Why Yellow Dock? It does a body good!

Yellow Dock

(Going to Seed)

Yellow dock is a rich resource of iron, and even helps you absorb more iron from other sources. Combining with other iron-rich herbs, such as burdock, dandelion, or nettles to nourish the spleen and detoxify the liver, cleanse and enrich the blood. Since our bodies only absorb about 1% of the iron we consume, this source is a great addition to our diets. You can also use the powered root as a tea or seasoning. Just know it’s a strong bitter tasting herb.

A versatile herb, Yellow dock stimulates the flow of bile and is an excellent liver and gallbladder tonic. It contains anthraquinones. This constituent has an active effect on the bowel and may ease cases of constipation.

It is also used to relieve acne, psoriasis and other irritated skin conditions, and may be helpful in treating hemorrhoids and vericose veins.

The Plant:

It grows freely along roadsides and in ditches. The roots are 8 to 12 inches long, about 1/2 inch thick, fleshy and usually not forked externally they are a rusty brown and inside whitish, with fine, straight, medullary rays and a rather thick bark. It has little or no smell and a rather bitter taste. The stem is 1 to 3 feet high, branched, with leaves of 6 to 10 inches long. They are crisped at the edges.

Rumicin is the active principle of Yellow Dock root. It contains Chrysarobin. A safe dosage of the dried extract is from 1 to 4 grains.

Yellow Dock Tea:

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water divided
  • 3 Tablespoons yellow dock root
  • 2 Tablespoons burdock root , ground to a powder (optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • raw honey, agava, or stevia (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat only 4 cups of the water to a boil
  2. Add yellow dock and vanilla, cook 15 minutes more
  3. Cover for an hour to steep
  4. Add remaining 2 cups of the water to the pan and reheat
  5. Pour through a strainer to remove the pieces
  6. Optional: Sweeten with honey, agava or stevia to taste

Other iron rich herbs include Burdock root and Dandelion.

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