Are you looking for natural ways to live a healthy life in Australia? Australia has a variety of natural herbs and spices with numerous health benefits which resonate with Ayurvedic principles. Ayurveda is an age old medicinal practice from India. Diet, lifestyle modification, therapies are the typical methods of treatment in Ayurveda.
Here we discuss Australian herbs and spices for health, in an Ayurveda perspective and also how these herbs and spices benefit health and wellness.

Lemon Myrtle

Lemon Myrtle is an Australian native plant that is versatile and beneficial. It has qualities including both medicinal and flavourful. As a medicinal plant, it has a lot of benefits and qualities. It is a power packed medicinal plant with lots of minerals, compounds making it a very effective natural treatment option. The health benefits of Lemon Myrtle for you include:

• Anti-microbial properties: Lemon Myrtle has an ingredient called citral that makes it highly effective for reducing or inhibiting the growth of both fungal and bacterial organisms due to its extremely high antimicrobial activity.
• Help Digestion: Lemon Myrtle is also known to help in digestion and alleviation of symptoms of discomfort experienced in stomach including bloating, indigestion and excessive gas formation. In addition it helps to treat inflammation within the gut as well as improve gut health.
• Immune booster: As it contains high concentration of antioxidants it may provide significant protection from free radical damage by improving immune function.

Ayurveda Usage: It can be used for herbal tea for digestion issues. The cooling effect of this can help treat pitta related issues.

WattleSeed

WattleSeed offers an amazing combination of iron, fiber, potassium, calcium and protein – providing you with an exceptional food ingredient with many health benefits that you may never have considered before!

Wattle seeds offer numerous health advantages which could potentially improve your quality of life such as:

• High Protein: Wattleseed which is considered belonging to legume family,  is very protein-rich and is in fact among the best protein sources that are not meat.
• Low Glycemic Index: Wattleseed  possess low glycaemic index and therefore could be a suitable ingredient in diabetic and other special diets. Low GI food helps maintain a healthy  weight and it is beneficial for diabetics, as the slow release of sugars reduces sudden rises in blood glucose levels.
• Rich in Fiber: Dietary fiber in Wattleseed is higher than most legumes. Dietary fiber in foods may positively impact the health of gut.

Ayurveda Usage: WattleSeed as a flour, or roasted can be incorporated into Ayurvedic dishes for stabilizing blood sugar, for improving digestion and for creating a long-lasting, slow-burning energy especially for those with Kapha or Pitta dominance.

Kakadu Plum 

Kakadu plum, also known as gubinge/ billygoat plum, is a small fruit with pale green color and fibrous fruit. In traditional medicine, Kakadu plums were used to treat colds, flu and headaches. They were also utilized as an antiseptic or soothing balm for the limbs. Health benefits of this fibrous fruit are:

• High levels of Vitamin C: Kakadu Plum contains high levels of Vitamin C. Their natural form of this nutrient makes them easily absorbed by body for increased immune support than synthetic alternatives.
• Highly nutritious: These are low in calories while high in nutrients, providing abundance of essential fibers, vitamins and minerals that contribute to better overall health. Copper, iron, dietary fibers as well as micronutrients all make Kakadu plums an outstanding food option.
• Repair damaged skin: Kakadu Plums contain high amounts of gallic and ellagic acids which have long been used to aid healing of damaged skin and reduce collagen breakdown. Both are essential components for healthy collagen formation. 
• Great source of antioxidants: This is an excellent source of antioxidants. Antioxidants help neutralize unstable molecules called free radicals. Excess numbers of these molecules can harm your body leading to oxidative stress. 

Ayurveda Usage: Kakadu Plum can be added to various tonics or can be taken raw to strengthen immunity as well as skin and to improve overall vigor and vitality especially in Pitta and Vata types.

Mountain Pepper

Mountain pepper also known as Tasmanian pepper is native plant in Australia that has been used for both cooking and medicinal purposes. It possess many health benefits including:

• Anti-inflammatory: Mountain pepper contains Polygodial with anti-inflammatory properties which can reduce your pain and inflammation.
• Antimicrobial: Its antimicrobial properties help protect your body from bacterial and fungal infections, enhancing immune defense.
• Digestive Health: It  can stimulate digestive enzymes to enhance better digestion and nutrient absorption.

