THE BLACK SEED (Kalonji)

History of the Black Seed

For over two thousand years the black seed, a plant from the Ranunculaceae
(buttercup) family, has been traditionally used by various cultures throughout the
world as a natural remedy for several diseases and ailments and to improve health
in general.

The ancient Egyptians knew and used the black seed and described it as a panacea
(cure for problems and diseases). Tutankamun even had a bottle of the oil in his
tomb!

The Romans also knew this seed and called it Greek Coriander and used it as a
dietary supplement.

In the first century, the Greek physician Dioscoredes recorded that the black seed
were taken to treat headaches, nasal congestion, toothache and intestinal worms.

The black seed is also mentioned in the Bible in Isiah 28:25-27 as the fitches. Ibn
Senna, known in the West as Avicenna, who wrote the great medical treatise 'The
Canon of Medicine', referred to the black seed as the seed that stimulates the
body's energy and helps recovery from fatigue.

What is Nigella Sativa (the black seed)?

Nigella Sativa originates from Western Asia and is a herb that grows about 16-24
inches in height and has white flowers when in bloom. The plant is now cultivated
from the Near East to India. The deep black, sharp-cornered rectangular seeds (no
longer than 3 mm) are the part of the plant that is used for the preparation of
products.

The black seed is cultivated in Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Arabia, Oman, Ethiopia,
Middle East, Far East, India, Bangladesh, France, Germany and the Mediterranean
Basin. It also grows wild in Egypt, Syria, Asiatic Turkey and the Balkan States.

Nigella Sativa is known commonly in Arabic as Habbat-ul-Baraka (blessed seed)

and in English as Love in the Mist.

Research
Since 1959, over 200 studies have been carried out at international universities and
articles published in various journals have shown remarkable results supporting its
traditional uses.

The Nigella Sativa seed itself contains numerous esters of structurally unusual
unsaturated fatty acids and the chemical composition is very rich and diverse. Apart
from its active ingredient, crystalline nigellone, it contains 15 amino acids (including
eight of the nine essential ones), carbohydrates, fatty acids including linolenic and
oleic, volatile oils, alkaloids and dietary fibre, as well as minerals such as calcium,
iron, sodium and potassium.

Recent research on the black seed as an anti-biotic, anti-tumour, anti-

inflammatory, anti-histaminic, anti-bacterial, anti-bronchial and immune boosting
agent has shown great promise.

Traditional uses of the Black Seed from around the world

For centuries, the black seed and its oil has been used by people in Asia, Africa, the
Middle and Far East to promote health and fight disease. It has been traditionally
used to treat a variety of ailments and conditions related to respiratory health,
stomach and intestinal complaints, kidney and liver function, circulatory and
immune system support and to improve health in general.

Please find below some traditional Black Seed remedies that are used around the
world:

Asthma & Bronchial Problems (Far East, Middle East & Malay Peninsula)
Mix a teaspoon of Black Seed Oil in coffee. Taken twice daily. Also rub chest with
Black Seed Oil every night and inhale the vapour of Black Seed Oil in hot water.

Backache & other kinds of rheumatism (Middle East & Malay Peninsula)
Mildly heat a small amount of Black Seed Oil and then stroke the rheumatic area
intensely. A teaspoon of the oil should also be drunk three times daily.

Diabetes (India)
Mix a cup of whole Black Seeds, a cup of watercress or mustard seeds, half a cup of
pomegranate peel, and half a cup of fumitory. Grind the mixture to powder. Take
half a teaspoon of the mixture together with a teaspoon of Black Seed Oil daily
before breakfast for one month.

Diarrhoea (India & Middle East)

Mix a teaspoon of Black Seed Oil with a cup of yoghurt. Drinking the mixture twice
a day until symptoms disappear.

Dry Cough (Middle East & North Africa)

A teaspoon of Black Seed Oil should be mixed in coffee and taken twice a day. Rub
the chest and back with Black Seed Oil.

Flu & Nasal Congestion (General)

Placing three to four drops of Black Seed Oil in each nostril can relieve nasal
congestion and head cold distress.

Hair Greying (General)

Massaging the hair with Black Seed Oil regularly may prevent premature hair
greying.

Hair Loss (India & Middle East)

Stroke the scalp thoroughly with lemon and leave for about 15 minutes, shampoo,
wash and dry hair thoroughly. Then massage Black Seed Oil into the scalp. Drink a
teaspoon of Black Seed Oil mixed in tea/coffee.

Hay Fever (Middle East)

One tablespoon of Black Seed Oil mixed with a glass of lemon should be taken twice
daily until symptoms disappear.

