TOP HEALTH BENEFITS OF DANDELION PLANT

The DANDELION plant is considered to have a number of health benefits.  Dandelion is said to have some miraculous healing power with its wide variety of uses and medicinal benefits.  The whole plant, including its roots, as well as stem have some kind of advantages. 

Some of the vast benefits of this Herb are given.

·        The roots of Dandelion are used as a cleansing agent.  The powder of Dandelion roots, consumed along with tea they act as the perfect digestive medicine.  They help in the overall digestive and urinary system by acting as a laxative in many cases.  A Dandelion works both ways in treatment of constipation as well as diarrhea. The Dandelion herb removes the heavy metals from body tissues and thus helps in solving many problems related to kidney stones.  As such this herb is useful for persons affected by digestive disorders as well as hypertension.

·        Dandelion also helps in strengthening the liver and gall bladder.  It is the perfect remedy for stimulating bile product and thus cures inflammation caused due to bile duct. The tea made from dandelion is used to cure gallstones due to the presence of the chemical called taraxacin.  Due to its property of reducing bile secretion, Dandelion is the ideal remedy against kidney and liver disorders like Jaundice or cirrhosis of the liver as well as hepatitis.

·        This herb is an important source of vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B12 and other vitamins such as C, E and P.  Dandelion also has a rich content of beta carotene which is useful for eyes, skin and hair problems. 

·        The leaves of Dandelion have more nutritive substances than tomatoes or spinach and are considered to be the ideal salad ingredient for everyday usage. A salad of Dandelion leaves along with parsley and dill combined with oil or vinegar can make up a tasty as well as nutritive recipe.

·        Dandelion has a rich content of vitamins A and C, due to this it is considered as a anti-oxidant as well as anti-cancer agent.

·        Fresh Dandelion Juice can be consumed daily for purifying your blood and enriching it with iron.

·        The minerals such as potassium and magnesium, present in Dandelion can lower blood pressure as well as reduce the risk of heart attack.

·        The fiber present in dandelion is known to be the ideal source to lower cholesterol and as such acts as a perfect remedy for diabetes.  It is also useful in various cancers as well as heart related diseases. 

·       The calcium content in Dandelion can be useful for that strong bones as well as reducing blood pressure.

·        Dandelion juice is also useful for external treatment of such skin disorders such as acne, corn or blisters.   The juice is also useful in treatment of cold and congestion. 

·        This herb is also useful for treatment of anorexia – one cup of boiled extracts of leaves and roots are kept for cooling and after 24 hours, can be consumed before each meal.

·        A mixture of 10 grams of leaves, roots and flowers are boiled in 3/4^th water for half an hour and this mixture can be applied to the eyes for treatment of cataract.

·        Dandelion leaves paste can be applied to dry hair overnight for treatment against greasy hair.

·        This herb is also the ideal remedy for reducing your weight.  Daily intake of dandelion juice has shown to reduce the weight in many cases.

·       As dandelion contains high levels of iron and calcium along with minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium, it is the perfect herb for the overall benefit of the body as a whole.

Taking all these benefits into consideration, it can be truly said that Dandelion is one of the most powerful herbs that nature has given us to improve our overall health as well as keeping our body fit and active.  A daily dose of dandelion is a must for increasing our immunity as well as keeping our body disease-free.

 

Mistletoe Herb and its uses

This astonishing Herb known as Mistletoe Herb (Viscum album) is a parasite which grows on tree branches and is found on fruit trees and oaks.  This herb is mainly found in England, Europe and Asia. 

Mistletoe Herb is a very important ingredient in the treatment of Cancer and is been used by many countries in the form of liquid extract or capsules.  The herb comes in three forms i.e. dried leaves, capsules and liquid extracts.  Mistletoe Tea is prepared by adding 5 gms of chopped Mistletoe leaves along with 250ml of water.  This mixture is to be kept overnight or for a minimum of 12 hours before consumption.     Along with its main use in Cancer, Mistletoe Herb is also used for treating disorders such as Arteriosclerosis, Depression, Irregular heartbeats, tensions, ulcers and even urinary disorders.  

Treating Cancer – This is the most common and important use of Mistletoe Herb.  It is said to help cancer patients although it is yet to be proved as to how it is useful. There are certain chemicals in Mistletoe which are said to benefit the antitumor activity, but studies are still going on regarding its effectiveness in the long term.  But the extracts of this herb is injected prior to surgery.  Also Mistletoe Herb Tea is prescribed for patients suffering from cancer.

For Menopause treatment - Mistletoe is also a popular herb during the treatment of menopause.  It helps in reduction of certain symptoms such as heart palpitation, abnormal circulation, anxiety and hot flushes during menopause.  A woman is normally prescribed Mistletoe in the form of tea or dried leaves during menopause.   But this has to be taken only under medical guidance.

Lowering Blood Pressure -  It is found that Mistletoe Herb is advantageous for patients suffering from high blood pressure.  Mistletoe Herb helps in lowering the blood pressure and keeping it in check.  As such, a cup of this medicinal herb is always useful for such patients.

During Menstruation Cycle – This is another use of this medicinal herb.  Women having heavy menstrual flow can use this herb.  It can also be a treatment for disorders such as uterine infection or chronic cramping effects during the menstrual period.  It is also said to improve fertility in women.

Along with the above benefits of Mistletoe Herb, it also helps in treatment of tinnitus, different kinds of wounds, diarrhea and asthma.

Side Effects of Mistletoe Herb: There are certain side effects of this herb.  It may include diarrhea, hallucinations, severe fever, seizures, dehydration or delirium.  It is always safe to use this herb after due consultation with your doctor.

Word of Caution: Mistletoe Herb should not be taken along with alcohol or other drugs such as cold, lower blood pressure or allergy sedatives.  It is also to not to be taken if you are using heart medicines and it may risk a cardiac slow-down in the long term. Breast-feeding moms are advised against taking this herb in any form as it may stimulate the uterus.  This drug should be used sparingly as it has highly toxicating values which may affect the liver in the long term.  Also due to this quality of Mistletoe, it is essential to keep it outside the reach of children. The berries of most Mistletoe plants are poisonous and should not be consumed. 

Taking all these points into consideration, it is always advantageous to use this herb to your benefit if due care is taken in its usage.