Onions Health Remedy of the Pharaohs

Onions have a long history of healing. The Egyptian medical papyrus Codex Ebero listed over 8,000 onion alleviated ailments. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates prescribed onion as a diuretic, wound healer, and pneumonia fighter. In the Far East, onions were used for infections, hypertension, and more. In the Old Testament, the onion is one of the half dozen foods the Hebrew people pined for after leaving the Promised Land.

Like garlic, onion helps prevent thrombosis and reduces hypertension because of the prostaglandin A2 factor it contains. The juice of one white or yellow onion a day can raise your good HDL cholesterol by 30% over time. Onions are also prescribed to stimulate a weak heart. But remember the benefit is in the bite. Mild red onions lack the HDL elevating effect of yellow or Bermuda onions.

Various chemicals in onions appear to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, especially in the gastrointestinal system and fight against leukemia. Onions contain 25 active compounds, the antioxidant flavonoids, the antioxidants coumarone and ellagic acid, plus the fiver pectin.

Onions also lower blood sugar as effectively as some prescription diabetic drugs, thanks to their allyl propyl disulphide contents.

The sumptuous compounds and mustard oils in onions help prevent the inflammatory response that leads to asthma attacks and other respiratory disorders. Drinking onion juice before exposure to irritants reduces bronchial asthma attacks by about 50% and onion oil used topically can reduce swelling and inflammation.

Onions are just what the beautician ordered for conditioning your hair, improving scalp circulation, and preventing hair loss. Put 2 ½ cups of lightly packed onion skins into a pan with 1 quart of boiling water. Cover, steep for 50 minutes, and then strain through a sieve. After shampooing, towel dry. Use the onion skin rinse, and then rinse with clear water to condition, soften, and enhance natural highlights.

An onion cocktail can soothe the digestion or work as a side effect free diuretic, aid in healing an enlarged prostate, and help eradicate brown spots of aging.

Nutritionally, onions are natural uppers, providing beta carotene, vitamin A, potassium, vitamins B1 and B2 and vitamin C. Onions contain no fat, little sodium, and only 40 calories per medium sized onion.