Headaches (General)
Rub the forehead and the sides of the face near the ears with Black Seed Oil and
bandage the head. Also a teaspoon of Black Seed Oil should be taken before
breakfast.

Healthy Being (General)

To maintain good health take a teaspoon of Black Seed Oil mixed with one teaspoon
of pure honey, twice daily.

Healthy Complexion (General)

Mix a tablespoon of Black Seed Oil with a tablespoon of olive oil. Rub the face with
this mixture and leave it for at least one hour. Wash with soap and water.

Hypertension (India)
Mix any drink with a teaspoon of Black Seed Oil and also take two lobes of garlic
every morning with breakfast. Rub all the body with Black Seed Oil and expose your
body to sun rays for half an hour once every three days. Repeat for one month.

Laziness and Fatigue (Turkey)

One tablespoon of Black Seed Oil with a glass of pure orange juice every morning
for at least 10 days.

Memory Improvement (Middle East)

A teaspoon of Black Seed Oil mixed in 100mg of boiled mint for at least 15 days.

Muscular pains (General)

Massage the area with Black Seed Oil.

Nervous Tension Stress (India)

A teaspoon of Black Seed Oil with a cup of tea/coffee to be taken three times daily.

Sexual Impotency (Europe & Middle East)

Mix 200g of ground Black Seeds with Olive Oil & l00g of ground olibanum & 50g of
Black Seed Oil & 50g of olive oil & 200g of pure honey. Mix thoroughly and take a
tablespoon after every meal.

Sleeping Disorder (General)

A tablespoon of Black Seed Oil mixed with honey in any hot drink in the evening.

Toothache & Gums (General)

First cook Black Seeds with vinegar. Add Black Seed Oil. Rinse the mouth with this
formulation to help the gums and relieve toothache.

Ulcers (Indonesia & India)

Roast powdered Black Seeds over the fire. Mix them with oil of orrisroot, or the oil
of henna plant, or the oil of camphire plant making an ointment that is then spread
over the festering rural ulcers. After lavation treat with vinegar.
Nigella sativa or black seed is a miracle cure which can cure any disease. It is a well-known
tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that this seed is a cure for any
disease except death. Since then, this miracle plant has drawn the attention of millions of
people around the world. Not only has it been used by millions and millions of people to
successfully cure chronic and acute conditions, it has recently also drawn the attention of
scientific research.

Many studies, both in the East and the West, have been conducted to investigate the
positive effects of the herb on diseases. There have been studies which support the
anecdotal evidence of patients who have cured their conditions with the seed. Yet, there is
still a need to further investigate the possible clinical use of the miracle herb in treating the
most complicated conditions.

As mentioned earlier, there is not limit to the list of diseases it can be used for the
treatment of several ailments. For every disease, God sent a cure. The following list
contains only some of the very common conditions that black seed can be effectively used
for. All the remedies shown for each condition is based on the best possible combination or
based on the practical use related by people in various sources.

1. Baldness and Hair Loss

Loss of hair could be either due to age or some other underlying conditions. People have
reported to have improved the growth of hair using black seed oil.

Just pour some oil in your palm and rub both hands against each other. Massage then to
the scalp, especially the bald areas.

2. Beard Growth

If you have a thin beard and wants to make it thick, black seed is the solution. Just take
some and massage in to the beard. Make sure it reaches the roots.

3. Bee and Wasp Stings

When I was a child, I used to to make the wasps and bees angry by inserting thins sticks in
the wall holes.lol, naughty, any? I used to get stung and when it was on the face, I would
not get out three days and stay at home. The reason that my face would be so swollen that
I would become a good laughing stock for my friends. I did not know at the time the miracle
of black seed

Boil the seeds in water and apply to the stings.

4. Cancer and Tumors

Crush fresh cloves of garlic and mix with honey and black seed or its oil. Take a teaspoon
three times a day.

5. Cardiovascular

Mix half a teaspoon of the oil with warm water and drink before breakfast.

6. Radiant Skin and Face

Mix the oil with some olive oil and honey. Apply to face or skin and leave for 15 minutes.
Wash with warm water. It makes the skin glow.

7. Chest Congestion

Take one teaspoon twice a day. If you mix it with honey, it works wonders.

8. Cough

Mix an equal amount of the oil with raw honey. Take a teaspoon of the mixture twice a day.

9. Diabetes

Mix the oil with raw or manuka honey. Take one teaspoon twice a day. Do not take sugar
and other foods that cause diabetes.

10. Diarrhea
Put one teaspoon of the oil in one cup of yogurt and drink twice a day. If you add honey, it
will add to the taste to make it yummy and heal you faster.

