Burdock Plant Profile
The first in my monthly series!
Welcome to our first Awaken Apothecary plant profile. I'm excited to introduce you to the world of plant healing; there is so much I want to share with you.
Before we begin, I want to qualify something: This is a beginners' guide to Burdock. There's so much magic in this healing root that it would take me a lifetime to discover and share it all. But we have to begin somewhere, and this is where we will start our journey. Rest assured, I have many more insights into Burdock that I will share with you as time goes on.
Burdock Makes Me Feel Like Dad's Home.
You know the sort of dad who pulls into the driveway, and you come running out to throw your arms around him because everything about him makes you feel safe, comfortable, and loved? That's how Burdock feels when I work with him. Consequently, I drink a lot of burdock infusions. Don't we all want to feel that held and secure?
What is it about Burdock that makes me feel that way? Is it his gentle but insistent energy? The way he softly yet firmly leads me to the deeply buried root of my insecurities and holds me with compassion while I dig them out and heal them? Or is it the way he heals my tummy troubles, helping me digest physically and emotionally?
In the same way we look to our Dad (if we have a healthy relationship with him, which is kinda rare isn’t it? Perhaps we can think of Burdock as the dream Dad we all deserve and wished we had.) for support, I can count on Burdock. He supports me physically so I'm strong and able to face the world filled with a sense of my own capability. And because I'm physically supported, I have the strength to deal with the emotional issues that are usually left unresolved due to a lack of energy. It's like the hierarchy of needs; if your physical body is depleted, you have limited energy, usually insufficient to deal with your "stuff." But, when your physical self is nourished, you have extra energy to sort out your heart and soul and invest in your emotional self.
Burdock was my introduction to the world of plant medicine. My teacher, Marysia Miernowska, from the School of the Sacred Wild, instructed me to choose one herb and drink it exclusively for the first month of my apprenticeship. I did as instructed but didn't stop at 30 days. It was 9 months later before I felt our time together had come to an end. And even now, I regularly circle back to Burdock. He still has much to teach me, and I still need his physical nourishment and gentle, healing hand.
I could wax lyrical about the spiritual benefits of working with beautiful, supportive Burdock, but let's discuss how he works in our physical system. Once we understand Burdock's physical benefits, we will be better equipped to experience his spiritual gifts.
Burdock And Digestive Health
The Liver
Inside your body, your liver is like a busy factory worker, and one of its important jobs is making bile. Bile helps break down fats from your food so your body can use them properly. Now, here's where our friend Burdock comes in. Burdock contains compounds that help your liver produce more bile, which gets released into your digestive system when you eat. With more bile in your digestive system, your body can digest fats more efficiently, keeping everything running smoothly. In simple terms, Burdock helps your liver make more bile, helping you digest your food better.
The compounds in Burdock responsible for increasing bile production include:
Inulin: This dietary fibre has been shown to stimulate bile production by promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. These bacteria then produce short-chain fatty acids, which signal the liver to increase bile secretion.
Bitter substances: Burdock contains bitter-tasting compounds such as lactones and polyacetylenes. These bitter substances have been found to stimulate the production and release of bile from the gallbladder. Bile is released in response to the bitter taste, aiding in the digestion of fats.
Flavonoids: Burdock is rich in flavonoids, which are plant compounds known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Some flavonoids, such as quercetin and kaempferol, have been found to enhance bile production by stimulating bile secretion from the liver.
Lignans: Burdock contains lignans, phytochemicals that support liver function and may contribute to increased bile production by promoting liver detoxification.
These compounds work synergistically to support liver health and enhance bile production. They ultimately aid in the digestion and absorption of fats and promote overall digestive health.
Burdock, Your Kidneys and Lymphatic System
Burdock is a very effective diuretic. What's a diuretic, you ask? Imagine your body is like a water balloon, and your kidneys are like the tap that controls how much water goes into and out of the balloon. A diuretic helps your body let go of extra water, just like squeezing the balloon to let some water out.
Taking a diuretic tells your kidneys to remove more water from your body than usual. It does this by affecting the tiny filters in your kidneys called nephrons. These nephrons filter out waste and excess water from your blood, which the body then gets rid of through urine.
Diuretics help your body get rid of extra fluid, which can be useful if you're retaining too much water due to conditions like high blood pressure, heart failure, or certain kidney problems. They can also help with conditions like edema, which is swelling caused by too much fluid buildup in your body.
Burdock's diuretic properties help increase urine production, aiding in the removal of waste and excess fluid from the kidneys.
I've had friends tell me Burdock has cleared all of their middle-aged lady urinary problems after just a few weeks of drinking infusions. All hail Burdock!
Burdock and our Lymphatic System
Not only does Burdock help your body eliminate toxins through your liver and kidneys. Its phytochemicals also assist the lymphatic system in removing toxins from your bloodstream.
The lymphatic system is the body's cleaning crew. It comprises a network of tiny tubes or vessels, like blood vessels, that run throughout your body. These vessels collect a clear fluid called lymph from tissues all over your body. Now, this lymph fluid is like a garbage truck—it picks up waste, bacteria, and other toxins before travelling through the lymphatic vessels to special filtering stations called lymph nodes. At these lymph nodes, the waste in the lymph is filtered out and destroyed by special cells called lymphocytes. After the lymph gets cleaned up, it flows back into your bloodstream, and your body gets rid of the waste through urine or faeces.
Burdock & Nourishment.
