Spring Therapy with Weeds

Yet a short time ago even the Daisies were in the Winter
dormancy, and now has sprouted everything which has
rank and name.
On this small piece of meadow by the wayside blossom the
violet Creeping Charlie and the yellow Dandelion in perfect
harmony.
All the Spring-bloomers stand for a fresh start !

The Plants have adept me how to seek them, to rest and linger and leave various locations.
When you roam around and collect, the types of landscape on where this or that species of Plant
thrives particularly well - either alone or with other kinds that also fit there - attracts my attention.
To observe settlement communities of Wild Plants over the Years is very exciting and makes you
think.

Some suggestions for dealing with Wild Plants

Gathering and Harvesting is not the same.
We harvest the potatoes in the garden, the wheat on the field, you reap, harvest applause.
That means you get everything, nothing remains unharvested.
Wild Plants are not to be harvested well and are unwillingly to permit, but rather to collect.
From the large amount I had not even to plant myself, I take only the best.
Much of it is already overripe, some not yet ready.
When you collect, the right place and the right time are important.
Collect says bunch, bundle, pool and concentrate, to condense the essentials.
Prohibition of large-scale picking of Wild Plants or mushrooms is in principle, because individual
species are protected.
Unlike the harvest, when collecting, I have to be alone, so I can devote myself entirely to what's
waiting for me.
I must feel, as the green Ladies and some Gentlemen encounter, befall me on this day, who of
them would want come with me, who need the power for himself and who to invite me to new
insights.
Cheerful delight at the gathering in the wild is more important than hunting for vitamins and
remedies from Nature's pharmacy.
Raspberries from the garden, risotto from the market and chocolate from the kiosk we also eat
primarily out of lust and not as a drug for or against something.
As a Nettle on the edge of wood, I would be sad and jealous, if only wanted me the dogged health
fanatic and not also a couple of lovers.
Wild Plants are living beings and not just 'container for chemical substances', as I formulate it
again and again.

1 Spring Therapy with Weeds

When collecting in the wild, is still dominating the minds the vexed issue of the 'Fox tapeworm' in
disproportional way.
There's, however the peril, even if the Plants are washed, even with such out of the garden and
from the markets, even if it's a 'Super' market ... ... because the Fox gets everywhere.
Howsoever, there is no reason to panic, if one considers the percentage of the number of
infections in comparison with other everyday risks, which we - more or less - deliberately expose
ourselves, and bear in mind.
We are living a dangerous life.
Maybe it's about something deeper, namely, the decision of what risks I am willing to take for the
benefit of a knowledge, or simply to be ready to experience beautiful moments.
Healing and Holy will take place.

When collecting, make sure that the landscape is free from chemical herbicides and synthetic
fertilizers, the best in grandma's organic garden with compost fertilizer, without industrial mineral
fertilizer that destroys every life in the soil and hampers or prevents the rain water absorption,
and thus becomes subject to erosion, enables and enhances floodwaters and is even a cause for
bad harvests ...
On heavily fertilized soils, medicinal plants are not to be found.

It is the whole flowering herb collected (with a few exceptions, such as, for example the Buttercup
[genus Ranunculus]) in the sunshine (the longer the more valuable essential ingredients) and best
at dry weather.
In the Spring, the Medicinal Drugs Plants have a particularly good healing power.

In the Spring many people like to make a Spring therapy.

Such a Spring therapy is very useful, because after a long and dark Winter, we need a lot of
vitamins, in order to be awake for the Summer-half of the Year.
Also to purge and to detox is important, to excrete and to eliminate the metabolic waste products
that have accumulated in the Winter.

It is also important in the Spring that you use the strength-gaining Sun rays, whenever they are to
see.
Much of the Sun's light after the Winter is particularly helpful to dispel fatigue and melancholy.

A lot of Herbal tea (either from wild collection - or if not available organic) and to drink fresh
water, no water from stagnant water- containers, or 'enriched' with soda - (dead) water, as put up
for sale in these 'Super' - markets.
Ideal is the fresh spring water from the Marie-fonts.
Even if these contain some bacteria, they are healthy.
It is so that a lack of HEALTHY bacteria (by medication or drugs), give rise to an acidic
environment where unhealthy (bad) bacteria can multiply unrestrained.
In addition, the body can properly digest as a liquid only water, herbal teas (here, the in-formation
of the plant addressed to the cells) and, in the best case untreated fruit juices ... all other 'drinks',

2 Spring Therapy with Weeds

he recognizes not as liquid, and needs to digest consuming, and can not utilize these ingredients
or excrete.
Industrially produced fruit juices 'improved' by way of pasteurization, the addition of substances
like color or fragrance, refined white sugar, preservatives and other 'trimming' becomes 'Mission
Impossible' for our digestive system.
Artificial foods and drinks is what especially acidifies the body over the years, first the (organ of !)
connective tissue, each of your cells... leads to premature aging and causes vulnerability to all
forms of disease !!!

Already Paracelsus, the granddaddy of all doctors used to say:

'Acidosis is the root cause of all disease'

Wild Salad
'Let Thy Food Be Thy Cure!'

From many herbs you can prepare Wild Salads.

To do this, first wash the herbs and cut them into small pieces.
Prepared is a Wild Salad, just like normal salad, with a marinade of your choice, possibly onions,
(fresh) AH, Wild GARLIC, or simply Garlic and other ingredients.
You can also mix Wild-Salad Herbs with normal ORGANIC Lettuce.
Wild Lettuce is particularly vitamin rich and contains numerous minerals, trace elements, and
often diuretic agents.

Spring Tea
For a Spring Therapy, you drink best 3 cups of Herbal tea throughout the Day - every Day, for up
to 6 Weeks.
Herbs that grow in the Spring, are particularly well suited for such a Spring tea.
You can collect the herbs fresh in the garden or in Nature.
Or you buy it dried in a well-run pharmacy or herbal stores.

