What If The Weed Is The Medicine

That bright yellow “weed” in your lawn might be doing more for your health and your ecosystem than you think. We’re taking dandelion seriously, from the way it supports confidence and resilience to the very practical ways people use it in herbal medicine, food, and seasonal wellness routines.

We talk about being impeccable with our words, flipping the stories we tell ourselves, and choosing blessings over spirals, even when it feels awkward at first. From there, the conversation shifts into dandelion as a wildly underrated plant ally: leaves, roots, teas, and simple ways to work bitterness into your diet for digestion support. We also connect dandelion to liver support and natural detox habits, discuss its role as a natural diuretic and anti-inflammatory support, and share a grounded reminder about safe foraging and why “chemical-free” matters when you harvest wild plants.

Then we zoom out to the bigger picture: dandelions as an early food source for bees and pollinators, a pioneer species that helps soil health, and a quiet argument against spraying lawns just to erase something useful. If you like energetics, we also explore the solar plexus “I am” theme, the doctrine of signatures style color connection, and the symbolism of the bloom turning into a wish-filled puffball that spreads seeds and ideas.

If this gave you a new way to see your backyard, subscribe, share it with a friend who hates dandelions, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Are you letting dandelions grow this season, or are you still tempted to spray them?

Transcript

High Vibes And Surrender

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Day of awesomeness. Every day is a great day to have a really great day. Would you agree with me? Woohoo! God willing. Throwing my hands up and saying, I surrender. A surrender to God's will. So, so good. I love it, mean it, gonna have it. How about you? Who's coming with me? I'm excited. This is actually my season two, episode 24 of Sunshine and Bubbles Podcast. And the High Vibe Tribe. That's you guys. That is you. You are part of the High Vibe Tribe. And I feel like 24 is a special number for me because 2-4 is hemp day. And so we always celebrate 2-4, and I see it all over the place. The numerology is strong and real here. And so as I come to episode 24, I'm at a crossroads of sorts. I'm like, all right, do we start season three? Do we keep going in season two? What's like the break off? Should I take a break and just kind of let it be for a little while while we get the farm ready for full-on planting season? Which is super exciting. But I have something a little nagging that's telling me, you just keep going, mama. You keep rocking in the free world. And just keep hitting record. That is what one of my mentors has told me is just you gotta keep showing up. You gotta keep pressing record, you gotta keep keep sh keep doing the darn thing or the amazing thing. Woo! Yes, being impeccable with my words. Indeed, it's hard to do. Have you ever tried to do that? Just be really super hyper consciously aware of what you're putting out there in the universe. It is tricky. It is tricky because we are trained by the universe to, you know, be domesticated of sorts. So that's the old Toltic expression. But you have to break the mold and really stop yourself from any negative thought patterns and giving yourself a lot of grace and a lot of mercy. And that is a practice. And you just again gotta keep showing up every day and doing that too. But it's hard. So even with little sayings of doing the darned thing, like then you're making the thing darned and maybe doing the blessed thing, doing the beautiful thing, doing the thing we get to do. Ooh, how about that? I like that a lot. That sounds good, that feels good. Feels good for me. Does it feel good for you? Does it give you the warm, fuzzy, amazing soft feelings inside when you think about speaking kindly to yourself and only the sweetest blessings over you and other people? Even when the devil is on this shoulder and he's saying, ah, what's what's just one comment? Ah, what's just one negative thought about about yourself or your your neighbor? Just it's okay, just this this thought here, but it's like, no, not today, devil. We're gonna speak over here to the angel and speak only blessings, even if you don't believe what you're