Tamarack

Tamarack is one amazing tree. Tamarack is not technically an evergreen � it goes through one of the most gorgeous deciduous transformations from green to a bright, almost illuminating golden, and sheds its needles every fall - it is called a deciduous conifer!

All conifers, for the most part, grow bone straight. Tamarack when comparing it to its conifer counterparts grows with in incredibly beautiful spiral shaped trunk and 'S' patterned branches.

When driving along the highway it is easy and quite fun to spot Tamaracks using this identification technique as most are crazy dramatic.

Tamarack in my native language is called Mshkiigwaatik, which literally means 'swamp tree.' I often wondered why tamarack got that name, there are many trees that grow in a swamp: Ash, Black spruce, Elm, Red maple, Alder, Willows etc.. Tamaracks are the only tree that when faced with completely flooded conditions, are able to continue to grow whereas the others achieve this hibernation-like state and simply maintain life or slowly begin to die. Tamarack is truly the only tree that is deserving of the name swamp tree, or Mshkiigwaatik

3 Proofs of the medicinal claims of Tamarack:

Traditional

Tamarack is called nerve medicine.

Scientific

Some pretty amazing studies have been done on Tamarack and its effect on the nervous system. Tamarack bark has quite a few different antioxidant flavonoids that have dramatic effects on nervous traumas.

Phenols

Polyphenols have been deservingly receiving a great amount of attention these past few years. They have a seemingly limitless amount of benefits. Strong evidence shows their amazing protective and regenerative and reversal effects on the nervous system. The advantage that plant-derived phenols have over synthetics is their ability to freely cross the blood brain barrier and express their qualities in diseases in the brain like Alzheimers. Lets look at a few of these phenols more closely. These are some of the most present phenols in tamarack bark.

Dihydroquercetin

Quercetin is a flavanoid that has been getting quite the buzz these days with its unique antihistamic effects, touting it great for treating allergies. Tamarack bark has a sibling called dihydroquercetin. A very special phenol flavanoid that has encourages huge nervous protection action. Very useful in diabetics and simply for ageing. Giving you some peace of mind as you grow older

Lignans

Lignans isolated from tamarack bark induce nerve growth factor secretion and perfectly inhibit NO production. Nitric Oxide is essential in the production of nerves but deadly when it is overproduced. Lignans from tamarack perfectly inhibit (regulate) the production of Nitric Oxide protecting the axons and mylien from great damage. Nitric Oxide is also one of the deepest causes of neuropathic pain, tamarack bark lignans eliminate it.

Secoisolariciresinol

Superb protective effects on nerves and the nervous system. Seems to be focused on ordinary issues like ageing. Also regulates Nitric oxide production. 

Isolariciresinol

Free radical DPPH is an absolutely devastating to the nervous system, most nervous degenerative-specific diseases are heavily linked to this venom. Of course, the antidote is isolariciresinol! Tamarack bark is loaded with it, regular consumption of tamarack bark is amazing to prevent degeneration caused by DPPH. Also regulates Nitric oxide production.

High studies have confirmed that in vivo tamarack bark extracts have severely increased nervous comeback in every nervous issue imaginable. Most processes are due to these antioxidants! The Cree of our Canadian North are very fond of this tree, in the aging who are going blind and sufferers of snow blindness burn the green log of tamarack until a thick black tar bubbles out of one end and they smear the resin directly onto the eye to cure blindness!! They sure knew and know what they were doing!

Now, lets take a moment to look at some of the other uses of tamarack bark!

Additional really amazing information about Tamarack:

Tamarack bark is a conifer, and all conifers play some extreme role in the immunity of my ancestors. Cedar purges the lymphatic system, juniper annihilates airborne communicable diseases etc... Tamarack bark has some pretty superb immunostimulative qualities that have been heavily confirmed.

Immune system

It modulates the immune system, making it incredibly useful in treating autoimmune diseases across the board. Increases properdin by a whopping 21% in some studies!

Tamarack bark stimulates Natural Killer cell toxicity making them much more effective and the sickness taken care of before the effects are even felt!

Anticancer

Its anticancer effects are felt in all parts of the body but most in the liver. The bark extract greatly inhibits the metastasis of tumour cells to the liver.

Allergies

A really neat compound concentrated in the wood burls of tamarack called arabinogalactans has been found to oddly and very significantly reduce the inflammatory response of dust in the upper respiratory tract. Also found incredibly useful in treating upper respiratory infections.

The Doctrine of Signatures

This ancient method of interpreting the medicinal use of plants is absolutely astonishing with tamarack. My ancestors walked past tamarack bark and knew that it was the plant for anything that had to do with electricity, or the nervous system. They knew that this plant has been created to show them what it has been created to heal, however did they know what neurons look like?

When you look at the human body under a microscope and look at all of our body parts at a molecular level, everything is different, everything has a shape that is distinguishable! Liver lobules look like hexagons, lymphatic vessels look green and scaly, blood cells are round etc.

When you look at everything that has to do with electricity under a microscope you will find neurons. There are 5 types of neurons and they all have something in common. All neurons have a smooth pronounced spiral shape with a distinct wave look to them. They are meant to cover as much surface area as possible. Dogs instinctively hunt in a perfect wave pattern because they know, that is the best way to cover as much surface area as possible.

Now look out at a tamarack tree and see how the trunk has a beautifullypronounced spiral pattern and the branches have a perfect wave shape to them. 













Tamarack has been created to show you that it was created to heal nerves.