Looking for mistletoe uses, health benefits, and home remedies with mistletoe? Continue reading this article and find out what mistletoe is good for when it comes to health.
Mistletoe has been known since ancient times, not only as a magic plant, harvested from trees with golden sickles but also as a healing plant. In time, its glory has slowly diminished. The mistletoe is green all year round and its berries are ripe in winter. Those that fall to the ground do not germinate because birds feed on them. But unable to digest these berries, they eliminate them and stick them to tree branches, ensuring their perpetuation. But before we get to the mistletoe uses, health benefits, and remedies with mistletoe, here is some cool stuff about this magical plant.
To this day, we still don’t know how mistletoe comes to life.
It is a semi-parasitic plant, because it works in symbiosis whit the host trees, but doesn’t impact these trees in any negative way. Today we only use mistletoe as decoration for the Christmas holidays. However, mistletoe is an amazing healing herb with very many uses. But before we get into the many mistletoe uses, let’s see how mistletoe was used since the oldest times.
In This Article You Will Find:
How to Harvest Mistletoe
In phytotherapy, herbal doctors particularly use mistletoe harvested from the Rosaceae tree family. This includes:
- apple tree
- pear tree
- plum tree
- dog-rose
- hawthorn bush
- hazel
- maple
- fir
- oak
Depending on the footprint of the tree that it grows on, mistletoe can have different beneficial biochemical actions for the body. These trees offer mistletoe their sap, helping it turn from an apparently semi-parasitic plant into powerful natural medicine.
Mistletoe is usually harvested in the month of May.
This is when the concentration of the minerals (Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium) in mistletoe is at its peak. In herbal medicine, the only parts of the mistletoe used are the leaves and the shoots. Dried mistletoe plant is stored in paper bags, in moisture-free rooms. Its term of validity is a maximum of two years.
The Main Mistletoe Uses & Health Benefits
As mentioned above, mistletoe branches, leaves, and buds are loaded with vital minerals. Most important are: phosphorus (which means “carrier of light”), potassium, manganese, and magnesium. The main beneficial mistletoe uses for our health:
- Balances the structural and functional harmony of the brain, including the vegetative nervous system, as well as the endocrine glands.
- Excellent blood vessel dilator; it can improve blood circulation by decreasing hypertonia and regulating blood pressure.
- Antispastic properties – can relieve spastic cough.
- Diuretic
- Metabolism imbalances
- Can alleviate dizziness and vertigo symptoms
Mistletoe Uses in Home Remedies
The 4 main mistletoe uses in home remedies:
- Cold Maceration – Put 1 tsp of powdered mistletoe in 200 ml/1 cup o cold water and leave overnight at room temperature. Strain and drink in 8 hours maximum (don’t keep the maceration at temperatures above 21°C).
- Mistletoe Powder – Finely grind mistletoe leaves and branches and sift. The mode of administration varies depending on the condition. The maximum dosage is 2 g per day for an adult. Good for incipient hypertension, cerebral circulatory disorders accompanied or not by headaches, migraines, vertigo, and chemotherapy.
- Mistletoe Extract – Fill up 3/4 of a glass jar with mistletoe not too fine powder (from buds, stems, and shoots). Fill the rest of the jar with homemade brandy or with a 50% alcohol concentration. Shake well. Good for vertigo, hypertension, metabolic disorders, neuralgia, sciatica, low back pain, and menopause disorders.
- Mistletoe Infusion – is made with warm water, not boiling hot!
- Mistletoe decoction – for external uses.
Depending on the condition and its severity, the herbal doctor will indicate how to use mistletoe appropriately. Without further ado, let’s get into the most notable mistletoe uses for human health.
What Is Mistletoe Good For? 17 Health Uses
1. Mistletoe Uses for Cancer
Mistletoe is still used today as a natural cure for cancer. Injectable mistletoe extract known as ISOREL has been used for many years in cancer therapy, with exceptional results. Unfortunately, this natural medicine is no longer manufactured. Mistletoe extract shots have a double effect. On one side they give a powerful boost to the immune system, which helps faster phagocytosis of the cancerous tumor, followed by its resorption. On the other side, mistletoe has a toxic effect on cancerous cells. Mistletoe is a fast poison for cancer tumors.
Not all cancerous tumors react the same to the mistletoe treatment. The result depends very much on the general state of the patient, but also on the quality of the mistletoe shot. This is one of the main medicinal mistletoe uses, and perhaps the most important.
2. Epilepsy Remedy
Mistletoe is also a known remedy for epilepsy. Cold mistletoe macerate cure is usually recommended for the treatment and amelioration of epilepsy. Two cups a day, one in the morning and the other in the evening in a 6 weeks cure is the naturist treatment. For children from 3 to 10 years of age, 1/3 of this dosage is recommended, while for children between 10 and 14, 1/2 the quality is the dosage. In old times, people use to make this macerate with holy water. For better results, one can follow the treatment for 2 to 3 months.
How to Make Cold Mistletoe Macerate
- Add 1 tsp of mistletoe powder to 1/2 cup of cold water and leave overnight.
- Drink the macerate 15 minutes before meals.
3. Mistletoe Uses for Hypertension
Mistletoe is also a great remedy for the heart and the vascular system. It is used for hypertension too. The most effective treatment is 1/2 tsp of mistletoe in the morning on an empty stomach. Hold it under the tongue for 15 minutes, then swallow with a little bit of water. The first results usually show after 2-3 weeks of treatment. This is one of the most effective mistletoe uses.
