Carragheen moss Health Dictionary

Cetraria islandica

Description: This moss grows only a few inches high. Its color may be gray, white, or even reddish.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for it in open areas. It is found only in the arctic.

Edible Parts: All parts of the Iceland moss are edible. During the winter or dry season, it is dry and crunchy but softens when soaked. Boil the moss to remove the bitterness. After boiling, eat by itself or add to milk or grains as a thickening agent. Dried plants store well.... iceland moss

Protection, Power... club moss

Money, Luck, Protection... irish moss

The benefits of Club Moss tea are known for centuries. It was used by the ancient Druids and Chinese people as a homeopath remedy for various conditions. About Club Moss tea Botanically called Lycopodium clavatum, Club Moss is also found under the name of Wolf’s Claw. It is an evergreen plant that looks similar to a pine tree with small needles creeping along the forest floor and can be found in almost every continent in the world. It contains radium, alkaloids, polyphenolic acids, flavonoids and minerals. Some studies conducted in China have showed that “huperzine”, one of Club Moss tea’s constituents may improve the cognitive function raising its popularity as a memory enhancement supplement. It may also have a significant impact on amnesia and the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Brew Club Moss tea Club Moss tea is prepared from one teaspoon of small cut pieces added to half a liter of boiled water. It is left like that for about 5 minutes. Never boil the plant, just pour the water over it. It is recommended to consume a cup per day, slowly, in the morning, on an empty stomach, half an hour before breakfast. Club Moss tea Benefits Club Moss tea has many health benefits. Find below a short list. Club Moss tea is a tonic for the liver, kidneys, bladder, urinary tract, and reproductive organs. According to the traditional Chinese medicine, Club Moss tea has been used for centuries to treat fever and inflammation. It has diuretic, anti-alcoholic, anti-tobacco, anti-cirrhotic, and purgative properties. If you also have a stomach that is easily irritated or chronic diarrhea, Club Moss tea can also help you feel relief. Club Moss Tea is said to help cleanse the kidney and may alleviate urinary tract infections like cystitis. When applied topically, this tea may help in the healing of wounds or other skin conditions and it can help stop the bleeding. Club Moss tea Side Effects Club Moss tea is mostly safe in the right amounts; do not drink more than 2 cups a day as it is not recommended for a long term-use. Overuse may cause griping or grumbling pains in the intestinal tract. Pregnant women should avoid drinking it. Also, people who suffer from diarrhea should use the tea only with the greatest caution as cramps in the intestines could develop. Club Moss tea is mostly safe and you can drink it without any problem as long as you keep in mind its precautions and you do not take more than 2 cups a day for a long period of time. So use it only when you need it.... club moss tea

Iceland Moss Tea is known by the people from Iceland, Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden as being a remedy for disorders of the respiratory system. The Iceland moss grows mainly in the tree barks of Iceland and most Scandinavian countries and reaches a height of almost 4 inches. You can distinguish the plant by its curled leaves and unique spiny margins. The constituent of Iceland Moss Tea is the lichenin, a type of starch. It also contains polysaccharides that strengthen your immune system. How To Make Iceland Moss Tea To make Iceland Moss Tea you will need to place a teaspoon of dried Iceland moss herbs in a kettle of boiling water. Let it boil for about 3 minutes and after that let the mix stand for 10 minutes. It is advised to drink 2 cups of Iceland Moss Tea per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Iceland Moss Tea Benefits

• Helps treating bronchitis.
• Cough remedy.
• Helps combat irritable bowel infections, gastritis and dysentery.
• Prevents congestion.
• Fights infestation of intestinal worms.

Iceland Moss Tea Side Effects

• Over consumption can be unsafe, because the dried Iceland moss plant can be contaminated with lead.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid drinking Iceland Moss Tea. During pregnancy, it can be harmful to the mother and to the unborn child.
• It can cause ulcers in the stomach or small intestine.
• Iceland Moss Tea may interact with the effects of some medications, so make sure you always consult your doctor before drinking Iceland Moss Tea or any kind of herbal tea.
• It can cause nausea and liver problems.

Iceland Moss Tea is a healthy herbal tea known for its medicinal properties. Try not to drink more than 1-2 cups per day of Iceland Moss Tea in order not to experience its side effects!... iceland moss tea

Luck, Money... moss

Cladonia rangiferina

Description: Reindeer moss is a low-growing plant only a few centimeters tall. It does not flower but does produce bright red reproductive structures.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for this lichen in open, dry areas. It is very common in much of North America.