saying. Like, let's say that um me, I'm gonna have a hard time being on time. So for me, I'm always late, but I'm gonna flip that around and say, I am always on time, because universal law says that what I speak is going to be my reality. My perception is going to be my reality. So even though I do struggle with time, I'm not gonna say it. I am impeccable with my time. I am impeccable with my words, and that is the energy that I want to cast off here. I brought on this sweet solar plexus sound bowl that I was hoping to play in the beginning of the podcast here, just to kind of get the energy right and get it tight for what we're gonna talk about today, and that is Dandelion. One of my favorite herbal allies and most seriously underrated. And as we listen to the solar plexus sound vibration, we are warming up our I am energy center. And that I am energy center is right here in your belly button. That's where that energy wheel is and stored, and I think using the dandelion helps with your solar plexus. And how do I know that you might ask? Well just check out the color. It's yellow. And the chakra of the solar plexus is yellow. Coordination? I think so. Is that divinely processed? Absolutely yes. Trust the intuition there, it'll never steer you wrong. No, no, no. As we listen to the solar plexus sound bowl vibrations, we really just want to draw on that lion energy. That lioness energy of strength and resilience, dominance over your dominion. That is really good, good energy that we must channel. I love that connection there in nature, and the colors are the doctrine of signatures that kind of tie the two things together. I feel like dandelion is highly underrated, and as a matter of fact, a lot of people spend a lot of their time, money, and energy trying to eradicate the dandelion. And why? It's because they were we were taught to that they weren't useful, that they had no value, that they were just a weed, right? Isn't that what we call a hemp? Just a weed? Or cannabis, just a weed? I think that's kind of lowering its level, but as we kind of dive into the dandelion and its medicinal properties, you will come to find that it is indeed very useful and a helpful plant ally. She is on our side. Even just energetically, right? Of like looking at the dandelion. It's like a million trillion sweet little sunflowers that get to decorate your lawn. And they don't last very long, honestly. They they do kind of have go through their cycle and will be gone before you know it. But the leaves and the roots will remain, and they are for your using all summer long to keep to fortify your cease system and as use as a great tonic or a cleanser for your system. And if you could take a guess what system that would best work for, it would be the one that's located right at that I am energy center right here, your solar plexus, your liver is right there, and your gallbladder, and they are used to detoxify, pull out all the toxins, and kind of filter out any everything that goes through your body. So the dandelion helps that process. How amazing is that? I just actually love the dandelion. The Latin name is a terraxicum officinal. Taraxicum officinelle. And it is the ultimate underdog of the botanical world. You know, transitioning from the pesky weed to a superfood to spiritual symbols, you know, all just depending on who you ask. And we are gonna kind of structure this through the science and medicinal benefits, the environmental benefits, the energetics, and the spiritual and symbolic benefits of this super sweet little flower and plant. And all parts of this plant are useful. The flower, a lot of people make the dandelion wine from it to the leaves that they say that the serrated edges of the leaves are actually like uh the teeth of a lion and help to break up kidney stones. Pretty wild. And the root is what is traditionally used in teas and infusions to really stir up the cleansing properties of the plant. So let's get to the root of the health here. It's very nutrient dense. Vitamins A, C, and K along with calcium and iron, are all found in the root of the dandelion. I had a whole plant here somewhere, and I think I might actually go run and get it. What do you think, Ruby Doobie? Do you think I can do it? Because I would like to show you that three dandelions a day will keep the doctor away. Yes, indeed. And I'm like, oh man.

unknown 10:18

Woo!

