Whole-istic Living

“A weed is just a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” – Waldo Emerson

Many people groan every spring when dandelions start to pop up on their front lawn. If they only knew the medicinal qualities of this plant, they would rejoice instead! Dandelion greens and roots have been used for medicinal and detoxification purposes in China, Japan, Russia, and Europe for over a century.

Tone Your Liver…And Your Mood!

The liver is our largest detoxification organ. Think for a moment about the pollutants you inhale every day, the chemicals you ingest (chlorinated water, diet sodas, etc.), parties you attend (with alcohol and perhaps even recreational drugs), prescription and OTC drugs, junk food you eat, chemicals you put on your body (lotions, make-up, hair dye, etc.), meat filled with hormones and antibiotics (that DO affect your own hormone levels and resistance to antibiotics)… Your liver quietly rests, filtering, neutralizing, and detoxifying your body. The level of toxins we subject our bodies too is much higher these days than it was in years past. Some experts report the liver performs more than 5,000 enzymatic reactions a day…all in an effort to keep your body healthy!

Dandelion Root is great for toning the liver. It contains a chemical component called tarataxin, which is thought to stimulate the digestive organs and help prompt the liver and gallbladder to produce and release bile, which emulsifies fat and helps digestion. This in turn can speed up sluggish bowels and help people suffering from constipation. Dandelion root can be taken daily for a few months at a time. Not so with pharmaceuticals.

Christopher Hobbs, an acupuncturist, botanist, and herbalist states that clinical and laboratory research shows that consuming dandelion greens increases bile output by 50%, and the root increases bile output by 4x! Bile assists with digestion and absorption of fats, so given the facts I just stated, dandelion could also help those suffering from chronic heartburn. Dandelion root is also used in holistic treatment programs for hepatitis C. Research also shows that when the liver is toned and working more efficiently, mood disorders like irritability and depression are often lessened.

Dandelion for Diabetes,  Water Retention, and PMS

Dandelion root contains inulin, a naturally occurring type of soluble fiber that is known to have a positive effect on blood sugar. Dandelion also contains pectin, another type of fiber that aids in relieving constipation as well as lowering cholesterol.

Dandelion leaf is a wonderful natural diuretic. A bonus over OTC diuretics is that dandelion leaf contains high levels of potassium, whereas commercial diuretics actually suck potassium from the body. For women who experience bloating before their monthly cycle, dandelion leaf is an excellent herb to keep handy.

Dandelion also contains taraxerol and taraxasterol, both of which are hormone balancing components. Because of this fact, dandelion is a premier herb to take for issues with PMS. Also, the liver is responsible for keeping hormone levels in check, so taking dandelion gives more bang for your buck! Your liver becomes toned and works more efficiently, AND your hormones get balanced all in one shot! What more could you want?

Dandelion as a Nutritional Powerhouse

OK, this is good folks! If all the information I just mentioned isn’t exciting enough for you, listen to this: The USDA Bulletin #8, rank dandelions in the top four green vegetables in overall nutritional value! One cup of cooked dandelion greens contain: 147 mg of calcium, 244 mg of potassium, 203 mg of vitamin K, and 3 grams of fiber. They are also nature’s richest leafy green vegetable source of beta-carotene, and the third richest source of vitamin A of ALL foods after cod liver oil and beef liver!! One cup contains 10,000 IU’s of vitamin A! One cup of these greens also contain 4,944 mcg of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are currently being researched for their ability to PREVENT macular degeneration, the leading cause of adult blindness. If there were a super-food God, dandelion would be IT!

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Well, Melinda, this is great stuff, but what do I do with dandelion greens and roots?” Well, I’ve got a few suggestions. First, I am currently on a “green drink” bandwagon. A green drink is just that. A drink that is green. It’s green because it contains raw, leafy greens, some fruit, and grapefruit or orange juice. A super-blender called a “vitamix” is the best way to make a green drink, however, I have found that a nice blender will do the trick as well. I have a Hamilton Beach, 500 watt blender that works just fine on the “liquify” setting.

