Page 63 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

diseases. Take both internal and external remedies for Recipes. Chickweed Decoction: Use fresh
best results. chickweed whenever possible to make this herbal de-
coction. It is an excellent internal cleanser and makes
Harvesting: Harvest this herb early in the morning
or late in the evening. Snip off the upper branches. Use a good wash and external agent. You need 1 cup freshly
them fresh or dry them for future use. picked chickweed leaves and 1 pint (500 ml) of water.
Bring the water to a boil and add the chickweed leaves.
Warning: Some people are allergic to chickweed. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the leaves for 15
The herb is considered safe, but should not be used by minutes. Cool the decoction and use it internally or ex-
nursing women or pregnant women without the ap- ternally. The internal dose is 1 to 2 ounces (30 to
proval from a healthcare professional. 60ml).

flowers bloom from July thru October. Petals grow in
Chicory, two rows with toothed ends. The blooms are open in

Cichorium intybus the morning but close during the heat of the day. Its
root is a thick, fleshy bitter taproot.

Common chicory is an annual or biannual plant in the Edible Use: The leaves have a bitter taste, which can
Aster/Daisy Family. It originated from Eurasia and is be reduced by boiling and draining. I prefer young
found throughout North America, where it is known as leaves boiled, then sautéed with garlic and butter. The
an invasive species in several places. Common chicory most famous use of chicory is as a coffee additive or
is also called blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue sailors, substitute. Roast the roots and grind them. Roots may
blue weed, coffeeweed, cornflower, succory, wild bach- be eaten raw or cooked.
elor’s buttons, wild endive, and horseweed.
Medicinal Use: Chicory roots and seeds help elim-
inate intestinal worms and parasites, are antibacterial,
antifungal, and hepatoprotective. Roots are being
studied for use in cancer. The flowers and leaves are
also used medicinally. It is a mild diuretic.
Sedative and Analgesic: The milky juice from the
fresh root of chicory is similar to the milky sap of Wild
Lettuce (Lactuca spp.), also in this book. They contain
lactucin and lactucopicrin, which are sedative and an-
algesic (pain-killing). They are sesquiterpene lactones,
so it is recom-
It is sometimes confused with Curly Endive (Cicho- mended to use
rium endivia), a closely related plant often called chic- the latex as is or,
ory. if you want a liq-
uid form, to dry
Identification: Chicory is easy to identify by its them and then
purple flowers when in bloom. Its stems are rigid with extract the medi-
hairy lower stems. Its alternate lobed leaves are cine in high proof
coarsely toothed and similar to dandelion leaves in ap- alcohol or oil ver-
pearance. The lower leaves are covered with hairs and sus in water.
grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) in length. The stems and Pain-relief is
leaves both exude a milky latex when cut. similar to ibu- By Alvesgaspar, CC by 2.5
The plant grows 1 to 3 feet (0.3m to 0.9m) tall and has profen.
numerous flower heads, each around 1 to 1 1/2 inches Antibacterial and Anti-Fungal (Candida):
(2.5 cm to 3.75 cm) wide, appearing in clusters of two Chicory seed and root extracts are antibacterial and
or three. Light blue-purple (and rarely pink or white) anti-fungal. Seeds work against Staphylococcus,

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