❊~Some See a weed, Others See A Wish~❊
Dandelion Stories
A collection of short stories about the dandelion flower.
Dandelion Recipes
Recipes that use dandelion roots, leaves or flowers.
Dandelion Benefits
The health benefits of dandelion for different ailments.
The Medicinal Properties of Dandelions
Although Westerners commonly view dandelions as a type of weed, this plant has several beneficial effects on human health which western medicine has only begun exploring.
Dandelion has been used for centuries both internally and externally by Asian cultures as a medicinal used for digestive disorders, appendicitis, and breast problems (such as inflammation or lack of milk flow). Now we find this plant being studied by western science for its medicinal value.
The most recent study is a German study completed in 2009. As a result of this and other German studies dandelion root has been approved in Germany for, "... anorexia, dyspepsia, and biliary abnormalities," (Garner-Wizard 2009). In non-medical jargon dyspepsia is indigestion and biliary abnormalities are bile duct disorders. Bile is essential for digestion. It is a fluid secreted by the liver and gall bladder to emulsify fats for digestion. Researchers found dandelion increased the flow of bile by 3 to 4 times.
Dandelion root is also commonly used as a diuretic. Furthermore, a case study that was carried out on 24 patients found that dandelion can be used to significantly reduce the pain associated with chronic colitis, as well as help to normalize the stool. This plant has also been found to have anti-cancer properties, as well as the ability to lower, "... elevated liver enzymes in hepatitis B patients." Wow, powerful weed, no single western drug exists which can make these claims in a single pill. {Read PART 2 of this Article]
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