Wonders of Mistletoe

Various people surely will wonder what mistletoe has to do with the treatment of sicknesses,even as a parasite!

True mistletoe is a parasitic plant that lives on trees such as Kola nut,Guava,Citrus trees and Cocoa.It has organs called suckers or haustoria.These  attach the parasite to the host and penetrate into the host’s body to absorb food from the host’s cells.The leaves produce chlorophyll and does not turn yellowish in the absence of sunlight.The berries of mistletoe are toxic and when eaten by birds,are spread to other trees because of it’s sticky nature.These berries also contain alkaloids and it is not advisable to consume them.

The leaves of mistletoe contains choline and acetylcholine,which act directly on the autonomic nervous system.These leaves are the main item for the treatment of ailments.Mistletoe leaves can be prepared in a dry or fresh form.

To get the dry form,the leaves should be dried in an airy and shady environment.don’t expose them to sunlight for more than a day.This takes eight to ten days.Then they are grind ed and bottled.Two to three dessert spoons of this powder is soaked in a cup of hot water and allowed to infuse for about ten minutes before drinking.This should be taken twice daily.

The fresh extract is gotten by soaking about two handfuls of the fresh leaves in a cup of cold water overnight and then the next day,a cup of water is added.Sieve and store.Take a cup twice daily.

This dosage is used in the treatment of hypertension, heart problems, insomnia, arthritis, infertility, malaria, typhoid, migraine and pneumonia amongst others.