Thursday, April 19, 2012


☆*•Dandelion •*☆ 
★*•.¸¸¸.•*☆ º ♥`•.¸.•´♥ º ☆*•.¸¸¸.•*★
The scientific name of dandelion is Taraxacum officinale. It is normally not found in the Southern hemisphere. It is the north temperate zones, that are home to the dandelion root. More often than not, dandelion root grows in pastures, meadows or on waste grounds. It grows in plentiful, annoying the farmers. Many times it is dismissed as weed, but there are people, who value it for the health benefits the dandelion root tea has to offer. It is used to treat a wide range of health problems. Many of us are not aware of the culinary uses of dandelion.

Benefits

Some people call dandelion, "the tooth of lion" and use it as a springtime healer. Not only are the roots of dandelion useful, but the other parts are also used either for food or medicinal purposes. The leaves and crowns are used for salads and cooked greens, while the flowers are used for making wine and the juice is used against warts and blisters.
• Dandelion root tea is known as a blood and kidney cleaner.
• It is also used as a tonic. Dandelion root is rich in vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients.
• Diuretic uses of dandelion tea are also well-known.
• It is used as a general cleansing stimulant for the liver and can also be used to treat any malfunction of the liver.
• It is also said to be beneficial for people suffering from diabetes, as it contains inulin, which plays an important role in controlling diabetes.
• Dandelion can also be used in the treatment of hepatitis.
• It is also said to be useful to clear obstructions of the spleen, pancreas, gallbladder as well as the kidneys.
• Dandelion root tea is also beneficial for the stomach and intestines and also for balancing the enzymes, which also help in digestion, assimilation and elimination.
• Not many people are aware of the fact, that regular consumption of dandelion root tea decreases the amounts of cholesterol and uric acid in the body.
• It is said to be especially beneficial for women in their menopausal phase.
• It can also be used to treat abscesses, boils, breast tumors, etc.
• It is an excellent tonic to treat anemia.
• Liver cirrhosis can also be treated with regular consumption of dandelion tea.
• The leaves of dandelion are eaten to reduce excess acidity, oxygenate, purify and build blood.
• It is also used to regenerate cells.
• There are also known benefits of dandelion in treating metabolic disturbances, bone disorders, low blood pressure, etc.
Dandelion Tea – for the Birds!
Early European settlers so valued the versatile dandelion plant as a food source and a medicinal herb that they introduced dandelions to the Americas. Wonderfully nutritious — more beta carotene than carrots, more iron than spinach, an abundance of vitamins, as well as magnesium and zinc — dandelion leaves contain 15 percent protein. One cup of dandelion greens contains 112% of our daily recommendation of vitamin A, 32% of vitamin C, and 535% of vitamin K, a magnificent 218 mg potassium, 103 mg calcium, and 1.7 mg iron. The whole dandelion plant has nourishing, healing properties for us – and for birds! The dried herb is used in manufacturing bird food, as it is good for their health and digestion. Water is also good and healthy. Dandelion and water, hmmm…
Dandelion Tea – A Recipe for the Birds!
Heat two cups of water in a pot on the stove. Drop in a tea bag; dip it up and down a few times to get it good and wet. Cover the saucepan 10 minutes or so to steep and cool. Uncover the saucepan, dip the tea bag up and down a few more times, and then squeeze the water out of the tea bag. Let it cool. Make sure the temperature of the tea is not higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit; ten degrees Fahrenheit hotter will burn their crop. Simply pour it in a water bowl after it cools down, and offer it in addition to plain water.
Or, harvest dandelions from ground not treated chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides for the past few years. The whole plant can be picked or pulled; wash well to remove any dirt. Boil a quart of water on the stove. Reduce heat; add two tablespoons of cleaned and chopped fresh dandelion roots to the water; cover and let simmer a minute. Remove the pot from the burner. Add two tablespoons of freshly picked and chopped dandelion leaves and – hopefully – flowers; let steep forty minutes. Strain and “serve”.
You can drink 2 cups of this herbal dandelion tea a day – especially if using the flowers. Dandelion flowers are good for your heart. Dandelion flower tea can help relieve pain from headaches, menstrual cramps, backaches, stomachaches, and depression.
Note: some seed companies sell “Italian Dandelion” seeds that are really chicory, a plant with milder leaves similar in appearance to dandelion; however, this does not offer the benefits that real dandelions give.
Cellulite is of cosmetic concern to women and is not associated with any health risks. Poor circulation of the lymph which carries waste products and toxins from the different tissues to the blood contributes to cellulite formation. There are many natural methods for getting rid of cellulite, herbs being one of them. Herbs are medicinal plants, used to strengthen weakened body systems and boost the body’s own healing powers.
Here are some herbs that have been used in the treatment of cellulite removal:
1) Gotu kola is a herb with stimulant properties. It helps the body to produce substances that strengthen the collagen fibers and improve the circulation of blood. Gotu kola reduces and slows down the process of hardening of connective tissues below the skin surface. It strengthens the vein walls, thereby preventing damage and leaking veins. It improves the flexibility of the connective tissue. This in turn improves the skin tone and firmness. The extract of Gotu kola can be used in cream, supplement, and as mesotherapy injection forms for cellulite treatment.
2) Horse chestnut is a herb with anti-inflammatory properties. One of its components, Aescin, decreases the poresize of the capillary walls and improves their tone thereby improving blood flow. This improvement in the tone of the capillaries under the skin reduces the appearance of the cellulite and smoothens the skin. This makes Aescin in the horse chestnut a valuable component in hand creams, lotions, and other cellulite products.
3) Grape seed extract reinforces the fibers of collagen, is an antioxidant and helps to maintain the elasticity of the blood vessels. It also contains flavonoids and tannings that strengthen the walls of small veins and lymphatic vessels – it improves circulation from the legs thereby preventing cellulite development.
4) Ginkgo biloba is a vasodilator which boosts circulation. It acts as an antioxidant and reduces the formation of damaging oxidized cholesterol on the vessels and thus helps in the smooth passage of blood.
5) Kelp with its high iodine content boosts the body’s metabolism and helps to burn more calories. It also contains mucilage, a natural compound that prevents fluid retention. It is often used in cellulite treatment as body wraps.
6) Green tea is a plant extract that has antioxidant and blood thinning effects. One should have atleast one cup a day of green tea.
7) Some herbs like dandelion enhance the livers ability to break down waste products and toxins. It also aids the kidneys to filter blood of these waste products and toxins. Dandelion leaves can be added to salads or cooked like spinach. A cup of dandelion tea each day containing 50 Gms of fresh dandelion leaves to half a liter of water.
Sweet clover, sea-weed, lecithins, evening primrose oil, lemon, ivy barley, strawberry, algae etc are also some of the herbal methods to reduce cellulite and improve the skin texture in the affected areas. They are to be rubbed in the affected areas three to four times a day daily.
Herbal remedies help improve the flow of blood and tone the capillary walls under the skin surface thereby improving the skin texture and reducing the cellulite.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Englishhttp%3A%2F%2FEzineArticles.com%2F%3FEffective-Herbs-For-Cellulite-Removal&id=1153811
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