I mentioned earlier that Burdock floods your system with nourishment. This powerhouse of a weed (did I tell you that he's a weed? Can you believe all this health-giving goodness grows so abundantly and for free? Isn't nature so generous?) is loaded with essential minerals like iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium which help support bone health, energy production, and muscle function. And as if that wasn't enough, he further supports your body's energy production and immune function with high levels of vitamin B6 and Vitamin E.
How To Start Working With Burdock.
Drinking an overnight infusion daily is the easiest and most effective way to work with Burdock. Here's how:
Ingredients:
1 to 2 tablespoons of dried burdock root (start with 1 and then increase if you wish. Burdock has quite a bitter taste.)
1 litre (approx. 1 quart) of water
A heat-resistant container with a lid (e.g., a mason jar or a teapot)
Instructions:
Bring 1 litre of water to a boil.
Place the dried burdock root in a heat-resistant container, such as a mason jar or a teapot.
Carefully pour the hot water over the burdock root in the container.
Immediately cover the container with a lid to seal in the heat and essential oils. Then, allow the burdock root to steep in the water overnight or for at least 8 to 12 hours.
The next morning, strain the infusion using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove the burdock root pieces. You should be left with a rich, amber-coloured liquid.
Transfer the strained infusion to a clean glass container with a lid. Refrigerate it for up to 5 days and consume it throughout the day.
I drink a large glass every morning before my first coffee. When I began my journey with Burdock, I drank a litre every day and would make a fresh infusion each evening. But that was because I was studying to be an herbalist and needed to immerse myself in the plant's energy. One large cup every morning will suffice if you simply want to improve your digestion and energy levels.
FYI: When you drink Burdock infusions first thing in the morning, you will experience a gentle but persistent downward motion and quickly feel the need to go to the toilet. That's Burdock doing his magic in your digestive system and helping you eliminate waste quickly and thoroughly.
Burdock For Anemia and Iron Deficiency
Anemia is a relatively common health condition, one that I've suffered from for most of my life. It is caused by a lack of iron and/or Vitamin B12 in the body, which affects the body's capacity to create hemoglobin and red blood cells.
Think of red blood cells (RBCs) as little couriers and hemoglobin as their special cargo.
Red Blood Cells (RBCs): These are tiny, disc-shaped vessels that travel through your bloodstream. Their main job is to carry oxygen from your lungs to all the different parts of your body that need it, like your muscles and organs. They also pick up carbon dioxide, a waste product, and take it back to your lungs so you can exhale it.
Hemoglobin: This is the superstar protein found inside red blood cells. It's what gives blood its red colour. Hemoglobin's main role is to bind to oxygen molecules in your lungs and carry them through your bloodstream. Once it reaches tissues and organs that need oxygen, hemoglobin releases the oxygen molecules, ensuring they can do their job.
In essence, red blood cells and hemoglobin work hand in hand to ensure your body gets the oxygen it needs to function correctly.
When anemia is present, your body becomes deoxygenated, resulting in feelings of fatigue, physical weakness, emotional lethargy, dizziness, and pallor. In my experience, anemia makes life feel overwhelming.
When I was a young child, my mother would regularly feed me calf liver to combat my anemia. It worked, but eating liver is not the most pleasant thing! An easier way to protect yourself against anemia is to drink a herbal tonic high in iron.
Herbal Iron Infusion
Follow the same instructions for the Burdock Infusion above, but add 1 tablespoon of stinging nettles to your jar or teapot.
For an extra boost of iron-rich goodness, add a teaspoon (or more to your taste) of blackstrap molasses to each cup before drinking.
Burdock and nettles are often recommended as tonics for anemia due to their nutritional content and medicinal properties:
Iron Content: Consuming herbs rich in iron, like Burdock and nettles, can help boost iron levels and support the body's ability to produce healthy red blood cells.
Nutritional Support: Besides iron, Burdock and nettles are rich in vitamin C (which enhances iron absorption), vitamin B12, folate, and potassium. These nutrients can help the body maintain healthy blood levels and combat anemia.
Blood Tonic Properties: Herbalists often view Burdock and nettles as blood tonics, meaning they support the overall health and vitality of the blood. Burdock can help cleanse the blood and support liver function, which can aid in the elimination of toxins and promote the production of healthy blood cells. Nettles are considered nutritive and have a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine to nourish and strengthen the blood.
Anti-inflammatory and Nutrient Absorption: Burdock and nettles possess anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation and improve nutrient absorption in the digestive tract. Chronic inflammation can interfere with nutrient absorption and contribute to conditions like anemia, so it makes sense that reducing inflammation may support the body's ability to address anemia.
Burdock and Your Skin
Because Burdock is so helpful in eliminating waste from your system, you may notice a few breakouts when you first begin to work with him. I certainly did! But within a few weeks, my skin cleared up, and now I have the clearest skin of my life. In fact, whenever I've indulged in too much chocolate or rich foods, and I notice my skin starting to break out, I turn to Burdock infusions, and within a few days, my skin is healthy and clear again. If only I'd known about Burdock when I was a teenager.
In Conclusion
As you've discovered, Burdock is a powerful herbal ally. But his ability to remove waste and toxins isn't limited to your physical body; he's just as powerful at eliminating rubbish from your belief system, helping you release old trauma in a gentle and supportive manner. But that's a story for another day. I'm working on the first edition of my herbal almanac, where I will dive deep into Burdock's emotional and spiritual benefits. Pop your email in the box below, and I'll send you a monthly plant profile and keep you in the loop about my almanac.