How to Benefit From Borage

Borage is a beautiful plant with bright blue, star-shaped flowers and many health benefits. While borage is most commonly grown for it's leaves which are used to add a mild cucumber flavor to foods, the flowers make great honey, the leaves a refreshing tea and the seeds yield a medicinal oil.

Things You'll Need

• Dried borage leaves
• Borage oil capsules

Instructions

1. Make a tea or infusion from dried leaves. Boil 2 1/2 cups of water and then remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup of dried leaves and cover, allowing the infusion to steep for 10 minutes. Drink 1/4 cup of borage tea up to three times daily as a diuretic, to help reduce a cough and sooth respiratory problems, to purify the blood and remove toxins from the kidneys and to reduce a fever.

2. Dip a clean cloth in the infusion to make a warm compress or poultice which can be applied to inflamed muscles, joints or tissues to help reduce pain and swelling. Borage is commonly used for arthritis, muscle injuries and even eczema and psoriasis.

3. Take capsules of borage oil. Borage oil is one of the best natural sources of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a good fat with many health benefits. GLA is often used to ease PMS, decrease inflammation and lower blood pressure. It is also thought that GLA may help to prevent bladder and stomach cancer.

4. Use borage leaves to cleanse and soften the skin. Add two handfuls of dried borage leaves to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover your head with a towel and rest your head over the bowl, allowing the steam to penetrate your pores. Close your eyes and keep your face over the bowl for 10 or 15 minutes and then rinse your face with cold water.

Tips & Warnings

• When taking borage oil capsules, always consult your doctor and the manufacturer's instructions for dosage information.