The Health Benefits of Blessed Thistle

Blessed thistle is a popular plant and was commonly used during the middle Ages to treat the bubonic plague and as a tonic for monks. Blessed thistle is prepared as a tea and used for loss of appetite and indigestion; and to treat colds, cough, fever, bacterial infections and diarrhoea.

Blessed thistle is thought to be a galactagogue, taken to help increase breast milk production. Blessed thistle can help prevent or at the very least slow down bleeding due to its astringent-like qualities.

Because of these properties, blessed thistle is used to create natural remedies for skin ulcers and boils. It also enhances memory by delivering oxygen to the brain and is supportive of the heart and lungs.

Blessed Thistle

It contains astringent compounds that are antiseptic, dilate peripheral blood vessels, and shrink inflamed tissue. Blessed thistle is an excellent herbal source of potassium and sodium.

The herb has been used to treat dysmenorrhoea, arthritis, dysuria, jaundice, fevers and respiratory allergies. It is given to young women beginning their menstrual cycles for the first time.

It will alleviate pain associated with menstruation and purify the blood. A tea made from the herb should be taken before bedtime to soothe the body during menstruation.

Blessed thistle is an excellent herb to use in the prevention of diseases. If heart or kidney problems run in your family, this herb should be taken daily before bedtime to prevent the onset of disease. Blessed thistle purifies the blood and keeps the organs healthy.

Topically, a poultice of this herb is used to soothe skin irritated by burns, scrapes, shaving, sunburn, and other relatively minor injuries. A poultice is usually a soft cloth that has been soaked in a medication, possibly heated, and applied to an aching or injured area of skin surface. Blessed thistle can be applied as often as needed.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid taking blessed thistle because not enough is known about how it might affect developing babies or infants.