4. Mistletoe Uses in Atherosclerosis
Another popular mistletoe uses is the natural treatment of atherosclerosis. Mistletoe has a natural ability to improve blood flow in the arteries. For atherosclerosis, 2 cups of mistletoe macerate on an empty stomach, in 3-4 reps is the recommended treatment. This treatment is even more effective when coupled with a proper diet, low in animal fats, and rich in fresh fruits and veggies.
5. Mistletoe Uses for Asthma
It has been scientifically proven that mistletoe leaves fluidize bronchial secretions, soothe spasms, and increase the resistance to stress factors that lead to the onset of asthma attacks. Mistletoe uses for asthma are major and it can be used in two ways.
Chew on a fresh mistletoe leaf, 3 times a day. Or, if you don’t have fresh mistletoe, take 1 tsp of mistletoe powder a day. Hold it under the tongue for 15 minutes and swallow with a cup of water. You can also prepare a natural antibiotic medicine with mistletoe for asthma. In a jar filled 1/2 with liquid honey, add 4 tbsp mistletoe powder, 10-20 drops of thyme oil, and 30 drops of mint oil. Stir well. Have 1 tsp, 4 times a day for at least a month. This is one of the best natural remedies for asthma.
6. Cough
The mistletoe is also an effective remedy for cough, this being one of the main mistletoe uses. Have a pinch of mistletoe powder and hold it under the tongue for 15 minutes. Swallow down with hot basil, marjoram, and wild thyme tea. Repeat 4 times a day maximum, if the cough is severe.
7. Nervousness
The classical treatment for nervousness with mistletoe is 1 pinch of mistletoe powder, 4 times a day with water. Yes, mistletoe helps balance the nervous system and gets us back on track.
8. Mistletoe Uses for Infertility and Impotence
Mistletoe is effective in infertility and impotence associated with hypertension. For this, mistletoe alcohol extract is the most effective treatment. Add 1 tbsp of this tincture in hawthorn berries tea, 2 times a day before meals. This treatment is followed for at least 3 months.
9. Menopause Problems
For menopause disorders, combine equal parts of mistletoe, goosefoots, lady’s mantle, and St. John’s wort powders. Take 1 tsp of this mix 3 times a day, with a little water.
10. Vaginal Discharge
Leucorrhea or vaginal discharge can also be ameliorated with mistletoe. It can be used in vaginal irrigations. Add 2 tbsp of dried mistletoe plant to a basin and leave to macerate overnight. Strain the macerated tea and use it for vaginal irrigations. Don’t use soap or other cosmetic products, simply wash with water before the irrigation. Do the irrigation 1 hour later. For best results, keep the tea as much as possible inside the vagina (minimum of 10-15 minutes). You can use fresh mistletoe too. Chop a handful of fresh mistletoe leaves and macerate for 8 hours, covered in a warm place (25-35°C). Filter and use.
11. Mistletoe Uses for Stroke (Hemorrhagic Adjuvant)
Mistletoe is an adjuvant for hemorrhage and stroke, very effective in elderly people. The treatment is 1 pinch of mistletoe powder, 3 times a day. Follow this treatment for 2 weeks. For better results, supplement with Ginkgo Biloba tincture and drink rosemary tea instead of water. In addition, eat plenty of lentils, buckwheat, non-GMO soy (beans or sprouts), and bee pollen (if you don’t have liver problems).
Mistletoe Side Effects
Mistletoe contains both active healing substances (glucosides, saponins, resins, etc.), as well as toxic substances (viscotoxin for example). However, these toxic substances don’t manifest though, in the “alchemy” of the phytocomplex. Here is where the “intelligence” of nature comes into play. We find in the same plant both healing substances and highly toxic ones, but when combined in their wonderful chemistry they have beneficial effects.
Mistletoe berries are the most toxic part of the plant, that’s why they are not used in treatments.
It is also necessary to know very well how to prepare mistletoe remedies, to avoid intoxication. For instance, mistletoe remedies are not prepared at temperatures above 60°C because highly toxic substances are formed and the active principles are lost. Mistletoe toxicity is at its peak in the winter while in summer it’s at its lowest.
Symptoms of Mistletoe Intoxication
- Lower blood pressure (hypotension)
- Slowed heart rate
- Chills
- Nervous disorders with paralysis and loss of sensitivity
Mistletoe is Not Recommended for
- Hypotensive, hypotonic patients
- Angina patients
- Pregnant women
- Breastfeeding women
Poplar, willow, linden, walnut, ash, maple, maple, and acacia mistletoe is very toxic, and not recommended for human use. From apple, plum, quince, pear, wild apple, pine, and fir trees, mistletoe has much lower toxicity, this being the good mistletoe used in medicine.
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Mistletoe Uses Throughout History
Mistletoe (Viscum album) is known and used, like many other medicinal plants, since ancient times. In the 4th century BC, Theophrastus wrote about the power of the mistletoe as the cure for epilepsy. Pliny used mistletoe in the treatment of infertility.
Five centuries later, Dioscorides and Galenus described the antitumor action of the mistletoe.
In his work “De Vegetabilis”, St. Albert the Great included mistletoe among the 16 plants that he considered mistletoe to be magical. Boyle (in 1644) and Colbach (in 1723) wrote about the use of the mistletoe in the treatment of epilepsy, confirming what Theophrastus knew centuries before them.
Later on, in 1938, Gaultier highlighted the effectiveness of mistletoe as an anti-epileptic for horses.
This stands as proof of the deep healing action of plants even for animals. He also described mistletoe as having hypotensive, antispasmodic, and anti-cough properties. Mistletoe is an example that medicinal plants have multivalent actions. The bioactive substances in mistletoe are just one aspect of its healing qualities. This is why there are many mistletoe uses and this is one of the main home remedies for cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
Read Also: What Is Chamomile Good For? Uses, Benefits, Remedies
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