First, I want to mention that dandelion greens are bitter. Be prepared for this. But the bitterness is what the liver loves, so try to think of it as doing something good! The recipe is not exact, essentially, I use whatever greens I have laying around in the refrigerator, and I always try to use fresh dandelion greens (they are readily available in spring).You can try the following (note, everything is raw): 4-5 leaves of kale, a handful of spinach, a handful or two of mint, a handful of parsley, 1 cup dandelion greens, 1 ripe banana, fresh squeezed OJ or grapefruit juice (I tend to cut it with water for less sugar). 1-2 tsp olive oil OR 2/8 of a ripe avocado. When you make a green drink you want to make sure you add some fat so your body can assimilate fat soluble vitamins.  Blend on highest setting until smooth.

Dandelion greens are also great in salads. You could add the leaves to a stir-fry or steam them and let them marinate overnight in balsamic vinegar, honey, sea salt, and herbs. Doing so will cut the bitterness of the greens. Dandelion root can be used like carrots in a stir-fry or soup. Of course you can also take capsules, tea, or tinctures, but fresh is best, raw is better! You can dry your own greens for maximum potency in teas. Simply wash the greens, pat dry, tie with a sting, and hand upside down until dry. The tea won’t taste nearly as bitter as the greens.

Note: If you have gallstones, consult with an herbalist or your medical professional before taking dandelion as an herb. There are no known contraindications from use of pregnant or nursing women.

Spring is a time of renewal and repair and is the ideal time to cleanse your body for the warm summer months that follow. Nature does a great job providing exactly what we need when we need it. Eating seasonally and locally is best because the foods available in any given season are generally what our bodies require at that particular time. Winter is a time for roots, heavier on starches, protein, and fats to help keep us warm. Springs provides us with foods that help to cleanse what winter built up. Summer provides us with cooling fruits and vegetables to combat the heat, and the fall gives us foods that will sustain us through winter.

Spring presents us with fresh greens, sprouts, berries, etc. and it’s no surprise the fruits and vegetables that are in season during spring are very cleansing for the body. From an energetic standpoint greens grow upward towards the sun. They are filled with lots of light energy and eating them often makes you feel light (they are perfect for shedding those winter pounds). Eating an abundance of fresh greens is a perfect way to get a jump-start on spring cleaning your body.

Here is a list of greens to eat in abundance in the spring:

Arugula – add this green to salads for an extra kick. This spicy green is a cruciferous vegetable and belongs to the mustard family. Cruciferous veggies contain sulfuraphane, a compound that can help stimulate enzymes that aid in protecting against cancer. Arugula tends to be sandy, so make sure you rinse the leaves well.

Beet Greens – many people discard beet greens when they come attached to the beet, but you shouldn’t! Beet greens are high in vitamin C, calcium, and iron. Beet greens taste similar to cooked spinach or chard and can be cooked similiarly.

Bok Choy and Baby Bok Choy – this cruciferous Asian green hails from the cabbage family but doesn’t taste as strong as cabbage. Its leaves are chock full of vitamins A and C. Bok choy has a high water content and is great steamed, stir-fried, or in soups. You can also try it finely sliced in salads.

Broccoli Rabe – is a member of the broccoli family as the name implies, however it is best not to steam this green like you would broccoli because it can become very bitter. Broccoli rabe tastes best when cooked in water or wilting in a skillet. Broccoli rabe also needs to be seasoned! Try sauteeing some garlic with a tiny bit of olive oil and add the cooked broccoli rabe. Remove from heat and drizzle with olive oil, a splash of fresh lemon, and a sprinkle of salt. Throw in some white beans and you have a great side dish.

