Page 237 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Antitumor and Anticancer Effects: Cranberry Recipes. Fresh Cranberry Juice. 4 cups cran-
is a powerful anti-tumor agent and is also a cancer pre- berries, 4 cups water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup or-
ventative. Medicinal compounds within the fruit in- ange juice, sugar to taste. Bring the cranberries and
hibit the growth and spread of many types of cancers. water to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer the ber-
ries for 25 minutes or until all the berries have popped
Warning: Patients who take Coumadin (Warfarin) and the berries are cooked. Pass the cranberry mixture
need to be careful when taking cranberry. The addi- through a food mill on the smallest setting. Pass the
tional anti-clotting effects of cranberry compound the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Mash the pulp
Coumadin. Cranberries contain salicylic acid, a com- slightly to increase draining, but not hard enough to
ponent of aspirin. People who are allergic to aspirin push the pulp through. Mix in the orange juice and
should not consume cranberries.

lemon juice. Add sugar to sweeten the juice, if desired.
Devil's Club, Medicinal Use and Adaptogenic Herb: The

Oplopanax horridus, inner bark and stems of the root are used medicinally.
This adaptogen is a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory,
(Echinopanax horridus, blood purifier, regulates blood sugar levels, helps with
adrenal fatigue, and treats infections. Devil’s Club is
Fatsia horrida) known as a panacea (“cure-all”) plant.

Devil’s Club is a relative of American ginseng and is be-
ginning to be marketed as “Alaskan ginseng”. While
the plants are similar, Devil’s Club is not a true ginseng
(Panax). Until recently, its covering of thorns has pro-
tected it, but as it becomes more well known for medic-
inal use, it may become over-harvested. It is in the Ara-
liaceae (Ginseng) Family.

Identification: Also known as devil’s walking stick
and devil’s root, this plant thrives in the damp wood-
lands of the North America’s Pacific Northwest. The
plant is a large understory shrub with large leaves and
woody stems covered completely in irritating spines. It
usually grows slowly to a mature height of up to 5 feet
(1.5m) tall, but can grow up to 15 feet (4.5m) in height.
Skin Infections, Swollen Glands, Boils,
Leaves are simple, palmate and spirally arranged. Each Sores, and Burns: Apply Devil’s Club directly to
has 5 to 13 lobes and is 8 to 16 inches (20 cm to 40 cm) the skin as a poultice or as a wash to treat skin infec-
across. Spines are found on the upper and lower veins tions, boils, sores, and swollen glands. It treats the un-
in the leaves and on the stems. Flowers appear in dense derlying infections, reduces inflammation and helps
umbels, from 4 to 8 inches (10 cm to 20 cm) in diame- the area heal. For burns, dust root bark ashes directly
ter, with small green-white petals. The ripe fruit is a onto the burn. Ashes can also be mixed with oil and
small red drupe about 1/4 inch (0.75 cm) in diameter. used as a salve for skin problems. The root bark can
Edible Use: The very young shoots are delicious and also be baked and powdered to use this way.
edible cooked, but are only available for a few days Lowers Blood Sugar Levels: Root bark extract
each spring. The shoots are edible when the leaf buds and infusion balance blood sugar levels in diabetics
break through their sheath and are between 1 to 2 and can be used to treat the disease. The infusion also
inches (2.5 cm to 5 cm) long. The leaf spines are soft has a tonic effect.
and edible at this point, but quickly harden and the
shoots become inedible. The berries are poisonous.

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