Behold the power of parsley

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Dec 20, 2007

KEBABBLEBehold the power of parsleyBy Fazile Zahir FETHIYE, Turkey -

Snip Parsley, which was mentioned often in the Aegean Nursing School survey seems a particular favorite in the world of herbal healing and is featured prominently on several alternative medicine Turkish websites. It is a concentrated source of provitamin A (beta karotene) and like carrots considered to be good for the eyesight, small vein system, adrenal glands and thyroid glands. It goes one step further than carrots though being rich in potassium, sulfur, calcium, magnesium and chlorine. The high levels of chlorophyll in parsley juice are believed to increase bloodflow and metabolize oxygen as well as cleansing urinary tract, liver and kidneys. Other positive benefits attributed to parsley include good digestion, aid with peristalsis in the lower intestine and aphrodisiac qualities. According to www.kadinvizyon.com infusions of boiled parsley can help regulate your periods, provide relief from eczema and cellulite and give you "shiny manageable hair". Last, but not least, a bunch of parsley can provide you with your daily recommended amount of Vitamin C. It appears that if we all gave up pharmaceutical medicines and ate parsley three times a day the world would be a healthier place! Favorite parsley based remedies from www.kadinim.com are as follows:

a) To clean the blood, make new blood, blood pressure problems, for obesity, liver problems and hardened arteries: add lemon and honey to water boiled with parsley and drink one to two glasses a day. For kidney complaints: one bunch of parsley is washed and added to four glasses of water, the mixture is boiled for five minutes and then strained. One glass at a time is taken three times a day.c) For a sound night's sleep: chew a bunch of parsley to extract the juice.d) To treat nausea and shortness of breath: chew a pinch of parsley well and swallow it. e) To treat acne, wrinkles, scars and other facial marks: wash one bunch of parsley and add (with stalks attached) to two glasses of water. Boil for five minutes and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Strain and separate plants and water. Place plants on the skin for a 20 minute face mask and then wash the skin with the parsley water. Do this a few times a day.f) For diabetes sufferers: crush three bunches of parsley and add to six glasses of water. Boil in a closed pan and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Add one and a half glasses of freshly squeezed lemon juice, drink one glass every morning on an empty stomach.Despite increased urbanization and a decrease in medicinal plant species, interest in herbal medicine has stayed strong in Turkey and recently various studies have been done with a view of preserving folk medicine. In 2005 a study of herbal drugs in the herbal markets in Mersin and Adana was published after studying herbalists and their customers between 2002-2005. Mersin and Adana were particularly fertile grounds for the research as there are approximately 70 herbal markets in the area. Most of the herbs are gathered locally from around the villages in the Taurus mountains and sold as dried bunches, pre-packed mixtures and fresh preparations. The preparation of the medicines usually consists of boiling plants and making them into drinks, ointments and poultices. The study indicated that the medicines were based on two main sources, oral folklore passed from generation to generation or ancient texts written in Ottoman Turkish and Arabic and found that 107 different types of plants were used to treat (in order of frequency) intestinal digestive disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (21.68%), respiratory tract system disorders (10.43%), heart-blood circulatory system disorders (8.48%), urinary tract system disorders (7.70%) and skin disorders (6.48%). The study was able to demonstrate that villagers who made use of traditional remedies had decreased incidences of heart-blood, liver-spleen and gynecological disorders as compared to those who did not use the herbal medicines. Arthritis was higher than average as were some skin disorders throughout the region although it was thought that these were related to environmental pollution and high humidity rather than the lack of efficacy of the herbal treatments. Without doubt there is power and potential in plants, so much so that some should only be administered with the advice of an expert. Herbal medicine in Turkey is widespread as many people still live and work on the land thus giving them access to the necessary ingredients and as there is no national health system to provide subsidized pharmaceuticals it is cheaper to try herbal remedies first before resorting to chemist bought products. There is also the belief that natural medicines are likely to be better for you than drugs. Fazile Zahir is of Turkish descent, born and brought up in London. She moved to live in Turkey in 2005 and has been writing full time since then. (Copyright 2007 Fazile Zahir.)

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