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 Spring
Greens
By
Sharol Tilgner
It
is spring. The birds are singing. I can feel their excitement
as they find my gifts of string for their new spring homes. The
sun is warm, the bees are buzzing, the plants are bursting out
at the earth’s seams and my thoughts find me dreaming of
spring greens. This is the best time of the year for an herbalist.
All the spring greens are available for eating and my mouth waters
in anticipation of tasty herbal feasts.
You
too can enjoy the bounty of spring. Let me introduce you to two
of my special friends, stinging nettle and dandelion. These weeds
are everywhere. They are edible and medicinal treasures provided
freely from our wonderful and nurturing planet. I like to stir
fry stinging nettles or cook it in soups and casseroles. I think
it tastes like spinach with an attitude. Dandelion greens can
be used similarly. I also add the new spring leaves to salads.
But, hold on, don’t add fresh nettles to salad—only
the dandelion greens. You will get a startling surprise! A few
words of caution for those of you unacquainted with stinging nettle;
treat this plant with utmost care for she is aptly named. Only
collect nettles in the spring prior to flowering. Gloves are a
must when harvesting and processing nettles. I have more than
once been on a hike and been surprised by a patch of nettles.
In my overwhelming glee at finding the first spring nettles I
have temporarily lost my mind and decided to collect them without
gloves. Each time I have nursed my wounds, questioning such a
crazy decision. No matter how carefully I harvest, this tasty
plant reminds me that she is protecting herself and she is to
be respected. Luckily once the plant is cooked the sting disappears
and you can savor this delicacy without concern.
Nature’s
Medicines
Nettles: As a naturopathic physician, I pay attention to
good medicines, and these two plants qualify. Stinging nettle
is beneficial as a spring tonic and rejuvenator. As a medicine
it tends to be very stimulating and drying. It has a supportive
effect on our immune system, spleen, circulatory system, urinary
tract, nervous system, respiratory tract, digestive system and
the endocrine system, including the adrenals, thyroid, and the
pancreas. It nourishes the entire body. It nourishes us spiritually
as well, by increasing receptivity to the natural energetic flow
of our spirit. Nettle is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium,
iron and silicic acid. The high mineral content may be the reason
for nettle tea’s ability to reduce the severity and occurrence
of leg cramps as well as menstrual cramps, and its ability to
support strong bones. I make a strong decoction from the tea to
extract its minerals. Usually leafy items are infused, but to
extract minerals you need to decoct or simmer the tea for a minimum
of 30 minutes. Nettle is also beneficial in excessive menstrual
bleeding. It assists in cold and damp health conditions, as well
as conditions involving heat such as intermittent fevers and burns.
It is used for chronic respiratory, digestive and urinary tract
illnesses that involve excessive mucus. Nettle favors elimination
of uric acid and is therefore useful in gouty arthritis. It is
used in hay fever, asthma, and edema. Nettle is best used long
term in treating chronic illnesses. I use nettles for my own health
as well as patients. It is one of my favorite herbs. I can attest
to its efficacy in most of the areas mentioned. Due to its pleasant
taste, I usually give it to patients in the form of a tea.
Dosage
as a medicine: Tea — one or two heaping tablespoons per cup
of water simmered for 30 minutes, or 30-60 drops of liquid extract.
This dose can be consumed 1-4 times per day.
Dandelion:
Similar to nettles, dandelion shares the dual role of being nutritious
and a healing medicine. The whole plant can be eaten as food or
used as medicine. I like the young spring greens best as a food.
At this time of year they are mildly bitter and gently stimulate
your digestion. If you eat summer or fall greens they are quite
bitter and overpower most people, including me. The more bitter
the greens the stronger a medicine they are. Just like the leaf,
the root is both a food and a medicine. The root has both a bitter
and a sweet taste. The root can be harvested from late fall till
early spring. It is most bitter in the early spring. In the autumn
it is very high in inulin which is a constituent that supports
the “good” gut bacteria and keeps “bad” gut
bacteria at bay. If using dandelion for its inulin content it
is best to eat it as a food or make a hot tea out of it. Autumn
roots are roasted and used as a coffee substitute. I like to mix
the roasted autumn roots with a little roasted chicory, a little
Bupleurum and a tad bit of licorice. You can try various mixtures
for fun. The dandelion flowers are high in flavonoids. The flowers
can be used to make dandelion wine, battered and deep-fried or
used in stir-fries and soups. The green calyx beneath the flower
is quite bitter and needs to be removed if you don’t want
the bitter component in your wine or food. I learned the hard
way about the calyx in my wine. The first dandelion wine I made
was so bitter, no one wanted to drink it. With adaptive thinking,
I redefined the concoction from “wine” to a “digestive
stimulant” to be used in small amounts. It worked well.
When
using dandelion as a medicine it tends to be cooling and drying.
Dandelion is used for arthritis, gout, allergies, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, varicose veins, edema and abnormal blood sugar
levels. Dandelion (especially the leaves) can increase the flow
of urine, stimulate the bowels, thin the blood, decrease inflammation,
support and stimulate the liver, stimulate the gall bladder and
dry up boggy tissues. Its action on digestion makes it useful
for gastric headaches. It is indicated for many female problems
and skin diseases due to its action on the liver. The whole plant,
especially the root, is beneficial to the liver but I find you
need to use the herb over time for best results. Its action on
the liver makes dandelion a wonderful ally for people who have
chemical sensitivities, have consumed liver toxic chemicals (such
as pesticides, herbicides, drugs), or have been exposed to toxic
substances in the environment.
Dandelion
can also help people on an emotional level. It is specific for
feelings of anger, agitation, nervousness and dull-mindedness.
Dandelion is supportive of the solar plexus and all manners of
disease that arise in the third chakra.
In
an age when pollution and health hazards abound, dandelion presents
herself as a gift to protect our bodies and lift our spirits.
This is a plant that we can all benefit from being friends with.
She teaches us that our quick and harsh judgements can be harmful
and incorrect. She also teaches us tolerance and acceptance of
Spirit’s will. She allows us to see the beauty in the most
mundane of our world’s treasures and the gifts in those we
consider to be giftless.
Dosage
as a medicine: Tea — one heaping teaspoon of root per cup
of water simmered for 15-20 minutes, or one heaping tablespoon
of the leaf per cup of water infused for 20-30 minutes, or 30-60
drops of liquid extract. These dosages can be used 1- 4 times
per day in a little water.
Sharol
Tilgner is a licensed naturopathic physician in Creswell,
Oregon and president of Wise Woman Herbals, Inc. Dr. Tilgner was
the Director of the Portland Naturopathic Clinic pharmacy for
more than two years. Dr. Tilgner is a nationally known speaker
who lectures at medical colleges and conferences across the United
States. She acts as an herbal consultant to both physicians and
the herbal industry. She also promotes and sponsors The Pacific
NW Herbal Symposium each spring. Her most recent contribution
to the herbal world is her new book called "Herbal Medicine
From The Heart of the Earth." She is the also the editor
of "Herbal Transitions," and associate editor of "Medical
Herbalism."
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