Now, straight to the subject

The following Herb-profiles provide short and concise indications for the selective use of Spring
Herbs for Health.
Because the topic is much too complex to summarize in a single essay, I write here only abstracts
of what in my opinion are the most interesting parts to know from my herbal lore, herbal
pedagogue and popular medicine Veda on 'Spring Herbal Therapies'.
Is a Weed when it is used as a vegetable or Herbal Medicine ?

Nature is the only true resource - Parsifalrain, March 04, 2017

3 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Pestilence Wort
(Red Butterbur) - one of the best migraine resources
The Pestilence Wort shows in the early Spring bizarre flowers, which in piston-like inflorescences
protrude in grape-shape to the sky.
From the first small leaves true giants grow after the flowering period, that recall in the form to
Coltsfoot [Tussilago farfara] - leaves, but much larger.

Earlier, the Pestilence Wort has been appreciated so much that it is rumored to have even an
effect against plague.
Then the curative effects of Butterbur were almost forgotten until it was discovered that the
Pestilence Wort can help against migraines.
Also for Asthma and Hay Fever she can be used, as with today's widespread Allergies this property
makes her an important medicinal plant.

The Butterbur is closely related to the Coltsfoot, has similar properties and is also called 'False
Coltsfoot'.
Depending on the type it can reach heights of 10 to 25, rarely up to 120 centimeters.

4 Spring Therapy with Weeds

 Caution:
Both plants should not be taken in VERY large dose over a VERY long period.

Today the Pestilence Wort is sold in the form of standardized extracts in pharmacies of which any
liver-damaging pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been removed.
Modern Butterbur varieties contain no, or hardly any pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so you can apply the
preparations made from such plants safely permanently.

Unfortunately, by cultivation in (huge) mono cultures anywhere, even most of the plant inherent
healing ingredients have been 'breed out' or at least 'watered down'...

In many herb books, searching the Pestilence Wort is in vain.

By contrast, in Japan and Korea, the Pestilence Wort is prepared as a vegetable.

Healing effect (from the wild) :

soothing,
anti-inflammatory,
diuretic,
antispasmodic,
promotes menstruation,
expectorant,
pain-killing,
sweat-inducing ...

Areas of application:
Allergies,
Asthma,
Cystitis,
Bronchitis,
Intestinal cramps,
Biliary weakness,
Ulcers,
Gout,
Urinary tract infections,
Skin affliction (condition),
Hay fever,
Heart weakness,
Cough, (independently of each other in various
countries of the world as a folk remedy for cough) Coltsfoot in middle March - first grows the
Sciatica, blossom - then the leaves
Headache,

5 Spring Therapy with Weeds

*) Liver suffering,
Menstrual cramps,
Pyelonephritis,
Irritable stomach,
Rheumatism,
Wounds,
good vermifuge (anthelminthic) ...

The Slovaks say: 'her leaf has nine veins, nine powers and benefits against nine disease'

Tea:
In the Empirical healing arts, 2-3 g of leaves are doused with boiling water and left about 2
minutes.
Drink 2 - 3 cups a Day not longer as for six Weeks.

Recent studies have shown that the application of the Butterbur by a cure can reduce the number
of migraine attacks in migraine patients by about half.
The Pestilence Wort is taken over a longer period of time to be preventive and not only whilst the
acute migraine attack.

Pestilence Wort acts just as strongly as a medical antihistamine against allergies.

Therefore, you can use the Butterbur, for example, against Hay fever.
You can also use Pestilence Wort vs Asthma.
In this application, the soothing effect added to the anti-allergic effect.

As the Pestilence Wort can relieve cramps in the blood vessels, she also relaxes the digestive
organs.
Therefore, acts Pestilence Wort extract against cramps and colic of the stomach and intestines.
You can also use the Pestilence Wort against a number of other ailments, such as heart weakness,
period cramps, or gout.

Externally, you can apply the preparations of the Pestilence Wort's leaves or rootstock against
wounds and ulcers.
The leave works fine pounded as a cover against malicious and cancerous ulcers' - Dioscorides

Pestilence Wort, Coltsfoot, Butterbur, Kraftwurz, [Petasites], [Tussilago]

Worldwide, there are about 15 to 18 Butterbur species.

Plant parts used are roots, more rarely, the leaves

Collection period from May to August
To be found on preferably, wet or temporarily flooded, nutrient-rich soils and grows, therefore,
often on stream and river banks.

6 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Liverwort
Liverwort - Eat the 1st you can find, it protects the whole Year against fever and is considered to
be a *) liver and bile plant
Only use dried, either as a tea or tincture - contains Alkaloid and has a slightly irritating effect
when used fresh
When collecting you must be be careful at contact with the skin, as the proto-anemonin can lead
to severe skin reactions (Buttercup-Allergy, Buttercup-Dermatitis or meadow Dermatitis),
blistering.
Once the plant is dried, it loses the poison.

The green overwintering Liverwort is a small blue flowering plant that prefers limestone - rich soil
in light oak and-beech forests grows in semi-shade.
She was and is an important plant in Folk Medicine.
She is between 5 and 20 cm, and the flowers have 6-8 petals.

Curative effects:
bubbles drawing,
diuretic,
*) liver-protecting
expectorant,
analgesic

7 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Areas of application:
Bladder problems,
Bronchitis,
Gallstones,
Cough,
Laryngitis,
*) Liver swelling,
*) Liver weakness,
Lung problems,
Spleen swelling,
Kidney problems,
Rheumatism,
Tuberculosis,
Digestive complaints,
Wounds ...

Flower essence from the liverwort 'Salvation'

Tea
1 tablespoon of dried herb is poured with 250 ml of cold water and leave to draw 6-10 hours.
Strain and sip throughout the Day, is effective against *) liver and biliary disease.
There is no hot water taken because the tea tastes otherwise unbearably bitter.

