Every week, we receive emails from folks who are on the hunt for that one exotic herb that will solve all their problems. Maybe it can only be found in the mountains of Mongolia… or along the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Our first question is always the same. “Have you explored the powerful herbal remedies that are available in your neck of the woods yet?”
More often than not, the answer is no.
We tend to forget about the effective natural medicines that can be found around your home – many disguised as spices (or as ‘invasive’ weeds) …
So… today I’m going to focus on three remedies that you may already have!
1.) Garlic – Allium sativum
I’d like to start with Allium sativum, or garlic – not only out of respect for my Italian roots, but because it is quite possibly the most potently practical medicinal herb on the planet. We all know this strong-charactered little bulb for its delicious flavor and aroma, but I’m often baffled by how few people use it medicinally for its plethora of healing applications.
This wasn’t always the case. As recently as 60 years ago, garlic was a crucial component in the standard-issue medical kits that were carried by medics in both World War I and II to treat wounds. Its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties have been praised for millennia.
In terms of versatility, there are very few herbs that compare to garlic. It is an effective blood thinner, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-oxidant, and immune system stimulant that promotes heart health and is also proven to lower cholesterol.
My favorite use: garlic can literally knock out a cold or flu in less than 24 hours if used in conjunction with the right dietary protocol and adequate sleep.
The best way to take it? Raw. Yes, this can be intense, but if it’s a little hard on your palate imagine how uncomfortable it is for the critters in your gut that are making you feel lousy.
If I was only allowed to keep one herb in my medicine bag, garlic would be it.
2.) Apple Cider Vinegar – Malus sp.
Talk about an ancient household remedy, apple cider vinegar has been used since the beginning of recorded history. Many species of apple (Malus) can be used to make this ancient brew.
Archaeologists have found Egyptian urns dating back to 3000 B.C. that still contain remnants of the stuff! Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed apple cider vinegar for a variety of different health issues – and guess what? Both clinical and alternative medicine practitioners still recommend it as a great way to keep the doctor away.
Because of its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties, apple cider vinegar has a number of medicinal applications. It is often gargled to treat sore throat, applied to the skin for wart and mole removal (a dab each night can yield very positive results), applied to the face for acne care, and ingested as a cold and sinus infection treatment.
The above applications alone would make this a valuable item to have in your kitchen, but there are recent studies that indicate that apple cider vinegar may be beneficial for more serious health conditions as well.
A 2004 study published by the American Diabetes Foundation found that type 2 diabetics experienced some very promising results when taking a dose of apple cider vinegar before meals. On average the diabetics who participated experienced a 25% improvement in their blood glucose levels – which is quite a feat.
New cancer studies are also pointing to apple cider vinegar as a promising anti-cancer food, particularly in the slowing of cancerous cell growth and the prevention of the formation of new cancer cells.
A word to the wise: choose your apple cider vinegar wisely. The murkier the better. If you have a bottle of clear apple cider vinegar in your cabinet, it’s not medicine. The good stuff is brownish orange and has residue at the bottom.
Just about everyone I know uses Bragg’s apple cider vinegar because of the company’s long-standing track record of consciousness and selfless service to those in need. Patricia Bragg, daughter of the founder, Paul Bragg, is an amazing woman. 🙂
3.) Dandelion – Taraxacum officinale
This last herb isn’t one you would necessarily find in your pantry, but just about every lawn in the United States is adorned with this bright cheery flower at some point in the year. We’ve been trained to look at these yellow sunbursts as weedy pests, but you only need to watch a child interact with one to know their true beauty.
Its common name is a corruption of the French “Dent de Lion” or “lions tooth” – a reference to its jagged, toothlike leaves.
My friend and wild food expert, Daniel Vitalis, says that the herbs that our body needs the most tend to grow within a mile of us, just another way that mother earth looks out for her children.
Given that the standard American diet is often heavy-handed with processed meats, refined sugars, pesticide-laden produce and little to no living food, the greatest gift that Pachamama could bestow upon us would be an incredible detoxifier, right? Well, look no further than your front yard because the Taraxacum officinale is exactly that.
To put it simply, dandelions are your liver’s best friend. Yes, your liver, the second largest organ in your body, which among many other duties serves as your body’s filter. If you have been eating “naughtily” and feel as though you have gunkily guk (my own scientific term) built up inside of you, the first course of action is to a) change your diet and b) nurture your liver so that it can process the toxins you’ve ingested and safely remove them from your system.
The best liver cleanser I know of is freshly brewed dandelion root tea. And I’m not alone in this theory. Folk healers and doctors were prescribing this long before our time. Another delicious way to promote liver health is to add dandelion greens to salads or sauté them alongside your protein.
Somehow seeing that latin scientific identifier “Taraxacum officinale” gives this widely disrespected super herb a little more swagger, doesn’t it? It’s about time!
A question, just for fun: Every family has someone who plays the “granny healer” role – who is it in your house?
When someone comes down with an illness in my house, the healer in me turns on almost too eagerly, like a golden retriever leaping into action after a freshly thrown frisbee. What can I say? I love this stuff.
Stay curious,
Nick Polizzi
Host of Proven: Healing Breakthroughs Backed By Science
& Founder of The Sacred Science
Nick, thank you for what you do!, in my house i’m the granny healer, growing up in Peru exposed me to all the natural herbs. Although when I was young I never place an importance on them.
Now I wish I had paid attention to all the knowledge my. Mother had about all the herbs she used to prepare.
Blessings!
Love these remedies too! Yes, who did my family members talk to about that hocus pocus stuff… One of my favorites is Peppermint tea; alleviates tummy problems and headaches. And good to drink too!
Thanks, Nick, for this email. I have an abundance of all three in my home and have been eating garlic and the apply cider vinegar daily. Re: the dandelion root tea. Could you give me a little direction here. Should I just dig up some roots and steep them in hot water? Thanks so much for all.
make sure that your neighbors are not using chemicals on their lawns. The chemicals could leach onto your lawn and contaminate your dandelions. Your liver surely doesn’t want you enjoying a cup of dandelion tea with a splash of Monsanto in it.
