The Wild Wisdom of Weeds by Katrina Blair

Author:Katrina Blair [Blair, Katrina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Published: 2014-10-01T14:21:18+00:00

In ayurvedic medicine, originating from the Hindu religion in India around 1500 BC, dandelions (known as kanphool) are regarded as a bitter herb with sweet, pungent, and cooling energetics. They are used to detoxify pitta conditions, a body type described in the ayurvedic healing science as being an overheated imbalance. I am primarily of a pitta nature myself and notice the exceptional benefits from my morning ritual of sipping dried and ground dandelion root in hot water through my bombilla (metal straw) in a maté gourd each morning. Ayurveda also uses dandelions for eliminating cysts, swelling of the lymph nodes, and removing cholesterol from the body.

Dandelions are also beneficial for the condition of diabetes. They contain a source of levulin, which has the same composition as insulin and allows the liver to convert fructose into glycogen without requiring the body’s secretion of insulin. This creates less stress on the pancreas and maintains an even blood sugar level for optimal energy. In addition to improving the function of the pancreas, dandelions also support efficient functioning of the spleen, kidney, liver, and stomach through promoting blood circulation.

Dandelion is a rich source of chlorophyll. The body efficiently utilizes the chlorophyll content in the leaves for rebuilding the blood. The chemical structure of hemoglobin and chlorophyll are almost identical, with the main difference being that hemoglobin contains iron whereas chlorophyll has magnesium. This gives the body the necessary nutrients to be able to prevent anemia. Dandelion leaves are a rich source of vitamin K, which helps eliminate the excessive buildup of acidic crystals that create the symptoms of gout. The high mineral content of the leaves also gives strength to the teeth and increases bone density in the body. Dental research conducted at Indiana University demonstrated how dandelions inhibit plaque buildup on the teeth, while the chlorophyll they contain helps eliminate bad breath at the same time.

Dandelions have an exceptionally high calcium and potassium content, which together build structural integrity in the body. The addition of these vital minerals makes the dandelion a savior in lessening muscle and menstrual cramps. The flowers and stems are rich in coumestrol, a plant estrogen that provides a balance to hormone fluctuation in women while also stimulating milk flow in nursing mothers.

My mom used dandelion as one of the greens in her process of eliminating the pain and congestion from rheumatoid arthritis. She was diagnosed with arthritis when she was seventeen, and followed a Western standard practice of medicine for twelve years. This included multiple surgeries and over ninety-five thousand medically prescribed pills with all their side effects. She did not see improvement in her arthritic condition during this time and, in fact, her mobility continued to degrade to the point where she could no longer walk. When I was two years old, she was inspired to juice fast. After about four days of drinking raw liquids, her joint pain and congestion disappeared almost totally. This experience was a huge epiphany for her and this led her on a whole new path of life.

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