Page 68 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

root to flax seed oil and apply it directly to the boil or Balancing Hormones: Flax seed contains
use as a poultice. lignans, a type of phytoestrogen. This helps balance fe-
male hormones, especially in post-menopausal
women, and helps with symptoms of menopause.
Cancer: Flax seed and flax seed oil work as a comple-
mentary treatment as well as for the prevention of
breast cancer and prostate cancer, where they seem to
reduce PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels. Flax
seeds help decrease breast cancer risk, lower the risk
of metastasizing, and help to kill cancer cells in post-
menopausal women. Consult with your oncologist.

Harvesting: Flax seed is harvested in the same
manner as wheat. Harvest when the plant and fruits
are dry and the seedpods begin to split. Shake over a
sheet and sift. You may have to crush the seedpods to
access the seeds.
Warning and Recommendations: Ground
Flax Fruit Capsules, D. Gordon E. Robertson - Own
work, CC by SA 3.0 and powdered flax seed go rancid very quickly. I keep
my flax seed whole until I need them, then grind or
crush only the needed amount. Drink plenty of water
with flax seeds.

Couch Grass, Identification: The crawling tubular root is elon-
gated while the leaves are slender. Each short stem
Agropyron (Elymus) produces five to seven leaves and possibly a flower
spike at the terminal. Each flower spike is composed of
repens oval-shaped spikelets less than an inch (2.5 cm) long.
The flowers appear in late June through August. The
Couch Grass is often considered a simple weed and a seed heads look like a stalk of grain. The roots are elon-
nuisance; however, it has a list of medicinal properties gated, thin, tubular and whitish in color with yellow
that can’t be ignored. It is also called dog grass, ends. Couch grass grows aggressively and is capable of
witchgrass, quack grass, and twitch grass. It can grow crowding out agricultural crops and is often found on
up to 3 feet (0.9m) tall and is part of the Poaceae cultivated land. It likes loose and sandy soils and will
(Grass) Family. die out as the soil becomes compacted.

Edible Use: The grain has food value as fodder for
animals, and I am told that the root is sometimes eaten
when food is scarce. I’ve never tried it. The roots can
also be ground and roasted to make a coffee substitute.

Medicinal Use: Use the rhizomes of this plant to
make a tincture, infusion, or decoction.

Urinary Tract Problems, Kidney Stones,
Cystitis, Gallbladder Diseases: Couch grass is
effective at treating urinary tract problems including
inflammations, infections, and slow and painful urina-
tion caused by muscle spasms of the bladder and ure-
thra. It soothes the mucous membranes and relieves

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