Page 253 - Lost Book Remedies
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The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

        Red Mulberry,                                           barbecue and smoking meats. It adds a smoky flavor
                                                                that is sweet and mild.
        Morus rubus                                             Medicinal Use: The leaves, fruit, and bark all have

                                                                medicinal value. Use the fruit  and  leaves  during  the
        The deciduous thornless red mulberry tree grows to 50   summer months when they are readily available and
        feet (15 meters) high. I had one near my house where I   switch to bark tea during the winter when the trees are
        grew  up  in  New  England  and  have  cultivated  one   bare.
        where I now live in the PNW. They are native to East-
        ern North America. They are in the Moraceae (Mul-
        berry) Family.
        Identification: The heart-shaped leaves are alter-
        nate and approximately 3 to 6 inches (7.5 cm to 15 cm)
        long and 2 to 5 inches (5 cm to 12.5 cm) wide. They are
        broadly cordate with a notch at the base and a pointed
        tip. Most leaves on mature trees are unlobed but leaves
        on young trees often have 2 to 3 lobes with a serrated
        margin. The leaves have a rough upper surface while
        the underside is covered with soft hairs. The leaf peti-
        ole secretes a milky sap when cut or injured. The flow-
        ers are small, yellow-green or red-green, with male and
        female flowers usually on separate trees. The flowers
        open  in  the  early  spring  as  the  leaves  emerge.  The
        trunk is covered with dark brown bark that is scaly or  Heart  Disease:  Mulberries  are  beneficial  for  the
        sometimes smooth.                                       heart. They reduce inflammation in the arteries and
                                                                veins, lower cholesterol, and lower the risk of heart dis-
                                                                ease. Eating the berries or drinking the wine, in mod-
                                                                eration, confers all the benefits.

                                                                Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s: Eating
                                                                mulberries  regularly protects the brain from inflam-
                                                                mation and its effects. They reduce chronic inflamma-
                                                                tion and slow down the disease process.

                                                                Urinary Tract Problems: Mulberry Leaf Tea is a
                                                                potent  weapon  against  urinary  tract  infections  and
                                                                other problems. The leaves are anti-inflammatory and
                                                                anti-microbial.  Combined  with  their  healing  proper-
                                                                ties  and  superior  nutrition,  the  leaf  tea  resolves  the
                                                                problem quickly.

                                                                Ringworm: Ringworm responds well to the applica-
                                                                tion of mulberry sap taken from the cut leaf petiole.
                                                                Apply the sap directly to the affected area as needed.

                                                                Diabetes: The leaves and bark of the red mulberry
        Edible Use: You can eat mulberries both raw and         tree help reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics and in-
        cooked. They are most often used to make pies, pas-     crease the production of insulin. They also protect the
        tries, and jellies, but I like them raw. They also make a   heart, liver, and kidneys from damage by the disease.
        very nice sweet fruit wine. The dried wood is useful for   Use leaf or bark tea.





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