Health food store. Pick up dandelion root drink. It is a great substitute for coffee. Great for the liver
I tend to be the healer for my 90 year old mother, adult daughters, self, husband, and anyone who is interested. Am on a journey to learn about all things healing. Share by way of our county’s Aging and Disability Resource Center, local television, and local/state/national media.
I have one remedy my grandmother and mother taught us, if you have a sore on your gums, crack a pinto bean in half (non-cooked) and place the inside of the bean on the sore until it adheres to your gum and leave at least a couple of hours.
Hi Nick,
I seen a story from Dr. Robert Beck that garlic is poison, is there any legitamacy to that? http://youtu.be/14aZbjs0mIY
Thank you for these remedies-how would you use the apple cider vinegar -just drink it if so how much? Also the dandelion -is it just the roots you boil or other parts?
Thanks for your help!
Apple cider vinegar is just a tablespoon first thing in the morning and you can wash it down with a glass of water. If that’s not your style just mix the vinegar in some warm water and drink it like that. Not sure about the root tea though
I like to put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of tomato juice. Tasty.
Just love your emails Nick. Always such good information. Agree totally with your selection of the
Best three but would like to add chamomile. Such a little treasure in my life!
That would be me!
We have used Bragg’s ACV but we don’t like that it now comes in a plastic bottle and have since switched brands.
Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is still sold in glass bottles. Ask your store to get the glass version.
Thank you for these! I will put them in my file. I have heard eat locally, but I didn’t realize many things were within a mile!
Hi … this comment area keeps deleting my comments when I try to make a correction!! So I will try again for the 7th time… lol
Thank you for the information… do you have any recommendations for quantities to consume of both garlic and especially apple cider vinegar for blood sugar control?
Thanks
That happened to me too Pauline! This interface needs help! Since that is one of the things I do for a living if the Sacred Science team would like my help, let me know.
Thankyou soooo much!!!!
Thank you. I’m the granny healer in my home. Honey, lavender oil and infusions. Rosemary or Cinnamon with honey are my favourites.
I have a couple of favorites…ik a bunch but I will mention two! First the papaya enzymes for an upset stomach. I have had to keep my kiddos from eating them as a candy treat so it isn’t too hard to entice them ~ even with a yucky tummy. Second is the gargle I use. Salt water, apple cider vinegar and some honey. I feel that the ACV kills what ever is lurking back there, the salt water thins it out from straight ASV and the honey soothes/coats the throat ;and makes the taste better too.
First, Thanks Nick, for your blog and your site!!!! Yes, I have used these medicines for years. I take garlic everyday-Raw. It’s been in a container with some olive oil to soften it. I also use apple cider vinegar as a drink in the morning ad use it for cleaning. You always have such Great information on your site. I love getting the emails from you. This makes a Great Beginning to my day every day that i receive them. You are Very Much Appreciated!!!! Again, Many Thanks……
Ciao,
Jane
Wonderful, 100% with you. I’m from Ecuador
The granny healer would be me! Been using the backyard dandelion for many years.
I am the herb and tea lady.everyone but people in my family try my concoctions.my kids are happy they have a mother who can help them feel better.Thank you for helping me help others.
Just a delightful article. I also come from Italian heritage and was raised with some really good home cooked food. I remember something about dandelion greens being good for you. I think someone went out and gathered them…so here I go to carry on the tradition.
thanks a bunch, Susanne
Hi, I have used fresh garlic for years on wounds/sores. It stings a bit at first, but I bandage it on and in no time the sore is gone – great stuff. Apple cider vinegar and a touch of honey are great pH adjusters too as well as a great hair rinse. I will have to try the dandelion root tea as presently all my dandelion leaves go next door to the neighbor’s tortoise. Thank you for sharing so that we all evolve in a positive direction.
My mother and aunt always used Apple cider vinegar, they lived to be 89 and 92 respectively with few ailments and clear minds. I am going to try the dandelion root tea for the liver.
Keep the information coming-thanks and blessings for a good day.
I am the granny healer…and chiropractor of te family.
Your remedies I’ve used an prescibed to my patients with much success.
I LOVE your info!!!keep up the good work!!
Annick
Wow, the garlic is really intense. Tried putting on crackers and drinking milk afterwards. Love all your remedies. Thank you for sharing.
Boil an egg then eat it shell and all. Crush the shell if you wish. It is made of easily digested calcium.
Great info, consolidates the ones I read before.
Ultimate morning tea: grated ginger and turmeric roots, hot water, dent de lion tea, apple cider vinegar, lemon and honey and a sliced raw garlic. Do it everyday and feel like a superman. And loose extra fatty pounds. Great alkaline anti cancer ingredients.
That sounds powerful. If you me asking, what quanties are your ingredients? Thank you.
type your comment here…Great information! Thank you! Kim
Knew about the Garlic and dandelion, and a little about the vinegar. In clearing our land (working on edible/medicinal plants/trees only. We research he tree, the Crepe Myrtle (banaba) tree. Is also know for aiding with diabetes. Making a tea of it’s leaves.
I love you blog, it’s one of the only ones I read top to bottom when it comes out. It’s full of useful information without all the “filler”. Thank you so much and keep writing!
I agree with you! Ieat as healthy as I can. I want to do a barrel garden. I have everything but the barrel. The ones I find are quite pricey. I’m still looking.
Peace and Joy,
Beverly Kendrick
I’m inspired to begin investigating medicinal relationship with everything that is growing in my yard! Thank you for the idea 🙂
nice..i have all of these in my home and use them regularly. we make dandelion tinture every year , and also this year are trying dandelion in oil to use as a massage oil. apparently its good for sore muscles, aches, pains…::)
I love the article. One question though. I’ve heard that you should use some caution in using garlic as it can actually wipe out some of the good bacteria. Thoughts?
