Oat - Avena sativa (in the Gramineae or Grass family)
Part used: Milky oat seeds.
Taste/smell: Sweet, nutritious.
Tendencies: Moistening.
Dosage: Infusion: 1 heaping tablespoon of crushed milky oat seeds per cup of water; or 1:1 fresh + D strength liquid extract: 20-60 drops 1-4 times per day.
Mental picture and specific indications: It is indicated in nervous states with exhaustion, inability to concentrate, melancholy, diminished strength of limbs or numbness of limbs, occipital headache extending down spine, as well as into head, lack of control over urination and sexual exhaustion or impotence from sexual excesses.
Use: (a) Nervine, (b) Alterative, (c) Sedative, (d) Nutritive to the nervous system, (e) Cerebral trophorestorative.
Oat has been used for treating addictive habits like morphine, opium, alcohol, nicotine, coffee, etc. It is also indicated for insomnia and nervous system irritation from exhaustion or stress. Rolled oats are used in baths for itchy skin conditions.
It contains iron - 39 mg/kg dry weight, manganese - 8.5 mg/kg, zinc and 19.2 mg/kg, calcium and magnesium.
Contraindications: Oats antagonize the antinociceptive effect of morphine and the pressor response to nicotine.
Copyright 1999 by Sharol Tilgner, N.D. (ISBN 1-881517-02-0) - all rights reserved.
Used with permission of author.
