Let's start with a basic assumption: borage is a wonderful plant, with incredible properties. When in 1597 the herbalist John Gerard described its characteristics, he used to recite the motto: I, borage, always carry courage.
And if it is true that courage is closely linked to the heart, even in an etymological sense, here we come to define which apparatus among those that make up the human organism benefits the most.
The dosage and toxicity of borage
Borage, like many other plants, contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which can be toxic, hence the great online discussion of the potential of the plant to create tumors and liver lesions. In reality, the fact that we are referring to cumulative and repeated doses is not taken into account . For the dosage to become toxic or harmful, an adult and healthy person should consume borage for months every day.
In summary then the borage plant should be considered a real helper from the point of view of purification, as long as it is not consumed raw . To avoid poisoning it should be cooked, especially in cases of pregnant and lactating women or for people with liver problems.
It is worthwhile to avoid any misunderstanding regarding the essential oil derived from the borage seeds : it does not contain alkaloids and is included in the list of the Ministry of Health of the plants that can be used as ingredients of food supplements .
In any case, all the articles that advise avoiding infusions and consuming only the seeds in phytotherapeutic preparations such as mother tinctures generate false alarmisms: massive and prolonged doses should be used.
Beneficial properties of borage
The heart benefits from the characteristics of this plant even in a more energetic, as well as physiological sense: it is a sedative, restores the joy of living, of being in the world with serenity and also acts on the respiratory system. In fact, the lungs and heart are tied together in a double thread: breathing when it is deep and relaxed also allows the heart to be "warm", to stay "comfortable".
Borage is a powerful flaming and is used to counteract all the internal acidification processes in the body; it is also used for the irregularity of the cycle, for female disorders such as amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, and for skin disorders.
Assuming borage oil, we make an abel omega 6 reserve, in the reduction of cardiovascular risk, the control of high cholesterol and hypertension and the adjuvant anti-inflammatory action in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
