Wildcrafted Medicine: The Incredible Healing Properties of the Common "Weed" DANDELION

in gardening •  8 years ago 

Health is wealth, and we're sitting on a gold mine!

The Garden of Eden is covered in powerful healing herbs, and we want to share the abundance with the Steemit community! We believe that every aspect of life is way better when you're healthy, so we encourage you to rethink your “weeds”.

Nature wildcrafts primo medicines. What are often treated as scourges to the garden an lawn are actually respectable plants with powerful healing properties!

We present the humble dandelion for your consideration.



With some 250+ varieties, dandelions are common and easily recognized. The serrated green leaves are basal, "meaning they don't grow up on stems, but emerge from the crown of the plant at ground level". [1] The flowers extend on a hollow stalk that oozes when pierced or cut.


 





Dandelions are in the family Asteracea. Each petal on the sweet yellow flower head is actually a tiny, specialized flower unto itself called a floret! 



After a few days in bloom, the flower heads close up, and each floret transforms to seed. The seed-head stage of the dandelion's life has delighted children for ages, because with a  breath of wind the feathery parachute-tipped seeds take flight.


  


Dandelions are dishonored by many gardeners, treated as common weeds and even sprayed with toxic chemicals for attempted eradication. This perception is an absolute travesty, because dandelion is a powerful all-around remedy.



Dandelion Healing Powers:

  • diuretic
  • anticancer    
  • supports digestive system
  • stimulates channels of elimination
  • promotes detoxification
  • antioxidants
  • great source of vitamins and minerals
  • protects cardiovascular system
  • calms irritation
  • encourages liver health
  • purifies the blood

Dandelion can be consumed raw, taken as tea, or even turned into wine!

We have a great formula for Dandelion Pesto:

Blend a couple handfuls of dandelion greens, a good bunch of basil, a small handful of sunflower seeds, 0.5-1 cup of olive oil, up to a head of garlic, a small handful of parmesan cheese in a Vitamix or food processor and enjoy! Exact amounts aren't that important; experiment to find the relative volume of each ingredient you prefer.


www.intothegardenofeden.com



References

1. http://www.naturenorth.com/summer/dandelion/Dandelion2.html

2. http://www.uwindsor.ca/dandelionrootproject/

3. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/what-are-benefits-of-organic-dandelion-leaf/





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Hello! This post has been selected for This Weeks Top 10 Healthy Hits! Every Friday, we will select the previous week's top 10 health-related posts. We really enjoyed your article and have added it to our list for this week. You can find it here: https://steemit.com/health/@jaredcwillis/this-week-s-top-10-healthy-hits-sleeping-naked-brainwashed-ants-and-pickle-juice

We never get rid of our dandelions. Its one of the first flowering plants in the season garden that bees gravitate to...they love dandelions, and bees need all the help they can get.

Great move!
Thanks for supporting sustainable natural life!

Wow it's so true. When I was a kid everyone was trying to get rid of the dandelions. The Italians in the neighbourhood knew better and were harvesting them?
Thanks for sharing that. I love posts that focus on natural health solutions. UPVOTED!
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Keep up the good work.
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What a great post! I have used dandelion greens before in my smoothies and really liked the slight bitter taste it adds to my smoothies. I will soon share this recipe on Steemit!. Please visit my page, I will feature juicing and smoothie recipes that are tasty and healthy for you.

Thanks, we're big fans of juices and smoothies too!

Very interesting. Thanks for posting

You're welcome!

Our medicine chest is already growing in our own yards, in the medians and wild in the fields. Silly humans eradicate them and poison them to grow grass which comes with great cost, time and attention to keep up with and essentially provides us nothing in return. Everything we need is already available in nature. Thank you for sharing about this medicinal plant--it truly is a blessing.

Silly humans! So grateful to share with those who see~

love dandelion tea - very harmonious

Dandies are also VITAL to bees, beehives and apiaries in early spring!

As a policy I would suggest before you pull any weeds from your yard you do some research and find out what they are their benefits. I firmly believe you are pulling out and destroying your REAL pharmacy. Grass does nothing but prevent soil erosion. More beneficial plants can do a better job than grass. So, in reality, grass is your real true weed. Pull it!!

I eat a lot of dandelions - greens, the little flower buds, the flowers, the hearts, the roots, and even the stems. They are an amazing plant and they can be real food for regular people! For the greens, the trick is to get the leaves from plants that have grown fast and stress-free. Their leaves can be big, but still tender and tasty. Most of the bitterness is in the central stalk, too, so stripping that out from the older leaves is useful sometimes. Go dandelions!

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