Are you looking for a natural way to relieve that persistent yeast infection?
Or perhaps you'd like to support your body's ability to naturally cleanse the blood and liver?
Either way, the incredible benefits of the chaparral herb may be able to help.
What is Chaparral?
Chaparral is a desert plant with waxy green leaves and bright yellow flowers that blossom in the spring. Generally, the chaparral plant averages a height of between 4 and 6 feet.
However, plants growing in well-watered regions can tower as tall as 12 feet.
There are various shrubs classified collectively as chaparrals. These shrubs are mostly found growing in the desert regions encompassing northern Mexico, Southwestern parts of the United States and the South American countries of Argentina and Bolivia.
Since antiquity, chaparral has been used as a rich source of alternative medicine to manage several conditions, including (but not limited to):
- Arthritis
- Tuberculosis
- STDs
- Cancer
- Chicken pox
- Common colds
- Fungal infections
- Stomach Cramps
There is very little clinically based research validating the use of chaparral. However, chaparral’s proof lies primarily in the centuries of its effective use and anecdotal benefits.
Benefits of Chaparral
Chaparral is a beneficial herb though it appears in the cautionary list of the FDA. You might be wondering why an herb with such impressive benefits can be dismissed by the FDA.
Here’s the thing:
The FDA has blacklisted chaparral due to claims that chaparral pills and teas have been linked to liver damage. However, the evidence that supports the proposed liver damage doesn’t hold substantial ground.
In fact, many (if not all) the claims used to support the “dangers” of chaparral were not controlled. For example, one instance where a woman developed liver issues while supplementing with chaparral was also taking high-dose aspirin and several pharmaceutical drugs, along with alcohol consumption.
All claims aside, here are some of the health benefits of chaparral, and you can decide for yourself if you want to use it:
1. Blood Purification
All sorts of materials are transported throughout the body in the blood. Usually, the liver, skin and kidneys play important roles in this area. Natural products that cleanse the blood enhance the roles of these three primary organs.
Chaparral is one such natural blood purifier.
It essentially improves the circulation of blood throughout the body by causing the blood vessels to open (known as vasodilation). When blood vessels dilate, sweating is enhanced and toxins within the blood can then be eliminated via sweat.
This entire process rejuvenates the body and helps clear impurities from both the blood and lymphatic system.
The potent antioxidant properties of chaparral also protect the liver and kidneys against oxidative damage. Animal studies reveal that by keeping these organs healthy, chaparral works to effectively cleanse the blood of toxins.
2. Fights Cancer
Chaparral is considered the cornerstone of many anticancer formulas. The exact mechanism through which chaparral alters the progression of cancer is still up for debate. It is argued, however, that chaparral basically dissolves and destroys tumor cells of several cancer types.
The NDGA component of chaparral plays an important role when it comes to cancer management, which we’ll discuss in more detail in the “antioxidant” section of this article.
Cancer is a difficult disease to manage, so be sure to consult your physician before self-treating with anything.
3. Antifungal Properties
The yeast-combative properties of chaparral are what makes it ideal for managing skin conditions caused by fungi. Chaparral has two key properties that make it a potent yeast killer:
- It is one of the strongest antioxidants in nature, making it a direct killer of yeast cells when administered in high doses.
- It possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties, which provides pain relief and supports the immune system. This ultimately heightens the immune response against fungi, making easier to recover from fungal infections.
4. Powerful Antioxidant
Chaparral is undoubtedly one of the most powerful antioxidants in nature. It contains a primary chemical called nordihydroguaiaretic acid abbreviated as NDGA.
NDGA is so potent that it is often used to in the preservation of food. As an antioxidant, it neutralizes free radicals and reactive molecules from the body that would otherwise damage body tissues.
A study posted in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) evaluated the scavenging effects of chaparral for superoxide anion radicals. The results revealed that chaparral is able to scavenge free radicals in a dose dependent manner.
Simply put, the greater the dose, the greater the effect.
5. Cleanses the Liver
Leaves from the chaparral plant are known to cleanse the liver by eliminating harmful toxins. Liver is the primary detox center in the body, and most of the damage that occurs here is usually due to free radical-induced injury.
Its anti-inflammatory properties discussed earlier can also help reverse the many inflammatory conditions affecting the liver.
Ideally, chaparral primes the liver and optimizes its function of detoxifying the body from impurities ingested or generated in vivo.
How to Use Chaparral
Chaparral is actively advocated against by the FDA because of a supposed risk of kidney and liver damage. This clearly indicates that patients with liver or kidney disease should in no way use chaparral.
Using it in these conditions could potentially aggravate symptoms and therefore should be avoided.
The use of chaparral depends on a variety of factors, which include:
- your age
- your overall health
- the presence or absence of underlying conditions
As a user of herbal formulas, you should appreciate the fact that paying attention to dosing may be the difference between beneficial effects and adverse reactions from the product.
The best strategy for using chaparral effectively is by following the instructions indicated on the product labels of what you have purchased.
For instance, we use chaparral in our antifungal tincture called Yeast X. Chaparral is just one of the many natural and organic ingredients in this tincture, each one chosen for its efficacy in eliminating yeast.
Our recommended dosing is 3 droppers-full twice a day - an amount that is considered both safe and effective.