Plantain

Have you ever wondered why there is such an abundance of plants be those weeds, vegetables or flowers? They only plausible answer that one can come up with is quite simple; they must be absolutely essential for our survival. These simple but so abundant weeds, plantain, borage, mullein and so many others that we stumble upon, everywhere and every day, are somehow responsible for our wellbeing.

Plantain is everywhere. You can find it in on the highway in a busy city from North America and in a shady, picturesque garden in Britain. It grows in practically every climate and in every possible condition. You don’t have to be an herbalist to understand that plantain has something very important to offer.

People use plantain in their salads; they make teas, infusions and decoctions out of it and there are claims that this wonderful herb can cure well, almost every ailment known to man. Even if this is only a half truth, plantain is still a very useful and helpful plant. Plantain can be administered as a powder, infusion, poultice, syrup and tincture. It has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and there is medical evidence on some of the claims about the wonderful effects of this plant.

It can be helpful in some mild cases of bronchitis, laryngitis and even asthma. It has some effects on mild cases of high blood pressure and it can reduce high levels of cholesterol. The poultice has healing and antibacterial properties when applied to abscesses, skin ulcerations and furuncles. Plantain is a good diuretic, it has calming and relaxing effects and it can be helpful in some cases of diarrhea.

Plantain is also packed with valuable nutrients, vitamins and minerals and it can be used to make soups, pies and delicious salads. Check your lawn or back garden and be sure that you will find some plantain to try and make into a fresh, crunchy salad for your dinner!