DANDELION

Dandelion is a valuable herb that can be used as a food & medicine.
Dandelion greens serve up almost a full multivitamin & mineral supplement. The leaves are packed with vitamins A, B, C & E & are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese iron, and zinc.
Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches & teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes & the flowers are used to make wines or homemade honey.

ROOTS:

Dandelion root tones, nourishes & strengthens the liver.
Today, many researchers have proven dandelion root benefits & its capability to solve common problems such as poor digestion, abnormal swelling, skin diseases & even kidney problems.
More health benefits of dandelion root tea are that it is very effective in reducing cholesterol & uric acid levels.

LEAVES:

It is one of the best weeds to incorporate into your regular diet.
Traditionally, dandelion has been used a diuretic, to increase the amount of urine the body produces in order to get rid of excess fluid. It has been used for many conditions where a diuretic might help, such as liver problems,high blood pressure & relieving premenstrual fluid retention.
Dandelion leaves are very nutritious & contain beta carotenes that are very good for the eyes, skin, hair, etc.
It has also been used to promote digestion & lymphatic cleansing. It is sometimes used for low grade fever, sinus infection & allergies.
Dandelion has also been used to strengthen & nourish the spleen, pancreas, immune system & glandular system, circulatory & lymphatic systems. It has also been used by traditional herbalists to treat rheumatism & chronic skin eruptions.
Some people use dandelion to treat infections, especially viral infections.
Fresh and tender dandelion leaves are used in preparing salads for the purpose of cleansing the body.
The white sap extracted from the dandelion stem and root is used to treat certain skin disorders and warts.
Because of the contained vitamins A and C, dandelion is also known as an anti-oxidant & anti-cancer agent.
Because of its diuretic action, it eliminates toxins efficiently. This way, it indirectly treats eczemas & other skin diseases, gout, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, varices, etc. It reduces the level of cholesterol. Dandelion is also efficient in treating the hepatic dermatosis, cleaning the blood from impurities and calming rheumatic pains.

FLOWERS:

The yellow flowers are also edible & can be added as a colorful garnish to other dishes. A tea made with dandelion flowers is sometime useful for headaches and even depression.

Dandelion flower has antioxidant properties. Dandelion may also help improve the immune system.

PRECAUTIONS:

Avoid dandelion use if you have diarrhea, hyperacidity (too much acid), acute irritable bowel syndrome, or ulcerative colitis.

RECIPES:

A healthy salad can be prepared from a handful of dandelion leaves mixed with parsley & dill, oil & vinegar. It can be consumed two or three times a day, before meals.

For lowering the cholesterol level:
15g of leaves & 15g of roots must be boiled in 1 liter of water for 30 minutes.Drink 1 cup before each meal.

In cases of liver disorders:
25g of leaves & 25g of roots must be boiled in 1 liter of water for 30 minutes.Drink 1 cup before each meal.

Against anorexia & constipation:
20g of leaves & 20g of roots must be boiled in 1 liter of water,leave for 24 hours,before consuming it,1cup before each meal.

Acne & cellulite:
25g of leaves & 25g of roots can be boiled for 5 minutes in 1 liter of water & left to infuse another 10 minutes.Drink 1 cup before each meal.

To treat cataract:
10g of leaves, roots, flowers & stalks must be boiled in 3/4 liter of water for 20 minutes. The fresh mixture is then used to wash the area around the eye 4 or 5 times a day.

Dandelion honey:

250 dandelion flowers
1 l water
500 g sugar
1-2 lemons
Pull the green bits off the dandelion heads.
Place the dandelions into the big pot along with lemon juice & water.
Let it simmer gently,covered for about 1 h.
Remove from the heat & leave to sit for 24 h.
Drain the dandelion syrup mixture,add the sugar & simmer on low heat until syrupy.
Pour the syrup into the clean jar when still hot,seal tightly.
Store in the refigerator.

You can use it just like real honey over the pancakes or tipped into herbal teas..

Dandelion Coffee:

In the fall the roots are harvested to make dandelion coffee. You can pick your own, clean them & then roast them in the oven at 200-250 C for 3 hours. You can simply grind these roasted roots up to make your own coffee.

Tea:

If you want to make a mild tea simply pour 1 cup of boiling water over the 1 tsp of the dried leaf & leave for about ten minutes. This tea will have wonderful anti-inflammatory effects on the joints.


Dandelion Fizz:

The drink is very mildly alcoholic & sweet.
Pick the dandelion flowers in the sun, when they are fully open.
1 l prepared dandelion flowers
1 1/2 l water
1 kg sugar
2 lemons

Trim the stalks from the flowers, but leave the green bits on.The prepared dandelions should fill a 1 l measure when gently pressed down.
Wash the flowers.Pour the boiling water on to the dandelions, cover with a lid & leave to stand for 12 hours.
Strain the liquid  into a large saucepan.
Add the sugar & the pared rind & juice of the lemons. Heat gently & stir until the sugar has dissolved, but do not allow to boil. Strain the liquid into jugs & leave to cool. Pour into clean, dry bottles with strong screw caps. Store in a cool, dark place.Its ready to drink in 3-4 weeks.

Dandelion tea stimulates the appetite:

Make a tea from 2 tsp of dried dandelion &
1 cup of boiling water,
cover & leave for 15 minutes.
Drink a cup in the morning & the evening.

Dandelion-Burdock Tincture for Liver Health:

1 part burdock root
1 part dandelion root
vodka or brandy
Chop the clean roots finely,cover with vodka or brandy.
Close airtight,place to the warm place for couple of weeks.

Take ½-1 tsp 3 times a day.

Dandelion & burdock root is an excellent & popular combination for cleansing and activitating the liver.
This tincture is useful in cases of poor or sluggish digestion, skin conditions such as acne & eczema & any general health issue in which the liver might be of concern.

BEAUTY:

For treating greasy hair:
Fresh & chopped dandelion leaves must be applied on the dry hair & left there over night. The following morning, the hair must be washed with shampoo.

For reducing freckles it is recommended to use dandelion juice or a lotion prepared as follows:
2 tbsp of mixture of dandelion flowers,-leaves & -roots(fresh or dried), boil with 500 ml water for 20 min.

Clean face with it twice a day.

MAGICAL:

In both Ireland and Scotland, the dandelion has links to Brigid. The plant is Bearnán Bríde in both Irish & Scots Gaelic, meaning ‘the indented one of Brigid’. This association is believed to be because it is the first flower to bloom after her festival (Imbolc).
Its milky sap was believed to nourish the newborn lambs & there were charms involving dandelion & other wild flowers to protect milk vessels.

The Dandelion helps you to get in touch with your courage, inner strength, stamina & ability to hold your own in all kinds of challenges & situations.

If the down flies off dandelions when there is no wind,it denotes rain.

When dandelion opens their golden petals fully by 8 o'clock in the morning,the day will be in all likelihood be fair,but if they keep them closed until 9 o'clock,you may take your umbrella with you when you go out.

If you keep the dandelion that grows in your garden,you will have a verdant garden that year.

If the blossom of the dandelion blows in your face,you will receive a letter on important business.

The dandelions close their blossoms before storm.