So What's The Rave About: DANDELIONS

Hola Chicas/Chicos..I pray all is well and healthy with everyone..

Soo, I was inspired to write this blog because as many of you may or may not know, I am growing a garden with herbs and vegetables..Well, I have books and books on veggies and herbs and I began wondering, there are so many things in nature that man call trash, weeds, nuisances, and so on and so forth, but as I was seeing these puppies, I picked up my herb book and just began reading and reading and I came across some interesting facts about these so called weeds and their benefits. You see, it brings us back to the spiritual way of thinking that 'everything has a purpose' and 'nothing is here just as a nuisance or to get in our way', though I still can't understand the purpose of mosquitoes..but that's another story, lol.

So, in the south, we have yards full of what man would call 'pest weeds' known as Dandelions..but woah Nelly, these 'weeds' have soooo many amazing benefits and I am actually sipping on some dandelion tea as we speak with a blend of honey and cinnamon. And no, I didn't purchase the ready made tea bags, I actually steeped the leaves and roots, which I purchased dried, and made me a cup and it is quite delicious. Now, from what I've read about Dandelion is that it has been used for skin ailments since the beginning of time, and that's just one of the benefits, there are a plethora of others that I will list in this post..so enjoy and bottoms up!

DANDELION: THE INTERNAL EDITION

• Those Bones: Dandelion is rich in calcium, which is essential for growth and strength of bones, and is rich is anti oxidants like vitamin-C and Luteolin, which protect bones from age related damages due to free radicals, such as weakening and loss in density.
• Liver Detoxification: Dandelion can help liver in many ways. While its anti oxidants such as vitamin-C and Luteolin keeps it functioning in full gear and protect it from aging, other compounds in it help treating hemorrhage in liver, maintaining proper flow of bile etc. It also stimulates liver and promotes digestion. It's one of the few herbs that actually detoxifies the liver.
• Diabetes: Dandelion juice can help diabetic patients by stimulating production of insulin from pancreas and thus help keeping low the blood sugar level. Since it diuretic in nature, it makes the diabetic patients urinate frequently which too helps remove the extra sugar from the body. Moreover, diabetics are prone to renal problems. The diuretic properties of dandelion can help removing the sugar deposition in the kidneys through urine. Moreover, dandelion juice is slightly bitter to taste, which also effectively lowers sugar level in the blood, as all bitter substances do.
• Urinary Disorders: Dandelion is highly diuretic in nature. In fact, its French name literally means “urinate in bed”. Thereby it helps clean deposits of toxic substances in the kidneys and the urinary system. Moreover, its disinfectant properties inhibit microbial growth in the urinary system.
• Weight Loss: Our urine contains up to 4% of fats. So, more we urinate, more water and fats are lost from the body. Dandelion, being diuretic in nature, promotes urinating and thereby helping lose weight without side effects.
• High Blood Pressure: Urinating is an effective way of lowering blood pressure. In fact, most of the modern drugs for lowering blood pressure are based on this phenomenon. Dandelion juice, being diuretic in nature, increases urinating, both in quantity and frequency and thus helps lower high blood pressure. The fiber in dandelion is also helpful in reducing cholesterol and thereby assists lowering of blood pressure, since cholesterol is one of the factors which make blood pressure high. Then there is potassium, which is in plenty in dandelion juice and is very effective in lowering blood pressure by replacing sodium.
• Healthy Veggie: Dandelion can also be used as a vegetable and is a good source of fiber. It promotes digestion. In old days it was also used to treat scurvy, due to presence of vitamin-C in it. It also has healing effects on dyspepsia, infections in the stomach, intestines and urinary system.
• Anemia: Dandelion has pretty good iron, vitamin and protein content. While iron is the integral part of hemoglobin in the blood, vitamins (particularly vitamin-B) and protein are essential for formation of red blood cells and certain other components of the blood. This way dandelion can help anemic people.
• Jaundice: Jaundice is primarily a disorder of the liver in which it starts over producing bile, which ultimately gets into the blood stream damaging the whole metabolism. The excess of bile is also reflected through color of the skin, eyes etc. The treatment of jaundice includes three main steps. First, checking production of bile; second, removal of excess bile from the body and third, fighting the viral infection. Dandelion is very helpful in all of these. It promotes liver health and regulates bile production. Being diuretic in nature, it promotes urination through which the excess bile is removed. Finally, being anti oxidant and disinfectant in nature due to presence of vitamin-C and Luteolin, it fights viral infection too. It is more beneficial if taken with sugarcane juice, since it replaces the sugar in the body which is very much lowered due to action of bile, causing extreme fatigue and weakness.
• Cancer: Dandelion is high in anti oxidants such as vitamin-C and Luteolin which reduce the free radicals (very much responsible for causing cancer) in the body, thereby reducing the risk of cancer. It also detoxifies the body, which also helps protect from cancer.
• Gall Bladder: Dandelion is very beneficial for gall bladder and liver, as it improves their functioning, protects them from ill effects of oxidants and infections and regulates secretions from them.