I confess, it is me! I have not been successful at getting most of my family to try dandelion greens or even raw honey with raw garlic in it, but it is in my frig, and I use it when necessary..it works! I also have been growing herbs for teas for a number of years in Indiana. I moved to Oklahoma two summers ago and am still trying to learn the gardening ways. Have eaten the dandelion greens here in an omelet, though! Lambs quarters are just coming up!
Bravo Nick,
I am 84 years old and can still recall that we never went to the doctor, (we were too poor and it was the Depression) but my Grandmother always had “hierbas” or herbs that she used to heal anything and everything!
Thank you Nick, very interesting ,you just confirmed my belief in our good garlic is for the body, plus the dandelion and cider vinegar. Thanks.
I’m the “granny healer” in my house! I love your ideas and tips too. So for the garlic just peel a bulb and chew it up? Willing to try this and I also heard that this keeps mosquitos away from you!
type your comment here…
When i feel the first signs of a sore throat I break off a small piece of garlic clove big enough to stay lodged in my ears. Overnight can knock those bugs right out!
And good friends, too!!!
I’m the “granny healer” in my house! I love your ideas and tips too. So for the garlic just peel a bulb and chew it up? Willing to try this and I also heard that this keeps mosquitos away from you!
type your comment here…
Yes, anytime I start to feel congested I put a clove of garlic in my mouth. Works every time. Thanks for reminding us of what’s so close, like dandelions.
Your generosity in providing this quality, important information is appreciated.
Thanks Nick! This has inspired me to reinstate my daily warm water, raw apple cider vinegar, raw honey and crushed garlic drink and to go dandelion hunting!
:Nick – your posts are just awefome. Keep going strong – you’re influencing our world!
Love this, always looking for alternative medicine. I was juicing, but I have messed up my juicer. I did get some raw beet juice down me along with ginger root. I think the beet juice should help my gall bladder. I have some Bragg’s vinegar, love it. Also having a positive attitude helps also. Thanks.
Love this, always looking for alternative medicine. I was juicing, but I have messed up my juicer. I did get some raw beet juice down me along with ginger root. I think the beet juice should help my gall bladder. I have some Bragg’s vinegar, love it. Also having a positive attitude helps also. Thanks.
Enjoy reading your interesting research into the healing power of herbs.
I am the healer in our home. I wonder if our neighbors might think us a little daft for letting our dandelions have free reign here in suburbia, but the bees love them and so do we.
I love your blog and your views on plants.
Thank you.
Nick, thank you for your good advice. I will change my CPV to the one you suggested and will buy organic dandelion to mixed in my salad (unfortunately I do not have a garden. I am looking forward to your next blog.
question: I have high cholesterol and I am pre-diabetic. How much apple cider vinegar should I drink a day ?
Blessing to you
La curandera en mi casa es mi hija Nidia y yo. She is a truly healer with M>d. license and doing some work with leeches are you familiar with them?
how do we fix dandelion so we can ear it…
how do we fix it.. the dandelion.
Thanks, Nick, for the confirmation about Garlic and for me new info about apple cider vinegar -both are in my kitchen! Wonderful! Thanks for all you do!
Thank you for all you do. You are a gift to all.
Would you consider Kombucha to have the same benefits as Apple Cider Vinegar?
Thank you for this information. I was just reading about ACV yesterday. According to what I was reading just 2 TB in 8 oz of water right before bed will reduce ones blood sugar level by 4-6 percent by morning. Wow, such power. I also read that for diabetics it is suggested that one take 2 TB ACV with 8oz water before each meal. Your information goes in alignment with this information. I am on my way to buy some Braggs right now and to tell the Pharmacist to hold off on the Metformin. Thank you again.
Me too, Nick! My dad was a Ph.D. botanist and in his elder years, he was interested in the healing properties of plants. He became friends with Gary Young, of Young Living Essential Oils and shared a lot of his knowledge with Gary (at no cost to Gary) which has made Gary a very rich man. My dad was unexpectedly killed in a freak accident in 2009. After he died, I retrieved his essential oils, frankincense and myrrh resins, and his Chinese wolfberries (goji) and took them home. I sense I was a healer/shaman in one of my past lives. In this life, I am a lawyer and am a Reiki Master, which is a difficult juxtaposition for my clients and my colleagues. Nevertheless, what my Reiki training adds to my law practice is immeasurable and so valuable.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I loved the movie, Sacred Science, and am enjoying your blogs!
Best wishes,
Meredith McKell Graff
Vancouver, WA
(www.mckellgraff.com)
Great story about your dad helping Gary Young with information! So sorry to hear that your dad has crossed over but it must be so honoring for you to know the how many people have benefitted from YLEO’s over the years! Gary stoodc on very strong shoulders, as we all do, in order to learn and progress. Blessings in ALL ways to you!
I’ve used the apple cider vinegar and it truly is a miracle worker . My daughter has always praised raw garlic as the best go to herb. I will try to supplement my salads with the dandelion greens. Thanks for the info.
Thank you so much for sharing this information. I have a question about the dandelion. How do I prepare ? Do i use the root or the hold plant
Excellent accurate info.
Please show the amounts one would use in making your herbs, I would use the apple cider vinegar but how much?
I am… Thanks!
Excellent info. Thank you so much. I come from a family of healers and I’m just starting this journey, fascinating and so loving. I would like to know how do you recommend drinking the vinegar, i tried 1tbs diluted in a glass of water 1st thing in the morning, but after sometime i started having pain in my stomach, it was too strong for me. Thanks again.
What parts of the dandelion do you use for what? and how do you use them? Like tea, or eating the leaves. The dandelions in my yard are small.
Nick, what do you think the best way to use Apple Cider Vinegar is?
Thank you Nick for the usefull information
Nick, thanks for all the great information, and i share your views and the way the world
has become perverted thru big Pharma and Government lobbied ppoliticians.
We need to wake others up and start looking after our planet and Bodies .
Knowledge is power.
