Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) is a common meadow plant. It is a member of the legume family.
Red clover is well known for its beautiful purple blossoms. You can also use it internally for coughs and upper respiratory health issues. Red Clover oil is an excellent herb for healing eczema and psoriasis.
Red Clover grows in most fields and, to some people’s dismay, on their lawns as well. Like the dandelion, most people mow down the red clover blossoms without realizing its incredible healing potential.
Red Clover For Menopause
For women, red clover can be an excellent herb. It contains one of the best sources of isoflavones, a water-soluble, natural chemical that acts like an estrogen in the body and can be found in many plants. These phytoestrogens help replace lost estrogen during menopause. Red clover can be used as an oil and as a tea.
The isoflavones in red clover have been shown to have a therapeutic effect on the body when used during menopause. When rubbed onto the abdomen daily, red clover oil can help support falling estrogen levels in the body, as it is easily absorbed through the skin.
Stilbene, a natural chemical found in Red Clover. Stilbene is one of the active properties that stimulates estrogen activity, thus helping to reduce hot flashes experienced by women during menopause. When applied daily, Red Clover Oil may help reduce the symptoms of hot flashes.
You can make a tea from the fresh or dried blossoms of the red clover plant. Steep the blossoms in hot water for 10 minutes, then strain them. The tea will have a sweet flavor, and you may not need any sweetener. You can try honey, agave, or stevia.
An herbal tincture could also be used to treat menopausal symptoms.
Pick after the morning dew has passed, then rinse them to make sure there are no bugs in them. Dry them in the sun, in the oven, or in a dehydrator. Store them in a paper bag or a glass jar. Storing them in plastic can promote mold.
Red Clover For Men
Some studies show that red clover may help block enzymes that can lead to the development of prostate cancer.
It surely has absolute limiting effect on the body developing benign prostate hyperplasia sometimes known as BPH. Benign prostate hyperplasia is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. For most men BPH is a normal part of aging, and can cause symptoms of interrupted urine flow, or dribbling after urination. It can also cause the man to feel like he has to go even after he just went. Check with your doctor if you have any of these symptoms to rule out more dangerous causes.
Red Clover Oil To The Rescue For Eczema and Psoriasis
Its purifying action on the skin makes red clover oil a wonderful oil for treating rashes, such as eczema and psoriasis. For psoriasis, it is sometimes combined with other purifying and detoxifying herbs to treat the condition.
For people with mild eczema, red clover oil alone can help with itching and help clear it from your skin. For those with more severe cases, the oil can be combined with other skin-healing herbs. Red clover contains herbal constituents that act as anti-inflammatories on the skin, helping reduce swelling and redness when eczema flares up.
The oil contains essential vitamins for the skin. Vitamin A is vital for healing skin conditions. It also contains a vitamin B complex, is rich in iron, and contains volatile oils that help heal skin rashes and inflammatory skin conditions.
Red clover oil is an excellent herbal remedy for many skin conditions. It is safe to use for children’s rashes and childhood eczema.
Treating Cancer With Red Clover
Folklore tells us that red clover and its oil have been used to treat cancers and tumors. Some say they have cured cancer with red clover oil or red clover tea. Red clover is part of the Essiac formula of cancer treatment. This great herbal tea formula was discovered by nurse Rene Caisse back in the 1920s. It is a powerful detoxifier and immune system stimulant for almost 80 years. Essiac tea helps restore natural balance. It is an alternative to drugs and chemo for cancer.
When a concentrated Red Clover Oil pack was applied to the tumor site, it encouraged the tumor to grow outward and leave the body. An oil pack is a soft cotton towel soaked in the oil, and then laid over the area.
Red Clover Oil is often used as a lymphatic massage oil to treat or remove a lump or tumor. It is sometimes mixed with other cancer-fighting herbs.
Scientists at the National Cancer Institute have uncovered some anticancer activity in red clover, including activity against daidzein and genistein.
Healing The Pain of Rheumatism
Red Clover’s herbal anti-inflammatory healing actions make it one of the herbs to reach for when making a massage oil to treat rheumatism. It can be used alone, or in combination with other herbs.
Red clover contains magnesium and calcium, which help relax tight muscles and calm the nervous system, relieving tension from stress and anxiety. It is easily absorbed into the system.
A red clover tincture could also be used as a liniment rub. A tincture is an herbal medicine that can be used both internally (depending on the herb) and externally.
With either the oil or the liniment to treat rheumatism, apply to the sore area 3-4 times a day while the pain is present.
Internally, 10 drops of red clover tincture would be taken 2-4 times a day with either tea or warm water. It is easily and quickly absorbed into the system and helps to relieve muscle tension due to stress or anxiety.
A Great Herb To Keep Around
Red clover flowers are so versatile and handy to have around the house for treating illness. They are used as an herbal antibiotic, an herbal antispasmodic, a blood purifier, an herbal nutritive, and a calming sedative. In the case of colds, it acts as a stimulant (expectorant) for the lungs. It is a vulnerary (wound-healer), so it is great for skin.
In addition to all the above, red clover herb is very helpful in treating bronchitis, asthma, boils, burns, arthritis, colds, constipation and digestive issues, tiredness, flu, gallbladder issues, indigestion, wounds and skin sores, STDs, sore throat, ulcers, urinary infections, vaginal irritations, whooping cough, and wounds. Whew…
It also attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects to your garden. Now, you’ll think twice about mowing them down.
Picking And Drying Red Clover
It is very easy to pick red clover. Find a field of the herb where no chemicals or pesticides have been used.
Pop off just the head of the flower. If you get a couple of the top leaves, that is okay. Pick as many as you will need, and then rinse them gently under cool water to make sure there aren’t any bugs or insects on them.
Lay them out to dry in a hot, sunny place. If you live in a dry environment, you can do this for a couple of days, bringing them in at night. If you live in a humid area, after a day of sun, you can continue the drying process in a dehydrator or a very low-temperature oven. If you have an oven with a pilot light, that may be all that’s necessary for drying.
After the red clover blossoms are completely dry, store them in a glass jar out of direct light. You can also store them in a paper bag. Plastic bags are not encouraged. Plastic bags don’t breathe, and can trap moisture. All your hard work will be for naught if mold develops. You can use the dried buds to make an excellent tea.
You can also dry the flowers and grind them into a flour to use for baking muffins, cookies, and more. It adds a sweet flavor to any dessert.
Cautions of Red Clover
Red clover should not be used or ingested by anyone taking blood-thinning medication or other medications that thin the blood. Red clover contains natural coumarins.
If you are allergic, it would not be wise to use or ingest red clover for any purpose.
Red clover should not be used to treat estrogen-based cancers, as it contains isoflavones, which are natural estrogens. It could make the tumor worse.
