Milk Thistle
Milk Thistle Seed
Silybum marianum
Milk thistle seed is one of those wonderful herbs that's easy to get and may be able to do a lot for you. It's an excellent detoxing herb and an antidote for death cap mushroom poisoning (Actually it isn't really an antidote, it protects the liver from the mushroom alkaloids thereby preventing permanent liver damage ), so if your friends say let's pick some mushrooms you say let's get some #MilkThistle first.
So, what else is milk thistle good for?
Liver Detox Milk thistle seeds contain the antioxidant compound silymarin which reduces the depletion of glutathione, an antioxidant used by the liver to detoxify harmful substances. An unhealthy liver may not have enough glutathione for the work that it needs to do which could weaken the liver even more. Silymarin can help maintain necessary levels of this very important antioxidant (Dr. Mark Hyman called it "The Mother of All Antioxidants").
Reduce the risk of Heart Disease Another chemical in milk thistle is linoleic acid which helps control cholesterol and balance blood sugar levels for people with type II diabetes.
Cancer Silymarin, another antioxidant compound in milk thistle may inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the cervix, breast, and prostrate. New research suggests that milk thistle may prevent photo-aging of the skin and skin cancer. Without paying for the full report I was unable to find out if this was an in vitro or an in vivo experiment.
Alcohol Damage and other Hepatic Threats Milk thistle is used to treat damage done to the liver by excess alcohol or drug consumption by regenerating damaged liver cells. It's also used for alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis, and viral hepatitis. It works as a liver decongestant by stimulating bile flow through the liver and gallbladder. This reduces stagnation and prevents gallstone formation and bile-induced liver damage.
Silymarin is approved in the German Commission E Monographs as a supportive treatment for inflammatory liver conditions such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, and fatty infiltration caused by alcohol and other toxins such as carbon tetracholoride. It may protect the liver against pharmaceuticals that stress the liver, like acetaminophen and tetracycline. It is so difficult to avoid toxin intake from the air, water, processed and preserved foods, even fresh foods that may have traces of insecticides and herbicides, that milk thistle may be an herb that would be an effective preventative if used as part of a regular health regimen.
A caution on consumption of milk thistle: If it is taken with a meal instead of just with water between meals, it has been shown to reduce iron absorption. Other studies show that some chemotherapy drugs have a synergistic effect with silymarin and may increase the drug's effects. This is not a complete list.
How to get it: #MilkThistleExtract is normally found in liquid form as tinctures, or powdered in capsules. The seeds are fairly difficult to harvest by hand.
Disclaimer
I am not a medical or health care professional. By posting this information I do not imply that it will heal or cure any health problem. It is not reasonably possible to warn about every potential bad reaction a person's body might have to the topical or internal use of herbal products. We're all different, we all change every day. I cannot assume responsibility for knowing details about your health that would indicate the possibility of negative responses by your body from using any of the products discussed here. You should research any new substance that you consume or otherwise use as it relates to your personal health status and then consult with a trusted health care professional about any concerns or uncertainties relating to such consumption or use. If you choose to consume or otherwise use for health related purposes, any of the herbs or herbal extracts mentioned here, you are self-prescribing.
GreenMedInfo Milk Thistle page