Natural Paths
March 30, 2009
Herb of the Week - CORNSILK 
Greetings!
Our herb of the week is CORNSILK: Zea mays from the plant family Graminaceae. This is literally the "silk" from corn, the stigmas from the female flowers of maize. Be sure your "silk" comes from organic, non-genetically altered plants.
 
Cornsilk contains saponins, sterols,allantoin, tannin and an alkaloid. It is diuretic, demulcent, tonic and anti-lithic. We use it for children who wet the bed, incontinence in animals and humans, for cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis and to tone and soothe kidneys and bladder. It is a remarkable, gentle healer that soothes the urinary tract through its demulcent action.
 
Usually a tea (infusion) is made from the dried silk. You pour water just off the boil onto the herb and steep, covered for 30 minutes. This can be added to a bran mash for horses, drunk as tea for people, offered in the water bowl for dogs or cats, etc. It tastes good, is mild and not easily over-dosed. Use a teaspoon of silk and a 1/2 cup water for little animals, a tablespoon with a cup of water for medium to large dogs, etc., 2 tablespoons with 1 to 2 cups water for people (sip the tea throughout the day) and a small handful in 3 cups of water for horses.
 
I have used cornsilk tea as the liquid in a poultice with clay for irritated swellings on horses.
 
You can get cornsilk capsules, or make your own with powdered cornsilk. These are also effective. Drink/provide plenty of water with the capsule dose. The toning effect of cornsilk helps the bladder "hold" urine when needed. Capsules are dosed by weight, extrapolating animal doses by human size comparison (you cannot do this with all herbs - animals often require much less per weight than people do). For horses, you can add one handful to the mash or hard feed without making an infusion - but the brewing does bring out more properties.
 
Of course, we do not diagnose or prescribe and these statements have not been approved by the FDA.
 
I love cornsilk. It is a profound example of food being good medicine. You can use it periodically - 2 or 3 times a week on a regular basis - or twice a day for up to 10 days in extreme need situations. Remember the herbalist's safety ways; dose a little at first and watch for any adverse reactions or allergies. Every metabolism is unique, so ease into a medicine at first.
 
Please forward this newsletter to friends. At Naturalpaths, we hope to build a community of natural health practitioners and animal lovers. As one of these, you are valuable to the world. You hold the light of reason and appreciation of our beautiful, natural Earth and all of her inhabitants, no matter how many legs, wings or fins they possess.
 
 
Sincerely,
Katharine Chrisley
Natural Paths
Natural Paths, a division of Dharma Horse