Edible Parts: The entire plant is edible but has a crunchy, brittle texture. Soak the plant in water with some wood ashes to remove the bitterness, then dry, crush, and add it to milk or to other food.... reindeer moss

Protection... spanish moss

Rhododendron groenlandicum

FAMILY: Ericaceae

SYNONYMS: Ledum, Labrador tea, marsh tea, swamp tea, bog Labrador tea, rusty Labrador tea, Hudson’s Bay tea (formerly Ledum groenlandicum).

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This beautiful, hardy plant is a shrub belonging to the heather family, which can reach one metre in height. It is recognizable by its thick, leathery evergreen leaves whose edges coil under and are quite unique, being deep green on top with a downy-fuzz beneath. New leaves have a woolly mat of white hairs underneath; mature leaves have reddish hairs. All leaves are dotted with resinous glands and are fragrant, with a pungent scent, when crushed. The fluffy white flowers, which are borne in spring, are also strongly aromatic.

DISTRIBUTION: The plant is native to North America, from Greenland and Labrador across to Alaska, as far north as the treeline. It is absent from the far North and the dry prairies. The Latin name groenlandicum refers to the fact that it grows in Greenland where it is still widespread, often growing in dense colonies.

OTHER SPECIES: Ledum is a genus name, which includes 8 species of evergreen shrubs native to cool temperate and sub-arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, commonly known as Labrador tea. The common name Ledum is also applied to Rhododendron tomentsum subsp. subarcticum (formerly L. decumbens) which is known as Northern Labrador tea. This species, which is similar but slightly smaller, grows farther north on tundra at up to 1,800 metres and contains toxic alkaloids known to be poisonous to livestock. It lacks the characteristic fuzz on the underside of the mature leaves and the flowers of L. groenlandicum.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: This strongly aromatic herb has been used in folk medicine for centuries. Brewed as a medicinal beverage known as Labrador tea, it was used by practically all Canada’s First Nations peoples as a tonic and to treat certain respiratory, digestive and kidney ailments; as a remedy for headaches and various types of rheumatism; and to facilitate childbirth. The herbal tea also served to clean wounds and was applied to insect bites. It is said that the plant was used for over 5,000 years by the native people of North America, to protect themselves from scurvy, and the Cree used it for fevers and colds: indeed it was regarded as a ‘cure-all’ by the indigenous people. In the fur-trading era, the French Canadian coureurs-de-bois used Labrador tea to extend their supplies of black tea: it thus became a substitute for unaffordable Chinese tea during times of economic crisis. However, like other plants in the heather family, Greenland moss contains an andromedo-toxin that can cause poisoning if used in excess.

According to recent clinical trials, Greenland moss essential oil has a natural affinity for the immune system and can be an effective immune system supporter. The oil also helps counteract blood toxicity and aids liver regeneration, valuable in cases of liver intoxication originating from circulation disorders, viral hepatitis, enteritis and cirrhosis (fatty liver). Clinical research suggests that the essential oil functions like an enzyme in the liver, digesting toxic waste and fat molecules. It is also indicated for obesity, oedema, water retention and thyroid regulation. The oil has also been studied at the University of Quebec, and was found to be a strong antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory: it also showed anticancer activity against colon carcinoma and lung carcinoma cells.

ACTIONS: Analgesic, antibacterial, anticancerous, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral, antispasmodic, antioxidant, anti-infectious, antiseptic, carminative, cicatrizing, decongestant, digestive tonic, immune support, liver support, stomachic, tonic.

EXTRACTION: Greenland moss oil is extracted by steam distillation from the leaves.

CHARACTERISTICS: A clear, pale-yellow liquid, with a fresh-herbaceous, medicinal and slightly sweet aroma and earthy-woody undertones.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: The main chemical constituents are limonene (up to 35 per cent), sabinene, selinene, bornyl acetate with other monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.

SAFETY DATA: Possible skin sensitization: always dilute for topical use. Avoid during pregnancy and by children. NB: Abusive consumption of the tea derived from its leaves may cause indigestion, and may even have a toxic effect due to the high level of tannins that it contains.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE

Skin Care: Allergies, skin problems.

Circulation Muscles And Joints: Aching muscles and joints.

Respiratory System: Colds, coughs, bronchitis, hoarseness, influenza, laryngitis.

Digestive System: Addictions, alcoholism, allergies, cellulite, fatty liver, hepatitis (viral), hypothyroid, liver problems (toxic liver, support and detoxifier), lymph nodes (inflamed), obesity, thyroid regulation and water retention.

Immune System: Tonic and immune support.

Nervous System: Anxiety, nervous debility tension.

OTHER USES: The plant is still used as a local ‘tea plant’ in parts of the Northern Hemisphere.... greenland moss