Do you have millet stored in your kitchen pantry? Once I discovered the powerful benefits of this humble grain, I rushed to the store to stock up. It turns out that millet has been used for centuries in folk medicine to treat a wide range of ailments. From supporting liver health to aiding in digestion, millet may just be the miracle ingredient your body needs. Additionally, I’ve been seeking a natural method to help my husband quit smoking, and one of these millet-based recipes might be the key. I plan to try it today!
Let’s take a deeper look at why millet deserves a place in your natural medicine cabinet and how you can use it to address various health concerns.
Nutritional and Healing Properties of Millet
Millet is a small, golden grain that packs a powerful nutritional punch. It contains generous amounts of potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins, along with essential trace minerals like copper and manganese. In traditional medicine, both millet grains and their outer husks are used therapeutically.
Here are just a few of the ways millet supports overall wellness:
Diuretic and Sweating Properties: Millet helps eliminate excess fluids and toxins from the body through urine and sweat.
Wound and Bone Healing: It supports bone strength and aids in the regeneration of soft tissue, making it beneficial for those recovering from injuries or fractures.
Energy Booster: Its high carbohydrate content makes it ideal for increasing energy and strengthening the muscular system.
Liver Support: Millet has been used to treat liver dysfunction and to aid in detoxification.
Antibiotic Detoxifier: One of millet’s most impressive properties is its ability to help flush residual antibiotics and their byproducts from the body, which may also reduce the risk of tumor development.
When incorporated into the daily diet, especially during or after antibiotic use, millet porridge is recommended as a gentle and effective detoxifying food.
Medicinal Millet Recipes for Specific Conditions
1. Pancreatitis (Inflammation of the Pancreas)
Boil 1 cup of millet in 2 liters of water in an enamel pot until fully cooked. Separately, grate 1 cup of fresh pumpkin and add it to the millet. Boil for another 3–5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and 1 tsp of sunflower oil.
Consume this dish for dinner for 3 consecutive weeks. After a 10-day break, repeat the cycle. This recipe is known to reduce inflammation in pancreatic tissue. It is also used to support vision in cases of night blindness.
2. Ischemic Heart Disease
Lightly roast 1/3 cup of millet on high heat without letting it brown. Rinse the roasted millet and cook it in 750 ml of water over low heat to make porridge. Add salt and honey to taste.
Due to its high potassium content, millet porridge is beneficial for individuals with heart conditions and should be eaten daily. You may also add hawthorn to meals to further support heart health.
3. Tapeworm Removal
Mash together 1 head of garlic, 1 raw egg yolk, and 1 handful of millet. Add filtered water and stir until it forms a liquid consistency.
Drink this mixture in one go. It is believed that a single dose can help expel tapeworms.
4. Cystitis (Bladder Inflammation)
Rinse ½ cup of millet and discard the water. Transfer the millet into a 1-liter jar and add 1 cup of clean or boiled water at room temperature. Shake the jar vigorously by hand until the water turns milky-white.
Drink as much of this water as you can throughout the day. It provides quick relief from urinary pain and frequent urination. For full recovery, continue this remedy for at least two weeks. The used millet can be cooked into porridge afterward.
5. Toothaches and Sinusitis
Fill a small fabric pouch with warm, dry roasted millet and apply it to the affected area for soothing heat therapy. If millet is unavailable, coarse salt can be used similarly.
6. Diabetes Management
Wash millet, lightly dry it, and pour boiling water over it. Let it steep for 2 hours, strain, and drink ½ cup of the liquid 3 times daily between meals.
7. Warts (External Use)
Use a 10–25% alcohol tincture made from unripe millet. Apply to warts every 1–3 hours for 3–5 days.
Other traditional remedies for warts include:
Celandine juice
Buckthorn bark
50% barley seed tincture
Wormwood, plantain, calendula flowers
Onion, garlic, cabbage leaves
Drosera, bilberry, black currant, gooseberry
Eucalyptus tincture or juice
0.5% colchamine ointment or white dead-nettle root salve (1:4 ratio)
8. Liver and Gallbladder Issues
Daily consumption of soft pumpkin and millet is highly beneficial. This combination is also recommended for those with colitis, sluggish bowels, poor metabolism, or water retention.
9. Eye Conditions – Tearing and Conjunctivitis
To relieve eye irritation, rinse your eyes before bedtime with a millet decoction or apply a compress for 30–40 minutes.
For conjunctivitis: Boil 1 tbsp of millet in 1 cup of water for 10–15 minutes. Let steep for 2 hours. Use the strained liquid to clean eyes before bed and in the morning. This remedy is safe for children too.
10. Quitting Smoking
Mix equal parts millet, rye, oats, and barley. Add 1 liter of water to 400g of this mix, soak overnight, then boil for 10 minutes in the morning. Wrap the pot and allow to infuse for 24 hours.
Strain and press the solids. Drink ½ cup of this liquid 5 times a day, 30–40 minutes before meals. Over time, it will create an aversion to smoking.
11. Protein in Urine
Rinse millet, add boiling water, stir until the liquid becomes cloudy. Let it sit, then pour the liquid into a cup and consume it multiple times daily. Continue this treatment until lab results confirm normalized protein levels in urine.
12. Hemorrhoids
Fill 1/3 of a 3-liter jar with washed millet, top with boiling water, and store in a dark, cool place for 4 days.
Drink 200 ml of this liquid 3 times daily, 30 minutes before meals.
Prepare a new jar every 4 days so as not to interrupt the treatment. Continue for 20–30 days without breaks. Hemorrhoid symptoms will gradually subside. If needed, repeat the course after a 1-week break.
Precautions and Contraindications
In elderly patients, millet may cause constipation. If you have colitis, take measures to manage this side effect.
Those with gastritis and high stomach acidity may experience heartburn after millet consumption. Adjust accordingly and consult your healthcare provider if symptoms persist.
Conclusion
Millet is more than just a grain—it’s a versatile, natural remedy with deep roots in folk medicine. Whether you’re addressing digestive issues, boosting liver health, or even trying to stop smoking, millet offers safe, natural support with minimal side effects. While modern medicine plays a vital role in healthcare, turning to traditional remedies like millet can offer a gentle, effective alternative or complementary approach to wellness.
Share this valuable information with your friends and family—nature might just hold the answer they’ve been searching for.
