MILK THISTLE: BIBLICAL REMEDY OR WEED?

Milk Thistle (botanical name Silybum marianum) - also named St Mary’s Thistle, Mary Thistle and Holy Thistle - is considered widely as a weed, to ignore at best. Yet, there is more behind – much more – for our health. Documented already in the Holy Bible more than 2000 years ago, and scientifically validated by internationally renowned medical schools and research institutes - today. Learn more about (with biblical citations and scientific references included).

Frankie Carmichael from Long Island asks:
 
When I visited my grandmother last Sunday when she came back from worship at church, she mentioned about a herb already documented in the Holy Bible which may be good for her health even today. However, as a modern citizen of our progressive country, I am skeptical about this ‘old stuff’. You too, Doctor?

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND

Dr. Fritz:
 
Just as our globe, the Earth, is an ‘ecosystem’ strictly built on natural laws (only), so is the existence of any living species on this planet (man, animals, plants).
 
This implies that no man-made (synthetic) medication can cure any ailment or disease. Only the natural-biologic immune system and self-healing power of our body can. With - exclusively – natural remedies and modalities.
 
Medicinal herbs being the centerpiece.
 
Which medicinal herbs? In fact, our Earth is a ‘kingdom’ of different and unlimited herbs, appropriate for any ailment and disease, since mankind settled on this planet – two and a half million years ago.

BIBLICAL DOCUMENTATION

That’s why we may not be surprised that well some of these herbs highly beneficial for our health, are already documented in the Holy Bible more than 2000 years back.
 
Milk thistle (botanical name Silybum marianum) - also named Mary Thistle, St Mary’s Thistle and Holy Thistle - being one of those.  
 
Just take 3 citations from the Holy Bible ((King James Version – KJV) out of many more.
 

• Genesis 3:18

“Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shall eat the herb of the field;”
 

• Hosea 10:8

“The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars;”   
 

• Chronicles 25:18

“And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.”

Scientifically validated by internationally renowned medical schools and research institutes in our times.

CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION

Just to indicate a sample of 10 health issues out of many more health benefits milk thistle has to offer, based on its medicinally active ingredient silymarin.
 
Not only  
 
Liver problems
 
for which milk thistle is probably known best today, with special reference to cirrhosis, hepatitis, and jaundice, etc.  Scientifically validated at, inter alia, Tianjin Medical University in People’s Republic of China.
 
Also for
 
Diabetes
 
management milk thistle has found scientific recognition by, inter alia, the same Tianjin Medical University in China, in cooperation with The Affiliated Hospital of Chinese People’s Armed Police Force in Tianjin, since milk thistle reduces insulin resistance.
 
Similar results have been achieved by research at the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research in Tehran, Iran.
 
Same Chinese research at Tianjin Medical University has also proven milk thistle’s benefit to cut down bad (LDL)
 
Cholesterol
 
Also, research at same Tianjin Medical University, and in cooperation with The Affiliated Hospital of Chinese People’s Armed Police Force Medical College in Tianjin, finds that milk thistle helps with
 
Weight loss
 
Another Chinese medical school – Guangdong University of Technology in Guangzhou, China – came to the conclusion that milk thistle may relieve and  prevent inflammation-associated…
 
Skin diseases.
 
See also the health benefit of milk thistle identified at Chonbuk National University in Jeonju, Republic of Korea – to relieve...
 
Asthma
 
in cases of allergic airway inflammation.
 
To manage
 
Bone loss
 
caused by estrogen deficiency is another advantage of milk thistle, according to research at Hallym University in Kangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
 
Another benefit of the biblical herb milk thistle in our ‘modern’ times is to manage
 
Alzheimer’s
 
according to research at Buck Institute for Aging Research in Novato, California.
 
Not to forget about
 
Cancer
 
(inhibiting colorectal cancer growth with natural chemoprevention), according to research at the University of Colorado in Aurora, CO.  
 
To round up, milk thistle can support our body’s natural power no. 1 for health and fighting any kind of disease –
 
Immunity
 
according to research at the Islamic Azad University in Iran’s capital Teheran.
 

CONCLUSION

While many of us may have learned to differ between good and weedy (?) herbs, we tend to overlook the ecologic fact that on this planet, there are no weeds in the ‘herbal kingdom’. Just insufficient knowledge about sense and (allegedly) nonsense of different herbs. Milk thistle being no exception.   
 
This self-education in terms of medicinal herbs is even more important as, according to a recent survey by renowned medical journal ‘Drug and Therapeutic Bulletin’ (DTB), 97% of doctors – confirmed by themselves - have no appropriate competence in this field of medicinal herbs, since this is not part of their education and training.
 
The above mentioned examples may be a step closer to becoming an open-minded and well informed citizen when it comes to your most important asset in life: your health.  
 

Scientifically Recommended Dosage

Take Diabetes and Cholesterol as an example: according to research at the ACECR Institute of Medicinal Plants in Teheran, 200 mg of milk thistle 3 times a day is the recommended dosage.

QUESTIONS?
 

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DISCLAIMER

All information stated in this blog are for your personal education, and not to replace the advice of your healthcare provider.