MULLEIN


Mullein tea provides vitamins B-2, B-5, B-12 & D, iron, PABA, sulfur, magnesium.

As a softening, soothing herb, it is wonderful for old, dry, tickly coughs & conditions of the lungs where the lining has worn down, resulting in regular chest infections with a tight chest, dry membranes & a chronic, long lasting cough.
Mullein softens the membranes, opens the chest & allows proper breathing, acting as a tonic to the respiratory tract & alleviating the misery of winter chest infections.
Mullein is used for tuberculosis, bronchitis, hoarseness, pneumonia, chills, flu, fever, allergies, tonsillitis & sore throat.
Mullein is used for for emphysema, asthmahay fever whooping cough.

The other area that Mullein particularly suits is conditions affecting the joints – hot, dry, constricted conditions such as rheumatism, arthritis & related joint complaints, as well as broken bones, strained tendons & ligaments & torn muscles.

Mullein can also be used as a pain killer & nervine, soothing & easing conditions where the nerves have become trapped & tight.

The flowers can also be used as a mild sedative for insomnia.

Mullein can also be used to ease both acute & chronic cystitis & to relieve water retention & bladder irritation.

As a useful digestive remedy, it can be used for those suffering from abdominal pain, diarrhoea with urgency & long lasting digestive upset.

Other uses include colic, gastrointestinal bleeding, migraines, joint pain & gout.

It is also used as a sedative & as a diuretic to increase urine output.
Mullein root is used in urinary tract issues.

Externally, mullein is used to treat earache, specifically chronic otitis media (the flowers are macerated in olive oil) & eczema (especially around the ear).

Childhood ailments such as mumps, measles & chicken pox can be treated with mullein.

Topically, Mullein can be used to make a great drawing poultice or ointment for splinters & bites & can be used to soothe rashes, cuts & grazes.

Mullein syrup can treat coronary disorders such as angina & heart palpitations.

Indians smoked dried mullein & coltsfoot cigarettes for bronchitis & asthma.
Mullein is been used in compresses for hemorrhoids for centuries.

The plant juice as well as powder made with the dried roots can remove warts.

PRECAUTIONS:

When used externally, the tiny hairs on the underside of the leaves can be irritating to sensitive skin, in which case simply wrap the leaf in cheesecloth or muslin before applying.


RECIPES:

To relieve acute lung problems, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, SARS, even coughs, 2-4 cups of mullein infusion a day, plus elecampane, echinacea are consumed until health has returned.

To strengthen the lungs, or to restore health to lung tissues after tobacco smoke or radiation: 1-2 cups of mullein infusion daily for 6 weeks is suggested.

To relieve allergies & asthma, 2-4 cups of mullein infusion every day for 6- 8 weeks.

An infusion of the flowers in olive oil is used as earache drops, or as a local application in the treatment of piles and other mucous membrane inflammations.

The flowers infused in seed oil is a useful remedy for earache & ear infections when rubbed around the base of the ear & 1-2 drops placed into the ear itself – not recommended, however, if you have a perforated ear drums.

Cough Tea:

1 part coltsfoot leaf
1 part marsh mallow leaf & flower
1 part mullein leaf
Prepare an infusion of the herbs by adding 1 cup of boiling water to 1 tsp of mixed herb.
Steep for 10 min.
Drink ½ cup as often as needed until the cough subsides.

Glandular Tonic:

2 parts mullein flower & leaf
2 parts peppermint or spearmint leaf
1 part calendula flower
1 part cleavers top
1 part red clover flower
Prepare an infused tea.
Drink ½ cup of tea daily.
Continue for 5 days, discontinue for 2 days, then repeat the cycle as needed.
The herbs in this blend are particularly beneficial for the entire endocrine gland system.


BEAUTY:

After you wash your hair, treat it to a final rinse with mullein tea. The tea will leave a beautiful shine & also help maintain a healthy scalp.

The flowers were used by Roman women to make a blonde hair wash.

Mullein flowers also provide a soothing & cleansing effect to the skin.


MAGIC:

Mullein is used for magical protection against negativity.
Place Mullein leaves in a pillow to guard against nightmares.
Carry in pocket while hiking to keep wild animals away.
Mullein leaves, because of their fragrance believed to have an overpowering effect on demons.

Also used in love spells & to instill courage.
Some say a leaf of mullein can be carried on the person to attract love from the opposite sex.
A folklore tale speaks about men in mountain areas performing a simple love divination. A man went to a clearing where a mullein grew & bent it down so that it pointed toward his love’s house. If she loved him the mullein would grow upright again; if she loved another it would die.

A small bit of the plant, taken regularly, is believed to ensure long life.
The plant was used as a torch at funerals & other gatherings. The large stalks were oiled & put in fire.

In the Middle Ages, people deprecatingly called the mullein “hag taper”, because witches used it in their incantations & as an important ingredient in their brews & love potions.

Mullein gives courage to the bearer & a few leaves placed in the shoe keeps one from catching a cold.

Graveyard dust – an infrequent ingredient in spells – can be substituted with powdered mullein leaves. The powdered leaf has been found in ancient grimoires as a substitute for graveyard dust.

Mullein can be used to bring clarity & inner light, to help a person stand firm & develop inner strength.
It can be good for those who struggle with their conscience – to help them see whether what they did was right or wrong & how to learn from their mistakes.
Mullein is a very good plant for those who feel they have lost their sense of 'self', to help them figure out where their boundaries are & develop into the people they are supposed to be.

Give it to those who have gone through a traumatic or life changing experience & who need help processing it all & learning from their experiences.

In the Middle Ages, Mullein was grown in monastery gardens as a protection from the devil.



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