By: Ivana Dragica |
Milk thistle - the guardian of your liver |
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If you have enjoyed too much alcohol or fatty foods during Easter holidays, it feels especially good to detoxify the liver.
One of the best plants to protect and detoxify the liver is milk thistle, Silybum marianum.
Milk thistle is often considered as a burdock. These are very similar, but not the same plants.
Milk thistle can grow up to two meters in height and is filled with spikes, but is worth the effort because of its exceptional healing potentials.
This plant has been in use for over 2000 years, and is mainly used for cleaning and regenerating the liver.
The earliest record of this plant comes from Dioscorides who mentioned it as a remedy for treating snakebites.
Its use as a liver protector was popular with the ancient Greeks.
Native Americans used it to treat ulcers and skin diseases.
Homeopathic doctors have used milk thistle seeds for the treatment of jaundice, calculus, peritonitis, bleeding, bronchitis and varicose veins.
English herbalist John Gerard thought milk thistle was best herbal remedy against all melancholy diseases.
British herbalist Nicholas Cluppeper said it was effective for the treatment of diseases of the liver and spleen, and is therefore good against bile.
How does the milk thistle protect the liver
Milk thistle is unique in that there is no equivalent in the medical treatment of the liver.
In cases of poisoning with Amanita phalloides mushroom (Amanita phalloides), milk thistle is the only remedy, and there is no dispute on this point, even by the pharmaceutical industry.
The active ingredient in milk thistle is called silymarin. It has been scientifically proven that silymarin restores liver cells and stimulates their growth.
Silymarin increases glutathione levels in the liver by 35%. Glutathione is an important antioxidant for protecting the liver, and its level falls if we are daily exposed to high levels of toxins.
Milk thistle protects the liver from the devastating effects of many drugs, and has the power to expel chemicals alcohol, heavy metals and radiation from the body.
Other medicinal properties of milk thistle
Preliminary medical research shows that silymarin could actively participate in preventing the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Milk thistle is recommended for people prone to alcoholism and fatty foods, and it helps with hangovers.
This plant strengthens the body, regulates digestion and helps with constipation.
Less well known is that milk thistle is very useful for the cardiovascular system. This herb stops bleeding and strengthens blood vessels.
Most of the problems caused by the weakness of the heart and circulatory system disappear when this plant is used in treatment - migraines, dizziness, low blood pressure, fatigue etc.
Milk thistle effectively treats all types of allergies, runny nose caused by pollen, the attacks of urticaria and asthma and travel sickness.
This plant is also used in the treatment adrenal gland diseases, in the case of appendicitis and psoriasis.
Milk thistle acts like estrogen and can stimulate the production of milk in nursing mothers and promote regular menstrual cycle.
Some studies have shown that milk thistle can normalize cholesterol levels.
In 1986 it was approved for the treatment of alcohol and viral hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis, and liver poisoning.
Silymarin is gaining in importance as the only means of restoring and protecting the liver in cases of hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.
Milk thistle harvest and application
Milk thistle grows in many fields and meadows, and you can plant it in the garden.
The leaves are harvested in May, and the seeds in August or September, when the root is also removed. Milk thistle flowers are harvested in June.
Milk thistle is taken in the form of tea or capsules. You can combine it with other herbs.
For making tea, pour 2 dl of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons dried milk thistle, cover the mixture and leave it for 15 minutes, stir, and then strain. Drink 1 cup of tea three times a day.
When taking silymarin-based products, it is recommended to make a break every 2 weeks.
In rare cases, milk thistle can cause diarrhea, flatulence and nausea.
Since milk thistle acts like estrogen, it is not recommended for women with fibroid tumors, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and endometriosis. Alcoholics should not use alcoholic milk thistle tincture.
Products made of milk thistle can be found in our webshop here.
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