Dandelions! This Common Weed is a Wonderful Spring Tonic

These Superb Dandelions! Taraxacum officinale (composite household)

Spring is coming! Beginning about this time yearly I discover myself craving bitter flavors. My physique is longing to cleanse itself of poisons amassed over a protracted winter of vacation indulgence, wealthy meals and varied colds & flus. I’m conscious of an general stagnation of vitality within the digestion, kidneys and liver.

I’m at all times so amazed at how significantly better I really feel after I begin utilizing dandelion within the spring! All that stagnated liver/kidney/abdomen vitality lifts and I really feel renewed!

This longing for bitter flavors at all times has me out trying to find these younger inexperienced dandelion leaves popping up in all places about now. I eat them recent in salads or simply munch on them all through the day. I additionally pressure and bottle the dandelion root tincture that I put up within the late fall.

This frequent “weed” of the composite household is a strong restorative to the liver. It is also wealthy in minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium and zinc, in addition to nutritional vitamins B1, B2, B3,and C. Ounce for ounce, dandelion comprises extra carotene than carrots.

Dandelion leaves act as a diuretic to assist cleanse the bladder and urinary tract. They assist relieve water retention related to PMS.

Dandelion additionally cleanses the blood and liver, and will increase bile manufacturing. It reduces serum ldl cholesterol and uric acid ranges and improves the functioning of the kidneys, pancreas, spleen, and abdomen.

Firming the kidneys and liver is among the greatest issues we will do for our general well being. Particularly ladies! A robust, wholesome liver will enable us to course of and excrete hormones. It is also very important for a wholesome immune system.

All components of the dandelion crops are usable, however they’ve totally different properties and must be harvested on the applicable occasions.

Younger Leaves have tonic properties and are picked within the spring and eaten uncooked in salads. In case you discover the style too bitter attempt chopping them as positive as doable and mixing them with different uncooked greens.

Mature Leaves have highly effective diuretic properties. They’re picked in early summer time earlier than the plant blooms. These are the leaves I harvest and dry for tea. They can be made into tinctures. These beautiful, darkish inexperienced leaves are loaded with minerals and nutritional vitamins!

When selecting dandelion leaves, search for darkish inexperienced, smoothe leaves (dandelion leaves will not be fuzzy.) Attempt to keep away from selecting beneath powerlines or near roads.

This is my favourite factor to do with the summer time dandelion leaves:

Dandelion Juice!

Decide a colander stuffed with dandelion leaves and rinse them very well beneath cool water. Run them via the juicer with 1/2 an apple. This can make a pleasant shot glass stuffed with scrumptious, nutritious juice. You’ll really feel a pleasant little zing with this beautiful tonic!

Dandelion Roots Dandelion roots act as a blood air purifier that helps the kidneys and liver to take away toxins and poisons from the blood. They act as a gentle laxative and assist enhance digestion. The roots are additionally helpful for pores and skin circumstances reminiscent of boils, abscesses and eczema. They’ve been used for hundreds of years to enhance jaundice. Ideally, you wish to use the roots of two 12 months outdated crops. Within the late fall the roots will comprise the very best focus of inulin. Dig the entire plant up and dangle the other way up to dry in a cool, darkish place. The roots develop fairly lengthy, so dig deep! The dried or recent roots can be utilized to make tinctures. Dried roots could be powdered for capsules or utilized in infusions.

Dandelion Flowers

For a tasty, easy-to-make tonic wine do that:

Decide dandelion flowers on a heat, dry day.

Macerate 1 cup (60 g) flowers and steep in four cups (1 liter) white wine for 1 month in an hermetic container. Pressure out the flowers and sweeten to style with a little bit little bit of honey if desired.

This a pleasant tonic for the gallbladder.

Cori Younger is a author and herbalist residing within the Pacific Northwest.

For extra info on pure well being, go to her web site, Runtz strainĀ 

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