Don't Weed 'Em — Eat 'Em!

It's one of the most nutrient-packed foods on earth, and one of the world's most widely used herbal medicines — and it's right in your backyard! Now, dandelion and all its latest uses, preparations, and recipes are brought together for the first time by nationally recognized herbalist Brigitte Mars. Whether you suffer from arthritis, high cholesterol, depression, or diabetes — or you want to help prevent these and a host of other health problems — you should learn to love dandelions.

Discover how easy it is to incorporate dandelions into your life with Danelion Medicine's delicious recipes for biscuits, burgers, cookies, lasagna, muffins, pancakes, pizza, quiche, salads, and soup as well as coffee, juice, beer, syrups, and yes, even dandelion wine. Plus, to make sure you fell good inside and out, you'll also find dandelion herbal remedies in the form of teas, tinctures, tonics, ointments, massage oil, skin oil, and moisturizer — all simple and fun to make at home.

This maligned weed is in truth one of the safest and most effective medicinal herbs available.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 106-108) and index.

Author Brigitte Mars has been an herbalist for over 27 years and is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild. She teaches herbology at The Rocky Mountain School for Botanical Studies, The Boulder School of Massage Therapy, and The Naropa Institute. She is the owner and recipe developer of UniTea Herbs, and her blends are available in over 1,300 stores in the United States and Canada. The author of numerous books, two of Brigitte's latests are the Storey books Natural First Aid and Dandelion Medicine. She has created two audio books-on-tape and a CD-ROM and also hosts a weekly radio show on health and environmental issues. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

1 The Virtues of the Dandelion

What Is a Dandelion?

Botanical Features

Lore and Legend: How the Dandelion Came to Be

Magic and Mystery

The Doctrine of Signatures

2 Collecting, Growing, and Harvesting

Benefits for the Soil and the Environment

Growing Habits

Cultivating Your Own

Growing Tips

Harvesting Dandelions

Preserving Techniques

Getting Rid of Dandelions

3 Traditional Uses of Dandelion Medicine

Early Western Traditions

North American Uses

Dandelion in Chinese Medicine

Ayurvedic Medicine

4 Dandelion's Medicinal Properties

A Cure-All for What Ails You

Clinical Trials and Scientific Findings

Contraindications and Cautions

Benefits for Specific Ailments and Conditions

5 Making and Using Dandelion Medicines

Tea Preparations

Making Herbal Tinctures

Dandelion Dosages

Medicinal Tea Recipes

Making Juice

Making Capsules

Dandelion as a Homeopathic Remedy

Syrups

Delicious Dandelion Beverages

Topical Medicinal Uses

Cosmetic Uses

6 Cooking with Dandelions

Nutritional and Healthful Constituents

Dandelion Recipes

Converting to Metric Measurements

Bibliography

Sources

IndeX