As a long time user of evening primrose, I thought I would pass on some of it's wonderful benefits. I've recommended it more than a few times and it has never failed to work wonders. I use it in gel capsules, although this is not the only form in which it can be used. Read on and see if it's something you may find helpful, and if you have tried it let me know how it works/worked for you. You can locate evening primrose with the other herbal supplements and vitamins at your pharmacy, health food or grocery store.
Without becoming too technical, the common Evening Primrose plant contains a high concentration of a fatty acid called GLA, and this fatty acid is largely responsible for the remarkable healing properties of the plant. In fact, Evening Primrose contains one of the highest concentrations known of this important substance and only a few other plants contain it at all. This makes Evening Primrose an important medicinal herb, and as studies continue, the list of benefits will likely become much longer.
If you are troubled by the symptoms associated with PMS, you may finally find some relief with Evening Primrose. Tests have shown that it reduces or eliminates many problems associated with PMS, including irritability, depression, bloating, and breast pain, and that taken regularly it may actually help regulate menstrual periods. It is recommended that women who have PMS take up to 3000 mg of Evening Primrose Oil all month for relief of symptoms. In Europe, Evening Primrose Oil is already established as an excellent remedy for PMS.
Other problems for which Evening Primrose Oil can be taken internally include asthma, allergies, cholesterol regulation, arteriosclerosis, chronic headaches, prostate health, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and scleroderma, complications arising from diabetes and poor circulation, cirrhosis of the liver, and as a tea as a metabolic way to fight obesity.
Externally, the leaves, stems, and roots can be boiled in water for a tea that is very nourishing for the skin and is effective for use in treatment of acne, dry skin, rashes, itchiness, and for overall skin health in general.
Extracting oils from Evening Primrose is really not practical for home gardeners, but oil preparations are readily available.
Eating the flowers, seeds, leaves, or roots of Evening Primrose provides the same health benefits as taking commercial oil preparations, and as such, if you have Evening Primrose in the garden, you should definitely come up with creative ways to serve it at mealtime!
Note: Evening Primrose is quite safe to take with few reports of any side-effects, though people with a history of epilepsy should use caution. As with all herbal supplements, check with your Dr if you are on medications, as you wouldn't want any interactions to occur.
Information Source: Gardens Ablaze
