Page 146 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

mustard seed powder (1 tablespoon) added to the bath Chilblains (Chill Burns): Chilblains benefit from
water is also beneficial for arthritic pain. the warming power of white mustard. Mix one-part
white mustard seed powder and four parts ground flax
Sore Throats: Mustard Seed Tea made from the
leaves of the white mustard plant has a beneficial effect seeds together to make a paste. Use this mixture as a
on sore throats. The increased blood circulation and poultice to get rid of chilblains.
sulfur content help the throat to heal. Gargle Mustard Recipes: Mustard Seed Tea. You need 1 teaspoon
Seed Tea several times daily, beginning at the first sign crushed mustard seeds and 1 cup boiling water. Pour
of throat irritation. Its action is similar to that of a cay- the water over the mustard seeds and let it steep cov-
enne gargle. ered for 2 to 4 minutes.

Yellow Mustard Poultice. You’ll need: one ta-
blespoon ground white mustard seeds, 1/2 cup flour, 1
egg white, 8 ounces (250ml) of hot water. Mix the mus-
tard and flour together, then add the egg white and wa-
ter to form a loose paste. Apply immediately to the
body over the affected area.

Wild Lettuce,

Lactuca canadensis, L.

virosa and L. serriola

This member of the Daisy/Aster Family is very wide-
spread. Its sap is well known for pain relief. Most Lac-
tuca species of wild lettuce contain these pain-reliev-
ing lactones in their milky latex. It is also known as
prickly lettuce and opium lettuce (although it does not
actually contain opium).
Identification: Wild lettuce grows to be 3 to 5 feet
(0.9m to 1.5m) tall, usually on a single stem, and has a
milky sap throughout the root, leaves, and stems. The
central stem is light-green to reddish-green, occasion-
ally with purple streaks. Its green alternating leaves
sometimes have purple edges or a yellowish color.
Photo:http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/weeds/lactuca-canadensis
The lance-shaped leaves can grow up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) across with 12 to 25 rays – and they are well above
cm) across and 10 inches (25 cm) long. Leaves are usu- the leaves on a tall stem, unlike dandelion, whose flow-
ally, but not always, lobed and look similar to a dande- ers are low to the ground. After 3 to 4 weeks, the flow-
lion leaf. Some species have spines/prickly hairs along ers are replaced with dark brown, dry fruits with white
the midrib on the underside of the leaf and some have hairs. The taproot is thick and deep.
teeth on their leaf margins that are very prickly.
Edible Use: This slightly bitter lettuce is good to eat
The white milky sap turns tan after exposure to air. when the leaves are cooked like spinach. Boiling re-
This is an important diagnostic feature. Wild lettuce moves some of its bitterness. It can be eaten raw, but
blooms in the late summer to early autumn. Its flowers is usually too bitter for most people’s tastes.
are small and are similar to dandelions with yellow or
slightly reddish - orange petals. Flower heads are much Medicinal Use: The white latex sap that runs
smaller than those of dandelion - about 1/3 inch (0.8 through the plant contains sesquiterpene lactones,

145