Page 185 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Diabetes: Kudzu root, taken three times daily, helps Recipes: Kudzu Decoction: 60 grams dried
stabilize blood sugar levels and improves glucose me- kudzu root, chopped, 3 cup water. Combine the water
tabolism. and kudzu root and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and
simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover
Alcoholism: Kudzu consumption decreases an indi- tightly. Let the kudzu steep for another 30 minutes.
vidual’s desire for alcohol. Even a single dose signifi- The decoction will be thick. Take 1/3 cup of the decoc-
cantly curbs alcohol consumption and may work well tion, three times a day. Store the remaining decoction
for treating people who binge drink or who are alcohol- in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
ics.

Indian Tobacco, Edible Use: In-
dian tobacco is not
Lobelia inflata edible, but the
leaves are used for
Called Indian Tobacco because of its use among Native flavoring in
Americans, this herb is also known as pokeweed, puke- brewed beverages.
weed, gagroot, vomitwort, asthma weed, and bladder- They have a mildly
pod. Each seems to refer to one of the properties of the bitter taste.
herb, making them easy to remember. It is in the Cam- Medicinal Use:
panulaceae (Bellflower) Family.
Many medicinal
Identification: Indian Tobacco grows to heights of uses call for Indian
1 to 2 feet (0.3m to 0.6m), and is erect with a sporadi- Tobacco powder.
cally leaved stem. The stem is angular with white hairs It can be con-
that are less abundant on the upper part, making the sumed straight,
stems smooth towards the top, and feathery and rough put into a little Indian Tobacco, By H. Zell - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
near the bottom. water, or packed into a capsule. Traditional use was to
smoke the leaves, bur be aware of toxicity and poten-
The pale green or yellowish leaves of the Indian To-
bacco plant grow alternately and become smaller as tially harmful effects. Its aerial parts (leaves, seedpods,
they ascend the stem. These stems have tiny white dots flowers, and seeds) are primarily used for medicine.
scattered along the margin and are finely spiked. The Roots are sometimes used externally.
upper part of the leaf is almost hairless while the lower Respiratory Problems: Lobelia inflata treats
part is hairy along the major veins. The delicate flowers respiratory disorders such as chronic bronchitis,
of Indian Tobacco are pale bluish to violet in color with asthma, pleurisy, and pneumonia. The leaves can be
a touch of yellow. These flowers are tiny, asymmetrical, smoked, used as a tea, or swallowed as a powder in a
and bisexual. little water to release phlegm from the respiratory sys-
tem.
Stop Smoking: Some people have found success
kicking the nicotine habit using Indian tobacco. Lobe-
line, found in this plant and similar to nicotine, helps
with nicotine withdrawal. It is rarely a successful strat-
egy since this Lobelia also contains addictive sub-
stances when used regularly.
Antidepressant: Lobelia inflata raises the mood of
people with anxiety disorders, dysthymia, eating disor-
ders, OCD, and major depressive disorders.

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