Using Vegetables to Heal: Celery & Asparagus

Throughout ancient history, the knowledge that vegetables can cure was widespread. Some selections are able to aid in urinary disorders, while others show results in treating the symptoms of gout. In this article, you will learn how to use celery and asparagus to its fullest potential. 

Celery

Celery is certainly a familiar vegetable and I bet you haven’t ever thought of this food item as playing a significant role in medicinal herbal treatments. Actually, Eastern medicine sees celery (the whole plant) as a gentle stimulant and restorative approach towards helping individuals in a weak condition. In the past, it was not uncommon to see celery grown during the wintertime and early spring for its antitoxic properties. Into the winter, celery was used as a cleansing tonic. In France, the vegetable produced an extract made out of the seeds that delivered relief for urine retention.

When it comes to herbal treatments, the seeds, root, essential oil, and stalk is used to create remedies. The seeds create an infusion that treats rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Combine 2 teaspoons of celery seeds with 1 teaspoon of lignum vitae, which is then added in ½-teaspoonfuls to a cup of boiling water. The essential oil makes a treatment to relieve the pain that comes with toes and feet stricken with gout. You can add 15 drops of oil to a bowl of warm water and allow the feet to soak.

As massage oil, it is suggested to dilute 5 to 10 drops of celery oil to 20 milliliters of almond (or sunflower oil), which is then massaged into arthritic joints. Celery root creates a tincture that was traditionally used to relieve water retention in hypertension sufferers. Other urinary disorders also reacted to this sort of treatment. Some people relied on the root to stimulate and cleanse their kidneys. Today, the root is rarely used to create herbal remedies.

Asparagus

In the West, you can find asparagus decorating dinner plates in many homes, but did you know that the vegetable also possesses medicinal powers? Since ancient times, asparagus was used as a natural treatment. In the past, wise characters in history (such as Pliny) have regarded the vegetable as a great food to treat the stomach. The improvement of vision, bowel function, and pain relief has been associated with asparagus throughout time. It has also been seen as an effective diuretic. In India, a related species was a prime ingredient in a well-known Ayurvedic tonic.

The dried root and shoots of the asparagus is used to create herbal remedies. If you eat 3 to 4 young shoots at meals once or twice per day , you can combat cystitis and swollen ankles. The dried root is sometimes made into a powder where three grams added to warm milk works as a tonic to soothe the female reproductive system. As a tincture, blend an equal amount of the substance with almond oil and make sure to shake well. This is a remedy that you may rub on stiff joints and calm muscle spasms. Asparagus decoction (when mixed with ginseng and sheng di huang) treats coughs that linger, as well as the weakness that follows a bout of the flu.