Dandelion

Visually dandelions may draw up childhood memories, but they offer many health benefits – from the flowers, to the leaves, and right down to the root.

Dandelion’s Health Benefits

Digestive Bitter: Aids in the secretion of digestive juices, and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, putting the body into a relaxed stated which is helpful with digestion. Learn more about bitters.

Alterative: Improves body’s health and function by increasing elimination of metabolic waste from skin, liver, kidneys, lymph, and bowels.

Diuretic (Leaf): Promotes production of urine as well as water excretion.

Cholagogue: Stimulates the gallbladder, aiding in the production of bile.

Hepatic: Supports the liver.

Anti-lithic: Prevent the formation of calculi or gravel (stones) in the urinary system

With all these actions, the question that may come to mind is why? Most of those answers start with the bitter nature of dandelion. When a bitter taste is detected in the mouth, what then happens is lots of flow: bile flows from the liver and gallbladder, and hydrochloric acid flows freely from the stomach. Along with its richness of vitamins A and C, dandelion also contains choline, which stimulates the liver. Liver stimulation is important because it processes impurities in our bodies. These days, the liver has many reasons to be overrun. Especially after a long winter, digestion can be sluggish and in need of some cleansing. (Brett, 2007)

Dandelion Safety

Despite all of dandelion’s many uses, it is important to be aware that too much of a good thing is not always best. As with everything in life, try to approach the use of herbs with awareness and a sense of balance. People sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae family may also be sensitive to dandelion, although this is rare. Fortunately, dandelion leaf contains abundant levels of potassium to offset any loss of this mineral due to diuresis. There have been very rare instances of skin irritations from handling latex in the stems and leaves.

Because dandelion has been found to accumulate soil contaminants, be sure you harvest it well away from roads, industrial sites, buildings, roofing drip lines, or anyplace where chemicals or pesticides are sprayed. You can also purchase your dandelion from Mountain Rose Herbs here.http://herbalacademyofne.com/2014/04/dandelion-the-dandiest-weed-of-all/