Leave Dandelions For Bees And Soil

Energetics Resilience And Symbolism

Foraging Tips Garden Season And More

Farmers Market Plans And Mustard Seed Faith

SPEAKER_00 10:19

I bet that was a little short while. And I'm back. And I wanted to grab this because it is such a beautiful specimen of what the dandelion can be found. And a lot of times I'll find it in my planters. And as long as I know I'm not using any like any chemicals or whatnot, which I do not use, but I know they're chemical-free, I'll just uproot it. And it's just so easy because then I have some of the taproots here, and I have some of the leaves, and then there's a wonderful wish on here, too. That kind of already went through its cycle. But a wise herbalist, Linda, actually said, if you will eat three leaves a day, it'll keep the doctor away. Because that bitterness stimulates your digestion and helps break up fat faster. So I think that's pretty awesome. What the leaves of this plant would do. And a lot of people like, I'll just eat three leaves a day. When I find them out there, I'll just chop and munch. But a lot of times people put them in their salads too. And just kind of add that little, it's kind of like an arugula. Oh, sorry, it's just add that little bitter flavor to there, but the root is what I was talking about. So you'd wash that off, dehydrate it, or dry it, and then kind of chop it up. And you can use it for later, or use fresh now for a tea. And the liver and digestive support here is because of the cola gog effect, meaning that they stimulate bile production and this aids in fat digestion and supports liver detoxification. So it's pretty amazing that that root can detoxify your liver. Something that we could all use with our natural diets out here here in the urine now. And unlike synthetic diuretics that deplete potassium, dandelion leaves are so high in potassium that they replenish what is lost. So it can make you pee, which is also strange that, you know, as the yellow flower, the color of your urine, coincidentally, it does make you pee. So for those people that need a little assistance with that, this is a great plant ally for you. And it's a natural anti-inflammatory because they have polyphenols and terraxterols, which help reduce systematic inflammation. So I think that's pretty amazing that it's anti-inflammatory, it's a diuretic, and it's a detoxifier, and it tones. It's a tonic, so it can that means like it kind of tonifies and strengthens your whole system there. So that's pretty amazing that all that can happen just because of this beautiful plant. Even for like the nutrition of nutrition of new nutritive value of it, we should be looking to it more. But the fact that I can help with all that other stuff too is pretty wild and pretty amazing, and it'll blow your mind. I absolutely love it. And I don't know, I kind of tread lightly on saying this, but there has been clinical studies out there that the dandelion is actually anti-cancer. So it kind of works with your system not against against it, and increased the tumor necrosis factor in a topsit a patapatosis. Oh my gosh. Program cell death. I know I murdered that name. I'm sorry. I'll do better as I say more, but not coming from a clinical background. But you never wanna, you know, declare anything's anti-cancer, but if it's there is some studies out there, and it's it's still being studied, so we gotta hang on to our hats and see where that all really goes as we learn more about this amazing beauty. But it's pretty cool. I just I use it for a detoxifier, you know, to stimulate my liver and gallbladder's capacity to clear waste. And if you have chronic toxicity and inflammation, infection, or dietary environmental factors, this route can be taken to help with constipation, skin problems, eczema, arthritic conditions, and an improved clearance of waste products can reduce local inflammation. So that's something we all suffer for is inflammation. And if this weed that we're finding pretty much everywhere can help with that, why not? Just be careful when you're out there using or harvesting dandelion that you're getting it from a place that doesn't spray. I know a lot of people want to spray their lawn to have this beautiful green lush lawn, but then all that chemicals in there is not good for the environment and certainly might kill off the dandelion. But what else is it doing? It's leaching into the groundwater and affecting all the other environment that's surrounding your lawn. And something to really consider and think about. Because we need to leave the dandelions for crying out loud. They provide early sources of nutrients for bees and other pollinators before other flowers bloom. And the seeds in leaves provide uh food for numero numerous critters out there, chipmunks, birds, and other wildlife. And hummingbirds actually use dandelion to lie down and nest, and some insects seek shelter under their leaves. So they're like a they're the nature's home. And they provide nutrients to soil, they create drainage in compact soils and help prevent erosion. And the chemicals used on lawns to kill dandelions are detrimental to wildlife and can impact our water source. And they have medicinal value. So leave the dandelions. As a matter of fact, I would say use the dandelion. They are a pioneer species, okay? They're not just a pretty weed, they're a pioneer. They are often the first plants to colonize the disturbed soil, and their deep taproots break up compacted earth, bringing nutrients from the subsoil to the surface. And they act as a natural fertilizer. So when the plant dies back, guess where all those minerals go? Right back into the soil. And that's such a beautiful thing how nature weaves like that. It's just really amazing. And the topsoil will thank you for it, especially