Blessed Thistle
Species Name: cnicus benedictus.
Other Names by Which Blessed Thistle is known: Holy Thistle, Spotted Thistle, St. Benedict Thistle, Bitter thistle, cardin, Carbenia benedicta , Chardon Benit, Cardo Santo, Carduus benedictus, Cnici benedicti Herba, cnicus, Kardo-benedictenkraut, and salonitenolide.
Is Blessed silver a cure all remedy for any illness, an aid to help nursing mothers produce more milk, or is it simply a digestive aid?
Could it be all of the above, and should you be using blessed thistle?
What is Blessed Thistle? In Renaissance Europe, Blessed Thistle gained a reputation as a cure-all. During the black plague, it was even touted as a preventive measure to ensure users would not contract the plague.
Once one was ill with the plague, it was even believed to have fought it off. The plant, Blessed Thistle, is even praised for its medicinal powers in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" and was often recommended in early herbal medicinal manuals as a remedy for headaches such as migraine.
Home Remedies using Blessed Thistle:
Despite past beliefs, Blessed Thistle is now considered to be useful mainly for digestive problems. It works by stimulating the production of saliva and digestive juices.
The plant originated in southern Europe, but is now cultivated throughout the continent.
Benefits of Blessed Thistle:
Blessed thistle leaves, stems, and flowers have traditionally been used in "bitter" tonic drinks and in other preparations taken by mouth to enhance appetite and digestion.
Blessed thistle may also be included in the unproven anti-cancer herbal remedy Essiac. This herb has been tested in laboratory studies for its properties against infections, cancer, and inflammation, with promising results but, no high-quality; conclusive trials have proven these uses.
Despite its past popularity, Blessed Thistle is now considered genuinely useful only for digestive problems. It works by stimulating the production of saliva and digestive juices, blessed thistle is useful for digestive problems, and is still believed to be useful when taken by nursing mothers, as an aid for milk production.
Uses of Blessed Thistle:
Typically taken as a tea, blessed thistle is prepared by pouring boiling water over one and a half to two grams of crushed, dried, blessed thistle, and steeping for five to ten minutes. Drink one cup approximately one half hour before meals.
Blessed Thistle may be used to treat digestive problems, and possibly to stimulate milk production in lactating mothers.
Side Effects of Blessed Thistle:
Though it is possible to develop a sensitivity to blessed thistle, extending to similar plants such as mugwort and cornflower, outright allergic reactions are rare.
The use of Blessed Thistle has not been seen to exacerbate any known medical conditions. There are no known drug interactions or harmful side effects associated with Blessed Thistle.
No drug interactions have been reported.
If You Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding no harmful effects are known.
