Avena Sativa is a great restorative herbal plant that has many medicinal properties. Avena Sativa is commonly known as Oats and the seeds of this plant are used medicinally. Avena Sativa can be used topically, it is soothing and anti-inflammatory due to its mucilaginous properties. A great treatment for insect bites, eczema, poison oak/ivy and contact dermatitis, oats can be placed in a thin sock or bag and added to a bath, allow them to steep and ring the sock or bag out a few times while you soak in the water.

Avena is also a powerful restorative remedy for the nervous system. Whether we are dealing with exhaustion due to lifestyle or illness, we can dose Avena long term to help restore and support the nervous system. A great conjuctive remedy that can be used to help treat addictions and can help people rebound from addictions to caffeine, tobacco and other drugs. Avena is often used to help treat insomnia in patients who have difficulty staying asleep.

Oats when used as food have many nutritive properties, they are a good source of selenium which is an important cofactor to gulathione peroxidase (a wonderful antioxidant). Selenium is also involved in DNA repair and is associated with a reduced risk for cancer. Oats contain beta glucans which are polysaccharides with many beneficial properties. Beta glucans activate the immune system and enhance your body’s ability to respond to a bacterial infection. Neutrophils, a type of immune cell, that navigate to the site of an infection and eliminate bacteria are helped in this process by beta-glucan. Beta glucans are a special fiber that also help lower cholesterol levels. Eating one bowl of oatmeal a day helps lower your total cholesterol by 8-23%. Beta glucans also have a beneficial effect on helping lower serum glucose and insulin levels.

Avena Sativa or Oats are a great, nutritive herbal remedy to include in your diet.