Magnolia - Xin Yi and Hou Po

Archived from 5elements4animals.com
originally posted on November 22, 2011

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As I'm traveling through LAX on the busiest travel day of the year, I'm thinking, 1. I need ginger tea STAT and 2. I'll blog about herbs to relieve sinus congestion.

The beautiful sweet smelling Magnolia (officinalis) blossoms are commonly used in chinese herbal formulas. The flower bud, aka Xin Yi, is used for treatment of sinus congestion and sinus headaches, and is taken orally and is also used as a transporter of the herbal medicine to the nose and sinuses, meaning I would use this herb in conjunction with a for example, a general anti cancer herbal, like stasis breaker to treat a nasal tumor.

Magnolia bark aka Hou Po is also used and has a very wide range of applications. Many of the formulations with magnolia bark are aimed at treatment of lung disorders (including cough and asthma) or intestinal disorders (infections and spasms); magnolia bark is also a common ingredient in the treatment of abdominal swelling and general edema. Recently researchers in Nanjing isolated 2 compounds from the bark, magnolol and honokiol, two polyphenolic compounds that have demonstrated both anti-anxiety and anti-angiogenic (decreases the growth of new vessels) properties.

So the next time you catch the fragrant aroma of sweet magnolias, take a deep breath for health... I'm hoping it will save me from baby shipping fever on the plane.

This picture is of Marged Harris's table @ Beggars Ride Bed,Barn & Breakfast in Southern Pines , NC. 

In addition to the healing properties of magnolia, taking time to enjoy the natural beauty around you and spending time with loved ones can greatly reduce anxiety :)

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