores. Chew mint leaves to aid digestion
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Neem
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Brings down fever
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Cut a fresh twig, remove the leaves and boil the bark in water; drink as tea. The bark can also be chewed
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Parsley
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Reduces intestinal colic. Stimulates stomach secretions and activities and produces a feeling of hunger. The seed is used to remove excess water from the body
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Add raw or cooked to food
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Peppermint
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May help nausea. Reduces colic (abdominal pain and cramps), helps to control diarrhea and stop vomiting. Used for relieving tension and sleeplessness
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Prepare as tea, by boiling the leaves for about ten minutes. Add to food. (Peppermint can easily be grown in the garden and or in a pot near the house)
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Thyme
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Has antiseptic and antifungal function. Relaxes nervous coughing and increases mucosal secretions. (particularly effective in the gut) Stimulates digestion and the growth of the good intestinal flora in the gut
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Use as gargle or mouthwash, or as tea
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Turmeric
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Digestive aid, antiseptic and antioxidant
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Use powdered in rice, cereals, etc.
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Aloe is cultivated for medicinal uses by African herbalists.
Did you know?
In Africa, 25.6 million people were living with HIV in 2016 and Africa also accounted for almost two thirds of the global total of new HIV infections.