Sunday, December 16, 2007

Dandelion

DANDELION Botanical: Taraxacum officinale Also called: Chin Tsan Ts'Ao, Hindiba Berri, Pissabed, Pissenlit, Priest's Crown, Swine's Snout, Wild Endive, Lion's Tooth.
Dandelion's botanical name means "the official remedy for disorders," and since ancient times, the plant has lived up to that title. The dandelion is perhaps the world's most famous and hated weed but it is probably the most versatile of the healing herbs and contains many nutrients and beneficial properties, so perhaps people should begin to be less irrated when they appear.

The Dandelion has many uses, among them, wine, salad greens, tea, cooked greens and the remedy for many common ailments. The sap contains a latex which is used in treating warts, corns and ailments of the gallbladder and liver. The leaves and roots can be brewed to make a tea that is good for the heart and hypertension.

The root is high in insulin, the flowers contain helenin considered good for the eyes. Dandelion root is considered a diuretic but unlike most diuretics, Dandelions are high in potassium, which replenishes what is lost in urine. Dandelion roots are considered a builder for the pancreas. The root of the plant is most often used for healing purposes. Also many herbalists consider dandelion as one of the best herbs for building the blood and curing anemic conditions and also a gentle laxative.

Dandelion is very safe and can be used for extended periods of time. As a diuretic, its effects will be seen within a few hours. As a constipation remedy, it will work within 72 hours. For general health and energy, you'll need to take it for at least 1 month.

One ounce of the fresh leaves contains large amounts of vitamin A and calcium, as well as substantial amounts of vitamin BI, vitamin C, sodium, potassium, and trace elements.AII parts of the dandelion are edible and considered useful for healing. The leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals. Dandelion has been used in European herbal medicine for centuries to treat diabetes. In the spring, the root contains levulose, a sugar easily assimilated by daibetica By autumn, this sugar has changed to insulin, a starch also easily assimilated by diabetics.

Dandelion root is a classic European remedy for liver diseases, particularly those involving deep congestion of the liver. Like chicory root, roasted dandelion root is sometimes used as a coffee substitute or as an addition to coffee. Dandelion root is believed to strengthen the liver, as well as the spleen, pancreas, and kidneys. In fact, it acts as an antidote to many of coffee's detrimental effects on the body

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