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Cleavers: A Herb For Health And Vitality

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Cleavers : A herb for health and vitality
By Robin Triskele

Cleavers (Gallium Aparine) are a climbing plant growing in hedgerows and wild paths. They love to find a fence, tree or another herb  tall & upright so they can climb. They will also form a quite thick ‘carpet’ if nothing to cling on to, and this is why some species are called bedstraw, it is also known as goosegrass, stickyweed, & stickybud. Surprisingly it is in the same family as coffee.  You can collect the fuzzy fruits to dry and roast, then use as a coffee substitute.

Dioscorides, who brought to us in the 1st century AD the De Materia Medica, wrote that the Greek used this thick mat of grass to make a filter or ‘sieve’ to pour milk through, not only to remove any foreign bodies, but also to embed beneficial nutrients into the milk. This method is still used in Sweden. The herb is cited for being used medicinally as lymphatic, diuretic and detoxifying. It is also used to make salves and creams to help heal skin disorders. The whole plant can be used in soups and stews for flavouring and added minerals and vitamins.

Another brilliant point of topic, is the hard round seed parallels with the hardness of swollen nodes in our lymphatic system… this shows yet another testament to the Doctrine of Signatures.

 

Cleaver-Nettle Iron Tonic

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Ingredients:

 

  • 2-3 cups fresh cleavers
  • 2 cups fresh Nettle
  • 2 ltr distilled water
  • Lemon Balm (optional to taste)



Directions:

Be sure to collect your Nettles and Cleavers from a spot far from busy roads or areas at all likely to have been sprayed with pesticides. Luckily both of these grow rampant in most areas so you should be able to find a great source not too far, if you just bimble about a bit. Cleavers come in Spring… die out, and now Im getting a ‘second coming’ and all of a sudden babies are sprouting everywhere! Be sure to wash the herbs well to make sure to remove any dirt or critters, this will make for a much clearer and clean tonic.

1. Add  Nettles and Cleavers to a large bowl and cover by an inch with water. Leave the herbs soaking in the water overnight. * Use slightly warmed distilled water, or boil tap water and let it cool down. The warmth of the  water will help extract more of the goodness in a very mild, but still raw ‘seeping’ method.

2. Strain the herbs through a sieve. If any sediment lingers pour through a cheesecloth or muslin to make the tonic as clear as possible. Store in glass containers, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

I tend to fill a glass water bottle and sip on it throughout the day. This is an excellent spring clean and prevents headaches during fasting. You can also take 3 cups a day for chronic skin problems.

 

Medicinal qualities of Cleavers

Nicholas Culpeper, esteemed specialist in herbal medicine, wrote in the 1600’s, for it to be consumed in the spring to “cleanse the blood and strengthen the liver, thereby to keep the body in health’. So a tonic is a priceless investment in promoting good health!  In traditional medicine it is known to detox,  treat kidney problems, skin disorders, lymphatic system & and high blood pressure among other ailments. Archaeologically, it has been found to be used in this way for hundreds & thousands of years.

Lymphatic System
Cleavers are included in prescriptions for many lymphatic diseases and ailments. It does have a particular affinity for the lymphatic system and is used in cases of swollen glands, tonsillitis, and as a lymph tonic. . It is also a powerful alterative, so once helping clear out the inflammation or disease, it also cleanses the blood… Double duty !

Kidney/Bladder
Cleavers are a diuretic, helping promote urination when a patient has cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) In many cases, if undetected, this can lead to kidney disease. Herbal mixtures include cleavers for the treatment of kidney or bladder problems, to including bladder infections , kidney stones , and prostatitis.

Skin
Cleavers are known to assist with skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, severe acne, skin ulcers, and skin diseases in general.New studies show efficacy in the treatment of skin cancer and tumors.

Cleavers can be drunk as a tea or tonic, used in an infusion or tincture… and made into salves and creams for external use. Here is a recipe for how to make an easy Fresh Cleaver Tincture.



Robin150x202About Robin Triskele
aka ‘The Culinary Sage’

Robin Triskele has her degree in Biology and is now further studying to be an Herbalist. Her studies included nutritional counselling, plant biology and psychology. Whilst spending 15 years in the medical  field as a Dental Hygienist, she participated in community projects and taught school children nutrition and the positive benefits of a healthy diet. Not just locally but on her many travels she has been gathering practical knowledge and is embarking on a new path, which has led her to the desire to teach and share her knowledge and passion for nutrition through plants.

Robin is a steadfast forager, a self trained chef and is devoted to good food, good life, and living simply. She now lives on a farm in rural Buckinghamshire and has a deep, sacred relationship to the Goddess and Mother Earth. Robin has started her online presence as ‘The Culinary Sage’. It is a collection of musings about her green thumb geekery, foraging, herbs and homemade medicine. Here she shares some of her recipes, herbal advices and exchanges knowledge with friends globally.

Contact & Related Links:

Facebook
The Culinary Sage
Triskele Management

 

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