Opium lettuce is often ingested for its mild analgesic and sedative effects. Somehow it is related to common lettuce, and often called bitter lettuce, wild lettuce, laitue vireuse, tall lettuce, great lettuce, rakutu-karyumu-so, and poisonous lettuce. It was used in the 19th century by physicians when opium could not be obtained. Here Edsel Cook, NaturalNews.com, reflects on what you need to know about opium lettuce, what it is and its survival uses:

“The backyard, food garden, or wilderness may produce a weed called “opium lettuce.” Instead of pulling it out, cultivate the wild plant for its natural ability to relieve pain without the addictive side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.

The U.S. is currently experiencing an opioid epidemic. People are desperately looking for safer alternatives to addictive opioid-based painkillers.

Further, when SHTF, the supply of pain relievers will dry up. Preppers and homesteaders need a personal and reliable source of medicine to reduce the pain of injuries and illnesses.

Opium lettuce offers a natural alternative to synthetic painkillers. It has drawn attention from preppers for its potential use as a medicinal plant during SHTF scenarios.

Others have been dismissive of opium lettuce’s reputation for relieving pain. Some have gone on record to call its pain-relieving ability a myth.

Opium lettuce is not related to the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). It also does not contain any opium, the dried latex from the seed capsules of the poppy.

What it does have is lactucarium, a milky white fluid stored in the stems and leaves of the plant. The substance relieves painful sensations and acts as a natural sedative, thereby earning the “opium” part of its name.

Lactucarium doesn’t have any opioids. As such, it is not addictive. (Related: Survival top picks: Essential medical supplies and trauma kits.)

The pain-relieving wild relative of commercial lettuce

The scientific name for opium lettuce is Lactuca virosa. Also known as wild lettuce, it is a cousin of the common garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa). They share the same genus (Lactuca), although opium lettuce resembles its wild cousins rather than the “domesticated” lettuce.

The plant grows wild in North America. It is fairly plentiful, enough to be considered a weed by people who don’t appreciate its value.

In the old days, knowledgeable people gathered wild lettuce from the wilderness and used it as a pain relief remedy. There are several ways to prepare its lactucarium for medicinal use.

The most effective approach is running the stem and leaves through a drying process. The dried-out material serves as the ingredient for herbal tea.”

If you would like to learn other solutions to help control your health … click here?

 

Read More … Article Source: https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-10-14-what-is-opium-lettuce-survival-uses.html