Oats have been used as a source of food and folk remedies. The oat plant (Avena sativa) is most famous for the cereal grain that provides oatmeal. The oat straw herb is actually the whole plant which includes the leaves and stems. These parts are dried and chopped and used in internal and external forms by herbalists. The grain is harvested in summer to be used for oatmeal and oat bran. Oatmeal or the ground grain has high silica content and is used for skin problems. Oat bran from the coarse husks of the grain is good in reducing cholesterol levels.
Oat straw comes in various forms as used by traditional medicine, these include: liquid extracts, tinctures, powder and teas (which is the most popular) to treat ailments which includes arthritis and rheumatism. Oat straw is taken as a diuretic tea to counter fluid retention. It has a concentrate of silica (silicon dioxide) which is important in developing healthy skin, hair, nails and bones.
Oat straw also treats shingles, herpes infections and addictions. In Europe, herbalists and those in alterative medicine practice used the oat straw extracts and tinctures as nerve tonics for weakened constitutions. A number of people used oat straw as an excellent tonic for the whole body and can aid in physical and emotional fatigue or mild insomnia to anxiety, although there have been no clinical studies conducted to verify or dispute these effects. Oat straw is particularly known as a topical remedy for the irritated and inflamed dry skin.
Oat straw has demonstrated the following benefits:
Oat straw has emollient qualities because of its gluten and mucilage content which helps in soothing itchy skin. Tinctures, liquid extracts, creams, cooled oat straw tea compresses can be used to sooth the irritated skin. You can also use the oat straw fine powder as bath additive. Oat straw is also used in the United States in treating rashes and itchy skin conditions.
Oat straw supplements can strengthen nails since it has concentration of silica.
Oat straw liquid extract could also help tobacco users kick the habit by easing withdrawal from nicotine. One study revealed that it could even treat opium addiction.
The oat straw supplements can be applied once or twice daily. If you have no powdered oatmeal you can put ½ cup of whole oats into a nylon stocking and hang it from the faucet and let warm water run on it.
In order to have healthy nails, drink oat straw tea several times a day. Or, place 1 teaspoon liquid extract in ¼ cup water and drink the mixture twice daily. To make an oat straw tea, place a tablespoon of dried herb to as much as 9 ounces. (a little over a cup) of water and boil. Cool at room temperature and strain.
As a batch additive to treat itchy skin, boil 3.5 ounces of chopped oat straw in 3 quarts for 20 minutes. Add to warm bath water. In your batch avoid contact with eyes and inflamed areas. For tobacco withdrawal, mix 1 teaspoon liquid into ¼ cup water and drink three times daily.
Oat straw has no known drug or nutrient interactions. If you are allergic to oat flour, avoid oat straw. If you have celiac disease, avoid eating oat straw preparation because it contains gluten.
Written by:
G. Metcalf
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