Chamomile

Chamomile
Chamomile is an herb that belongs to the Asteraceae (daisy or sunflower) plant family and is grown around the world. It forms a daisylike flower with small white petals, a yellow center, and a thin stem, and can grow nearly 3 feet high.
Chamomile has been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years to calm anxiety and settle stomachs. People in ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt used dried chamomile flowers and their essential oils as a medicinal herb.
Today, two types of chamomile are still commonly used as an herbal medicine: German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), the most widely used, and Roman or English chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile).
Chamomile comes in many forms. You can find it in capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, oils, or skin creams and ointments.
In the U.S., chamomile is best known as an ingredient in herbal tea.
There’s no standard dose of chamomile. The most common form is tea, and some people drink one to four cups daily.

There’s not much solid research into chamomile’s benefits. There’s some evidence it could ease anxiety and maybe even help you sleep better. But we need more research, especially because many of the studies done so far have combined chamomile with other ingredients.
Still, chamomile is generally considered safe. Historically, people have used it for:
• Chest colds
• Fever
• Gum inflammation (gingivitis) and canker sores
• Sore throats
• Hemorrhoids
• Acid reflux
• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis)
• Heartburn
• Nausea and vomiting
• Upset stomachor stomach ulcer
Some people also use chamomile in ointment or liquid form to help with skin conditions, such as:
• Abscesses
• Acne
• Eczema
• Infections such as shingles
• Minor first-degree burns
• Mouth sores due to cancer treatment (as a mouthwash)
• Psoriasis