Hi, great article, do you know what can heal headaches i have been having one for two days and don’t want to take any medicine. Please!!!
Tapping for pain @ the tappingsolution.com could help, water with Apple Cider vinegar or lemon juice added first thing in the morning and a liver cleanse for a week or two .
It is spring here in Maine and soon the dandelions will be everywhere. My grandmother used to dig dandelion greens as well as give us kids all sorts of “mixtures” and tonics. One had black strap molasses. Now I know that has a lot of iron in it. We used to go down to the edge of a salt water area and she dug up some kind of grass. Looking back I can see that she did have a ton of wisdom she grew up with not having immediate access to doctors.
type your comment here..I use onion and garlic plus ACV in my salad almost every day or whenever I eat one. This enhances taste and is very healthful. Make sure your salads are
organic.
I forgot to add to the previous message: ACV comes in a glass bottle, the Amino Acids come in plastic. Paul Bragg’s ACV is very expensive. I buy Trader Joes and it is organic and murky. Tastes delicious and reasonable. price. Thanks
Thank you for the info , I did not know about the last healing plant that you mentioned . I learned something new . Thanks again ..
How does one prepare dandelion root tea
And how many times a day
Thanks Nick. I’m really enjoying your posts. I’m the healer in in my family. Will add the cider vinegar to my list of concoctions One that I recommend often when people are feeling like they’re coming down with something is a tea with sage and thyme, for it’s the herbs in the chicken soup that make us feel better, not the chicken. A bit of humour around the raw garlic. When I was pregnant I came down with a cold, someone told me about the raw garlic so I was downing quite a lot with my orange juice. There was nothing subtle about passing gas after that, everyone would have to clear the room! Perhaps it was the amount I ingested. It also drove the cold away.
Hi Nick , I live in Brazil where Dengue fever is prevalent and we use marigold tea to cure it . The tea rebuilds the white blood cells in a few hours and cures Dengue in a day or two. The Aztecs used it 2000 years ago. It will work for any virus and is unbelievable. Please pass this information on to your listeners and try it yourself the next time you feel a cold coming on . You can grow it in the summer and keep it in the freezer for winter use. Just put the leaves,stems , and even flowers in boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Then drink as much as you can of the warm tea for a day or so.
Thanks for this recipe Roger much appreciated.
Thank you, too. I appreciate the sharing of knowledge, cheers
Awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the reminders Nick! My family has been using remedios caseros for as long as I can remember…Thank you abuelas!…Brightest blessings to you Nick and yours…e*
I appreciate your highlighting these simple and accessible remedies found right within our reach! Every spring (or when needed) I make a large pot of dandelion soup. I use a full bunch of dandelions, a bulb of fennel, some carrots and celery root and spice it with cayenne, ginger root & garlic. Sometimes, I add in a shot of raw apple cider vinegar and a pureed tomato at the end while the soup is just sitting. this seems to work well to cleanse my system after a winter of heavier eating. After reading your article, I will add a bit more vinegar and raw garlic straight to the bowl!
type your comment here…Hi Nick thanks for all the info you provide us with. I love taking care of myself the natural way, not that it’s easy! Most of this stuff is bitter but I rather have this than medicine that has 1001 side affects and addictions. And yes, I’m the granny healer in my family. Thanks looking forward to the next email. XOXO
Thanks Nick, I am the granny healer in our family and love this and how mother nature provides and supports us to do this . I have just started on a garlic and lemon minced with filtered water mix , to clear plaque from the body and am looking forward to the health benefits !
Thank you Nick for the email. Keep up the good work. As a child should have paid attention when I use to collect herbs for my mothers remedies.
Hi Nick, Thank you for your article. I thoroughly enjoy all your posts. I guess I am the granny healer in our house. My Dad is turning 85, this year – a big believer in garlic – extremely healthy, in mind and body. I tend to seek an alternative therapy or remedy before I even consider anything else. I guess he has had that influence. It is so true that we tend to seek out the exotic and strange before looking in our own backyard. Love your passion and your selfless sharing of knowledge. Un abraccio.
Sorry to bother you here but I could not find out how to contact you for changing my email. For now on please use this instead the gmail : [email protected] . Once again excuse me for using may be the wrong place. Very truly yours. Haydee
Thanks Nick, love this email and looking forward to more .
Well, I have to admit the granny healer is me. Since I was a child I paid attention to what my mom and other older adults said and did when someone was ill. As I got older I began reading and traveling to learn as much as I could from healers. I love that I can share what I have Learned and am learning with others.
I agree there are medicinal plants all around us.
I’ve found that dandelion wine is very good for fighting colds or the flu.
I am the granny healer in this house 🙂
firm believe in herbal remedies.
Thank you for the e-book.
Hello Nick, I am also eager to take on the role of healer in my family. Love healing others. My garden is overflowing with beautiful dandelions! Thank you for this wonderful information about these ancient medicines…..Namasté from Vancouver Island
Hola Nick ,un abrazo para ti tambien,I am the granny healer in my family ,but nobody listens .
Hi nick
Thank you for this information. It’s always good to learn the other side of foods and flowers. Please send more. Learning in small snatches is great. Sometimes too much knowledge is overwhelming and we tend to put aside.
Thanks for all your effort with sacred science it’s brilliant and much needed in the world.
Maria
I always have grown up with the belief that garlic is a powerful healer and tastes amazing! But lately I have heard from the buddhist direction that they would not use garlic as it distorts brain functions? Do you know anything about that? I certainly agree that it makes you want more, ie. improves cravings!
Nick, that was so funny about your reference to a golden retriever. I am the healer in our home – I help my huskies and horses and myself and encourage my family to use safe alternatives to medicines. There’s a combination I wanted to share with you that works wonderfully. Take a 1/2 cup of honey 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar and crush 8 cloves of garlic..mix in a mason jar and take 2 teaspoons in a glass of water daily – this keeps bugs away, you can put over your pets food also. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks – possibly longer but mine doesn’t last too long – it keeps colds away and obviously boosts the immune system.