Kale – is another relative to the cabbage family and is a powerhouse of a green. It’s actually more of a winter green than a spring green, but it’s such a powerhouse I had to include under this category. It’s very high in calcium and fiber, with 134 milligrams of calcium and 5 grams of fiber per cup. One cup of kale is also just 43 calories and contains the daily value for vitamins A and C. Kale tastes best when wilted quickly in a skillet or wok with a small amount of water and wet leaves. My favorite thing to do with Kale is make raw kale chips using a dehydrator, and/or making green drinks. More on that in a bit!

Dandelion Greens – are a great addition to salads and are abundant in spring and fall (think of all those little, yellow flowers/weeds homeowners hate so much!). Assuming you don’t use pesticides on your grass (or have pets that hang out in the yard) you can pick the young shoots before the flowers bloom. Dandelion greens are bitter, so to reduce bitterness, sprinkle freshly washed greens with salt and cook the greens in a skillet with only the water clinging to the leaves. 5-10 minutes later drain the liquid from the skillet and then saute garlic or onion in olive oil or clarified butter. Try adding the cooked greens to quiche, lasagna, or even on top of homemade pizza.

OK. Back to the topic of the “green drink”. A green drink is a smoothie that consists of greens (lettuce, kale, dandelion greens, parsley, mint, etc. Mixed with fruits like banana, apple, grapes, etc. Whip it up in a vita mix with some fresh squeezed orange juice and water (or a couple of oranges and water). When I make green drinks I always add a bit of fat so fat soluble vitamins, A, E, D, and K, can be absorbed. Leefy greens like kale and lettuce contain high amounts of beta carotene, which is converted in our bodies into vitamin A. A good fat addition to the green drink is a quarter of an avocado or a small amount of olive oil. I promise it won’t taste funny at all! The 9 year I cook for asks if she can have one whenever I make them! If she likes them, you will too!

Please post your thoughts, experiences, and/or recipes for greens.

Yesterday I took a very tough hot vinyasa class. For 75 minutes I sweat as if I was sitting in a sauna, combined with rigorous yoga. I made the mistake of eating a fairly large lunch soon after, and even though I drank a lot of water throughout the day, the food in my stomach was affecting how fast the water was getting into my blood. As a result, I was very dehydrated and had a very bad headache for the rest of the afternoon and evening. I am not big on commercial sports drinks – I never really have been because of the taste. I prefer to reach for nature’s sports drink: coconut water.

Coconut water is the liquid that is found inside young, green coconuts, not to be confused with the brown hairy coconuts found at most grocery stores. Young coconuts, if left to mature, would eventually become their brown counterparts. As a coconut ages the water level decreases as rich coconut meat grows inside.

The water found inside young coconuts is among the purest water on earth and is naturally very high in electrolytes. In fact, the electrolyte make-up exactly matches the composition of human blood plasma and during WWII severely wounded soldiers in the Pacific received coconut water in place of a plasma transfusion. For those that may not believe this, doctors in Solomon gave a patient coconut water for 2 days when the hospital ran out of IV fluid. The patient suffered no adverse effects (see reference: Am. J. Emerg. Med. 18[1]: 108-11, 2000).

Nutritional Stats for Coconut Water (per 100ml)·

• Coconut water contains 15 times more potassium than a banana

• Coconut water has less sodium than sports drinks (coconut water has about 25 mg as opposed to 41mg in sports drinks and 200 mg in energy drinks

• Coconut water has only 5g of natural sugars, whereas sports and energy drinks have a high amount of processed and/or unnatural sugars

• Coconut water is high in chloride 118mg

• Coconut water is also high in vitamin C and B vitamins

So now you how amazing coconut water is… and you went out and bought a young coconut. You might be wondering how to open it. I suggest watching someone else open one first. Most health food stores will crack the top for you and give you a straw and spoon (to scoop out the tender meat inside). They are easy to crack at home with a good chef knife.

Health food stores also carry pasteurized and packaged coconut water. These are great as well, but I prefer water straight from the nut itself. It has a much different flavor and contains living enzymes that pasteurization destroys. Again, the packaged versions are amazing as well and do a much better job than unnatural sports drinks. Drink up and enjoy!