Cattails

 Cattails

 

Cattails isn’t the sort of plant that one thinks about when thinking about holistic medicine, but you might be surprised at its many uses and not just as a medicine.

There are about 30 different species of cattails and all of them are edible and useful. 

Every part of a cattail plant is edible and nutritious and has thousands of uses from not only food but also things like first aid, shelter and fuel.   

                            

Native Americans used the puff as fluff or filler for pillows, bedding, blankets, and insulation. It was also a great additive for making bricks instead of straw because its smaller sized fibers gave the bricks more strength and helped them hold together better. Straw was reserved for cattle and horses mostly.

According to

Cattail facts and health benefits (healthbenefitstimes.com) cattails are full of manganese, magnesium, fiber, iron, sodium, protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, beta carotene and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, and K.             

 

Cattails help improve digestion, skin health, helps with treating high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, painful menstruation, helps with cancer prevention, and STDs, and helps increase physical energy, and it has antiseptic and coagulation properties. It can be used as a sedative, and treat burns, stops bleeding, and can be used as a diuretic, or for making paper and some textiles and bio char. Also, the seeds can be ground up into flour for making breads or as a thickener for soups and gravies, and because the pollen from the cattail is so flammable that even today it is used for making fireworks, so they make a great tinder. So, as you can see cattails are a great plant to grow because they are so useful in so many ways.

               

They also provide nesting for various types of birds and food for other wildlife.

“Cattails are even nicknamed 'survival supermarkets' as all parts of the plant are fit for human consumption. But there is a hazardous look-alike known as iris which may inhabit the same marshes. We can distinguish a cattail from a dangerous iris by looking for the distinctive cigar heads which are not present in the iris,” says 31 Cattail Plant Facts: Benefits, Habitat, Importance And More | Kidadl

Kidadl.com also says that the dense root system helps with preventing erosion on lake and pond banks and acts as a great filter for keeping toxins out of lakes and ponds and, “the jelly from common cattail is also an analgesic to relieve inflammation and pain.”

They can be invasive if not kept under control, however, so make sure that you really want to grow cattails before taking on that task. I collect the cigar heads just for the seeds to store in case mine ever die for whatever reason. 

Harvesting and Making Medicine from Cattails

To harvest cattails, it should be done in May so that the plant is simulated for regrowth. Find cattails with a lot of outer leaves. Pull one or more of the outer leaves off at the base of the plant. The medicine is in between the outer leaves at the base of the plant. It will be a clear jelly-like substance. It’s the numbing agent and it helps with teething in babies, toothaches, canker sores, wounds and many other things with little to no known side effects.

NOTE: make sure that you are getting the jelly from the leaves that are above the ground or water. The jelly below the ground or water may be contaminated with bacteria in the ground or water.

This jelly doesn’t only numb, but it also acts as an antiseptic medicine cleaning the wound and stops or slows bleeding making it a great addition to first aid kits and with no preparation is needed. Simply apply it directly from the plant to the infected area.

With that being said, if you want to jar this medicine for later use, you can but that will require some prep work.

For that, follow the following steps.

Cattail Numbing Ointment

1. Using gloves and a sharp knife or scissors, cut about 10 cattail stalks at the base of the plant about 1-2 inches above the ground or water.

2. Trim off any parts of the stalks that aren’t needed.

NOTE: the part that is needed is at the very base of the stalks where the dark green fades into a lighter green like green onions.

3. Clean the stalks under running water and split them down the middle with a knife.

4. With a knife, scrap off the jelly substance and put it into a small pot.

NOTE: There will be some tiny fibers in the jelly. Those are fine to leave in it.

5. Add a 1/4 cup of water to the pot and jelly and because of its antibacterial properties, add a teaspoon of sesame seed oil.

NOTE: The sesame seed oil will naturally preserve the ointment and add to its medicinal benefits.

6. Bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

7. Pour into a strainer catching the liquid in a small bowl.

8. Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the pulp.

NOTE: you can repeat the last 4 steps with the same pulp to get out a little more of the medicine if you want but only add a tablespoon of water instead this time.

