Wonder Plant #012 - Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare), comfort for new parents

* Remember to always consult a doctor if you plan to medicate with natural plants. 

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Wonder Plant #012 - Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare), comfort for new parents  

*Recipes in Useful Links section below.                                       

Also referred to as Large Fennel, Sweet Fennel and Wild Fennel, Foeniculum Vulgare offers medicinal roots and seeds that have a widespread use by humans.  It grows wild in the Mediterranean region and some parts of Asia. It is cultivated in Europe and the United States.

      

Properties and uses: 

• Stimulate flow in nursing mothers
• Antispasmodic
• Aromatic
• Carminative
• Diuretic
• Expectorant
• Galactagogue
• Stimulant
• Stomachic
• Intestinal remedies
• Increase appetite
• Relieve colic, abdominal cramps and flatulence
• Help expel mucous accumulations

Preparation and dosage: 

• Infusion: Steep 1 tbsp. of crushed seeds in 1 cup of water for about 5 minutes.
• Decoction:  Boil 1/2 tsp. of seeds in water, strain.
• Mild decoction: Boil 1 tsp. of seeds in 1/2 cup of milk for 5 to 10 minutes. Take for colic.
• Tincture and Extracts: 10-30 drops, as required.
• Fennel Honey: 1 to 3 of fennel oil to tbsp. of honey.

                                           

Useful links:

• NC State University
• ScienceDirect
• United States Department of Agriculture - Map 
• Cooking - Canadian Living, 15 recipes
• Cooking - Serious Eats, 16 recipes
• Cooking - Martha Stewart, 25 recipes

Sources:

• Prevention Magazine Health Books. Complete Book of Medicinal Cures. 1994. Berkley Health Reference. 324.
• Lust, John. The Herb Book. 1974. Bantham Books. p. 189.

Pictures (in order of appearance):

• s3.amazonaws.com/plantvillage-production/images/pics/000/003/887/large/800px-Fennel_flower_heads.jpg?1417533510
• keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Images/foeniculum_vulgare/foeniculumvulgare32.jpg
• plants.ces.ncsu.edu/media/images/Foeniculum-vulgare--Franco-Folini--CC-BY-SA.jpg