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Parsley Root is an old-time remedy for digestive disorders, kidney and liver problems, menstrual irregularities, and cleansing the blood and body of toxins. Don't forget to take Parsley for a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Its chlorophyll content makes it a wonderful breath freshener.
Parsley Root is an old-time remedy for digestive disorders, kidney and liver problems, menstrual irregularities, and cleansing the blood and body of toxins. Don't forget to take Parsley for a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Its chlorophyll content makes it a wonderful breath freshener.
Plant Description:
Parsley Root is a biennial or perennial herb that originated as a wild plant in the eastern Mediterranean region but is now found in cultivation everywhere. Among the many constituents included in Parsley are important minerals, beta-carotene, essential oils (including eugenol and apiole), flavonoids, coumarins, chlorophyll, B-vitamins and vitamins A, C, E and K. Parsley actually ranks higher than most vegetables in histidine, an amino acid that is said to inhibit tumors. The leaves, roots and seeds cover a wide spectrum of ailments similarly, but Parsley Roots and seeds are more potent than the leaves and are more effective for more severe conditions.
Medical Uses:
For more than two thousand years, it has been highly regarded as a medicinal herb to treat gastrointestinal disorders and kidney, liver and bladder ailments.
History:
Used as a tomb decoration in ancient Greece and Rome, Parsley was thought to possess magical powers and was also associated with the underworld and death. In one legendary Greek myth, King Lycurgus's son, Opheltes, was left for a short time by his nurse who pointed out the location of a spring to thirsty soldiers. When she returned, the child had been killed by a snake, and Amphiarus, the seer and soldier who viewed the incident, said it was a bad omen and correctly predicted his own death in the upcoming battle. He gave Opheltes the surname Archemorus, meaning "the first to die," and the child became the symbol of impending death. From his blood the first Parsley plants were said to have sprung.
On the other hand, garlands of Parsley were used as prizes in both Greek and Roman public games. Although the plant remained an important part of the herbalists' repertoire, it remained associated with magic and the underworld through the Middle Ages as one of the Devil's favorites and could only be counteracted by sowing the seeds on Good Friday. Another medieval belief advocated the sprinkling of Parsley Seeds on a bald head three nights a year to grow hair, but it was also used during that time as a poison antidote.
Medical Uses:
Parsley Roots and leaves have been used to regulate blood sugar and are thought to be effective in cases of low blood sugar, if there is adrenal malfunction.
Preparations made from Parsley Roots have their major influence on the liver and spleen, and for the last 100 years, clinical physicians have claimed that Parsley Root has been effective in treating liver diseases, helping to dissolve and pass gallstones and kidney stones, if they are not too large.
Parsley has been used since ancient times to improve both the digestion and assimilation of food and is said to settle the stomach after a meal. The volatile oil in Parsley increases circulation to the digestive tract, easing stomach problems, indigestion and flatulence.
Rich in many nutrients, Parsley contains apigenin, a flavonoid that reduces allergic responses and is also considered an effective antioxidant.
Treatments:
Parsley Root is a natural and effective diuretic that helps to purify the blood and accelerate the excretion of toxins from the body. Parsley may also ease bloating, reduce excess water weight, and improve urination when it is painful or incomplete. Because of its diuretic properties, Parsley is believed to lower blood pressure, reduce the heart rate and relieve hypertension. Parsley is also considered a mild laxative.
Parsley is highly nutritious and contains more vitamin C than oranges by weight and also provides a good source of iron (important for the proper formation of red blood cells), potassium (good for lowering blood pressure), calcium and manganese (helpful for osteoporosis) and folic acid (which may help prevent cardiovascular disease).
Although pregnant women should not use Parsley, because it stimulates uterine contractions, in normal circumstances the herb is said to have a toning effect on the uterus and is also thought to similarly affect the prostate in men.
Parsley Root is thought to make an excellent and nutritious tonic. The root may be cooked and added to soups to improve the health of invalids or weakened people.
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