Tincture
5 heaped tablespoons of dried flowering herb are crushed steep in 500 ml korn.
Allow to infuse for 3-4 weeks at room temperature, then strain.
10 drops on a piece of sugar, be taken to be effective against the *) liver - and gall disease.

Wine
The dried herb is boiled in wine and strained.
The very bitter wine is used for the bladder and kidneys cleaning.

Liverwort, Hepatica, Liver Flower, Liverleaf, Away, Leberblmchen, Herzblmli,

Hmmistern, ... [Anemone hepatica], [Hepatica nobilis]

The leaf shape, which should remind of the *) liver, shows according to the medieval doctrine of
signatures its efficacy in *) liver disease.
The liver is opened and healed.

Also as a magic plant as a protection against disease, the liverwort was popular.

Plant parts used are flowers, flowering herb

Flowering from March to April
Collection time is from March to May
to be found - preferably in deciduous forests

8 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Wood Anemone
(Wind flower, Thimbleweed) gives rise to old dreams - caution ! May cause a nice shake
All parts of the plant are toxic, after drying, the poison is ineffective.
The plant is forming huge colonies in the moist soil of woods and thickets.

'Where streams his blood there blushing springs a rose

And where a tear has dropped, a windflower blows'

In our deciduous forests, in early spring

develop sound carpets of flowers, when the
wood anemone will begin to bloom.
The large white flower-stars shine in many
places, hundreds and thousands out of
green leaves.

All Anemones should not be used unless

you absolutely know what you are doing:
For therapeutic purposes, the whole herb is
used, without the roots.
The Plant is collected during flowering time
and must be necessarily dried good prior to
its use in order for the Protoanemoin to

9 Spring Therapy with Weeds

become decomposed.
The Plant was formerly used in Folk Medicine, of importance for the external treatment of joint
pain, pleurisy and bronchitis and today is used in homeopathy.
In Folk Medicine were used fresh herbs also against rheumatism, which led, however, (in the
event of improper use) often to skin damage.

In some places she was regarded a Plant to fend off evil spirits.
In the case of the Romans, the first plants were plucked as a charm against fever.
A custom that has survived over the centuries, was to pluck the flowers of the Thimbleweed, (like
all the first flowers of the Season) and to say the spell, 'I gather this against all disease'.
Then was made a chain with her and hung around the neck of a diseased people.
She may be added to rituals of healing or added to a bath.
Anemone's connections to the legend of Adonis's end also make it useful in rituals of death,
dying, passing.
As a flower of a Wind God, Anemone may be used to invoke the Air Elementals.
Offerings may be made of the Flowers, powdered wood or bark as incense, and it may be infuse
into oil for use in anointing candles.
It may also be used as offerings to the small creatures of faery.

Areas of application:
Freckles,
according the folk belief of some areas, the rubbing of the eyes with the in the spring first found
Anemones, also Violets, Cowslip, was to protect the whole year before eye diseases,
Black Star,
Pain in the stomach area,
Gout,
Rheumatism,
Skin disease ...

Flower essence:
The flower essence of the Wind Flower is to help to solve old, (from decades back) even far-
reaching mental problems.

Smell Fox, Wind Flower, Thimbleweed, Wood anemone, Wood Crawfoot (because it grows in
a shape that resembles that of a crow's foot), Hexenblum (German for 'Witches Flower'),
Kopfschmerzblum (German for 'Headache Flower'), Buschwindrschen, [Anemone
nemorosa]

Plant parts used are herb and root

Where to find: Nutrient-rich, deep, loamy mull soils, forests, summer-green deciduous (e.g.,
beech-mixed forests, oak-hornbeam forests, hardwood alluvial forests), in blackthorn bushes...
Today Wood anemone is primarily applied as a homeopathic medicinal plant

10 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Ground Ivy
Creeping Charlie or ... Jenny, Mr. Gundermann ... acts on all organs, and poorly healing wounds
Today, the usual German trivial name Gundermann oder Gundelrebe derives from the old high-
German 'Gund' = pus or bulge, indicating the previously common use as a medicinal plant.
The Ground Ivy grows small and unobtrusive, and everywhere, in natural gardens and in the wild.
Hardly anyone knows him, even though he's a valuable asset for home pharmacy and kitchen.
The in the Spring collected young leaves were cooked as vegetables inter alia in Maundy Thursday
dishes.
Due to the bitter substances and essential oils, he also found use as a
spice.

Mythology
Under the pretty Gundel-leaves life especially the good forest,
meadows, and house-spirits.
At the Walpurgis Night on May 1st was bound the 'Germanic fence
herb' to wreaths, through which one could see witches.

Folk medicine
Hildegard of Bingen recommended the use of the Plant against the head and ear pain.

11 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Today, herbal healers use Mr. Charlie Gundermann against Abscesses, Tumors and eye problems.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine he is also used for the treatment of Pneumonia, and Nephritis.

Ground Ivy, Creeping Jenny ... or Charlie, Gill-go-by-the-hedge, Lizzy-run-up-the-hedge,

Robin-run-in-the-hedge, Hedgemaids, Catsfoot, Ground Ivy vine, Gundermann, Gundelrebe,
[Glechoma hederacea]

Curative effect
Ground Ivy dispels not only the pus, but you also cough and a runny nose ...
The Gundel Vine is ideal for all conditions where the trust in the own inner healing powers is gone
lost.
He strengthens people's faith in the healing powers of his own body, gives patience, inner peace
and serenity.
Supports the body's own regulatory ability
natural wound healing agent,
'Lord of the pus',
for the inner healing forces
anti-inflammatory,
expectorant,
aerobic,
cytotoxic properties on various types of cancer ...