Thank you for your information regarding ancient herbal medines…as i am in the process of becoming a medicine woman
… If like to say it is me who is the granny healer.. In fact as a child a family friend nicknamed me Gran’…. I’m new to the awakenings of my surroundings and how whole, good food can heal almost every ailment. So I love learning more about the weeds, flowers and veges that are native to my surroundings!
Thanks Nick. I enjoy your posts. I use and get the benefits of these herbs. Trying to coach the family into using these and other herbs too.
Thank you for this post.. I eat garlic and vinegar every day… However the dandelion is growing like crazy in my backyard and I forget to harvest and use it… I’m going to try some this weekend make tea and such.. I saw Spirit Science a few weeks ago and loved it thank you for the inspiration! Reminds me of an amazing beautiful place I co-founded in the Sonoran Desert called Windspirit Community I’ve never seen so many edible and medicinal plants ever!! windspiritcommunity.org
Oh and Nick if you or friends are ever in Arizona on the Eastern side you are most welcomed to some and stay!!!
Nicely researched and presented article! My grandmother used to use Dandelion greens, among others, but I never knew why! I have used Garlic (both fresh and in capsules) for years to clear asthma and congestion! ACV too! I totally agree! Blogger and author of ALL things Natural health and wellness, Sheila. bravo!
Thank you
I have read that dandelion is not good for gallstones. I can’t remember if it was leaves, root or both.
Any one have any idea?
Nick, thanks a lot for the information
Honey, thyme, witch hazel, ginger, peppermint, so many everyday pantry items that have valuable healing potential! Dandelion wine is a nice way to tap it’s potential! Great information everyone! Blessings all!
When it comes to the root of the dandelion do you dig it up and just boil it? The rest we have in our home.
Me
Hello Nick I have a question can just pull a whole dandelion up roots and all and boil it to make my tea.
Interesting
I am the golden retriever in my family
That would be me – the granny that is! I just made dandelion tincture on the new Moon
(Saturday). Check out some of my awesome dandelion recipes
In the spring issue of http://www.tendmagazine.co.uk
You may also see pictures of my love of dandelions and wild edibles on my Instagram
Organicgardengirl3 🙂 loved your article!
Love the Information thank you
I am the resident healer and massues lol.
type your comment here…I love your posts!! great info! I would love to have a book from my great great great grandmother with all those recipes!!! Those were the days where no GMO’s no toxins, no medicines existed, except mother nature.
Just to add to the list – cider vinegar and honey – a tablespoon of both in a glass of water has helped arthritis in my hands.
thanks nick i love raw garlic and caint wait to grow my own.
Thank you So much for this info about garlic, apple cider vinegar and dandelium. Garlic is and the vinegar will be a staple in my house.
And you gave us all a gift, three simple remedies. Let us bang the drums of happiness. Thank you.
Thanks for these. Really helpful and good of you to share
Always interested in herbal medicine. This is a great opportunity to gain knowledge.
canyou eat the andelion flowers as well? I imagine they would look good in a salad or as a tea.
I wish I had written down the Herbs my Great Grandmother passed down; the families still use the ones we can remember. Aren’t they awesome I love when you print your articles that are so great for our health. Thank you
What do you recommend for nail fungus?
Hi Nick,
It’s me and always has been me, the healer. I learned about herbs years ago, followed by homeopathics and finally and most importantly, energy healing that transforms every aspect of life. I feel so blessed.
Yesterday I had 12 cloves of garlic for breakfast with fresh tomato, and a hard boiled egg. It was part of a regimen I am following that is anti fungal for Candida overgrowth. I felt energized all day and followed for lunch and dinner with more garlic. My research shows me that Nothing can be better for healing than garlic. I agree with your blog…raw, roasted, sautéed…any way at all garlic is the best thing to have if you are surviving in a jungle, going to a job, or plain living in life!
Garlic tampons and apple cider vinegar shots with OJ…magic. No more Monistat 🙂
Thank you.
I’ve found the articles interesting. The inherent respect for indiginious people’s is quite respectful. Thanks.
What a lovely article…………such a delight with so much wonderful healthful information.I am passing it on to a number of friends………….Thank you Niick and staff………….I extend Love and Healing Vibrations………..The work that you are doing is so healing .
Love and Appreciation……………Lloyd
Thanks for a lovely article…………so informative .I am passing it on to friends, I extend Love and Healing Vibrations,
Love and Appreciation……Lloyd
The reall French name for dandelion is Pisse-en-lit which means pee in the bed! I’ve noticed that the same people who would most benefit from the plant are the ones who root it from their lawns and despise it! They’re generally pissed off individuals angry at this lovely healer for interrupting their bowling green lawns. 🙂
Hi Nick Thank you for all this information and insights, And amazing interviews with some awesome people.
Good advise, thanks for sharing.
My Scot-Irish great Grandfather and great Uncle were Dr.’s /healers, my 94 year old Dad states, “Herbal teas, tinctures and salves made by them and other family members were there medicines”. I have been making and sharing these cures for over 40 years. Am so pleased to read your educational web site an see you getting the word more firmly established. The mother provides all we need to heal, spiritually and physically. Many blessings jim
Cloudy ACV is home to “the Mother,” beneficial bacteria which help us like kombucha. When a bottle is near empty but still has Mother, I add plain (read cheaper 😉 ACV to it and let it sit for a few weeks giving us plenty of Mothery ACV.
Nick, you are wonderful! Thank you for doing what you do. A world full of healers would be a marvelous thing.
Hi Nick, every week I eagerly look forward to your insightful emails. However I live in the UK so sadly some of your video events are, for me, viewing restrictive due to world time frames. Is there a format I could access to watch at a more convenient time?
Thank you for all your past posts, keep up the good work.
From a fellow curious life traveller
and a family granny healer!
Thanks for the blog Nick.