9. Add any of the following essential oils because of their antibacterial properties.

NOTE: This step is optional.

u Tea tree oil

² Great for treating cuts, scrapes and burns. Should NOT be ingested.

u Grapefruit oil

² Great for treating staph infections, E. coli, and salmonella, and wound infections. Can be used topically and can be ingested.

u Oregano oil

² Great for treating muti-drug resistant infections, E. coli, inflammation in the gut and aids in digestion, and bacteria in the mouth. Can be used topically and can be ingested. 

u Cinnamon oil

² Great for infectious diseases like TB, pneumonia, strep, etc., along with staph and E. coli, and kills bacteria in the mouth and helps with digestive issues and is great inflammatory aid. Can be used topically and can be ingested. 

u Citronella oil

² Great for killing bacteria in the digestive track and help with colon, stomach, intestines and kidneys. Can be used topically and can be ingested but only in very small doses. 

u Eucalyptus oil

² Great for treating the common cold, cough, runny nose, and reducing mucus and bacteria in the respiratory tract. It also helps fight food born illnesses and is a great alternative for antibiotics and helps repel bugs. Should NOT be ingested. To use it, use it in a bath soak instead. 

u Thyme oil

² Another alternative for antibiotics. It is also great for treating acne. Should NOT be ingested unless it’s diluted, can be used topically. 

10. Put the ointment in a sanitized airtight container and store it in the fridge or freezer. It will last about 6 months in the fridge or freezer, but you can put it through a canning process to add a little more time to its shelf life.

This is a plant that I will gladly let take over my property because of its many uses. I love this plant! 

My next post will be on the Headlines episode of Ancient Conspiracies and I’m looking forward to it.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Please remember, this blog is for entertainment purposes only and you should consult a professional before utilizing any of my content. I am not responsible for any damages to oneself, other people or property if you choose to ignore this disclaimer. Use at your own risk!

 

Ancient Conspiracies Episode 1

 Ancient Conspiracies Episode 1

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ancient-conspiracies/id1644256511

Click on the above link to get to the podcast.

I said in my last post yesterday that I was going to do something different, and it was going to be big. So before moving on to what that is, consider the name of my blog. The name of my blog is Mary Jane’s Eclectic Works…” eclectic,” meaning a collection of DIFFERENT things.

 Ok, moving on. This is big! I’ve recently started a new journey in my life and I’m very excited about it!

What started me on this new journey, I was in my kitchen cleaning super dishes and decided to try to find an inspiring podcast. I was craving knowledge. I am needing something to get my mind working…to get me thinking. During my search, I came across a podcast called Ancient Conspiracies and it changed my life on so many levels and it started a friendship that is truly one of my most valued friendships ever.

Chasity was honestly and is honestly sent by God himself and I thank him every day for that gift that is Chasity for not only myself, but also for my fiancé Jason and many other people. She needs the recognition that she deserves.

She asks the hard questions and gets the wheels turning in my head in ways I never thought possible.

The podcast uniquely takes the events happening in our world today and connects them to Bible prophecy, and she is able back up most if not all of her content’s claims.

So, what I’m going to start doing is start with episode 1 and open a discussion with those interested to discuss, bring insight, ask questions, fellowship, share understanding, etc. about Ancient Conspiracies one episode at a time starting with episode 1. I simply want to build on Chasity’s content and bring awareness to her podcast because the message is waaay to important not to. She presents us with the initial notion, and I present an avenue to discuss it that goes beyond her wonderful Facebook page, and I suspect that she will happily join in on the conversation.

I also need help understanding sometimes too, I’m a babe in Christ and I feel we can help each other with more understanding.

 I just want to make clear that I did ask Chasity for permission before doing this and she was excited about the idea so please don’t think I’m doing anything against her or trying to take credit from Chasity by any means.

 I will also be doing my regular content each week which everyone is encouraged to join in a discussion on that as well.

 Anyway, this podcast started me on my journey, my walk with Jesus, and that’s what I will posting about today. Please join me in this conversation…my favorite subject…Jesus. Please keep, “love thy neighbor,” in mind while typing in your comment. I will NOT tolerate any negative, bullying or hate towards anyone else in this blog. We all have a right to our own opinions…but respectfully. We need to be as close to God-like as possible. We all will fall short but having God as our influence for a benchmark is what we all should aim for.