Areas of application
Weakness of the bladder,
Cystitis,
chronic rhinitis,
chronic cough,
chronic ear problems,
Kidney weakness,
Convalescence

Plant parts used are the leaves

Where to find: Grows preferably on moist, heavy, fertile and calcareous soils
Collection time: grows as a winter-green, perennial herbaceous Plant.
Preferred time for treatments, however, is from March to June but if necessary, Mr. Charlie
Gundermann helps also much later (as long as he grows, so throughout the Year, thrives even
under the snow)
He is beautiful 'by Nature' and looks good in the garden, is very nice as a groundcover and
extremely easy to maintain.

Cystitis
Ground Ivy - Tea immediately relieves the pain and makes the inflammation of the bladder a
relatively fast fading away.
2 tablespoons of Ground Ivy to be poured with Liter of boiling water, 3 cups per Day are

12 Spring Therapy with Weeds

sufficient, better use for three more days as symptoms last.

Hearing
In an old application is drizzled the infusion of the juice in the ears, thus reinforcing the sense of
hearing, and resolves a ringing in the ears.
In a second application, where the ear due to suffering comes from a cold, are irrigated the ears
with a tea made from Ground Ivy, Yarrow [Achillea millefolium) and Sage [Salvia officinalis].

'When the ears chime like the noise of the water, who the lets cook [the] Gundel in hot water and
tie it [in a cloth] after the squashing of the water warm around his head. This makes the
listening in the ears free again'

and

'When someone washes [his] steep the head often, then, he expells disease, and he prevents that
he becomes ill at all. One eats the Ground Ivy in mush or in soups, and eat [him] with meat or
other dishes.

- both quotes by Hildegard of Bingen

A delicious Ground Ivy-Butter

1 handful of Gundermann leaves and flowers (if available)
4-5 Dandelion flowers (optional)
organic Lemon, zest and juice
1 teaspoon of Himalayan Salt
a little Pepper (colorful or black)
250 g organic Butter

Pluck the Ground Ivy leaves from the stalks and chop very finely with mincing knife.
Chop also the Dandelion Flowers.
Mix with the melted Butter, grated Lemon zest, add rock Salt and Pepper ad libitum and season
with a dash of Lemon juice.
In portions put in little sandwich bags to freeze, or eat the same.
As well as in the Spring, the Butter is never more, because later in the Year, the Ground Ivy gets
increasingly bitter.
Delicious on fresh, home-baked bread !

13 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Dandelion
Lion's-Tooth is very valuable
On almost any field he stands, and only a few know that he is an excellent medicinal and culinary
plant.
In my garden, he is allowed to develop freely, because I think he is beautiful and important.
The name Dandelion derives from the French, dent-de-lion, which is literally 'lion's tooth',
referring to the sharply-lobed leaves of the plant.
His leaves you can eat in a salad and the roots are good for coffee roasting.
In addition, the Dandelion is beneficial for the digestive system and the *) liver.
As many Spring Plants also has the Lion's Tooth a strong blood purifying and is therefore ideally
suited to a Spring therapy.
He stimulates all the digestive organs and the kidney and the bladder, thereby old waste products
are excreted.
For the same reasons, he can also help with rheumatism.
Dandelion has been well known for his nutritional and medicinal qualities for centuries.

We can use leaves, flowers and roots.

14 Spring Therapy with Weeds

The most effective is a Dandelion-Tea or a tincture, as long as it consists of all three parts of the
Plant.

Curative effect
The entire Dandelion plant is used as a general tonic.
Spring fatigue,
Listlessness,
Weakness (tonic),
Vitamin-C Deficiency,
blood-forming,
blood purifier,
diuretic,
toning,
Bronchitis,
Cough,
Fever,
Loss of appetite,
Constipation,
Stomach weakness,
Hemorrhoids,
chronic joint disease,
Rheumatism,
Gout,
*) Liver weakness,
Bile weakness,
Gallstones,
Kidney stones,
Allergies,
Arteriosclerosis,
Dropsy (Edema),
Headache,
Menopausal symptoms,
Menstrual circulation (fostering),
Beauty,
chronic skin disease,
Pimples,
Eczema,
Chicken eye,
Warts ...

Studies in 1999 have shown that the Dandelion Root also

proves to be very helpful in cancer therapy.
The greatest enemy of Dandelion root is chemotherapy.

15 Spring Therapy with Weeds

The stronger the chemotherapy, the less chance that the root acts: as the chemotherapy weakens
the immune system and appetite - two of the most important factors that one needs to cancer
healing.
https://www.cancertutor.com/dandelionroot/

Dandelion, Lion's Tooth, Lwenzahn [Taraxacum officinale]

Plant parts used are the leaves, the young tops, the root fresh and dried, and even the stem
Where to be found ? Everywhere where needed
Collection time: As the content of the milk juice of the Dandelion in the Spring at the highest,
buds, the whole herb (roots, stems, leaves and flowers) is best in March - and even before
flowering !
Leaves, flowers and stems in the Spring, the root in the Spring or early Autumn
The roots are generally dried whole but the largest ones may sometimes be cut transversely into
pieces 5 to 15 cm long.
Collected wild roots are, however, seldom large enough to necessitate cutting.
Drying will probably take about a Fortnight.
When finished, the roots should be hard and brittle enough to snap, and the inside of the roots
white, not gray.
The roots should be kept in a dry place after drying, to avoid mould, preferably in (sealable) tins to
prevent the attacks of moths and beetles.
Dried Dandelion is exceedingly liable to the attacks of maggots and should not be kept beyond
one season.

At the Lion's Tooth, the by Paracelsus reasoned Doctrine of Signatures (Signaturenlehre) is

obvious.
Paracelsus has assumed that the external appearance of a Plant indicates which suffering can be
treated.
So was applied the Lion's Tooth because of its yellow color, for the treatment of yellows - icterus (a
*) liver disease), and also the diuretic effect of the Dandelion could be brought in connection with
the yellow color of urine.

Dandelion cataplasms
From chopped leaves and flowers you can make poultices, which can help against ulcers, warts,
acne, eczema, etc.

