It’s no secret rainforests are biodiversity treasures troves, home to over half of all known life on Earth. But what else do they contain? The answer may surprise you.
This WORLD RAINFOREST DAY, let’s talk about how the rainforest keeps our planet and ourselves healthy.
Modern medical advancements can be credited to the powers of the plants in the rainforest — and the Western world has only just begun to discover all of the miraculous health benefits of rainforest plants.
25% of our medicine today contains ingredients extracted from plants only found in the rainforest. They contain key components that help treat and provide relief for serious illnesses. Diseases like cancer can be treated with the Tawari and the Lapacho. The root of the Wasai plant, commonly known as the acaí plant, is used as a diuretic for kidney treatments. These examples only scratch the surface of what the rainforest has to offer for medical advancements and treatments.
More funding and research are needed in order to explore the full potential of medicinal benefits that the rainforest can provide for us. It is estimated that less than 5% of plants in the Amazon rainforest alone have been studied in the context of medical research. Widespread studies are needed for us to discover the full medical potential of rainforest plants around the world. But it’s possible we are losing the cure to ailments affecting millions worldwide with the threat of deforestation and climate change. 78 million acres of the rainforest are lost each day — and with it, plants that just might be the next medicinal miracle.
Support is needed to continue the research and conservation efforts that will help save the rainforest — and the medicinal marvels within it.
Let’s save our planet’s RAINFORESTS because a brighter future is worth protecting. Donate to VAKOVAKO today.
