Dear friend, dear friend,
I regularly go to Brittany. When I go there in the summer, I like to visit the town of Bescherelle.
It is an old village with traditional houses where an old and second-hand book market takes place every year on the central square.
You can find everything there: art books, comics, history and philosophy books, children’s books, lost or forgotten books and of course books on natural health.
And every year, I come back with pearls that nourish me with various readings.
Last year I brought back a little book on old remedies from Brittany(1).
And when I opened it, I came across a page giving valuable insights into the great burdock, which scientists call The paws of the Arctic.
It belongs to the Asteraceae family.(1,2).
The Bretons call it Karantez (love) or louzaouenn an amourousted (the grass of lovers).
Elsewhere in France, it is also called black broth, glouteron, donkey cabbage, globo, grappon, scraper grater, scabby grass, giant’s ear, comb or even devil’s rhubarb(2,3).
It is a plant that knows how to arouse the imagination!
And which has not, obviously, always been appreciated. Who would cure themselves with the devil’s rhubarb?
However, the great burdock is a real ally of your health!
A weed with character
Its names suggest a tough plant and in fact, the great burdock is robust.
It grows in rubble or on the edge of embankments. Many mistakenly see it as a weed or at best a wild herb.
And it is true that poor soils do not scare him.
Its life lasts two years after which the seeds scatter and new burdocks leave here and there according to the wind or the passage of animals.
Beautiful generous leaves for your detox herbal teas
In the first year, a rosette of very broad leaves appears. They are a beautiful dense green on top.
Below they are white and fluffy(1,2).
They are triangular in shape even if the sides of this triangle are a little curved, so that can also be said that they are cordiform, that is, heart-shaped(2,3).
They are sometimes said to be elephant ear leaves(4).
In short, the foliage is generous.
So much the better ! Once dried and cut, these leaves are ready to serve for your spring or autumn herbal teas.
A beautiful globose flower
From the first floor of leaves, springs a long stem that can reach one meter.
It is erect, cylindrical, reddish, ridged and thick.
It is also branching, that is to say that it carries other stems from which leave leaves often smaller than those at the bottom.
And at the very top of this upright stem, overhanging this kingdom of green and red, reign magnificent balls from which protrude superb purple flowers. Their pistils are also purple, although darker.
This kind of ball of hairs green below and purple above form the receptacle which is the green part, and the flower head, the flowering part.
An action on the blood favorable to detox and effective against rheumatism and diabetes
The great burdock is first known for its depurative qualities(1,2).
Traditionally, it is said to cleanse the blood.
This notion is very old and refers to the idea that lively, healthy and fluid blood is the best possible guarantor of regained health.
However today, the blood is often attacked by the excess of chemical treatments, the sedentary lifestyle or the bad food.
According to Christophe Bernard, naturopath and herbalist, burdock protects the organs and in particular the liver against inflammation caused by toxic products.(5).
It limits the negative effects of alcohol, cadmium found in modern wheat, heavy metals and drugs(5).
And a good spring cleansing cure with a herbal tea a day for three weeks will do your body a lot of good.(2) !
For this, you can take a tablespoon of leaves for each cup that you are going to serve yourself. You can boil the water containing the leaves for 3 minutes, then leave to infuse for 10 minutes(2).
If you prefer to use root, that’s possible too. You will then take a level teaspoon of powder. In this case, the water should boil longer, at least 5 minutes. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
This is an old remedy that is still as effective today!
The advantage of this detox is that it could also help you fight against your rheumatism.
It can also help you with arthritis or gout.
And if you have diabetes, the great burdock will also do you good because of its hypoglycemic properties.
Burdock regulates blood sugar. If you take your cup before your meal at noon or in the evening, it will be very beneficial to you.
The meal will be more digestible. The food will be treated more gently by your body, which does not mean, of course, that it allows you all the excesses!
A plant that loves your skin
The purifying qualities of burdock are as useful for the skin as for the body more generally, especially in people in whom the epidermis is fragile.(5).
It would also have an influence on the activity of the sebaceous glands, located under the skin, which secrete sebum(5).
Sebum protects your skin. It gives it elasticity and makes it more resistant.
Burdock is said to be useful in relieving or limiting acne, eczema, boils, external abscesses, psoriasis and pruritus(2).
It facilitates healing and can be used in case of dental abscess(2).
To use it on the skin, you can simply take a gel or cream that contains it and that your pharmacist, if he is well stocked, will have at your disposal.
This type of cream is sometimes stored on the cosmetic shelves.
You can also apply your root decoction with a compress directly on the skin(2).
Do this once or twice a day for a month in the spring.
The result should be satisfactory.
Roots to cook!
Everything is good in burdock and everything is medicinal(1,5) !
But it’s the roots that will bring your body the most benefits.(5).
You can consume them in powder to make decoctions or cook them in thin strips with garlic and olive oil for example.
In Japan, burdock is cultivated for its roots, which are used in excellent dishes.(4).
If you have burdock at home, you can pick the roots after a year.
Be careful, however, if burdock provides inulin (a prebiotic dietary fiber that the bacteria in your intestine love), you should not take too much.(4,5).
Indeed, burdock roots can cause bloating like other tubers, starting with Jerusalem artichoke(4,5).
These are treasures that deserve to be consumed, but in small quantities and always listening to what your body is telling you on this occasion!
Naturally yours,
Augustine of Livois