This week on The DR & the DJ podcast, we feature B-sides to Health, with Dr. Amy Lindsey.

This week on B-sides to health we learn about 3 medicinal plants in the Pacific Northwest that many might confuse as weeds.*

First, we explore the Dandelion or Taraxacum officinale, known to most as a pesky weed that takes over the lawn. However, this is a highly medicinal & nutritive plant. The leaves are bitter but will jump start the digestive system getting all the right signals going, letting the body know to prepare to digest food. The leaves are also a potassium sparing diuretic that are not overstimulating to the kidneys. This is useful for hypertension & edema. The root is used medicinally to support the liver primarily but is also great for the gall bladder & the entire digestive system.

Next is the Stinging Nettle or Urtica dioica. This plant grows all over the Pacific Northwest & is known to most for its "sting" or brief stinging rash one gets from getting too close. However, the leaves are full of nutrients & depending on how they are used have different medicinal properties. Nettle leaves are also a diuretic when steeped in hot water. They are great for swollen joints & arthritis. The root of the plant is specifically for BPH or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, the non-cancerous enlarged prostate.  If you steep the leaves in cold water for 5-6 hours, you do not get the diuretic effect, but instead get a cold tea full of minerals & vitamins such as Vitamin A, B, C as well as potassium & calcium.

Last but not least is the California Poppy or Eschscholzia californica. This beautiful orange flower is also often classified as a weed in the Pacific Northwest. The whole plant can be used to calm the nervous system. Examples include stress, migraines, anxious thoughts, or as a gentle relaxant. It is a very safe & mild medicinal plant.

Of course, never pick these plants from the side of the road where they have been subjected to car pollution, or never just pick them from random places in your neighborhood as they may have been sprayed with a toxic weed killer. You can get these plants at your local herbalist, natural food store, or your doctor. Always listen to your own doctor about the use of these plants & always get them from clean & safe sources.

 Amy

The DR& the DJ

*Reminder: Nothing in this podcast is a substitute for medical or professional advice. Please always consult your doctor.

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