Dandelion Stem Health Cure

Maria Treben wrote in her first book, first edition 'Health from God's pharmacy', that about five
weeks through daily fresh and raw-eaten Dandelion-Stem in chronic inflammation of the *) liver
brings timely assistance.
These also help the diabetic.
They should make this cure, as long as the Dandelion is in bloom.
One should not overdo it to give the metabolism a chance to adjust to 'detox' !

The Stem along with the Flower to be washed.

16 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Then the Flower heads are removed and the Stalks SLOWLY chewed.
1 week long eat every day ONE Stalk of Dandelion, then 1 week long eat 2 Stems, then 3 Stems,
again 2 and finally 1 Stem -- total duration of 5 weeks serve the *) liver cleansing.
Dandelion Stems taste initially a bit bitter, but are juicy
and eat similar to an endive leaf.
By the decomposition of the in the Stems contained
cellulose, there can be sometimes rumblings in the belly
and frequent defecation at the beginning of the
treatment, or in the case of overdose.
Should reinforce these detoxification phenomena,
perhaps take a (bitter) Fennel [Foeniculum vulgare] tea
in addition and/or slash the dose, alternatively reduce
the treatment to 3 Weeks.

Constantly ailing people who feel exhausted and tired,

should make the 5-Week treatment with fresh
Dandelion Stems.

Potato salad with Daisies and Dandelions

Ingredients
750 g of potatoes
Liter of Water
6 tablespoons vinegar (e.g. red wine vinegar)
1 TSP Himalya Salt
3 TSP Oil (e.g. cold pressed, extra virgin, native Olive oil)
1 (large) handful of Daisy Flowers without stalk
1 large handful of delicate Dandelion Leaves
possibly bacon, fried
possibly pickles
possibly cucumber
Working time: approx. 30 Min.
Rest time: about 1 hour
Wash the potatoes and cook in pressure cooker for 15 min. steaming, peel the potatoes and cut
into thin slices.

For the Marinade, you take liter of water, let it boil, add 6 TSP of vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt.
The Marinade mix well and then add the chopped potatoes.
The whole you can now cover and simmer about 1 hour.
Just before serving, you mix in 3 tablespoons of Oil.

The Dandelion leaves cut small, and with the Daisy Flowers put in a larger container filled with
water (e.g., sink), add 1 pinch of Salt.
Daisy Flowers and Dandelion Leaves you stir in the salad.

17 Spring Therapy with Weeds

lesser Celandine (Smallwort)
Smallwort contains a lot of Vitamin C - collect just before flowering, hereafter it will be slightly
toxic !
Do not overdose !
The German trivial name Scharbockskraut is derived from 'Scharbock (Skorbut)' = (scurvy),
because of her Vitamin-C-containing Leaves were taken against this deficiency.
She formerly belonged to the travel provisions on sea voyages, and was eaten by sailors, who
usually had no fresh vegetables and fruit available.

Spring green, perennial, herbaceous Plant, with growth heights of 10 to 20 cm

The Smallwort in the early Spring is often the first green plant, which is to be found in large
masses in the open woods.
The leaves of the Smallwort sometimes create perfect rugs where they grow.
After the shiny leaves appear very bright, almost blazing yellow flowers, which add to the leaves-
carpet a cheerful glow, but also indicate that the Smallwort leaves are from now on slightly
poisonous.
Before you can eat the leaves of the Herb against the Spring fatigue in salads.

Curative effect:
Spring fatigue,

18 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Vitamin C deficiency (anti-scorbutic),
Skin blemishes,
Hemorrhoids (sitz bath),
Warts,
a blood purifier

Plant parts used are the leaves,

brood buds, and the root
Collection time in the Spring - from
March to April

Figroot Buttercup, Smallwort,

(Water) Crowfoot, Butter Flower,
(Marsh) Pileworth, Spring Salad,
Gout Leaf, Figwort, Feigwurz,
Scharbockskraut, [Ranunculus
ficaria, Ficaria verna, Chelidonium
minus]

< Habitus of the foliage leaves and

flowers

Smallwort leaves can be eaten in wild

plants salads in small quantities.
The taste of the leaves is spicy, tangy
and somewhat tart, which makes her
a good seasoning in the edible wild
herbs salad.
You can use the chopped leaves on
bread or herb quark.

Dried leaves: The toxic substances

are degraded.

Since the root tubers are in

appearance similar to warts, they
were traditionally used for warts.
The sharp juice of the root tubers can
actually etch away the warts.
The earlier application of the
Smallwort herb against genital warts was based on Paracelsus's Doctrine of Signatures.
The root tuber is videlicet quite similar-looking as genital warts and the Doctrine of Signatures
searches for the purpose of application of a medicinal plant on the basis of the similarities of a
plant or its parts.

19 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Flower buds
The buds of the flowers you can collect
for pickling.
You can use it as a substitute for
capers.

Brood buds
The brood buds, which are called due
to their appearance, also the sky-
barley, heavenly manna or bread from
heaven, were earlier - in bad times -
together with the root tubers dried and
ground to flour.

Likelihood of confusion !
The leaves of the Smallwort herb (illustration left)
are similar to those of the moderately toxic
Hazelwort, (European wild Ginger, Asarabacca),
[Asarum europaeum] which but is rather rare in
these environments, however, except in Austria.

Therefore, it is important that you learn the

location of the Smallwort herb in the previous
Year, on the basis of the flowers.
The flowers of the Hazelwort are red and bell-
shaped.

Where to find: Grows mostly in meadows in

moist, thickets, hedges or dense deciduous
forests and in deciduous forest edges and is to
be found there in the Spring.

20 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Watercress
is a natural antibiotic - effective against viruses, bacteria, fungi, germs, parasites, grows
throughout the Winter
The watercress plant is a winter green perennial herbaceous swamp and water plant.
She has hollow, round stems
that are between 15 and 90 cm
long and lie in the water.
< blooming Watercress

She thrives not only in the warm

Season of the Year, but almost
around the Year, what makes
her in early Spring and late
Autumn an important vitamin
benefactor.
With her fleshy, rounded leaves,
she looks indeed very juicy,
which suggests her property as
a salad plant.
So are then wild-salads and
herbs quark the main purpose of the Watercress.