I am the witch in our family 🙂
For kitchen remedies I would add cloves, cinnamon sticks and ginger. I boil a tablespoon of cloves with a cinnamon stick and a small chunk of ginger (if I have it) in water, then serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and a heaped tablespoon of runny honey as a cold and flu remedy.
Doesn’t the garlic give you bad garlic breath ? How do you rememdy that ? Thanks
Question – re Dandelion – – Thankyou for your interesting article. I have seen Dandelion mentioned in other settings as well. I am, concerned, however of the sources for dandelions. Are not most of our local sources tainted by herbicides and other contaminants?
Thank you for this article! I absolutely loved it! I’m excited for my dad, who has type 2 diabetes, to try out the apple cider vinegar before meals! I was brewing Jun last year (often thought of the “original” kombucha, using green tea and honey instead of black tea and sugar). I started using the yeast to make sourdough bread, experimenting with all kinds of flour, including gluten free ones. I once baked a loaf with dandelion flowers in it. Yum. =]
The problem with going into your backyard for dandelions is so many of them are doused in chemistry. Our lawn had been untreated for years, so I tried harvesting some dandelions last year (we had a huge crop)–and then my sister took some “Weed & Feed” to the lawn because my mom was raised to expect lawns to be green, not bright yellow. So I don’t know if I even want to try harvesting this year.
We have a bag of cold flour in the freezer at all times, if anyone has a burn, an itchy bite, a sting, we put the plain cold flour on the burn, for example, and it immediately draws out the heat, and also does not seem to allow any scaring. saucepan burns, iron burns, any small burn it will heal almost instantly the same for the bites. Thanks Nick , great work.
Mi abuela tenía en casa el “Mis observaciones clínicas sobre el limon, el ajo y la cebolla”, del genio Nicolas Capo (imagino que lo conoces). Yo era muy pequeñita y ella me leía las recetas. Todavía conservo la costumbre de elegir alguna de esas tres medicinas naturales como primera medida ante cualquier enfermedad. Son extraordinarias. Un auténtico regalo de la Naturaleza.
Muchas gracias por tu nota.
Do not forget the flower stalk of the Dandelion. Chew them slowy,before they stop flowering. You can eat 8- 10 stalks a day. The Dandelion root you can wash and eat it raw,then you will have a happy day 🙂
For me nr.1 outside my door is Nettle,early in spring. Enjoy !
I have been oil pulling for years, and using apple cider vinegar. But dandelions, I picked them last year, steamed them, and they were virtually inedible. Is there a perfect time to pick these?
Love your wisdom i want to keep receiving but in my culture we used garlic and palma christi to cleanse the body and a herb called associ to clean the blood.
Thank you
A cousin sent this article to me, as I have been afflicted with many ailments for many years, and thought maybe I could find help for some of my maladies. I’m very excited hearing about your medical knowledge. My mother used Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic quite often, and had me try Dandelion Tea. This article brought those things to light again, as I had grown away from some of her remedies, except I still love and use Garlic in my cooking. Look out Apple Cider Vinegar, here I come!
I put a tablespoon or so of ACV in a small glass of organic beet juice…tastes like pickled beets and is good for your heart :o)
Thank you! I love the information you are sharing and the way you write and describe all of these incredible products from Mother Nature!
Thank you for reading, Trent! We appreciate your moments and glad you spent a few with us 🙂
I was wondering about dandelion leaves. There is a grocery store nearby that sells it but the leaves are enormous. I can’t say I’ve seen dandelions that big before. Is this normal?
You can check up on the grower or farmer and see what their standards and values are, how they grow their crops. BTW Organic does not always mean “better.” Best to inquire with the grower and know their methods 🙂
My family uses fresh raw garlic at the first hint of exposure to illness. We chop it into small bits and let it sit for a few minutes to get “sticky”. We scoop the bits onto a spoon and swallow them down with water. No need to chew them up.
Thank you for all your valuable information.
Awesome, Linda! An amazingly simple and potent remedy!!
I love your article. And it’s in print. Thank you so much on both counts.
Our pleasure 🙂 Glad you like the offerings, Charlotte!
Hi Nic, I am 77 years old now, but as child I suffered with bronchitis and when I had an attack my Mother would slice up garlic and put it on a cloth and wrap it around my feet and then put socks on me for the night. The next morning my breath would smell of garlic. It helped my bronchitis a lot.
I’ve heard of this before! Wonderful report, June, thank you for posting this!!
Thanks for your blogs. The information is so interesting and good☺
Agree garlic and cider vinegar have many healing properties. I use cider vinegar to keep my arthritus in check and have not had to take drugs for it and am now in my late 70’s.
Re: “„the herbs that our body needs the most tend to grow within a mile of us”:
das gilt aber nur bei ausgewogener Ernährung in einer archaischen Gesellschaft im Urwald (ohne Mangelernährung!), bei gleichzeitig pflanzlicher + tierischer Nahrung; heute wachsen solche Pflanzen kaum noch innerhalb von 1-2 km Umkreis.
“Kräuter” sind nur ein kleiner Teil der pflanzlichen Nahrung (neben Obst + Gemüse, die ebenfalls für die Gesundheit essentiell sind) und dient meist als Gewürz und seltener auch als Heilkraut.
Das Wissen um einheimische Heilkräuter ist bereits bekannt seit der vorwissenschaftlichen Kräuterkunde zu Zeiten des Mittelalters – da ist nicht “geheimnisvolles” dran, höchstens für Unwissende oder Ungebildete:
Auch wenn man die mittelalterliche Kräuterheilkunde als die “Mutter der Naturwissenschaften” bezeichnet, so ist die heutige daraus entstandene wissenschaftliche Pharmakognosie (inkl. Biochemie der Pflanzen) doch weitaus fortgeschrittener, und sie bezieht zur Heilung auch nicht-endemische Kräuter mit ein.
Wer mehr dazu wissen möchte, mag Pharmaziegeschichte und Pharmazeutische Biologie (Phytochemie) studieren. Sie sind beide Teil des Pharmaziestudiums (8 Semester).