 I have gone back and listened to every one of her episodes several times and every time I do, I pick up on something new, something I missed the previous time listening to it. So far, in listening to it several times over, it has not lost its entertainment value…for lack of a better term because I don’t want to diminish its original purpose of getting out the intended message. That message is extremely valuable!

In episode 1, Chasity introduces what her podcast content is, like the book of Enoch, which is what I originally typed into the podcast search that help me find Ancient Conspiracies. I think Chasity has said that is how most people found it.

So, around 2017 is when I first heard about the book of Enoch. Before then, I had never heard about him or that book. I had heard as a child, my parents talk about some books that was taken out of the original Bible, mainly Enoch and always wondered why. Why would anyone take an entire book let alone several books out of the Bible? If they were in the Bible to begin with, didn’t that mean that God wanted us to know about them?

I asked my brother-in-law, who I love and respect so much, about the book of Enoch because I thought he would know, “why,” but he didn’t really know either.  

The feedback I was getting on who he really was and why his book was taken out of the Bible was confusing, which Chasity clears up in her podcast. I was confused because some of the info I was getting was positive and some was negative. Chasity explains in her podcast that there was 2 people in Biblical times named Enoch and one was bad. I think that is what misleads most people about who the true Enoch is and his true intention, his true story, what God told him to do. 

I think his book is simply an account of what he witnessed during his walk with God. He was a faithful follower of God so seeing him as someone to ignore should be considered close minded. He is mentioned several times in the Bible and in the book of Jude, there is a direct quote from the book of Enoch so that tells me that his experience should not be ignored, and God means for us to know about him and his experience.

 Honestly, I put more weight into what Enoch says than what Nostradamus said considering Enoch was walking with God. I don’t know how Nostradamus got his info because I know very little about Nostradamus, but I do believe it was demonic.

 Enoch was a preacher and a profit and actually visited Heaven as well Hell.

 According to Enoch in the Bible Was the Man Who Walked With God (learnreligions.com) There are three key Bible verses to consider, Genesis 5: 22 & 23, Genesis 5: 24, Hebrews 11: 5.

 Not only was Enoch taken without experiencing death, or raptured as Chasity points out in her podcast, but he also went directly to Heaven. He supposedly wrote the book of Enoch around the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries BC; Jesus was thought to be born between the 5^th and 6^th century BC and Enoch predicted that birth of our Lord and savior which is what ultimately ended in the book of Enoch getting removed from scripture. Because of the Jewish not recognizing baby Jesus as their Messiah, they frowned upon the notion of Jesus being the Messiah and pushed for it to be removed from the Holy Bible.   

I originally thought that the head of the Catholic church removed it from the Bible because there are things in it that they didn’t want us to know, Weather it was for our own good or not, I didn’t know but I wanted to know the truth. I then thought maybe it was because it wasn’t written by the divine hand of God, it was written by a man that walked with God instead.

 There are 66 books in the protestant bible, the King James version, 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

In the Catholic bible, there is 73 books. This collection of books is referred to as the Deuterocanonical books that included Baruch, Judith, Maccabees 1 & 2, Sirach, Tobit, Wisdom and additions to the books of Esther and Daniel.

The Ethiopian Orthodox (also a Christian denomination) bible has 81 books in it. That bible includes the book of Esdras, Buruch, Maccabess 1, 2 & 3, and the book of Enoch along with 20 other books.

So, what exactly is in the Book of Enoch? Well, I can’t wait to find out when Chasity breaks it down for us when she comes back from her summer break with her family, and I can’t wait!

Until then, I will be moving on to the next episode. There is an episode that Chasity did between episode 1 and 2 and that is the episode that I will be talking about in my next post.

What do yall think? Enlighten me on what your thoughts are on the book of Enoch. Please join in this discussion and let me know your thoughts. Let's talk about this yall. What stood out the most or make the most impact for you in this episode. I am craving different aspects on this so please let us hear your thoughts, questions or additions to this subject.  

Please keep coming back each week for more on Chasity’s podcast Ancient Conspiracies because each week will get better and better.

 Also, please remember that I will be posting my regular content here that yall can enjoy and comment on too. 

White Clover Tea

 White Clover

Before I start, I wanted to apologize for not posting in a while. I have been in an ongoing battle with my computer. It wanted to die on me, but I wouldn’t let it; my computer won that battle and it finally died so I had to break down and get a new one...unfortunately. I digress.

