Let's be honest, the best part of having a endless supply of black walnuts is the ability to eat until your heart is content. But, if you were to dig a little deeper, you'd find that they are an amazing medicinal as well.
When harvesting black walnuts you want to look for mature fruit that has fallen to the ground. While you can use the bark, leaves and the fruit (the hull and the seed/meet, for now I'm just going to focus on the use of the hull. (We'll leave the leaves and bark for another rainy day.)
While traditionally used to treat internal parasites, the benefits of the hull do not just stop there. High in Omega-3 fatty acids, tannins and iodine, this little (yet sometimes pesky) plant has natural antibacterial, astringent, laxative and emetic properties that make it wonderful for treating several ailments.
Black Walnut can help manage/treat:
- Eczema & Psoriasis
- Acne
- Canker Sores
- Poor Digestion and Diarrhea
- Worms, Parasites and Ring Worm
- Yeast and Fungal Infections
- Warts (it is said to be a traditional remedy- apply the hull directly 3x daily for as long as needed)
- Possibly reverse the effects of radiation (source)
There are several ways to take black walnut hull, but no matter the form, you shouldn't take it internally for longer than six weeks at a time. Black walnut hull is high in tannins, and if taken for too long can cause issues for your kidneys. It is not considered safe for use during pregnancy and should be heavily considered before use while breastfeeding. It has been shown to decrease milk supply.
Black walnut hull can be dried into a powder, put into pill form, made into a tincture or for skin ailments, used in a compress or directly on the skin from the hull. Pick up some black walnuts and whip up a batch of all forms or purchase from your favorite source.
And for further reading, stop by and check out these pages:
(The links might be hard to see, I'm working to fix this problem.)
The Herbal Resource
Global Healing Center
Vitamin E-Store
Livestrong
**These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or disease. What I share is what I use personally for my own family, and I greatly encourage you to research and talk over these items with your preferred choice of a health care provider (I recommend Naturopaths and Chiropractors.)**
