Page 54 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Bottle Gourd, Medicinal Use: This plant is mainly used for blood
sugar control in diabetics, but I know of healers who
Lagenaria siceraria use it as a heart tonic and as a sedative. It is anti-in-

flammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, pain relieving,
Also known as calabash, white-flowered gourd, and and a tonic for the internal organs.
long melon, the bottle gourd is often cultivated for its Diabetes: Bottle gourd helps to lower blood sugar
fruit. When harvested young, the fruit is used as a veg-
etable. When mature, it is dried, and it can be scraped readings in diabetics when taken regularly. Eat a piece
and used as a bottle, container, or pipe. Bottle gourd is of bottle gourd at each meal for blood sugar control.
in the cucumber family. It is hard to find in the wild, One or two large bites of the gourd are enough to pro-
but easy to cultivate. vide the desired benefit.

Identification: This annual vine grows to be 15 feet
(4.5m) long or more. The fruit has a smooth light-
green skin and white flesh. It grows in a variety of
shapes and sizes. It has long densely packed hairs on
the stems.
These hairs are tipped with glands that produce a
sticky sap. The leaves grow on long stalks and are oval
to heart-shaped. Leaves can be unlobed or have 3 to 5
irregular shallow lobes. The flowers are white, growing
alone or in pairs. They open at night during the sum-
mer and close again in the morning.
Edible Use: Although it is safe to eat in moderate Bottle Gourd, GNU Free Documentation License
amounts, be aware that young gourds can be bitter. If Headaches: A poultice made by crushing the leaves
you think the plant has grown too old or tastes too bit- and applying it to the head over the painful area is use-
ter, throw it away because it might have a buildup of ful for relieving the pain of headaches.
toxins or it may have spoiled. Otherwise, the fruit can
be steamed, boiled, fried, used in soups and stir-fries. Boils, Skin Infections, and Irritations: Bot-
Young shoots and leaves are cooked as a pot herb. tle gourd has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory ef-
fects. For these external uses, make poultice from the
boiled seeds of the gourd for skin irritations and infec-
tions.

Cover the poultice with a clean cloth and leave in place
as long as possible to reduce swelling and prevent the
spread of the infection.

Memory Loss, Depression and Senility:
Studies have been done demonstrating bottle gourd for
mild depression and memory improvement, including
patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and age-related se-
nility.

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