21 Spring Therapy with Weeds

In this form, she can ease the Spring fatigue and and fix vitamin deficiency.

Once the plants bloom, they are no longer well suitable for consumption.
Plants should be taken only from running waters.

Since the active ingredients of the Watercress are largely lost by drying, she is applied almost-only
fresh and best in the Spring.
The easiest way to take the Watercress as a salad seasoning.
Since the active ingredients in the Watercress, however, are somewhat sharp, and could be
irritating the mucous membranes, should you not use it daily, but only with breaks.
You can also ingest the fresh juice of the Watercress at a maximum of a teaspoonful three times a
Day, diluted in a glass of water.
So gently applied the Watercress acts invigorating (stimulating) and blood cleansing.
She strengthens our digestion and stimulates the kidneys.
In Naturopathy she is recommended for the purification, the detoxification of the *) liver, lungs
and the stomach.
She improves metabolism, is a blood purifier and promotes the production of gastric juice and
bile production.
A catarrh of the respiratory tract is solved.

She is a marvel:
stimulating,
anti-bacterial,
blood purifier,
diuretic,
expectorant,
Cough,
Bronchitis,
Cold,
Sore throat,
Gingival inflammation (anti-inflammatory),
Vitamin C Deficiency,
Spring therapy,
Digestive weakness,
Worms ...

Curative effect:
Gallstones and bladder stone complaints
Blood sugar lowering,
Light Diabetes,
Cystitis,
Pyelonephritis,
Rheumatism,
Gout,

22 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Epilepsy,
Blemished Skin,
Light Burns,
Eczema,
Itching ...

Brook Cress, Bitter Cress, Bitter Lettuce, Watercress, Brunnenkresse, Bachkresse,

Bitterkresse, Bittersalat, [Nasturtium officinale]

Collection time is mainly April and May, when necessary, with caution (due to possible Water
impurity) all Year round

here you have something to go on ... (don't take everything literally what is said in the video and
do never cook herbs - except for tea)
video: Grow your own Watercress

(also indoors)
video

23 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Climbing Bedstraw (False Cleavers or Marin County Bedstraw)
She is very good for losing weight - the metabolism, and for to cleanse the blood
Throughout the Summer blooms the climbing Bedstraw with star-
shaped small blossoms.
Most only know the Climbing Bedstraw because the small
'burdocks' lay down to their pants when walking in open
countryside.
As a Medicinal plant, she is rather unknown - unjustly, because
she performs valuable services for our Health, especially for the
skin and the digestive system.
< Besides can also the ...

Real Bedstraw
(her (often called Lady's Bedstraw) flowering time is from May to
September) be regarded a very effective medicinal herb. (click

24 Spring Therapy with Weeds

image to enlarge) (oh, look ! In which beautiful environment the Real Bedstraw blossoms)

The Climbing Bedstraw can grow over a Meter high, if it can hold somewhere.
She adheres slightly by 'hanging' or rather 'climbing' and not by creeping or sending forth
tendrils, which means she has no tendrils, but with her horizontal sprigs and tiny bristle hairs
clings to other plants, whereby she also conveys an impression of stickiness.

Curative effect:
Anti-inflammatory,
Skin suffering,
Lichens,
Eczema,
Finger nail ulcer,
Skin blemishes,
Insomnia,
Tongue inflammation,
Stomach inflammation,
Bowel inflammation,
Water congestion,
diuretic,
Cystitis,
Kidney stones,
Kidney Gries,

25 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Bladder stones,
Bladder sludge,
Overweight ...

The Climbing Bedstraw, as a Folk Medicinal plant is used as a wild vegetable and in homeopathy.
Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus Maior), mentioned it as a remedy against snake and spider
bites, ear ache, as well as for bleeding control (hemostasis).

Marin County Bedstraw, Climbing Bedstraw, Clivers, Fence Glue, Klebgras, Wundkraut,
[Galium aparine]

Plant Parts used - the flowering herb

where to find: Grows in riparian forests, fields, vineyards, waste places, in hedgerows and on
river gravels up to 1.200 meters.

Application
The leaves can be used in vegetable soups, with dried leaves, a tea can be brewed and roasted
fruits give a tasty and healthy coffee substitute.

Externally, for skin problems, she is best applied as a fresh juice.

The fresh juice can be left on the affected area and drying on the surface.

If fresh juice is not available, you can use her as a tea.

With the tea, you can rinse the affected area or apply on a compress.

On the inside you drink her as a tea.

In Folk medicine the tea is even recommended in order to prevent approaching epileptic seizures.

The fruits were used as a coagulant for cheese manufacture, and can be roasted as a coffee
replacement that I like to drink by the way.

video: Cleavers (Bedstraw) Identification

video

26 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Bear's Garlic or Wild Garlic
binds heavy metals - if the stomach and intestines is loaded take for 3 - 4 Weeks a tincture orally
In the Spring, there are places in the forest and the mead with the typically strongly smell of
Garlic and at the same time fresh, green herbs.
That is where the Wild Garlic grows, sometimes in large families, because if he is somewhere at
home, he spreads like a lush.
He is the wild Garlic-kinswoman (male) out of the woods, who is becoming more and more
popular.
A herb spread with plenty of Bear's Garlic is one of the most delicious spring experiences, and
moreover very, very healthy.

27 Spring Therapy with Weeds

In addition, the Bear's Garlic has similar health effects as the Garlic.
So what could be closer as to make a pilgrimage in the young Spring in the open woodland and
collect the delicious, fresh green ?
However, a few principles, you should know and note, before you go to collect Wild Garlic, more
of this below.