Ayurveda Usage: This spice can be used in Ayurvedic cuisine, for example in the preparation of soups and stews or in preparing the herbal remedies for digestion and treating respiratory ailments as well as inflammation.

Bush Tomato

Bush tomatoes are yet another native food that have been part of Indigenous Australians’ diet for several millennia. And once, over autumn-winter, it has been harvested, dried under sun and kept for quite a few years in a row. Health benefits are:

• Source of selenium: Bush tomato is the rarest indigenous Australian plant foods with selenium content. It is a metabolism and antioxidants mineral that is vital in human metabolic system and immune system.
• Antioxidant properties: Bush tomatoes have superior antioxidants. They help prevent or delay diseases caused by oxidative stress like Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular, cancer and diabetes, which are the prior qualities of antioxidants.
• High in Vitamin C: Its Vitamin C content supports immune function and skin health.

Ayurveda Usage: Bush Tomato can be eaten in chutneys, relishes or as dried powder in cooking. It is beneficial for a healthy immune system, skin and increased metabolism.

Aniseed Myrtle 

Aniseed Myrtle is an Australian native plant, also called ringwood. It has many health benefits like supporting digestion, boosting immunity, and aiding stomach problems. Following are the other health benefits of this Australian herb:

• Support Digestion: Relieves indigestion, bloating, and gas, making it a great digestive support.
• Antimicrobial: Antifungal and antimicrobial properties of them can assist immunity and protect against common diseases.
• Stress Relief: The calming effects of Aniseed Myrtle help reduce stress and anxiety, promoting mental well-being.
• Antioxidants:  It is particularly rich in antioxidants, which work effectively in counteracting excess free radicals (which our daily exposure to pollutants and toxins create).
• Source of vitamins and minerals: It is a source of Vitamin C and D with health benefits including body immunity, heart status, bones and teeth. Anise myrtle also contains magnesium which helps in increasing energy, reducing inflammation and maintaining a healthy body.

Ayurveda Usage: Aniseed Myrtle could be taken in teas, used in digestive remedies, or added to food for  bloating, gas and indigestion as well as having a soothing impact on the nervous system.

Finger Lime

Finger limes also known as citrus caviar is a small elongated fruit native to Australia. It has been used for centuries for its health benefits. Not only benefits, it is also used for culinary purposes. The health benefits of finger limes include:

• Vitamin C : Consuming foods rich in Vitamin C such as finger limes is known to strengthen immunity and boost skin vitality, including helping decrease duration and severity of colds, improving cardiovascular health, and increasing vibrancy of skin tone.
• Antioxidant Properties:  Finger limes contain antioxidants that play an integral part in protecting our bodies against oxidative stress and inflammation by helping with heart health, cancer and neurodegenerative conditions – and potentially lowering risk. Their combination of anti-inflammatories makes finger limes an invaluable addition to an anti-inflammatory diet plan.
• Digestive aid: Finger limes are a great source of fiber in diet that can help you feel full and for a healthy digestion. The inclusion of finger limes in the diet can help weight-loss efforts because of their fiber content, which assists in reducing appetite and encouraging the metabolism to be healthy. When used in salad dressings, or infused drinks the finger limes are an energy-efficient, low-calorie and high-flavor option to food, making them an essential ingredient to maintain the weight of a healthy person.

Ayurveda Usage: Finger Lime can be consumed in drinks, eaten in salads or used as an addition to meals in order to cool the body, ease digesting and strengthen the skin. It also helps in the process of detoxification and that is useful in subduing Pitta dosha imbalance.

Conclusion

Australian herbs and spices offer many health advantages that align closely with Ayurveda principles, from Lemon Myrtle cooling properties to Kakadu Plum immune-enhancing capabilities, these native Australian herbs and spices help create balance in your bodies by supporting wellness through Ayurveda principles. When purchasing organic or locally sourced botanicals for daily health benefits it ensures you’re receiving their most potent form possible!

Experience the benefits of Australian herbs and spices daily as part of your journey toward holistic health and well-being. They’re great ways to boost your immunity, aid digestion or add additional nutrition – natural yet effective solutions!

To know more about Ayurveda and its benefits for you, reach out to us and embrace the wellness of natural healing and Ayurveda.