Oats and Oatstraw
c. Susun Weed
Avena sativa
“Avena is the wave of bliss that flows through the living Universe.
Avena is the wild mare whose curdled milk is the stars.
Avena is the grain, ripe and milky, the holiest of holies, greenest of blessings.”
Type: Nourishing tonic
Properties: Demulcent, nervine, antispasmodic, antioxidant
Part Used: The grain (oats) and the leafy stalk (oatstraw)
Preparation and Dose:
* Oatmeal, cooked, 1-4 times a week, as desired.
* Oatflour, cooked.
* Infusion of dried oatstraw, up to 1-4 cups a day, several times a week.
* Tincture of milky oats, 1-3 dropperfuls up to 3 times a day, or as needed in acute situations.
* Oatstraw baths.
Oats and oatstraw contain: Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, E, K, biotin, and folates (folic acid); calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silica, and zinc; saponins, flavonoids, caffeic acid, ferulic acid; protein, fiber (beta-glucan).
Cautions: None. Consume without restraint. I drink 1-2 quarts of oatstraw infusion weekly; and have done so for more than 25 years.(And plan to continue for at least another 25 years!)
Oatstraw is a love potion that goes right to your heart. Let Avena clear your blood vessels of fatty deposits and improve the blood flow to your heart (and your sexual organs). Let Avena strengthen the heart muscle so you have more stamina, in bed and elsewhere. Let Avena rewire your nervous system, so your heart rate is smoother and your love life more mellow.
As little as a cup of oatstraw infusion a day (or 2 quarts a week) can help you rebuild your heart and blood vessels. (Not to mention improving your mood and restoring sexual desire.) It is a treasured ally to those dealing with cardiac weakness from nervous exhaustion.
Long recognized (by the FDA and the AMA) as an effective way to lower LDL cholesterol, oats and oatstraw are powerful allies for a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. Regular use adds elasticity to the blood vessels, tightens the veins, counters varicosities, and reduces high blood pressure.
The fibrous beta-glucans in oats mop up cholesterol and take it out of circulation. The fiber in oats also stabilizes blood sugar and helps improve insulin sensitivity in those with type-2 diabetes, thus lowering risk of stroke and stiff arteries.
Recent research points to oats’ unique ability to curb small LDL particles, which are more problematic than large LDL particles. Coupled with Avena’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities, it is no wonder that consistent use of oats and oatstraw infusion reduces the overall risk of heart disease and heart attack.
Oatstraw tincture eases heart spasms and palpitations in minutes, but doesn’t confer the longterm benefits of eating oats and drinking oatstraw infusion.
Folk medicine suggests oatbaths to counter paralysis after a stroke.
I supercharge my oatmeal by adding wild seeds, astragalus or slippery elm powder, and medicinal mushrooms.