Sheep Sorrel Extract (Rumex acetosella) 8 fl oz: HH

Native Americans use Sheep Sorrel leaves as a tasty seasoning for meat dishes and baked it into their breads. A common summertime sight in the North American wild, Sorrel was used as a salad green. Mashed Sorrel leaves mixed with vinegar and sugar were popular as a greensauce with cold meat. The sharp taste, due to its oxalic acid and vitamin C content, led this herb to be used in folk medicine, mainly as a tea or decoction. Sorrel acts as a diuretic, antiscorbutic, and refrigerant. It is good for treating urinary problems. The herb relieves internal ulcers and, when applied externally, helps clear skin problems such as herpes, eczema and ringworm. Sheep Sorrel also contains silicon which aids the nervous system. Carotenoids, a component of Sheep Sorrel, are present at a concentration of approximately 8-12%. Beta carotene (a strong antioxidant member of the carotenoids) is converted to Vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A has been shown to strengthen the immune system by aiding production of white blood cells. White blood cells are what attack many of the body's harmful intruders, including cancer. Sheep Sorrel is rich in Vitamin A, B complex, C, D, K, and E. Its minerals include significant levels of calcium, iron, magnesium, silicon, sulphur, zinc, maganese, iodine, and copper. Sheep Sorrel is also rich in chlorophyll, which increases oxygen content in the blood. High levels of blood oxygen can increase the body's action against many invasive conditions. Research at the Linus Pauling Institute and at M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital has shown chlorophyll enhances the body's immunity against certain carcinogens and has been shown to strengthen the immune system. According to these studies, it appears to be effective against chromosome damage -- which is considered to be a precursor to cancer. Sheep Sorrel is also rich in potassium oxalate. It aids digestion, and has been reported to relieve stomach hemorrhage and jaundice. Grieve's classic 'A Modern Herbal': 'The whole herb is employed medicinally, in the fresh state. The action is diuretic, refrigerant and diaphoretic, and the juice extracted from the fresh plant is of use in urinary and kidney diseases.'