Moving on.

When my sister, my cousins and I was young, I can remember us getting these little flowers and tying them together and making little flower crowns out of them and playing like we were forest fairies. That was some of my fondest childhood memories with my sister and my cousins, but little did we know that there are so many medicinal benefits to these little white gems. We thought they were just weeds...boy were we wrong.

White clover grows wild in yards, roadsides, pastures and on the banks of creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes. The heart shaped leaves on a white clover plant are a deep forest green with what looks to be a white crescent shaped watermark on each of its three leaves. If the clover has white speckles or large white patches on its leaves, do NOT use them. The large white spots may be larva of a type of insect and the speckles may be some kind of fungal, neither is safe for human consumption. The blossoms, to me, looks kind of like little white fireworks burst with a tinge of pink on some but not all of them and they only get a few inches tall.

They can be found in the wild, grown in your garden or in pots. They are very resilient and can grow in just about any climate. You can collect the seeds of the white clover by hanging the blossoms upside down or pinch the blossoms off and put them into a paper bag. Allow them to dry out for a few days. Then just crush the dried blossoms into a colander with your fingers and shake it to let the seeds fall into a bowl. Store them in a dry, dark, cool place until you're ready to plant them. You can get up to 100 seeds from a single blossom. Only use the flowers that are the prettiest with no brown or discoloration on them.  

Growing white clover is super easy and so gratifying. Growing zones are 4-9. If you don't know your growing zone, click on the link for the growing zones in the US. https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ 

Plant your seeds in April and/or May because they grow best when it's warming up. However, some say that it’s best to plant your seeds in September and October to inoculate the seeds and to allow them to establish their root system before the spring flowers start growing and dominate the surrounding grounds. Scatter seeds in soil (either in a pot with drain holes or in your garden) and cover them with a thin layer of mulch or more soil and carefully water them. The seeds only need a very thin layer of dirt over them so only plant them just below the surface. They need partial to full sun. The sunnier the spot is the more blossoms the plant will have and the fuller it will be. They will sprout in a couple of weeks in most cases, but it could take up to 3 weeks. The plant reaches maturity about a month after planting the seeds with seed harvesting around mid-April depending on when you’ve planted your seeds.                                                      

Water daily during germination. After germination keep the plant moist but not too moist. You can test your soil by sticking your finger in the soil up to the 2nd knuckle and pull it out, if it's moist, your good, if it's dry, water it gently. They don't need fertilizers or pesticides.

They are a perennial, which means you won't have to replant them each year, they'll just keep coming back thicker and thicker each year. They can be an invasive plant if not contained which is really the only bad thing that I can say about them.

Farmers use it for their livestock to graze on. It has been used to bring in deer and for controlling ground erosion. Honeybees, butterflies and other pollinators really love them. They are a great way to replenish nitrogen in the soil and removing heavy metals out of your soil, so they are very beneficial to not only animals and us but also the earth.  

If you’re collecting them from the wild, remember, they grow best in cool, moist soil so it's best to find them in early to mid-spring depending on where you live. If picking them in the wild, keep in mind you risk getting a plant that has been sprayed with some kind of chemical, so it is better to grow your own in my opinion, but again, if you do pick them in the wild, pick the most perfect blossoms that are not discolored and please wash them thoroughly. It's best to harvest the white clover early in the day just after the morning dew has dried. That’s when the blossoms are at their sweetest if you make tea. 

The entire plant is edible, the leaves, stocks, roots and blossoms, but the blossoms make the best tea especially the freshest and the prettiest ones. They make the sweetest tea that taste a little like honeysuckle. 

You can make teas, sav's and tinctures that can benefit you and your loved ones in so many ways. It can also be incorporated in food.                                              

                             

The plant is loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals like A, B2, B3, C, E and K and minerals like magnesium, potassium, chromium, calcium, phosphorous and is a great source of fiber and a great detoxifier.

White clover helps in treating the common cold, coughs and fever. It also helps in a number of stomach issues, gout, headaches, arthritis and dizziness. If it pulls bad stuff out of the ground soil, it will do the same for you so using it as a detox works very well.  

It is a great eye wash when made into a tea, purifies the blood and helps with various skin conditions.

