Dandelion - A Gift From Mother Nature
By Vicky Chan of NourishU
Dandelion is a very common perennial herb that grows wild in fields all over the world. It has tooth-edged leaves and yellow flowers. People in Europe and Asia commonly use dandelion as food and medicine. In foods, dandelion is used as salad greens, in soups, wine, and teas. The roasted root is used as a coffee substitute. In medicine, the whole plant is used to make herbal concoctions or herbal extracts.
Clinical studies have shown dandelion has protective effects against lipid peroxidation and free radicals, both damaging products of a poorly functioning liver. Like burdock, dandelion contains a wealth of nutrients important to liver function, especially the B vitamins. It cleanses the liver and increases the production of bile. Therefore, it is often used as a herbal treatment for all liver diseases including hepatitis, cirrhosis and jaundice.
Chinese Medicine defines dandelion as cold in nature and bitter and sweet in taste. It benefits the liver and stomach. The therapeutic effects include clearing away heat and detoxifying blood. It is used as weight-loss aid because of its diuretic effects. Dandelion reduces swelling and dissolves clots and is used for treating food poisoning, inflammation of liver and gallbladder, kidney and gallbladder stones, tuberculosis and clots in the lungs.
In recent years, dandelion has been found to be most effective in preventing cancer when used in combination with another herb called Radix angelicae pubescentis (du huo). It is because the main characteristic of dandelion is that it is very light in weight and can travel and spread easily. So it is used as a chaser as well to send the medicinal effects throughout the body.
The following is the recipe to make this cancer prevention tea. It is very easy to make and costs very little because you can pick dandelion for free almost anywhere. You just need to pick them from a clean and wild environment so that they have no pesticides or chemical pollution. Rinse the whole plant clean and put them to dry under the hot summer sun for 2 to 3 days before storing away.
The tea is bitter in taste but it can do wonders to our health. We should accept what Mother Nature has given us with grace and give dandelion the credit that it deserves.
Cancer Prevention Dandelion Tea
THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS
Prevents cancer by clearing internal energy blockages and blood stagnation so that the cells can breathe and function properly.
INGREDIENTS
Dandelion 蒲公英 - 7 gm
Radix angelicae pubescentis (du huo) 獨活 – 5 gm
DIRECTIONS
1. Put the two herbs with 2 cups of water in a pot.
2. Bring water to a boil and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Strain and drink tea only.
USAGE
Take 1 cup in the morning and the other cup in the evening. Take regularly as tea with no restrictions.