DANDELION..THE SKIN EDITION..

• Skin Disorders: Dandelion sap, also known as dandelion milk, is useful in treating skin diseases which are caused due to microbial and fungal infection, as this sap is highly alkaline and have germicidal, insecticidal and fungicidal properties. Care should be taken while using this sap as to avoid its contact with eyes. This sap can be used on itches, ringworm, eczema etc. without risk.
• Acne: Dandelion juice is a good detoxifier, diuretic, stimulant and anti oxidant. These four properties make it a good treatment for acne. Before we know how it treats acne, we must know what causes it. Acne is caused mainly during teens, when the body undergoes many physiological and hormonal changes. The hormones, which bring about changes in the body, if do not maintain proper ratio among themselves or are not regulated properly, tend to deposit as toxic substances in the body which tend to come out with sweat through the sweat glands or sebaceous glands on the skin. Now, during these changes, these glands secret more oils which, mixed with dead skin, block the pores and the secretion is obstructed. Due to this, these toxic substances cannot escape and result in acne. This is further worsened by the microbial infections on the effected places. Dandelion juice, being a stimulant, diuretic and detoxifier in nature, can help regulate proper secretion of hormones, increases sweating and widens up the pores facilitating removal of toxics through sweat and also through urine, as it is diuretic too. Its sap, if externally applied on acne, can inhibit microbial infection. Incorporating a mixture of 1-2 TSP of Dandelion root or leaves to 1 cup of water and steeped as a tea is a wonderful way of ridding toxins in the body which cause acne.

DANDELION...THE HAIR EDITION

• Greasy Hair: Now, if you suffer with greasy hair, dandelion is a wonderful herb to use to remove oil buildup. So, in a sense it works as a clarifyer. So, if you do use it for a hair rinse, where you would steep the leaves or roots or both for about 20 minutes, strain and pour it onto hair as a final rinse, be sure to deep condition afterwards to restore moisture.
• Overall Hair health: Taking Dandelion suppliments, drinking tea made from Dandelion leaves or roots  or eating a salad that has Dandelion leaves mixed within it,  has an overall benefit for hair health. The leaves of the Dandelion contain loads of beta carotene and iron, which is very important for the overall health of your hair.
• Dandruff: Because Dandelion contain loads of iron, intaking Dandelion has been known to have effects on ridding the scalp of dandruff.

Did You Know..

• Dandelion leaves are more nutritious than anything you can buy.
• It has more beta-carotene than carrots
• The iron and calcium content are phenomenal, greater than spinach.

How to Make Your Own Dandelion Tea:

1 Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Cut the root and leaves from a dandelion.

2 Soak the dandelion root and leaves in a bowl of water to loosen the dirt.

3 Rinse the root and leaves thoroughly and dry them with a towel.

4 Chop the root and leaves on a cutting board and place them in the pot with the boiling water.

5 Cover the pot and allow the dandelion to boil for 10 minutes.

6 Remove the pot from the burner and let it stand for at least one hour.

7 Heat the tea again for a few minutes. Strain the dandelion tea and sweeten it to your taste.

Add Cinnamon and Raw Honey to sweeten..It was absolutely YUMMY!!! Bottoms Up

Have A Happy Healthy Day

where to buy: any local health food store or herb shop. Or you can purchase from www.mountainroseherbs.com

This information is not intended to replace any medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice before taking