Cat Tails - Yes Cat Tails!
Provided by: Jill Manzoni
My grandmother and her grandmother before her, all knew the value of having cat tails. Do you?
My friends have always touted me to their friends, about my knowledge of little known "nature things". Remedies, cures, and aids to improve your life. I am about to tell you one of those.
Cat Tails , yes Cat Tails, the ones you see by any pond, marsh, or lake.
They are a long, brown, round, reeds, which are tapered to the top, and lead to white tufted seeds, that remind you of cotton.
Their growing season begins in the spring, they start out as hot dog shaped protuberances and soon are crowded with "feminine" flowers.
Almost every part of this plant all the way from the starchy roots, to its corn like buds and later the flour like pollen, is edible and extremely good for your health.
Here are the many ways to use Cat Tails.
Use the top, or head, as a torch. Soak it in tallow then ignite.
Burn around patio's to rid the area of mosquitoes and other insects. Add cat tails to campfire for same results.
In the old days, Cat Tails were used as insulation. It was built into the walls of the house and barn. They would also sew two blankets together, stuff them with cat tail down, and cross stitch it, to keep it in place. At the end of the season, they would cut the blankets open, sew the seed in the marshes and bogs, and reseed them for the next year.
Fill a large container full with water. Boil, roots. Mash just as you would potatoes. Remover fibers. Spread on cookie sheet, place in sun to dry. Put through grinder and make a flour. With this flour you can makes a tea to stop diarrhea, make a thick paste by adding water and spreading on poison ivy, rashes, burns, insect bites, stings, and even make a toothpaste. You can even use the fuzzy brown part of the stalk as a toothbrush.
When cuts open there is a sticky juice. This is used for cuts and abrasions, as a wonderful antiseptic and coagulant agent.
Combine CT flour and vegetable oil to make a conditioner for hair and scalp problems.
Chewing the fuzzy part will relieve nervousness and stress.
Cat Tail Flour can be used as a thickening agent in soups etc. It is known to be highly nutritious.
About the Author:
Jill Manzoni - gardenofgood@gccinternet.net
For nearly 50 years, Jill has been living and teaching others how to live naturally, in an unhealthy world. A published author of health books, she has enjoyed receiving many Honorable Mentions for her work, found in publications all over the world. She now owns and solely maintains her website, GardenOfGood.com, writes for dozens of sites on the net, and is content leader for many of them. She is dedicated to her family first, then to helping others learn, earn and save money, or find success however she can help. Jill also teaches others to write, by showing them great resources as well as offering them opportunities to publish their work.
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