your garden. And I'm really into the dandelion energetics. I just feel like every plant has a different energy, everything has energy. So when we talk about traditional Chinese medicine and the energetics of the dandelion, it's pretty interesting to note that it is cooling. It can help clear heat, you know, the inflammation, clear that that inflammation and anger that can be in your solar plexus area or by your liver. It also is drying because, as a diuretic, it clears stagnant fluids. So it can help dry that all up. And the taste is bitter, so it triggers the vagus nerve, waking up the entire digestive tract. And the signature is the bright yellow sunflower turning into a moon puff ball representing the cycle of transformation and movement. And the metaphysic physics of resilience here is what really gets me excited and blows my mind. We talked about the solar plexus and that I am energy center there. But dandelions can grow through sidewalk cracks, right? Like they're so resilient. They'll grow anywhere you don't want them to grow. So spiritually, they represent the ability to thrive in harsh conditions and remain unbroken. So just even channeling that energy of the dandelion can help build up your confidence and your resilience and make you thrive despite all of our conditions. So be more like a dandelion. The yellow flower represents the sun, you know, the vitality, your ego, even clarity, right? Whereas the white puffball, which are the seeds of the dandelion, represents the moon. And that's your intuition, your dreams, and letting go. And then dispersing the seeds, some people know it as the stars. And that's where wishes, expansion, and the spreading of ideas. So not only you have the sun and the moon, but you also have the stars. Some see a weed, I see a wish. And you know, with the yellow color and the liver affinity, they're often linked to, you know, that solar plexus. And that is really where your personal power is and where your gut feelings are. So always trust your gut. Your intuition will never lie. It's that voice. You gotta really listen to it. So I feel like it's the golden alchemist, right? Like this dandelion's energy is just off the chain. Not only that, it represents the sun, moon, and the stars, how many other plants can you say do go through that cycle? But the world needs more dandelions just everywhere, bringing beauty wherever it goes, and that resilience is really admirable to me. Also, I am a Leo and I just love the lion energy there. They even say in French the dandelion is dante lion, and that just plays to the fierceness of this plant and how it can really be of medicinal value to you. So I'd say give it a try. Have you ever tried the leaves of a dandelion? I think this is your calling. I think now's the time, no better time than the present. They're out in abundance right here, right now, so I urge you to get out there and eat some leaves of them. Put them in your salad, or you just eat them straight up. And you'll feel that bitterness, then, and you can kind of feel it in your tummy too. And take a moment to just appreciate and respect what nature has provided out there for us. I feel like so often it's just go overlooked. But really, the other day I was just looking down, I was my legs were swinging off the porch here, and I looked down and I seen the dandelion right there, and I said hello to that powerful plant ally, and then I seen Mother Ward, who was right beside her, and coming up for Mother's Day here. I feel like she's another wonderful plant ally, and has that that lion heart, no wonder, like no wonder why she likes to hang out with the dandelions. So, where you'll see dandelions, oftentimes you'll see the mother ward. And that's all the motherboard's also really good for your heart. So I feel like between the two it's an excellent combination to s step into spring with your best foot forward. And then I also seen clover that was growing there and plantain. All within like a foot segment where my feet were dangling. And I just had to really smile and look up and say thank you for all of nature's gifts out there and learning about them. I think that's what gets me really excited is because every time I crack open a book or read something online, I'm learning something new about these plants from different perspectives. And I feel like that's really exciting too. So I was happy to share this information that I've learned about dandelions, but really it's a relationship with the plant. As you get to know it, as you utilize it, as you work it into your everyday life, then you can then you can know, and then you can pass that on to your children. And they can play, discover, and explore right there with you. It's really a beautiful thing, and it urges you to stay curious out there of our outside world. And well, go ahead, Ruby. And and harvest what's already there, right? Utilize! Utilize nature! So even pulling up the roots and testing out the tea, eating the leaves to stimulate your digestion, or hook up with someone who wants to make some dandelion wine with the flowers. That would be incredible. Amazing. Or just take them from the symbolic nature of what they have to offer and bring a smile to your face to know that Mother Nature always provides. It is such a beautiful blessing. The energetics, the science, the spirituality of it all. Highly urge you to get out there and get after it, friends. And speaking of foraging for what's out there, mother wort, we've talked about. I'm gonna do another episode just on her and her benefits and uses. So keep an eye out for the deep dive on that. And I'd also like to talk about nettles because they're abundant right now. And is anybody out there finding morels, morcella? I found some just today out by the beehive, and they were