Great article. I’m definitely the granny healer in our house. Love the golden retriever reference! My master tonic, with lots of great stuff including garlic and ACV, is a favorite in our house and gets us through cold and flu season? Really enjoy all you’re doing…. thanks for doing it!
94705
Namaste Nick,
I have loved your blog posts and emails for years and have purchased your books. Fyre cider is a firm favourite of mine in the Winter and I am also a firm believer in Garlic and ACV.
I have stopped many bugs with Garlic and used ACV to heal plantar fasciitis by drinking it in water daily for a single month! Amazing! I would LOVE to know how to properly use Dandelion roots from my garden to make tea – do you have instructions please? I recently saw an old Korean lady collecting the leaves on a patch of common land near my home and then I saw this post! I have an Auto Immune condition and Im sure my liver would thank us both for this remedy!
Sincerely and with abundant blessings,
Caroline Freedman
“…applied to the skin for wart and mole removal (a dab each night can yield very positive results),”
– Classic ‘internet science’. Moles have nerve endings – among other things – and are very similar to your normal skin. Dabbing vinegar on a mole will remove it??!!?? I’d reaaally like to see that! OMG, the stupid things that people write – and believe. Unreal.
Raw garlic, Yes! I mix mine w/ cream cheese-sure takes the ‘bite’ out it
I am the granny healer in my house. I have known about apple cider vinegar and have the Braggs brand always in my house, however i have not yet found a way to take it that doesn’t involve the gag reflex or make me recoil. It is so strong for my pallette that i shake at just the smell of it.
Is there a better way?
Nick. That’s great advise. So simple.
Thank you for the good read,I have terminal lower bowel cancer,almost died they had to rush me to hospital April 2020,told me without treatments of chemo for two years I would be dead in a few months,with chemo I still die in two years,so After praying and thinking about how sick I had become with tons of support decided to do square one with Chris,and it has been almost six months and still not sick,they removed a blockage and 28.3 centimetres of the lower bowel plus a tumor on my lower intestine and part of the bowel they removed has cancer on the out side also,stage 4,because of Covid all elected operations were suspended but I was taken by ambulance to emergency because my system was no letting anything pass,and my salts were dangerously low.I was told of the cancerous tumors and the out come of the operation and that there was no cure.I am not doing scans only blood work every three months for cancer markers.I feel wonderful ,strong,and active.I thank God for each day and for all the wonderful work people are doing to help to get the truth out about how to heal our bodies.
You do know that the French for dandelion is “pis en lit” which translates as pee in your bed
Hi,
I love your articles. Simple, profound and useful. Thank you very mucha
Nick
This is all brilliant stuff – and so grateful that people like you do what you do!
I work with people who often don’t put their health needs first so I love being able to pass on all these gems of information you send through and know it’s helping others
Please keep it coming!
With Gratitude
Jane
Hello
I make dandelion oil for skin salves. Trade medicinals makes dandelion root tea that’s sold in local grocery stores. I always add mint to the tea. It’s a little too strong for me. I just made a monarda oxymel using bragg’s. Lastly, garlic is so good sauteed or roasted. Not sure about raw though.
Thanks for all the important information you share. Stay well.
I’m called the local witch (white obviously’) or granny healer if you like that terms better, half Italian I have used garlic all my life, my Mam told me about them going collecting dandelions in the hills above San Severio, her village, for salads, teas and medicine, so obviously I have used them all my life, for all sorts of things. I make sage, cherry, dandelion, nettle, lavender, rosmary, mint, and lemon balm tea, I use most of them in my cooking as well- they all grow in my garden but I often scavenge on my walks. So also make elderberry juice, and rose hip syrup, both without sugar but for the grandchildren I put in a little honey. The grandchildren love accompanying on blackberry and dewberry picking excursions, the two youngest never knew till 4 years ago that blackberries, elderberries and rose hips grew in soil. I use everything I can.
I should say that I am 73 years old and still play football,basket ball, cricket, indeed any outdoor game with the kids- i also dance with them and indeed with myself, as I type I am wiggling on my chair to Springsteen. The activities with the kids have been badly hit this year because of the kids, but hey I go out and scavenge local areas on my own. Apart from mercury poisoning, which was only truly recognised 4 years ago by my chiro practitioner, NHS doctors and dentist telling me my self diagnosis being wrong, as you probably know the poison caused lots of problems chronic fatigue, chemical sensitivities, and an electromode problem – managed to get the mercury out and continued with my own herbal medicine regime and still baby sat 4/5 days a week throughout, I used to come home and collapse into bed, but hey now on the whole I’m good now. Still dig and look after my own garden. Looking to grow some parsley and other herbs this year, and of course continue with my witch practise – what would the locals do if I stopped. And thanks Nick for furthering my knowledge.
Hi Nick it is such a pleasure to connect to kindred souls, and I thank you and honor you for following your call I am 75 yrs young and have been using most of the items you are suggesting , just because I do ;my best to give my body , what it’s asking for… chocolet, garlic, bitter etc. eventuallly I get the message and confirmation of why my body was craving something . So the Earth gives us everything our bodies need. how can I have natural foods when my apt building is fumigated , of course Dandelion doesn’t stand a chance , and the supposibly organic ‘ foods are sooo expensive ?
Love and Light
Maria
Hello Nick,
I look forward to reading your e-mail and blog. I feel more connected to people that share the same interest of using food and herbs for healing. Nowadays it isn’t enough to know something. Knowing is the first step. Practicing and integrating that knowledge into your life is the next step. That is how I have made real improvement with my health. I intend to try the dandelion tea for cleansing the liver. I am curious enough to also try the Braggs Apple Cider vinegar because I have not tried that brand before. Other brands of apple cider vinegar usually are too acidic and cause indigestion if consumed over a period of time. However, I am hesitant about eating garlic. I know that garlic is regarded as a health food, but many so called health foods do not live up to the hype upon further investigation. There is research that contradicts that garlic is a healthy food. One of the comments I read in this article/blog gave a site that you can look up and make your own decision about garlic.
