Remedy: Dandelions
Blood Cleanser, diuretic

Native to Europe, Dandelions are now found all over the world - much to the chagrin of those who like a vast expanse of green lawn. But not everyone reviles the humblest member of the sunflower family.

Dandelions are rich in vitamins A, B, C, D and G and minerals such a potassium. Dandelion leaves can be tossed into salads, it's flowers distilled into wine and spirits, its roots dried into teas or roasted into a coffee-like beverage. The Chinese considered the plant a "blood cleanser" and used Dandelion juice to clear up infections as far back as the seventh century. Europeans were using the plant medicinally by 1485. Folk medics used the plant as a diuretic, a digestive aid and to cure warts and blisters. Today, dandelions are widely believed to lower cholesterol and benefit the liver. Modern research suggests that dandelions do possess antibacterial, and possibly antiviral properties. It is also a mild diuretic and laxative.

photo: http://ci.coe.uni.edu/facstaff/kuse/dandelions-pict_100.gif