Known as the gateway to the dream world, a plant of mourning, nicknamed “wild opium”, and an ingredient in fertility rituals, this herb of the month has been revered for many centuries by cultures all over the world. Beyond the folk lore and traditional uses, today Lactuca sativa, or wild lettuce, is utilized as a medicine for the nervous system, sleep, and digestion. As it’s name indicates, this bitter lettuce grows wildly in parts of Northern and Eastern Europe, Scotland, and the southern United State,. If you in a region where wild lettuce grows, look for it in the spring, when the stalks are bluish-green and the leaves are tender. At this time of year, the lettuce can be eaten without tasting too bitter. It can be enjoyed raw mixed in a salad, or cooked with other nutritious greens. Yes, this plant is related to the lettuce you see at this grocery store! But, it is also related to the Asteraceae family, which includes thistle, chicory, and dandelion. The leaves of wild lettuce look similar to dandelion leaves and taste bitter. Therefore, this plant can prove helpful to aiding in enzyme secretion, nutrient absorption, and tonifying the stomach and intestines thanks to the bitter action. If you enjoy this herb as a tea, I always love to add a bit of lavender and chamomile to help the taste and boost the relaxation!
Wild lettuce is really wonderful at helping to relax you before bed, or for when you feel overwhelmed or uptight. It is a nervine and sedative, and helps to slow down energetic, tense, and anxious nervous systems - making it a real savior for those times when you can’t seem to relax, or are in need of a deep night’s sleep. Wild lettuce contains constituents within the “lactucarium”, the milky colored substance within the plant, that are believed to have a direct effect on the central nervous system and our brain. The relaxing effects of wild lettuce are light and profound.
As we begin to deepen into the slower seasons and end of the calendar year, wild lettuce calls us to slow down, too. Sleep in, and relax into the time of year where we enjoy comfort - soups and warm cider shared with friends, our favorite jeans and sweater, and stories told by the fire. Hopefully, with a warm cup of tea close by.
You can find wild lettuce in our Sweet Slumber Tincture, Sweet Slumber Tea, and Sweet Slumber Honey.
Sources:
https://foragerchef.com/wild-lettuce/
https://ancworlds.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/the-lettuce-of-my-heart/