11. Earache

Take a few drops of olive and mix it with a few drops of black seed oil. Put three to five
drops in the ear. Please note if you have perforated drum, ask your doctor.

12. Eye Disease and Vision

Carrots are known for making the eye sight better. Mix half a teaspoon of oil with one cup
of carrot and drink.

13. Flue and Colds

Mix one teaspoon of honey with one teaspoon of black seed oil and take twice a day. For
best results, use raw or local organic honey.

14. Facial Paralysis

Boil the water and add one teaspoon of oil and inhale the fumes.

15. Nasal Congestion

Place only 3 drops in each nostril to ease the congestion

16. Gallstones

Take one tablespoon of black seed and mix it with honey and warm water. Drink twice a
day. You can also mix half a cup of olive oil with a tablespoon of black seed and raw honey.
Drink the solution on empty stomach before going to bed.

17. Liver Stones

Same as above.

18. Gas and Flatulence

Mix honey and black seed in equal amount and take first thing in the morning.

19. Hemorrhoids

Mix honey, black seed and oil in equal amount and drink. You can also apply the paste to
the itching area.

20. Premature Gray Hair

Mix an equal amount of olive and black seed oil and massage in to the scalp. Wash with
warm water after an hour.

21. Headaches and Migraines

Mix black seed oil and honey in equal proportion and eat twice a day. For quick result put a
few drops in nostrils and rub on the temples.

22. High Blood Pressure

Boil water and add one teaspoon of the oil. Leave it until it is moderately warm and then
drink. For best results, mix garlic with black seed and eat.

23. Hypertension

Take half a teaspoon in warm water and drink.

24. Boosting Immunity

Take one teaspoon of the oil twice a day for general well being.

25. Breast Feeding and Lactation

Mix honey and the oil in equal amount. Take one teaspoon every day.

26. Boosting Memory

Take a half teaspoon of the oil with half a teaspoon of raw honey. Take twice a day.
27. Moles

Make a paste of honey and black seed oil and apply to moles.

28. Mosquitoes

In hot countries, it is often a big problem especially at night. Put some black seed oil in the
incense burner and enjoy a nice and sound sleep.

29. Mouth Infection

Take half a teaspoon and swish around in your mouth for 5 minutes.

30. Gingivitis

Do the same procedure as above.

31. Nose and Throat Conditions

Make a mixture of the oil with lemon juice and honey. Take twice a day.

32. Back Pain

Rub the oil on the back before going to bed. Eat honey and black seed or its oil.

33. Muscular Pain

Apply the oil to the area where there is pain and massage gently for a few minutes.

34. Rheumatic Pains

Mix black seed and honey and eat daily in small amount. Rub the oil on the aching areas
gently.

35. Stomach Pain

Take a teaspoon of black seed with honey. Also mix some honey in a peppermint tea and
sip it while it is lightly warm.

36. Tooth ache

Boil cider vinegar and black seed and rinse the mouth with the liquid. Repeat twice a day
until the pain is gone.

37. Gum infection

Take some oil and rub them on the gums gently all rounds. Repeat twice a day.

38. Weight Loss

Some people use it for weight loss with great results. It boost the metabolic rate so you may
burn more calories. Take 1 a teaspoon in the morning and another at night.

39. Asthma

Take one teaspoon mixed with one teaspoon of honey.

40. Eczema

Mix one teaspoon of oil with one tablespoon of manuka honey and one tablespoon of extra
virgin olive oil. Apply the paste twice a day.

41. Bladder infection

One teaspoon of black seed or its oil with raw or manuka honey twice a day.

42. Infections

Crush two fresh garlic cloves and add one teaspoon of black seed with one tablespoon of
honey. Eat twice a day. You can also apply it to external wounds. For external replace the
seeds with oil.

43. Sore Throat

Mix one teaspoon with fresh lemon juice and honey. Take twice a day.

44. Cold and Flue

Take one teaspoon of oil before break fast.

45. Nasal Congestion

Put 3 drops in each nostril.

46. Chest congestion

Massage gently on the chest.

47. Hemorrhoids

Take one teaspoon twice a day. Mix honey and olive and apply the paste to the itching area.

48. Gas and flatulence

Take one teaspoon twice a day.

49. Toothache

Dip a cotton ball in the oil and place it on aching tooth.

50. Insomnia

Mix one teaspoon with one tablespoon of honey and eat before going to bed.`

51. Dry Mouth

To treat dry mouth with black seed oil, take a table spoon and swish around your mouth for
one minute and the spit out. Do not rinse your mouth with water for 30 minutes. You may
also swallow on teaspoon twice a day for great results.