grumpywolfman
Black Belt
Growing up in the city, I had come to think of the Dandelion simply as a weed; it's invasive, and undesirable for people who want perfect green lawns. But in the process, my generation started to forget just how useful it really is. Did you know that Dandelions have several health benefits, and can even fight cancer? "You mean, eat a WEED!?" Haha, yeah that's right. It turns out that Dandelions (which literally translates into "lion's tooth" in French), is rich in vitamin-A, C, iron, calcium, and detoxifying agents which explains its use in medicines for the relief from diabetes, liver, and urinary disorders.
"Are you telling me that F***in' weed is a miracle drug!?" YEP. Dandelions, when eaten as a part of your daily diet or taken as a beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of your body chemistry: prevent or cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis or jaundice; act as a tonic and gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise improve gastro-intestinal health; assist in weight reduction; cleanse your skin and eliminate acne; improve your bowel function, working equally well to relieve both constipation and diarrhea; prevent or lower high blood pressure; prevent or cure anemia; lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half; eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and gas buildup by cutting the heaviness of fatty foods; prevent or cure various forms of cancer; prevent or control diabetes mellitus; and, at the same time, have no negative side effects and selectively act on only what ails you.
Spring is the best time to collect them; because like spinach, the leaves aren't as bitter when they are young, and the roots will have more nutrients in them as well. The flowers, leaves, and roots, can all be used. Don't collect Dandelions that are near the road, high traffic areas where pets may have been, or that may have residual spray from the neighbors who have used yard treatments. This is my first year taking advantage of the Dandelions at our home, and so far I've used our Dandelions to make: wine, tonic, coffee, tea, and massage oil. So the next time you see Dandelions as "weeds" in your lawn, don't spray them with weed killer, instead think of them as your family's personal supply of "Lions' Tooth."
* If you have health issues, allergies, or are currently taking medications, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST, before adding Dandelions to your diet; because, they may interfere with the effects of your current medications or treatment plan. *
"Are you telling me that F***in' weed is a miracle drug!?" YEP. Dandelions, when eaten as a part of your daily diet or taken as a beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of your body chemistry: prevent or cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis or jaundice; act as a tonic and gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise improve gastro-intestinal health; assist in weight reduction; cleanse your skin and eliminate acne; improve your bowel function, working equally well to relieve both constipation and diarrhea; prevent or lower high blood pressure; prevent or cure anemia; lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half; eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and gas buildup by cutting the heaviness of fatty foods; prevent or cure various forms of cancer; prevent or control diabetes mellitus; and, at the same time, have no negative side effects and selectively act on only what ails you.
Spring is the best time to collect them; because like spinach, the leaves aren't as bitter when they are young, and the roots will have more nutrients in them as well. The flowers, leaves, and roots, can all be used. Don't collect Dandelions that are near the road, high traffic areas where pets may have been, or that may have residual spray from the neighbors who have used yard treatments. This is my first year taking advantage of the Dandelions at our home, and so far I've used our Dandelions to make: wine, tonic, coffee, tea, and massage oil. So the next time you see Dandelions as "weeds" in your lawn, don't spray them with weed killer, instead think of them as your family's personal supply of "Lions' Tooth."
* If you have health issues, allergies, or are currently taking medications, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST, before adding Dandelions to your diet; because, they may interfere with the effects of your current medications or treatment plan. *
