Mustard

Of the Mustard is a wild mustard plant. It is used in the kitchen as well as in traditional herbal medicine. Last but not least, the Bach flower mustard is obtained from it.

Occurrence and cultivation of the mustard

Of the Mustard is a cruciferous plant that was already known as an herb in the Bronze Age. The herbaceous plant is annual, reaching heights of twenty to sixty centimeters. Their stem is hairy, the stalked and well articulated leaves can be up to eight inches long. Characteristic of cruciferous vegetables is the four-fold, sulfur-yellow bloom, the sepals of which protrude horizontally.

The flower has six stamens, two of which are on the outside and four on the inside. The field mustard has a long flowering period from May to October. As a fruit, it produces a pod that contains eight to thirteen black seeds. As a so-called archaeophyte, the field mustard was introduced through agriculture from the Mediterranean to the northern regions of Europe before Christopher Columbus reached America in 1492, where it reproduced independently and without outside help.

Today the mustard can be found in all temperate climates around the world. Since the field mustard prefers nutrient and base-rich soils, it is particularly widespread on so-called weed meadows in fields and fallow land, along the road and even on debris. It often occurs in large groups of plants.

Effect & application

The popular one Wild mustard called mustard traditionally enjoys great popularity in the kitchen. Here its seeds are either mixed with those of white mustard, or its finely chopped leaves serve as a spice. The flower buds of the field mustard are also edible - they are prepared like broccoli. Even the herbaceous parts of the field mustard are edible after a long cooking time and can be used as vegetables.

Above all, the young leaves of the herb plant give off a tasty wild vegetable. They also refine salads or herbal quarks. But be careful! As with real mustard, the leaves of the field mustard are spicy, which is why they are not suitable as the main component of a salad, but rather as a spicy addition. Fine sprouts can be grown from the seeds of the field mustard, which can be eaten fresh. The mustard oil contained is generally stimulating and can thus counteract metabolic weakness, digestive problems or loss of appetite.

Recent studies have shown that mustard oil has an antibacterial and generally germicidal effect. For this reason, it can also be used for natural food preservation. Ayurvedic medicine makes use of the circulation-promoting properties of mustard oil: Here it is used for skin care and is popular with massages.In cosmetics, mustard oil is used as the basis for some soaps.

In the form of elixirs in which blossom and precious stone meet, for example in the combination of "field mustard and Vesuvian", field mustard helps in naturopathy to set limits and to say no. Since field mustard stands for clarity and finding meaning, it also helps to recognize when your own limit has been reached and when it makes sense to divide your own strengths. It should replace listless perseverance slogans and set positive, powerful life impulses.

Importance for health, treatment & prevention

As a wild mustard plant, the field mustard is considered a weed in fields, but it can also be used as a medicinal herb. For example, poultices can be made from the crushed seeds of the field mustard, which are supposed to stimulate blood circulation. In order to counteract the resulting skin irritation, a fatty cream should be applied before the mustard mixture is applied.

Such an envelope made from crushed mustard seeds is also known in naturopathy as a skin-irritating mustard plaster. It is used to relieve stuck complaints of the musculoskeletal system, for example rheumatic complaints, tension or lumbago. These pads can also help with sore throats and bronchitis. In general, however, it is not advisable to use a mustard plaster for acute inflammations, as they already produce too much heat. The following rule of thumb applies: Mustard plasters are suitable for those ailments that are relieved by heat.

Field mustard is also used in Bach flower therapy. Here he is known as a "mustard" and is supposed to support the finding of meaning and help against sadness. Those affected no longer see any sense, the whole world appears black to them. From one moment to the next, deep melancholy has settled on her for no apparent reason. Those affected often do not understand why they are suddenly so sad. The mustard state is often related to an inner development; it precedes the next development step. The most essential characteristic of the mustard state, however, remains that the person concerned cannot explain the reason for his or her sadness.

The symptoms of Mustard's Blocked State are similar to those of endogenous depression, but it can affect people who are not clinically depressed. If there is any doubt, a specialist should be consulted, as the treatment of a real endogenous depression belongs in their hands. According to the Bach flower doctrine, patients who have overcome the negative, blocked mustard state, reach the positively transformed mustard state.

This is characterized by sunny serenity that is not lost even in difficult phases of life. Thanks to a newly gained inner clarity, those affected can now maintain their bright mood even in problematic situations. Mustard can support this process. The Bach flower is also used as a gentle remedy for postpartum depression, if the new mother cannot be happy about her new baby after the birth and is therefore plagued by feelings of guilt.