Horsetail 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Horsetail – 100 g ($12.99), 50 g ($8.99), 25 g ($5.99)

Benefits:
Horsetail was originally recommended by Galen, one of the first renowned physicians of ancient times. Since then, several cultures have used this herb for kidney and bladder problems, arthritis, bleeding ulcers, and tuberculosis. The topical use of horsetail is said to stop the bleeding of wounds and promote rapid healing. Unproven folk medicine uses include treating tuberculosis, heavy menstrual flow, brittle fingernails, loss of hair, gout, and frostbite. Homeopathic remedies exist for urinary tract and kidney disorders. The German Commission E recommends that horsetail be used internally for post-traumatic and static edema, irrigation of a bacterial infection, and inflammation of the lower urinary tract and kidney stones. Externally it is used for treating poorly healing wounds.

Bone, Cartilage, Connective Tissue, Arthritis. Horsetail is rich in silica, which strengthens connective tissue and combats arthritis. Silicon is a vital component for bone and cartilage formation.

Bronchitis and emphysema. The silica in horsetail promotes tissue repair and healing for people with breathing difficulties such as bronchitis and emphysema.

Recommended Use
Horsetail is available as fluidextract, tea, or tincture. Tinctures and fluidextracts—preparations of the herb subjected to high temperatures during manufacturing—are preferred for medicinal use. The processing neutralizes a harmful enzyme that destroys the vitamin B1 (thiamine). The average daily intake of the herb is 6 grams.

You should not use horsetail if you are pregnant or nursing. The herb’s high selenium content can cause birth defects. Adults over sixty-five and children between two and twelve years old should use low-dose formulas. You should not give horsetail to a child under two years of age, and you should not let a child put the stalks in his or her mouth. The plant contains small amounts of nicotine and other alkaloids that may cause a toxic reaction.

People with cardiac disease or high blood pressure should use horsetail only under a physician’s care. Do not take horsetail internally for an extended period of time and do not exceed the recommended dosage. Extended use may cause kidney or heart damage. Do not use horsetail for irrigation therapy if you suffer from edema due to poor kidney or heart function. Notify a doctor if you use the herb as a bath additive and you develop skin lesions, fever, or heart problems.

Botanical Name: Equisetum arvense
English: Horsetail
Also, known as: Shavegrass, Horse pipes, Horsetail, Horsetail grass, Horsetail rush, Horse willow, Hvoshtsh, Jeinsol, Jointed rush, Kannenkraut, Kattestaart, Kilkah asb, Kloelfting, Koniogon, Kosa tiruma, Krypfraken, Librus, Macho, Mare’s tail, Meadow pine, Acker- schachtelhalm, acherschachtelhalm, ager-padderokke, Akersnelle, Akerfräken, Ackerschachtelhalm, Dhanab al khail, Dhanab el khayl, Dhanab et faras, Dutch rushes, Equiseto menor, Equiseto dei boschi, Equiseto dei campi, Equisette, Equisetto, Erva carnuda, False horse- tail, Field horsetail, Foxtail, Akkerpaardestaart, At kuyrugi, Baimbap, At quyroughi, Belcho, Bottlebrush, Brusca, Cauda de cavalo, Chieh hsu ts ao, Coada calului, Coda cavallina, Coda equine, Cola de caballo, Common horsetail, Corn horsetail, Gongbangcho, Heermoes, Horse- pipe, Moeraspaardestaart, Mokjeok, Moonhyung, Scouring rush, Shvita, Snake grass, Soettgi, Soksae, Sugina, Toadpipe, Tolkatshnik, Tomahwang, Tsukushi, Vara de oro, Wen ching, Western horsetail, Paddockpipes, Peltokorte, Pest’shi, Petite prele, Pewterwort, Pildoochae, Pildooyeup, Pine grass, Pinetop, Polevaja sosenka, Prele, Prele des champs, Poldosi, Queue de cheval, Queue de rat, Queue de renard, Rabo de cavalo, Rasperella, Ravrumpa, Zinngras, Zinnkraut, Bottlebrush, and Ashwa-puchha
Habitat: Europe, Asia, and North America
Origin: Macedonia
Harvested: Wild or cultivated
Parts Used: Stems

General Information:
Equisetum arvense, is among the many species of Horsetail, is an herbaceous perennial root-stock and rhizome which can extend to 2 meters below ground. Two kinds of annual stems are produced from this root-stock fertile and barren. The separate sterile, non-reproductive and fertile spore bearing stems growing from a perenimal underground rhizomatous steam system. The fertile stem appears after the now thaws. The fertile stems are produced in early spring and are non-photosynthetic, while the green sterile steras start to grow after the fertile stems have wilted and persist through the summer until the first snow thaws. The fertile stems are produced in early spring and are non-photosynthetic, while the green sterile stems start to grow after the fertile stems have wilted and persist through the summer until the first autumn frosts. This pencil-thick fruiting stem is unbranched and grows to a height of around 12-15 cm; it is pale brown to reddish in color. The stems bear a characteristic brownish-colored, terminal cone-shaped catkin containing whorls of the closely packed palate on which the sporophylls are to be found. At the nodes or joints of the stem, the sheaths are to be found which can grow to a length of up to 2 cm and bear between six to twelve blackish-brown teeth or tips. As soon as the fertile stem withers, a pale green, barren frond appears in the same place, which can grow to a height of 40 cm Unlike the fruiting stem, whorls of four or five-winged side branches arise from the internodes of the barren stem. The barren stem is furrowed and rough on the surface, this roughness is due to deposits of silicic acid inside the stem.

The plant grows in sand and gravel, along roadsides and railway tracks and in wet places. The Indians and Mexicans used the stems for scouring pots, can also be used for polishing hardwood, ivory, and brass. The name “horsetail”, often used for the entire group, arose because the branched species somewhat resemble a horse’s tail.

Horsetail is a descendant of giant fernlike plants that covered the earth some 200 million years ago. It has two distinctive types of stems. One variety of stem grows early in spring and looks like asparagus. The mature form of the herb has branched, feathery stems that look like a horse’s tail. The other variety sends up hollow, jointed, leafless bamboolike stalks that reach six feet (two meters) in length. At the top, there are spore-bearing structures that resemble horsetails. This plant is widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere including Europe, but grows in Asia and as far south as Turkey and Iran. The plant is also found in the Himalayas, central and northern China, and Japan. The aerial (aboveground) parts of the nonfruiting stems are used in herbal medicine and can be eaten as a vegetable; they can be used dried or fresh.

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.