“Finish your oatmeal!” You probably heard this a thousand times in your childhood. We all know oats are one of the world’s healthiest foods. They’re high in fiber, can help you lose weight, and maybe best of all, oats are completely natural! What’s not to love? Here’s something you probably haven’t heard about, though—green oats aka Avena Sativa.
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What are green oats?
Green oats come from the leaves and stems of the wild oat plant, harvested while it’s still green. You can buy it online or at a local health food store in powdered, liquid, or tablet form. It’s widely known for its medicinal uses in relieving tension, enhancing sex drive, and possibly even improving mood, cognitive functioning, and energy.
Health Benefits of Green Oats
Green oats are believed to decrease tension and relieve the symptoms of stress. We all know that stress is bad for us. It makes us fatigued, and it makes us sick. It’s a brutal, relentless cycle. We feel stressed, which makes us tired and irritable. As a result, we don’t have the patience or energy to prepare nourishing whole meals from scratch. We don’t eat as well, which makes us feel worse. Then we can’t manage to drag ourselves to the gym, or even out the front door for a jog around the block. The cycle continues.
Stress Relief
Sometimes, we turn to alcohol or prescription drugs to relieve the stress and to feel better. Is there a natural alternative to soothe our nervous system and enjoy better health? Green oats is worth a try. A German study found that a green oat extract significantly changed brain wave patterns in adults in stressful situations. The wave patterns were related to areas of the brain believed to control cognitive performance.
Have you ever noticed that when you’re feeling stressed or frightened about something, you can’t seem to think straight? It’s not your imagination. If you’re talking to someone who makes you nervous, you’ll blurt out the silliest things, and later wonder to yourself, “Why did I say that?” It’s because when we’re stressed, our cognitive abilities decrease. The German test showed that a different pattern in brain waves helped the subjects access their logical thinking abilities, their “smarts,” even when they felt pressured by the examiner giving them a very difficult timed task.
Enhanced Sex Drive
Another surprising effect is green oats’ affect on libido (sex drive), especially for men. Some call it “natural Viagra.” Have you heard the phrase, “Sowing your wild oats?” Although the reasons are not clearly understood, one theory is that green oat extract improves sexual desire and performance by increasing testosterone or increasing blood flow throughout the body. Loss of libido can be devastating for both men and women and can lead to depression, misunderstanding, or even divorce.
Of course, there are prescription medications for loss of libido, but green oat is natural and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
Increased Dopamine in the Brain
According to research summarized in Life Extension Magazine, eating green oats may increase the availability of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is crucial for motivation, motor control, positive mood, release of hormones, and more. Extremely low levels of dopamine can cause conditions like Parkinson’s, an incurable nerve disease that affects movement. Although it’s very doubtful that green oats could help with a disease as severe as Parkinson’s, it has shown potential with improving other, milder conditions.
Dopamine and Addiction
It’s also worth considering that increasing dopamine can lead to a reduction in addictive behaviors, such as smoking. Dopamine is released in the brain when we’re doing something we really enjoy, something that gives us pleasure. Smoking, for example, releases dopamine. The problem occurs when the smoker tries to stop. The result is less dopamine availability in the brain, which usually makes quitting cigarettes almost impossible. If green oats, or some other natural supplement, could increase dopamine, could this help people stop smoking?
An Indian study found that oat grass tea – made from the same part of the oat plant as green oat extract – significantly reduced the total number of cigarettes smoked in test subjects. A later study in Scotland produced a similar result.
Dopamine and Illegal Drugs
Most of us have known someone who took illegal drugs to feel the boost in mood, energy, and pleasure that comes with increased dopamine. The problem, though, is that taking these drugs over a long period of time can actually decrease your mood, energy, motivation, and pleasure. For a while, you feel strong, invincible, even. Eventually, though, you end up lying in bed, unable to summon the energy or will to even make a phone call, go to work, or care for your children. Nothing seems to matter anymore.
The fact that the drugs are illegal doesn’t help matters, either.
A natural supplement like green oats will increase dopamine availability in a much slower, safer, and more “brain-friendly” way than illegal drugs.
Who should take green oat supplements?
Green oats are natural, safe in recommended doses, and can be taken by almost anyone who isn’t allergic to oats/gluten. Green oat extract is widely believed to be helpful for the following conditions:
- Excessive stress
- Low sex drive
- Low energy
- Addictions
- Concentration and Focus Problems
- Mild memory issues
- Nervous irritability
Where can I buy green oats?
You can find green oats online or at your local health food store, either in liquid drops, powder, or tablet form. You can mix the liquid into a drink, or sprinkle the powder into oatmeal or other cereal.
But is it safe?
Oat extract should be safe, unless taken at very high doses. If you have an allergy to gluten, check with your doctor before taking this supplement. Use your common sense, and do not take more than the recommended dose. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to take mega-doses.
The exact dosing of green oat extract varies by product. Read the label carefully and follow instructions.
If you have any concerns or feel any possible side effects or new symptoms, seek the advice of your doctor.
Green Oats Capsules Supplement
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