Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) seems to spring up everywhere when you start talking about herbs. And if you happen to be one of those green lawn-loving types, you probably have met the dandelion personally a few times! Well, I am here to be the mediator between you and the dandelion to personally introduce you to this herb and its wide variety of uses. Maybe when you get to know the dandelion and see all the value it can bring to your life, you might not try to poison it again! The root of the dandelion has been used for years as a tonic for the liver and to aid with hepatitis, jaundice, and gallbladder problems.
You can pick and wash bitter leaves and eat them in a salad. The leaves are used as a blood purifier and kidney tonic and help stimulate digestion. Dandelion also contains several minerals and has been helpful in treating gout and other structural problems, such as arthritis and rheumatism. The flowers have been used to make wine and beer, and the roots can be roasted and made into a coffee. Wow—and you thought you were versatile! If I had only one herb to use, I would use the dandelion root to protect my liver from hepatitis. Of course, you will be seeing your doctor for help with this illness, but you can tell him that you plan to support your liver with some home remedies that will help your progress.
If you can’t get to a doc, some herbs may help until you can get to see one. A mixture for the liver you can take include rose hips (for vitamin C), barberry and dandelion (both good for the liver), fennel, red beet, horseradish, and parsley. Milk thistle added to this program is especially helpful when recovering from hepatitis because it will help rebuild damaged liver cells. These are all listed in the table in the end of the chapter.
No comments:
Post a Comment