SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 Healing Properties of Dandelion

"For many people, change is seen as the destroyer of what is familiar and comfortable RATHER than the creator of what is new and exciting."

We always seem to discuss change. The reason change is seen by so many as a destroyer of what is familiar and comfortable is the fact that change creates FEAR. You get comfortable in your life. You are coasting along the highway of life. You see no reason to change. About five years ago, Rick and I met many new friends on Fire Island. Reflecting back, there always was one particular person complaining about other people in this way. Well, he/she did this-- he/she made me angry-- or targeted 'character assasination' (gossip) about other people. Did this person ever look at himself/herself and their role ? Absolutely not. This person does not want to admit their character defects. Who does!

Do you want to admit your character flaws? No, and I do not blame you. However there comes a time in one's life to look at oneself and see if you have to change. This change creates fear. Moving away or not talking to people does not alter the fact. This change could create something new and exiting. I feel people are so quick to blame others. Look within. What is your role in the drama? I always look at my role in a situation first. I try to correct it at my end. If it is not at my end, then I pray for the other person.

I encourage change. I want change. Change challenges me. A new design of a canvas, a new plant to write about or a new adventure. All CHANGE is GOOD, just not at the beginning or until you get used to it.

So, should I change the topic. I'd rather not. The liver is an important organ for detoxification. For the past three days we have discussed the cholangogues or the bile stimulants. Let's move into another herb property (See April 20-26 Blogs). I have discussed licorice, goldenseal, and others. Green tea has been discussed as has milk thistle in the past blogs. Green tea is used in liver disease. I have discussed green tea in relation to heart disease (See May 11,12). I do not think I have discussed the healing liver properties of Dandelion.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) possesses liver-healing properties. Dandelion is also considered to help the flow of bile from gallbladder and liver. Dandelion has an extremely high vitamin-A content, higher than that of carrots. High levels of vitamin A can lead to serious liver damage. I have a patient who consumes many carrots per day and has an orange skin hue. It almost looks like an artificial self tanner. Vitamin A in high doses is toxic. Some herbalists say not to take any preparation with dandelion. I do not know if I agree with this. Dandelion may contain iron and should, therefore, be avoided by people with iron overload diseases. However, actual studies involving dandelion are difficult to locate.

Have you ever eaten dandelion leaves? They are common weeds and taste delicious in a salad. When you see the yellow heads in the garden you pull them out as weeds. NO do not. A dandelion flower head composed of hundreds of smaller florets (top photograph) and seed head (middle). Remember pulling the seed head and making a wish? The seed heads float in the air. Reminds me of Forest Gump and the floating feather. Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are native to Eurasia and North America, and two species, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, are found as weeds worldwide. Both species are edible in their entirety.

The common name dandelion (from French dent-de-lion, meaning lion's tooth) is given to members of the genus, and like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers collected together into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret.