The Tenacious Love of Dandelion

Growing up, I was never one for television or being indoors. I was a healthy and vibrant child, I loved to play outdoors and explore with my siblings. I recall when the weather would change in Idaho, the nights would come sooner and the weather became colder. I would be disheartened when I had to come inside due to frozen fingers or no longer being able to play safely in the dark. I would get such cabin fever as the winter months dragged on and I longed to play outside. I remember one of my most favorite things to see as spring approached was the blooming of the dandelion. What says childhood more than picking a fully seeded head of a dandelion and blowing into the wind, only to make a childhood wish?

Many people say that a dandelion is a weed, but my wise husband, Tyler, often reminds me that "a weed is simply an unwanted plant" and I always find myself wanting their beautiful yellow glow around. As I grew older, my love for playing outdoors never diminished and I soon found a deep appreciation for what plants have to offer. So much so, I have spent the past 10 years of my life dedicated to a degree that will provide a career in the prescription of plant and complimentary medicines.

So what is the dirt about the dandelion? It has so many medicinal properties and it is a tenacious plant with an ability to grow even in the harshest conditions, even through the cracks of concrete. That, to me, is inspiring. As humans, we do not think about our survival instincts too much, but I find inspiration in the desire that a dandelion has to grow, to live and to shine. Every time I see one, a smile crosses my face. They bring me back the unconditional joy and faith that we all once had as a child.

But did you know that the dandelion has a vast history of recorded medicinal properties? The dandelion actually arrived in America with many of the pilgrims via the Mayflower. In Europe, dandelions were a garden flower, planted on purpose. I was recently reading a passage about a settler in the New World who comes across a dandelion, and is filled with great joy, because it reminded him of home.

Many millennia ago, dandelions were prescribed for everything from a rash to the black plague. Research from Berlin shows that sequiterpenes in the plant pass the blood brain barrier and increase oxygenation around the pineal and pituitary gland. Dandelions are high in beneficial vitamins and chemical constituents, such as Vitamin A, C and Bs, as well as iron and potassium. Dandelions contain a high concentration of sequiterpenes, which are antibacterial, antiseptic, hypotensive and have a sedative effect. Sequiterpenes are also soothing to tissues, and stimulate the liver and glands. This chemical is also what gives dandelions it refreshing smell.

According to Anita Sanchez, author of The Teeth of the Lion, The Despised and Loved Dandelion, dandelion tea is a perfect beverage after over indulgence in adult beverages- it is a hangover remedy! She explains this is because dandelion helps to stimulate the liver, which helps to detox the alcohol at a quicker rate. She also describes this herb as a great way to get rid of extra fluids in the body and to clean and tonify the body as well.

Dr Nancy Welliver (ironic, yes) suggests to use it for liver and gallbladder problems along with with barberry, fringetree, or snakehead. For water retention it may be used with couch grass, horsetail, yarrow, parsley, and celery.

Many people find dandelions to be a nuisance, but to that I say, find the beauty in them and love them. An estimation of 7 million wild birds die each year from lawn pesticides. There are thirty million acres of lawns in the United States and 80 million pounds of pesticides are used on them annually to ward off so called weeds. But the truth is that dandelions are great for the soil, adding nutrients via the deep taproots that pull nutrients such as calcium from the soil to make it available for others plants. See, dandelions are lovers and if you do not want them in your yard, take a day and harvest them. Pull them with the root, clean the root, cut it up and bake it. You now have a delicious tea with many health benefits.

Therefore, to this day, I remain a fervent admirer of my most beloved plant and flower, the dandelion!

Yours in Health,

Jade and Ty

“I was a dandelion puff...Some saw the beauty in me and stooped quietly to admire my innocence. Others saw the potential of what I could do for them, so they uprooted me, seeking to shape me around their needs. They blew at my head, scattering my hair from the roots, changing me to suit them. Yet still others saw me as something that was unworthy and needed to be erased.”

― Nicole Bailey-Williams

References:

Anita Sanchez, The Teeth of the Lion – The Story of the Beloved and Despised Dandelion, published by McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company

Australian Naturopathic Network, “Taraxacum officianale”. Retrieved from www on 3/15/2014 from http://www.ann.com.au/herbs/Monographs/taraxacu.htm.

Bartram, Thomas. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, 1st Ed. Grace Publishers, Dorset, England, 1995.