Tag Archives: allergy relief

How to take Goldenrod for allergies

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My savior

My savior

If you have ever read my blog, you know I am a huge fan of Goldenrod (Solidago spp.). It has changed my life by enabling me to wean myself of synthetic allergy medicines and liberating me from my allergy hell. As I delve deeper into its magical abilities, I am continually impressed with how well it works for a broad range of ailments. Here’s a glimpse into the amazing world of Goldenrod, it can ameliorate allergies, sinusitis, bladder infections, cystitis, urethritis, colds and flu, fungal infections, reduce aches and pains, kidney stones, enlarged prostate, fevers, diarrhea, depression, edema, tumors, eczema, gout and soothe arthritis and laryngitis as well as heal wounds. What’s not to love?!

Lately, people have come to me with questions concerning how to take Goldenrod and the proper dosage. I am afraid that there are no straightforward simple answers. Luckily, there are a number of ways to utilize its medicinal qualities for allergies. It is very versatile and can bring relief from allergies in a number of ways. It is important for each individual to learn what works best for their body and supports their lifestyle. For some, tinctures are the easy and fast solution, others infusions make more sense and so on.

First, it is essential to understand Goldenrod does not work when taken along with synthetic allergy medicines, so it’s best to use it on its own first. This can be scary for individuals that suffer a great deal from allergies and have depended on synthetic allergy medicines for relief most of their lives. I know, I was there, but luckily Goldenrod provides quick relief once taken.

Although there is quite a bit of crossover for other ailments, we will focus on taking Goldenrod for allergy relief:

  • Infusions ~ Sipping 1-3 cups a day will help dry up your runny, drippy nose. Sipping a cup all day long can provide quite a bit of relief. It can be combined with other soothing herbs or drank alone. Goldenrod makes a lovely drink, hot or cold. After the Boston Tea Party, the colonist drank “Liberty Tea” aka ~ Goldenrod instead of black tea. It became so popular that it was exported to China.
  • Tincture ~ For immediate relief, take 30-60 drops, up to 3 times a day. Taking a dose before bed helps to reduce waking up all congested. Remember less is always better, play around to see how little you need for relief ~ you can always take more. When the pollen is flying, add 30-60 drops into your water bottle and sip it throughout the day. You will get a low dose all day long; it is like being hooked up to a slow drip IV.
  • Jello ~ Children with allergies can be tricky; they can be very picky eaters or fear the strange and unknown. The recipe allows for 48 squares, and each square is a ½ a dose, allowing for multiple dosages throughout the day. Due to digestion, it remains in the system longer than a straight tincture dose therefore relief lasts longer.
  • Neti Pot ~ Make a light tea and strain it through a coffee filter ~ you do not want any plant material in your sinuses. Mix with a ¼ tsp. of salt and flush your sinuses. The astringent and anti-inflammatory properties really tighten up the tissues and reduce all the drippiness. Relief can last all day.
  • Chewing on leaves ~ Grab a leaf; chew on it to release the astringent and anti-inflammatory properties. When I am mowing the lawn and need a quick fix, Goldenrod is there!

Some people still make the distinction between culinary and medicinal herbs, but the truth is that there are numerous plants that overlap both categories. Goldenrod happens to be one of them. All of the aerial parts of the plant are edible. It’s fun to add the leaves or flowers to meals and it’s a great way to receive its healing benefits. Besides making tea from the flowers and leaves, throw some flowers on your salads. Instead of cooking with spinach, use the leaves and add them to your soups, stews or casseroles. I like putting them in my omelets along with some fresh Stinging Nettles and Dandelion greens.  In my book, there is nothing better than eating my medicine.

As I come up with new ways of utilizing Goldenrod, I will continue to share. What has been your experience with Goldenrod? Please share.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

 

 

 

A look back into Goldenrod’s history

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goldenrod fieldRecently, I taught a class about Goldenrod (Solidago spp.), which prompted me to delve deeper into the history of the plant. It seems like every time I look at the Golden Goddess it has more to teach me. If you have been following my blog, you know that Goldenrod has saved our family from allergy hell as well as soothed our aches and pain. But it is oh, so much more.

It all begins with the name. The scientific name for Goldenrod is Solidago from the Latin word solidare, meaning “to join,” or “bring together” as the lips of a wound “to make whole.” Think of the word solder. This speaks to Goldenrod’s long history of healing wounds. The ancient Germans considered Goldenrod to be the best wound herb and, before engaging in battle, they gathered it as a precaution. In Germany today it is commonly called “fastening herb” because it fastens wounds together or “golden woundwort.”

Goldenrod has several actions that makes it excellent for healing wounds. It is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and is astringent. Its astringent capabilities helps tighten tissues. It is particularly good on old, slow-healing wounds that ooze and refuse to heal completely. The dry powdered leaves and roots make a good styptic agent for cuts because it contracts tissue to seal injured blood vessels. In addition, it is useful for treating sore, sensitive bruises and contusions. No wonder why it’s a perfect herb to take into battle.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Goldenrod’s healing abilities were very popular and it was extremely valuable. The powder was exported to London for its healing powers and was sold for as much as a half a crown per pound. One superstition says that he who carries the plant will find treasure: It’s the symbol for treasure and good fortune. It seems more likely that if you possessed Goldenrod, you could make a good profit from it. The colonists called goldenrod tea “Liberty Tea,” since they drank it instead of black tea after the Boston Tea Party. Liberty Tea became very popular and was actually exported to China.

The most fascinating use I found for Goldenrod came from the inventor Thomas Edison, who experimented with its natural rubber properties. Edison cultivated a 12-foot-tall plant that yielded as much as 12 percent rubber content in each plant. Henry Ford gave Edison a Model T with tires made from Goldenrod but Edison died before he could bring his project into commercial production. During World War II there was extensive process development conducted on Goldenrod to commercialize it as a source of rubber. But they were not as successful as Edison, as they could only cultivate leaves with a rubber content of 7 percent. The resulting rubber had a low molecular weight, resulting in an excessively tacky compound with poor abilities to be stretched.

Goldenrod continues to fascinate me and I will continue to share it virtues. What do you use Goldenrod for? Please share and I will continue to share with you.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.