With gratitude,
Elaine
I finished reading your book and appreciate what I have learned. I believe in Nature and under heaven there is a cure for every ailment already found or yet to be found. Anyway I can find the herb anywhere in U.S.A. or on line that cures diabetes as mentioned in your book?
Hi Denia, glad the work resonates with you so much! Herbal medicine is very specific, it is also suggested to connect with a trained herbalist who can individualize treatment options for you. That written, here are some resources for you to check out for Rainforest herb sourcing:
https://www.rainpharm.com
https://tropilab.com
http://www.amazondiscovery.com/products/
https://rain-tree.com/plants.htm
I ferment garlic for several weeks in Apple Cider Vinegar then put them in a Mason jar in the fridge and then eat a raw clove every morning, DELICIOUS..
I grew up near Los Angeles, CA. I am blessed because my grandmother lived with my family. I shared a bedroom with her until I was 8 years old. Her family were members of the Society of Friends or Quakers. I still hear her gentle voice in my head giving advice of how to solve a problem with love.
I ferment garlic for several weeks in A C V then put them in a Mason jar in the fridge and then eat a raw clove every morning, DELICIOUS..
To Khali:
For headaches, try a 1/4 tsp of Salt. You may have a Magnesim deficiency. Just pop it in your mouth.
Fresh or dried chamomile flowers are good too….make a tea with a couple of heaped teaspoonfuls let brew ten mins. Good to help you go to sleep, good to sooth a sore stomach. The tea can also be used to bath a baby and essential oil of chamomile can be used directly onto the skin (without a carrier oil, but that is your choice) as with lavender essential oil. Chamomile oil applied to piles at their onset completely gets rid of them.
Thanks so much for the info on dandelions re liver function.
Thank you so much, Nick, for ALL your wonderful advice and information !!! Ditto everything everyone has said !! AND I LOVE the picture of the herbal apothecary !!! Did you design or where can I buy one ?
I have always been into the old natural ways of healing and that food is meant to help our bodies heal. My Mexican grandmothers and mother taught me many herbal remedies that were passed onto them from their mothers and grandmothers and indigenous shamans (curanderas). These are another list of favorites:
-Bronchitis/Chest Congestion: Steam half a red onion and place the rings btwn a cloth and add to the chest when sleeping. It’s stinky but works wonders
-Cutting fevers: lard and baking soda rub on the tummy, feet and back
-Cutting fevers: alcohol with vinegar rub down
-Sore throat: Gargling warm water with salt and lemon, and drinking lemon with honey in a warm syrup
-Sore throat: Take a corn tortilla, add a thin layer of lard that has been mixed with baking soda and coffee grounds and add each piece to the bottom of the feet and put a sock on it, next day no sore throat, but remove once you wake up as tortilla hardens and can be uncomfortable to step on
-Asthma, Rheumatic fevers or other fevers: Olive oil mixture with eucalyptus essential oil or use the herb using a pedestal to crush and add to a carrier oil and rub on chest. You can also use it for sprains, arthritis, pimples the list goes on…
-Baby colic: Chamomile compress wraps for the baby’s tummy. We would take a white tshirt thats soft and cut it long enough to wrap around a baby’s tummy and make the tea and add to a piece of the shirt that would hold the herb flowers that were warmed up and that would wet the shirt enough to add to the tummy and wrap around not tight to give comfort to the baby in the stomach area., and we would swaddle baby and strain the tea and give a few teaspoons to babies that were 4weeks older. Another tea my mom made that helped babies pass gas or with colic was again a few teaspoons into warm water with tea with goosefoot, skunk weed, wormseed which is called in epazote in Spanish.
Gosh so many more…another book that I love to reference natural remedies and cures is “The Hearth’s Witch’s Compendium” book by Anna Franklin. Do not let the name deter you, the items listed are natural and I use it mainly for body healing, not spells. 🙂
Excellent, I loved it.
Elizabeth
Muy interesante magnifica labor por el bien de la salud
Un especial reconocimiento para Ud.
It is me! Wellness Mama is my go to! I grew up on Prevention magazine in the 60’s before pharmaceutical companies took it over! ” The leaves are for the healing of the nations” A quote in the Bible and God does not lie!
Nick, I love what you are bringing to the world. Thank you.
I am the healer of the family, and seem to be the go-to person for some of my older siblings. I try to pull from both old and new knowledge to find the right remedy. Researching is in my blood and was my profession until retirement so looking for the right solution to a health problem is enjoyable especially when I can find something that helps.
Dandelion root is a wonderful liver cleanser and the leaves are a very good kidney cleanser. The leaves can be bitter when older but I’ve learned to enjoy certain bitter brews. I tend to use the whole plant in a decoction and add some other pleasant herbs to moderate the bitterness of the leaves. Detoxifying the liver is very important, but it’s necessary to get the toxins out, and the kidneys are are one of the primary organs for this. Nature provides so much in one plant.
Keep up the good work!
I like what i have read and learned so far.
Hi Nick your information is very interesting, I started my health journey in my late 20’s after getting candida so badly I thought I was losing my mind (literally). A few years later my gut got increasingly worse after the removal of my appendix when all I had was Salmonella. Fast forward I am now 66 still on my quest eat very very clean, mainly plant based some chicken and fish. My bowel movement are almost non existent have tried literally everything I know plus GI dr. after GI dr. Question: I loveeeeee garlic but when I eat it it just about kills me same with ACV. In my 30’s I took a fiend to NYC and had some allergy stuff going on (never had before) or so I thought so went to health food store and they recommended dandelion root, I gladly took 2 ands within a few hours my face swelled up and I was almost comatose so weird of course I didn’t know what I know now. but do you think these 3 amazing herbs do this to me because of toxicity????? I also contracted Lyme disease 7 yrs ago so the battle increased. I had a light bulb moment with your post since all 3 have always felt like my enemy.
I thought for sure that pure honey would have been listed.