What Your Liver, Uric Acid and the Dandelion have in Common

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) reports that Native American and traditional Arabic practitioners are among those using dandelion as a useful medicine. The dandelion is an herbaceous plant that really is much more than just a nuisance in your yard. For all purposes, the dandelion leaves are at their best just as they emerge from the ground and they are very distinct as nothing really resembles them at all. Depending on when you harvest the dandelion leaves, they can be bitter, but it is an appealing bitterness.

The leaves are considered an herb and blend nicely with salads and do well either sautéed or steamed. Many claim the taste is similar to that of endive. People who are into eating the fruits of nature claim that it is perfectly acceptable to eat the dandelion flower as well. Some claim that they make outstanding fritters if they are battered up and fried and also make a colorful contribution to any stir-fry.

Dandelion leaves are extremely nutritious, much more so than any herb that can be purchased in the store. They are higher in beta-carotene than carrots and they have more iron and calcium than spinach. Dandelion leaves are also full of vitamins B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, E, P, D, biotin, inositol, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. The Dandelion root is one of the safest and most popular herbal remedies on the market and is widely used today.

Traditionally, it can be made into a tonic that is known for strengthening the entire body, especially the liver and gallbladder because it promotes the flow of bile. Dandelion root contains taraxacin and can reduce inflammation to the bile ducts and reduces the chance of gallstones. It is commonly used for Hepatitis, liver swelling, and jaundice. It also helps with indigestion and the reduction of excess build up uric acid in the body.

When used as a tea made by the leaves or the root, it acts as a diuretic on the kidneys. Over the counter diuretics will deplete potassium out of the body, but not the dandelion. Dandelion root tea has helped some actually avoid surgery for kidney stones. They are really good for overall health and well-being so anyone can benefit from a cup of dandelion tea. Many herbalists say when incorporating the dandelion plant into your planned dinners each night, will assist in easier digestion.

When you take a dandelion plant and break the stem you will find a milky white substance inside. This substance is great for removing warts, pimples, moles, calluses, soothing of bee stings, and blisters. Some other things that dandelion has been popular in the past for is making dandelion jam and others use it for a coffee substitute when the root is roasted and ground. Many also drink dandelion wine, fermented from the blossoms or the plant.

Today, Europeans use dandelion roots to make herbal medicines and find it hard to believe that Americans refer to this highly beneficial plant as a weed when it has such positive benefits for the liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, and stomach.

Other Benefits

A study reported in the May 2008 “International Journal of Oncology” says that an extract from dandelion root blocked the invasion of breast cancer cells, but more studies needed to be done.

At University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) notes that dandelion root promotes digestion and can improve the function of the gastrointestinal tract’s natural bacteria.

It was also reported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) to be beneficial to liver health. The report noted that people with hepatitis B had shown improvement in liver function after taking an herbal mixture that included dandelion root.

Studies done with diabetic rats showed that the use of “dandelion water extract” altered liver antioxidant activates, reduced blood glucose levels and improved lipid profiles.

Side Effects

The dandelion is generally safe for consumption, though some people may have an allergic reaction to the milky white substance in the stem and leaves. Dandelion root should not be taken with pharmaceutical diuretics or drugs that have a diuretic action as it may intensify the diuretic effect. People who are taking medications for diabetes should use dandelion with caution, as it may intensify the blood sugar lowering effects of those drugs.

Over all, the dandelion is a safe plant or herb for consumption as a food, wine or for helping with what ails you.

Sources:

What are the Benefits of Dandelion Root? Livestrong 

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Flu Fighting Foods part two

In our first article we made reference to cloves as a Flu Fighting Food. Today let’s discuss how ginseng root can help.

(photo: Annies Remedy)

Out of all of the herbal supplements on the market today, Ginseng is the most widely used. In earlier times Ginseng went by a different name, “man root.” Because the root resembled that of the shape of a man. To this day many people believe in the powers of Ginseng as they believe that it has healing and mystical powers. The Ancient Chinese thought that when a plant resembles a human body part that it would have a healing effect on that part of the body. In other words if a plant resembled a hand it would have the ability to heal the hands. But since Ginseng resembles the entire body it is thought that it can bring balance and well being to the whole body.

Ginseng contains complex carbohydrates, is an anti inflammatory, an anti oxidant, and has anti cancer elements. Notice today that many energy drinks contain Ginseng which is because it is known for creating energy, this was brought to the forefront by the Chinese but Americans have a different plan for Ginseng which is use it for mental lucidity and treating stress. There has been a growing relationship between Ginseng and its ability to strengthen physically as well as mentally and maintain good balance.

It was the Russians who actually made that discovery however the Asians have discovered that Ginseng helps mental improvement, eliminates anemia, and helps prevent diabetes, neurosis, coughs, asthma, and TB. Further they found that it can be very beneficial to the liver and can also reduce the effects significantly of a hangover.

One study, from the University of Western Ontario and the University of Alberta, was designed as a placebo controlled, randomized, double blind study of 170 people between the ages of 18 and 65 years. This is considered a good-quality study design amongst scientists. They used a standardized extract of American ginseng, which came in a 200g capsule, with 80% poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides from the root.

The people in the study had a history of getting at least 2 colds in the previous year. They were told to take 2 capsules of either ginseng or the placebo (they didn’t know which they were getting), every day for 4 months. The trial started at the beginning of the cold and flu season.

The results were interesting. Of those taking ginseng, only 10% got two or more colds, compared to 22.8% of those taking the placebo. This was comparable with the results of common antiviral drugs that are used to prevent or treat flu. And of those who took the ginseng but still got sick, their symptoms were less severe.

Thus ginseng may provide a valuable immune boost to those who are susceptible to winter colds. This is especially valid for the elderly, as ginseng has been shown to have other important benefits for memory and aging (information source: Health Tuber).

While it is true that Ginseng is most widely recognized as a medicinal herb it is also used quite frequently in teas and in cooking. Most people are aware of the infamous Ginseng tea but many are not aware that Ginseng is sliced and put into soups and often boiled and mashed, added to stir fry dishes, and added to boiling water when making rice. It is much more common for cooking in Chinese, Korean, and Asian foods.

Before modern Western medicine ginseng was the first ever flu shot.

photo: Empower Network)

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