Some Home Remedies

There are a couple of plants which we very enthusiastically call weeds, but may deserve more respect:  these plants are the Dandelion and the Milk Thistle. For many years these plants have been called into service for the treatment of ailments related to the stomach, liver, gall bladder and kidney by those who practice alternative or natural medicine.  Watching the great abundance of Dandelions in my own back yard and remembering that it was the small leaves that were used the most, I tried a few leaves—a refreshingly bitter taste that added something to otherwise bland salads.  Hmm, my curiosity was peaked.  I went to NIH.gov and also to the Mayo Clinic web site to see if there was active support for the medicinal use of the Dandelion and Milk Thistle. Medical research is scant for the Milk Thistle and virtually non-existent for the Dandelions.  There was information that Milk Thistle had been reviewed and was under serious study since 1993.  The Dandelion had not really been reviewed.  Both of these plants were noted to be fairly harmless to humans.  However, animal studies were the basis of most of the findings for each. The following is my share of what I found:

Milk Thistle’s fruit contains a chemical called Silymarin.  Silymarin is further broken down to Silybin.  Silybin taken in doses of 240 mg ,just twice weekly seems to be able to encourage the growth of some types of liver cells as well as block toxins that can affect the liver.  Milk Thistle can be harvested from the back yard weed patch or easily found in most stores with a vitamin section.  Happily, Milk Thistle is not very expensive.

Milk thistle capsules sold in stores contain 200 milligrams of Milk Thistle.  This in turn contains 140 mg Silymarin which contains the Silybin.  About 3 capsules would be needed to dose the 240 mg of Silybin used in the research study.  Of interest,  Milk Thistle cannot be used as a Tea as its therapeutic ingredients are not water soluble.

In Germany, Milk Thistle has official approval as adjunct therapy for enhancing liver function in such diseases as Hepatitis C and cirrhosis.  Remember, there is NO cure for Hepatitis C. Enhancing liver function for the many who are afflicted by Hepatitis C and other liver diseases can be a quality of life issue.

The ever, even more accessible Dandelion as health supplement has not been supported by medical research. However, virtually every part of the Dandelion has been used for both digestive and kidney therapy.  The leaves are used in salads and teas.  The root is used as a coffee substitute or a tea using the leaves and roots together.  It is suggested that 40 minutes be used for steeping the leaves and roots.  For those used to adding Chicory to their coffee, it is fun to know that the Dandelion is related to Chicory.  The flowers are used for Dandelion Wine. Nutrition from the Dandelion: leaves contain Vitamin A, D, C, B-2 (riboflavin), iron, silicon, magnesium, zinc and manganese.  Not bad for a salad food.  It is thought the leaf ingredients also stimulate urination and can act as a fluid reliever.

These solutions are in no way to replace medicines needed for health.  But healthy eating can enhance general good health and assist us in Wellness.  [Important note:  don’t gather plants  from areas that have been treated with fertilizer or other chemicals.]