Читать книгу The Healing Remedies Sourcebook: Over 1,000 Natural Remedies to Prevent and Cure Common Ailments - C. Shealy Norman - Страница 106

ASPARAGUS OFFICINALIS

ASPARAGUS

A herbaceous perennial of the Liliaceae family, asparagus is cultivated for its tender shoots, which appear in early spring. In 1806, the French chemist Louis Nicolas Vauquelin, who discovered the elements chromium and beryllium, isolated asparagine, the first amino acid to be discovered, from the asparagus plant. Asparagus is a liver tonic, and promotes elimination (through the urine).

USES

 Drink asparagus water (the water remaining after steaming asparagus spears) for urinary complaints, arthritis, and rheumatism.

 Freshly cooked asparagus will tonify the liver, and may be used in cases of liver congestion and conditions such as hepatitis to encourage healing.

 Asparagus tincture can be added to food and drinks to encourage the elimination of urine.

PROPERTIES

 Encourages the flow of urine, making asparagus a useful diuretic

 Acts as a tonic to the liver

 Aids digestion

 May help control the symptoms of PMS, including breast tenderness and abdominal bloating

CAUTION

Asparagus is high in purines, and anyone suffering from gout should avoid it.