“All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in nature. The challenge of science is to find it.” –Paracelsus (1493-1541)
Lately, I’ve been dealing with some severe stomach issues – heartburn, gnawing pain, inability to eat peppers or citrus fruits, difficulty swallowing at times. I’ve had something similar in the past, and it has come and gone without issue. But this time it has lingered longer than I’m comfortable with, and the past two days I’ve hardly been able to eat solid food, so I started searching out some herbal remedies – and I came across Black Seed Oil.
I pride myself on my knowledge of natural medicine. I’ve unofficially studied it for over 10 years, and I live my life using these remedies rather than allopathic medicine for almost everything (although I’m not against going to a medical doctor when needed). I have been able to manage debilitating menstrual pain, persistent migraines, seasonal sinus infections, flu symptoms and more by turning to nature for healing. So it shocked me when I came across something I had not discovered before and it was touted as being a near cure-all – hello, black seed oil (aka black cumin seed oil or nigella sativa).
Since dealing with these stomach issues, I started researching H.pylori because, yes, my symptoms are consistent with it – even though last time around I tested negatively for it. I thought I would look into the remedies and see what I came up with, and when I started reading about black seed oil as a potential remedy for H.pylori, my interest was piqued. How had I never come across this little beast before?? So, yesterday, I went to our local health food store and saw that they had it in stock, and I bought a small bottle of black seed oil to try out for myself.
I’m respectful when it comes to herbs and supplements. I think that we have potent medicine growing around us, and I am particularly sensitive to most substances, so I started out taking an extremely small dose – five drops in a half teaspoon of honey. From what I read, recommended dosages range from ½ teaspoon of the oil starting out to up to 1 teaspoon – but working my way up slowly is the way I’m going to go. I was also concerned about taking anything that could potentially burn my stomach as it’s already in a terrible state.
So, last night, I took my first five drops in honey – wow, the taste! Not bad but pungent and aromatic! After taking that first dose (on an empty stomach), I have no words for the feeling that followed. I definitely experienced some pungent and aromatic burps, but I also had this strange feeling – like I had put something into my body that resonated with me on a cellular level. Sounds a little odd, but it was just an overwhelming feeling of healing and wellbeing. Then came the relaxation and sleepiness. I don’t know if I can attribute the sleepiness to the black seed oil, but I was so incredibly sleepy after I took it! It was a very relaxed, calm sleepiness — if that makes sense.
A couple of sleepy hours later, I was able to eat supper without the aid of my usual digestive enzyme. My stomach definitely doesn’t feel like it’s burning as much today. I can’t say 100% this is the oil. The day before I had an adjustment at the chiropractor and an electro-acupressure treatment. So, this is purely anecdotal and a correlation at this point – but I will continue to (respectfully) explore the uses and changes associated with the black seed oil if I feel that it is necessary and beneficial to my body.
Since I’m an information junkie, I certainly can’t stop ingesting as much information as possible about black seed oil now that I know about it. I scoured the web last night and took in a lot of personal accounts and summaries of research (plenty of information out there – that’s why I won’t go into much detail about the properties of black seed oil), but today I’m checking out the scientific journals to see some of the research for myself.
When I say I’m respectful of herbs and natural remedies, I probably err on the over-cautious side, but I know that side effects are real and these plants are truly medicine. I don’t put anything into my body without doing plenty of research, and even then I cautiously work my way up on dosages. Know your body. Research your medicine and herbs. There are plenty of herbs that can interact with medications. Turn to the experts, and even then be wise and listen to your body.
I’ll list some of the peer-reviewed research on black seed oil that I’ve come across – apparently it is WELL-researched in the scientific community and has a number of potential benefits! I’m even more excited to see how the black seed oil continues to contribute to my personal healing.
Let me know if you’ve used black seed oil and what your experience has been like. I’m even more curious now that I’m uncovering such an extensive body of research.
References and Articles about Black Seed Oil (Nigella Sativa)
Neuropharmacological Effects of Nigella Sativa
A review on therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa: A miracle herb