Bear's Garlic not only promotes digestion, but also prevents arteriosclerosis and lowers the blood
pressure and can thus even forestall, no, guard against heart attack and stroke.
As a result, the Bear's Garlic is the purest balm against the forms of disease of modern civilization.

Against everyday consequences of the atherosclerosis, be it a high blood pressure, cold feet or
hands, poor skin botening from lack of circulation (ischemia), inclination to headache, dizziness,
some memory problems, pain when walking, or performance weakness the Wild Garlic may help.

In addition, the Bear's Garlic is strengthening the metabolism and digestion.

You can also apply it against the Spring fatigue.

He will even help the bears on the legs after their Winter sleep and provide new strength.
The Bear's Garlic gives so 'bear-forces'.

The Bear's Garlic can

not be dried, for then
his essential active
substances will be
lost.
Therefore, he is
preferably used fresh.
You can use the young
Wild Garlic leaves, but
also the buds taste
good.
The leaves can be
processed to a large
number of recipes and
the buds can be
preserved by pickling,
such as capers or
simply off-handedly to
eat, such as in a salad.

Main applications:
Arteriosclerosis,
Spring therapy

Curative effect:

28 Spring Therapy with Weeds

astringent,
stimulating,
anti-microbial,
blood purifier,
Cholesterol lowering
circulation,
anti-inflammatory,
Bile impelling ,
diuretic,
expectorant,
sweat-inducing,
Stimulation of the metabolism,
toning,
skin-irritant ...

Areas of application:
Loss of appetite,
Asthma,
Bloating,
High blood pressure,
Bronchitis,
Diarrhea,
Circulatory disorders,
Fever,
Spring fatigue,
Weakness of memory,
Cold hands,
Cold feet,
frequent headaches,
Performance weakness,
Rheumatism,
poor wound healing,
Digestive disorders,
Worms ...

Bear's Garlic, Wild Garlic, Ramson, Buckrams, Broad-leaved Garlic, Witch's Onion and Forest
Garlic, Hundsknofel, Wild-Knofel, [Allium ursinum]

Particularly tasty is the Wild Garlic in quark with herbs, which you may serve together with
potatoes or simply as a bread-spread.
Cut into narrow strips, Bear's Garlic tastes great on buttered bread or as a garnish of cheese
bread, tomato bread, etc.
Also he is delicious as an enrichment of salads.

29 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Popular is the Wild Garlic also in Gnocchi, all kind of Noodle-dish, ... Pasta, Spaetzle, Quiche,
Risotto.
Either as addition of Wild Garlic Pesto or with direct addition of the chopped Wild Garlic leaves to
the dough, or the dish.

Wild Garlic Pesto

is a classic method to make the Bear's Garlic preserved.
Here is pureed Wild Garlic with toasted pine nuts, Parmesan
cheese and olive oil mixed.
In a refrigerator such a Wild Garlic Pesto is durable for
several weeks.
You can eat Wild Garlic Pesto as a Sauce for Spaghetti, but as
a garnish to potatoes or on bread it tastes good.

Ingredients
125 gr Wild Garlic
30 gr Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
50 gr pine nuts (lightly toasted)
125 ml Olive oil (cold-pressed, native, extra virgine, organic, if possible unfiltered) (harmonizes #1
with Wild Garlic)
uniodized Rocksalt, Pepper
The ingredients can be varied according to taste.
The share of the Bear's Garlic can be lower or higher, depending on how much Bear's Garlic you
have on hand.
According to the amount of Wild Garlic you have to vary the quota of oil.
The consistency should become cream-like.
In case of doubt, you can add the oil gradually, and thereby find out how much you need.
Also the type of ingredients you can keep variable.
Instead of Olive oil you can also use other good oils, such as Rapeseed oil or Sunflower oil.
Instead of the Pine nuts you can use Sunflower seeds or Walnuts.

Tincture
You can apply the Bear's Garlic as a tincture against atherosclerosis and, indirectly, against high
blood pressure.
To self-confect a Wild Garlic-tincture, douse the Wild Garlic leaves in a screw-lid glass with double
Grain, or spirit of Wine, until all the plants are covered completely, and allow the sealed mixture to
simmer for 2 to 6 weeks in the Sun or heat.
Then strain and pour into a dark bottle.
Of this tincture, you take up to three times daily 10-20 drops (diluted with a bit of water or pure).

Freezing Bear's Garlic

You can freeze the Wild Garlic well.
Deep-frozen Bear's Garlic tastes not quite as good as fresh, but much better than self-dried.
For Freezing, first wash the Wild Garlic, dry him and cut small.

30 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Then, fill in little sachets or in a ice cube form and put him in the freezer.
If necessary, you takes a portion and thaw it.

The collection period is between April and May

Despite the easy identification by the typical smell that is produced

when you rub the leaves, Wild Garlic, while collecting, is confused with:
the between March and April growing Lily of the Valley [Convallaria
majalis], ('Little May Bell' = Maiglckchen)

the in the late Spring, sprouting leaves of the Autumn Crocus [Colchicum autumnale], (Autumn
Crocus, Naked Lady, Herbstzeitlose)

or at the end of the full Spring, the mostly unstained leaves of younger plants of the Spotted Arum
[Arum maculatum], (Common Arum, Adam and Eve, Snakeshead or Adder's root, Gefleckter
Aronstab). (image below)

31 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Stinging Nettle
The Stinging Nettle species are superb metabolism-plants.
Almost everyone knows the sharp nettle, and there is hardly a people, who sooner or later make
the acquaintance with her burning properties.
Therefore, she will also likely be shunned, even though as an important medicinal plant, she
should actually have a place of honor in any garden.
This place of honor she but mostly gets herself, because she is very persistent and undemanding
and is growing almost everywhere where she is allowed to grow, therefore, also in my garden.

