To me, clove brings together contradictions, and that’s what makes it really interesting and medicinal.

Although it gives the impression of being heating by its spicy taste, its net effect is actually cooling. So it has a penetrating effect but at the same time anti-inflammatory.

(As a note, herbalists love substances with these opposing effects!)

That means it works great in tooth pain. I’ve had a string of clients who we’ve been using this effectively by tucking a clove fruit inside the cheek nearest the tooth pain. It has a slight numbing effect. It has the added benefit of improving the breath when bad breath is coming from a poor bacterial ecosystem in the gums, mouth & gut.

Clove reduces pain & inflammation not just in soft tissue in the mouth but its cousin-tissue in the gut.

Clove works great to aid & enhance digestion. Breastfeeding moms can use it in tea to help keep the baby’s colic down since colic is no more than muscle spasm in the colon and blocked Vata.

Due to its cooling effect and relaxation of constriction, clove is effective to redirect Vata and cool the acid reflux. Unless you’re under a physician’s care, you should always reach for a digestive cooling option like clove rather than an anti-acid in acid reflux, sour burps, maagzuur.

For the same reason it can calm vomiting – it’s digestive and redirecting.

Revisiting its anti-spasmodic action, it can be applied in cases of asthma, cough and other respiratory agitation. It also has an obvious drying effect and is known to help clear mucus.

Aside from healthy doses of chai tea, you should consider clove when you’re cooking heavy foods that are hard to digest such as meat.

Toss a couple cloves into a pot of stew or other slow-cooked meat dish.