Oh those pesky weeds! So many gardeners pull them out, sometimes one by one and sometimes by the bunch. All of our life we are told they are a useless nuisance, a thing we must rid our gardens and yard of. Who perpetuated this as a truth? It could be the biggest purveyors of pesticides. I will let you think about that. In the meantime I have gathered some weeds that are absolutely beneficial to us all. We will start with the most common weed. Dandelion!
Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale - Asteraceae family - As beautiful as the sun in color this flower boasts ray flowers in a fused form to make one flower. This hollow stemmed beauty is known in France as pissenlit (“pis-en-lie”) or “water in the bed,” due to its diuretic action. (Petersen, 2017, p. 243) Even so, she has the highest potassium amount found in any medicinal plant., something that a synthetic diuretic draws out of the body. Synthetic diuretics also cause constipation and stomach cramping, and no one wants that either. It is known that chronic constipation over time can cause piles, anal fissures, fecal impaction,bowel incontinence, and even anal prolapse. Those are very serious side-effects, and can be avoided.
Dandelion stimulates bile and gastric juice flow as well as the kidneys, bladder, liver, spleen, and pancreas. All of these organs are filters and like our air conditioners, they too need to get cleaned so there is no build up.The sulfur content within Dandelion is great for gout suffers as it flushes out urea and uric acid.
Here are some of the vitamins and minerals found in Dandelion:
- A
- C
- K
- Calcium
- Carotene, beta
- Cholijne
- Folate (B-9)
- Lutein + zeaxanthin
Medicinal Uses
Acne, anemia, arteriosclerosis, arthritis, breast problems (lack of milk, congestion), bronchitis, bruises, cellulite, circulatory problems, cirrhosis (early stages) constipation, diabetes, eczema, eye troubles (night blindness), fevers, gallbladder tonic, gallstones, gout, heartburn, hepatitis (infectious), hypoglycemia, indigestion, jaundice, joint stiffness, kidney complaints, liver troubles, muscular rheumatism, edema, premenstrual fluid retention, psoriasis, sluggish digestion, and skin problems. (Petersen, 2017, p. 247)
Contraindications
Root: Do not use if you have blocked bile ducts, gallbladder inflammation, or
intestinal blockage.
There are several potential drug interactions noted for dandelion in the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database.
Citations
FoodData Central. (n.d.). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169226/nutrients
How chronic constipation affects your body. (2023, March 12). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/chronic-constipation-affects-body
Petersen, D. (2017). HERB 201: Herbal Studies (18th ed.). Portland, OR: American College of Healthcare Sciences.
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