She grows mostly in groups and often on adapted soil, which is preferably nutritious.
Therefore, she is often a synanthropic species (plant or animal that lives near humans and
benefits from association with them) and accompanied the people in their villages and cities.

The Stinging Nettle is but also an important plant for butterflies.

For many species she is for the caterpillars a vital food plant.
For some species, such as the Admiral or the Little Fox, they are the only plants that they eat.

The young Stinging Nettles are a valuable addition to vegetable and herbal soups, but also as a
Nettle soup alone very tasty.
Our forefathers already knew that, which lief took all in the Spring the stinging nettle herb.
And they did it well, because the Nettle is an excellent remedy for the stimulation of the entire

32 Spring Therapy with Weeds

metabolism.
Blood purification - the kidney - and bladder system cleaning.

The 'witches' (herbalists wise women) and druids of the Celts already knew the blood cleansing
effect, which also helped in cases of poisoning.
To do this, they recommended a tea made from the leaves.

Especially as Spring therapy it works miracles by rinsing all the skimmings of Winter from the
body.
You can drink it as a Nettle tea, in a salad, in soup and eat like spinach.
Well seasoned and combined with other herbs everything tastes wonderful and provides fresh
forces.

Stinging Nettle tea is a popular tea for detoxification and stimulation of the metabolism.

As a tincture, you can massage the Stinging Nettle against hair loss in the scalp.

She is also dried in bladder and kidney tea blends making well.
She also helps against rheumatism and gout, because she rinses the toxins from the body.
Against bleeding from the nose, an extract from the Nettle helps.

Particularly brave patients with rheumatoid arthritis, admit to the whipping with the whole plant
to make use of the stimulation effect of the Nettle poison.
In this method, however, one should be careful, because it can also lead to over-reaction on the
Nettle poison.

Love couples who wanted to rekindle their sexual ardor (keyword 'burning love') slug themselves
with tufts on their private parts.
The increased blood flow heightened the sensitivity of the sexual organs.
The Roman Poet Petronius was of the opinion that men with erectile dysfunction could be helped,
if was whipped 'the spot below the navel, the loins, and the buttocks' with a nettle bouquet.
'Love potions' were made from the Nettle seeds, because the Stinging Nettle was regarded as the
symbol of hopeless love.
It was applied the Stinging Nettle as a fertility-enhancing agent.
Because she increases blood flow, was and is she considered to be aphrodisiac.
For example, the addition of 2 teaspoons of Nettle seeds in a cereal will be lust-enhancing. (muesli
effect :-)
And also burning the leaves (smudging ceremony) should increase the Libido.

Yes, the Nettle seeds give strength, and have a good effect in exhaustion.
The Indians in America use also fresh Nettle juice against weakness.
Evil influences she should keep out of the Wigwam.

Also the Nettle root can be applied as a medicinal herb.

The Small Nettle (Urtica Urens) is very likely to that of the (large) Stinging Nettle, and is also used
in a similar way as a medicinal plant.

33 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Curative effect:
blood purifier,
blood-forming,
haemostatic,
encouraging
metabolism,
Urinary tract
disorders,
Rheumatism,
Gout,
Hair growth-
promoting,
Dandruff ,
Spring fatigue,
Loss of appetite,
Constipation,
Diarrhea,
Stomach weakness,
Kidney weakness,
Diabetes (supportive),
High blood pressure,
Menstrual cramps ...

Stinging Nettle, Thunder Nettle, Great Nettle, Hemp Nettle, Nettel, Brennessel, [Urtica
Dioica and Urtica Urens]

Plant parts used are herb, seeds and root

Collection time is from March to August, the seeds in the early Autumn
To be found: colonize a wide range of habitats

Nettle tea
Put a large handful of chopped Stinging Nettle leaves in a pot and cover with boiling water, allow
to infuse for ten minutes, ready is the the Nettle-tea.

voluminous hair or hair loss

Put a large handful of chopped Nettle in a glass jar and pour with approximately 300 ml of clear
schnapps, (fruit or grain), and close with a lid.
Leave the tincture 6-8 weeks standing in the Sun or heat, and shake from time to time.
Filter (sieve or skim), fill in a vaporizer and spray after the head-washing on the hair and rub in
well.

Clear thinking, better memory retention

The Nettle can also jog our memory.

34 Spring Therapy with Weeds

Crush a handful of fresh Nettle in a mortar, so that the juice leaks.
dash over 300 ml of olive oil (cold-pressed, native, extra virgine, organic) and put this mixture 1
Day in the Sun.
Then strain the mixture and bottle.
Every day before going to sleep massage (or rub) gently the sternum with 5 drops and with 5
drops both temples.

Organic vs Wild Growth

Self- picked Medicinal Plants from Wild Growth are mostly superior to these offered in organic
quality because they

1. may grow where their ancestral places are,

2. in general, where they find the best growth conditions for survival of their species without
human intervention,
3. are not urged to live crowded with members of the same species on fields;
4. Organic plants are mostly trimmed for swift growth - thus quick return and not necessarily for
any kind of health benefits !

'Weeds' are seldom being harvested for sale,

and because they enjoy coalesce symbiosis with other, from time immemorial relied plants, who
for all involved are manifold beneficial.
- think about it

video: Organic vs Wild Food

Disclaimer: ask your doctor or pharmacist

Please be aware that this information is only provided solely for informational purposes.
Visiting this page can not replace the visit to your doctor.

35 Spring Therapy with Weeds

In the event of serious or unclear complaints, consult by all means your doctor.
Images in part by Biopix.dk, Wildlife Media, pflanzenportal.cm, botanicus.de, chefkoch.de,
natur.vulkanland.at and Wikipedia

*) Neck Pain = Liver Congestion

related in BOLE:
Angelica - Arch-Angelice - Engelwurz

This abstract appeared in The Blend Of Loving Energies

http://www.lovingenergies.net/pt/Spring-Therapy-with-Weeds/blog.htm

36 Spring Therapy with Weeds