I came across a great website that has great tips and recipes using white clover in various, beneficial ways to reference here. The website url for the white clover is https://mamaonthehomestead.com/preserving-white-clover/#:~:text=Health%20Benefits%20of%20White%20Clover,treat%20rheumatic%20aches%20and%20arthritis.%E2%80%9D

I also found another great website with reference to red clover which helps with hot flash in women suffering from menopause along with other things it helps with. That website is https://homespunseasonalliving.com/using-white-clover-food-medicine/

When should one not consume white clover? Because of its blood thinning properties, one should refrain from consuming white clover 2 weeks before a medical procedure, while taking blood pressure medication because it will interfere with it and while pregnant or nursing.

Also, always follow safe foraging guidelines. Those guidelines include never pick from someone else’s property without getting permission from the owner of the said property. Be 100% sure that the plant is identified. Don’t pick more than half of what you find and don’t destroy its habitat.

Fresh leaves taste great in soup and/or salad and dried leaves are great in pastries and jellies.

This wonder herb helps prevent lung related diseases because of its flavonoid properties. An example of flavonoid properties is antioxidants. The flowers essence aids in treating diabetes and preventing osteoporosis because is ability to increase bone density.

The most recommended way to introduce white clover into your diet is to start slowly and work your way up when you see how your body is going to react to it. Like maybe a cup of hot white clover tea one day a week to start off and then slowly increasing. Just remember, I am not a professional, so it is recommended to talk to your doctor before doing this. 

You can make flour out of the dried flower blossoms by just grinding them up into a fine powder. Store it in an airtight container. The texture of the flour is a little different and could be a bit off putting at first so you may need to mix it with regular all-purpose flour until your get used to it, according to Weeds (newlifeonahomestead.com) an awesome website that has tons of great information.     

            

The secret that every tea drinker should know, no matter if it’s iced tea or hot tea, steeping for the right amount of time is extremely important and just about every kind of tea is different. 

If you steep it too long it will taste bitter but if you don’t steep it long enough, you could miss out on some vital medicinal and nutritional benefits that the plant has to offer. 

For example, the perfect time to steep chamomile is about 4 minutes, but the perfect time to steep lavender is about 8 minutes. If you mix chamomile and lavender, it’s best to adjust the steep time to find the Goldilocks steep time which would probably be about 6 minutes.

I think that clover is one of those floras that has such a forgiving steep time because it could take anywhere between 30 minutes to 4 hours with the Goldilocks being about 2 hours and can be enjoyed hot or cold. There are those that makes a batch in the mornings just after harvesting it and let it steep through lunch and drink on it for several days keeping it in the fridge.

I am including my own white clover tea recipe suitable for all ages because some recipes may not be safe for all ages and definitely not appropriate for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers especially if there is honey in it.

White Clover Tea Recipe

Ingredients

8 cups of water

2 cups of fresh white clover (or 3 cups of dried white clover)

Mint (optional)

Honey or sugar to taste (optional)

Note: Honey taste the best with white clover, however, never give honey or anything that contains honey to babies due to the bacteria in honey can cause botulism.

Directions

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the clover to a 1 gallon jug. Pour the water over the clover and let it set in the counter just until the waters cools down to about the same temperature as a cup of coffee or until it’s just drinkable. Add sugar or honey to taste. The water still being warm will dissolve the sugar or honey better. Stir until fully dissolved. Let sit on the counter for an additional hour. Strain the solids off the tea. Add the rest of the water and mint. Sore in the fridge. Will keep for about 6 days. Drink hot or cold.

White clover is an herb that is easy to get excited about. It has so many good reasons to grow it in your yards, gardens or in pots. Will yall be making some the next harvest season? What can yall add to this post that I might have missed about white clover?

Please join in the conversation and tell me your favorite herb to make tea out of or if you’ve made white clover tea.

Next week I will be discussing cattails. Yall will be floored on how beneficial cattails are so keep coming back and join in the fun.

Also, starting tomorrow, I will be doing something big here on my blog that I am so excited about, but yall are gonna have to come back tomorrow to see what it is.

DISCLAIMER: Please remember, this blog is for entertainment purposes only and you should consult a professional before utilizing any of my content. I am not responsible for any damages to oneself, other people or property if you choose to ignore this disclaimer. Use at your own risk!