hiding. They were like right in plain sight, and then like, there it is, there's the morels. But I left them. I left them uh for for the next person, or hopefully they won't be harvested at all, and they'll just multiply in abundance because I feel like too often we get a little overzealous when we're harvesting morels and take them all, and then there'll be none for next year. But the spores do spread. So I feel like the the honorable harvest is always very important when you're utilizing any of nature's gifts. But that's what's so great about dandelion is that they're so abundant that you can take as many as you want, and he probably still won't make a dent in the population. They aren't as rare as the wonderful morels. And also this week, too, I harvested water crusts that our Uncle Dave showed us, showed me the ways of how to do it. And I thought that was really special too, spending that time with him. And he was just had a big scissors and showed me the stream and what it was, and he's like, just give him a haircut. And I took him home and made a bacon vinaigrette dressing for them and ate them kind of just like a salad and like a spinach salad. And it was absolutely delicious and amazing, and so packed with vitamins and minerals that I felt like I was sitting on a cloud after I was done eating them. And my husband was like, Where did you get those? You should get some more. I really like them. So they tasted very palatable as well. And I would highly recommend just discovering your backyard, discovering what's out there and what you can utilize, and and getting connected with nature. Um, also, too, it's a little, a little cold yet here in Wisconsin. I think we're like two weeks behind, but planning your garden too, even if it is in pots, or maybe it is a big garden field that you're working with. Uh, whatever it is, start thinking about plants that you can grow and discover and explore and learn with this summer. Because the season is upon us, my friends. And it's time to get out there and get after it. All it takes is a seed. That's what it starts with is just with one small little seed, planting it at a time, and it can grow into something beautiful. The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. Don't be that person that doesn't take advantage of the seasonality of it all. And if anything, if it all else fails and you really don't have the capacity, time, know-how, knowledge, whatever it may be, he always finds a way to meet you where you're at. Maybe you could take the time to come to the West Bend Farmers Market, which starts on the 17th Saturday. Not this Saturday, but the next one. Wow, is that gonna be absolutely amazing? I'm excited to kind of kick the season off. It's 22 weeks long this season, but you can expect the honey to be there, maple syrup, all the food vendors. Schweiz is one of my favorites there in West Bend. Uh, the the music that is there, the I'm the mushrooms are gonna be there, the microgreens that will be there, the the canned goods that the ladies have been working so hard on all winter long, and some foraged fines there as well. So it's always an exciting time when the farmers market starts, even though it's a big commitment for the people, and you know, bringing it to market is only a small sliver of what the farmers endure throughout the year. But being able to present that and share that with our community is what we live for. So I'm really excited to set up the DNA hemp booth once again with my Aunt Amy, who will be offering her hot pans and beyond. She's hot, hot stuff. So I'm excited to kind of get out there and connect with the community, and that'll start next week. But more on that next week. Will it be season three? Will it be episode 25? We don't know. I'm gonna pray on it. I'm gonna really, you know, surrender to his will and sing about it, pray on it, laugh about it, sleep on it, and see what I've come up with and what I can keep creating here. But it's been feeling really good to keep creating even some new products for the market. So keep an eye out for that. I just wanted to read from Matthew 17, 17, chapter 20. He replied, Because you have so little faith, truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Nothing will be impossible for you. Nothing will be impossible for you if you have just a mustard seed of faith. Nothing will be impossible because we serve a great big God, and he is so, so good. And I'm truly blessed to be able to share the good news with y'all here today and every day. Thanks for learning with me. I had some really nice resources, and one of the books that I use is this guy right here, the Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. It's been such a wonderful resource, and that's where I was reading some of the information about the dandelion, of course, also some of my notes that I took too. But tonic salad, you know, you can even do a tincture with this. You know, the leaves for potassium, the fresher, the dried root. All of it, all of it. Make a decoction, make an infusion, juice the leaves for fluid retention. There's all kinds of astonishing health benefits from dandelion. But I like it most just eating it straight up. You know, three day keeps the doctor away again. And, you know, I think that, you know, it relating to the solar plexus, then right to your liver. It kind of tells you exactly what it's good for just by looking at the plant and figure out a way how you can work it into your life. And if you need some, I got you. Reach out to me. I am here for you. Yes, I am, yes, I am. Thank you for learning with me. All right, gotta go. One love. Thank you so much for listening. Tune in next week for another episode of Awesomeness, and I really appreciate love and respect each and every single one of you. Peace of I. Yo!