What Makes Dandelion Stand Out.

Dandelion- Taraxacum Officinal

For those bitter herb haters out there, fill a bowl with water and add salt to it. Mix the salt and water thoroughly. Next, get a handful of dandelion leaves and soak them with the salt water. Leave the leaves and salt water alone for 15 minutes (or and hour if you like). Finally chop the leaves and add them to your vegetables or salad. You will notice a significant reduction of the bitterness in the herb.

What Makes Dandelion Stand Out.

On January 2019, my parents returned from Nigeria safely. With just one unforeseen setback. My mother returned back home with swollen legs. It was an in expected condition that raised concern for me and my father. They was contemplating when to go to the emergency room, even though they were exhausted from the flight. I was just started studying herbalism but I al ready had a solution: Dandelion Root. I drove to the the nearby herb store, purchased a bag of roasted dandelion root and decocted a tea for my mother. Although the tea was very bitter, I made sure that she chugged the whole cup down. An hour later, she went to the bathroom constantly. After taking one more cup before bedtime, another cup of dandelion leaf tea did its job to remove all that excess fluid from her body. By the next morning, her swollen feet was back to normal. Now that is one one emergency room visit that she was glad she did not neededヽ(^o^)ノ.

Monograph

***Botanical Name:*** Taraxacum Officinal
***Common Name:*** Pee in the bed, lion’s teeth, fairy clock
***Family Name:*** Compositae/Asteraceae
***Plant Parts Used:*** Whole part OR fresh or dried root or leaf
***Constitution:*** Cold and wet
***Taste:*** Bitter
***Key Actions:*** Diuretic, alterative, detoxifying, bitter, cholagogue, anti-rheumatic, laxative, anti-bilious, hepatic, aperient, tonic
***Plant Preparations:*** Tonic salad, pills, decoction, tincture, decoction, infusion, juice, wine
***Cautionary Pearls: This herb is very bitter.***
***Self-Help Uses:*** Acne & boils, constipation, detoxification for hangover, fluid retention, nettle rash and anemia
***Related Species:*** *Pu Gong Ying (T. mongolicum*) is used to “clear heat” and relieve toxicity, especially of the liver.
***References (Books/Author/Page)-***
-       Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine/Andrew Chevallier/Pg. 141
-       The Way of Herbs/Michael Tierra/Pg. 127-128
-       The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal/David Hoffman/Pg. 151
-       The New Age Herbalist/Richard Mabey/Pg. 52

Pertinent Information

Dandelion root is one of the most effective detoxifying herbs, targeting primarily the liver and gall bladder to help remove wastes. It stimulates the kidneys to remove toxins in the urine and encourages steady elimination of toxins due to pollution or infections.
For the liver, dandelion has the capacity to clear obstructions and stimulate and aid the liver to eliminate toxins from the blood. This makes dandelion a blood purifying herb particularly due to it high mineral content.
Dandelion leaves are a very powerful diuretic and one of the most natural sources of potassium. The diuretic power is comparable to Furosemide but unlike Furosemide, dandelion does not leach potassium from the body. This makes this herb ideal for water retention due to heart problems as well as decreasing blood pressure.
Additionally, its high nutritive minerals are helpful in treating anemia. The seeds is also an excellent form of food for explorers and adventurers.

What else can dandelion do?

Dandelion is beneficial for many conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis.
As part of a wider treatment for arthritic conditions like osteoarthritis and gout as well as muscular rheumatism, dandelion root and leaves are most effective. Again, this happens through the cleansing of the blood and the bodily tissues.
A tonic salad made with dandelion leaves can be eaten regularly for its cleansing benefits. The young dandelion leaves can be eaten fresh as steam pot-herb. With chicory and endive greens, it provides a pleasant source of mild vegetables bitter necessary for balance nutrition.
Roasted dandelion root makes a pleasant beverage especially as a suitable coffee substitute which can be consumed daily. It combines well with roasted bancha or kukicha tea or chicory root.