08/02/2019 / By Stephanie Diaz
Knowledge is power for a prepper. While it is important to keep a well-stocked cabinet of medicine, it also helps to be knowledgeable about natural remedies that can be rummaged out in the wild. Enter wild lettuce, a potent plant that has a variety of medical uses. Wild lettuce is common in the U.S. and grows all around the world; its ubiquitous nature has made it a reliable medicinal plant that has been used for centuries.
Wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including insomnia and pain. When wild lettuce is scratched or cut, it secretes a milky white ingredient known as Lactucarium. This substance is well known for its pain-relieving properties. In fact, its analgesic effect is believed to be as strong as opium. (Related: The natural painkiller growing in your backyard: Wild lettuce is similar to morphine.)
Aside from being a strong analgesic, wild lettuce is also known for its wide array of benefits, such as:
When using wild lettuce as a treatment for these ailments, it is important to identify the right dosage. While not many studies are available discussing appropriate consumption for humans, animal studies found that an effective dose of 30 mg/kg of body weight is needed in order to get the same effect as ibuprofen.
Wild lettuce can be prepared in several ways in order to reap its health benefits. The list below details some of the popular ways to use wild lettuce.
If you’re looking for wild lettuce, you should watch out for these look-alikes. Although their overall features look very similar to wild lettuce, there are certain characteristics that you should search for that are unique to these plants.
Wild lettuce is not the only herbal medicine that offers many health benefits. NaturalCures.news has more about plants that can treat ailments during an emergency situation.
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