Spring detox with the amazing plants that Mother Nature has made available for us.
Spring season has gained glorious momentum with birds singing and rivers running fast. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), they say that each organ system has an emotion and a season intimately connected to it.
In spring, chi rises in the liver just as sap rises in the trees. Since spring is considered as ‘liver season’, now is a great time for clearing and cleansing metabolic waste from our winter-weary bodies with the help of exercise and nutritional medicine.
With the snow gone and winter finally over, the green starting to appear isn’t just grass, but includes all those plants bursting with energy and waiting to help us.
DANDELION
You know that yellow flower that everyone thinks as of weed ? Yes, dandelion is the one, most people hate it and just remove it from their gardens. I remember going out and collecting them on sunny days, with my grandmother and making honey out of these amazing plants.
This entire plant – flowers, leaves and root – supports the body. The flowers with their bright yellow colour indicate flavonoid content and its resulting antioxidant activity. If the spring flowers are picked early in the morning before the bees collect the pollen, then covered with boiling water to make a tea, a pleasant, sweet tasting beverage results.
Dandelion leaves are an important part of a detox because of their diuretic action, and unique because they do not leach out potassium. The nutritious leaves are a good source of potassium, as well as vitamins A, B, C and zinc. The bitter taste of these leaves stimulates the liver and gallbladder, thereby improving digestion.
For the liver, the bitter taste of dandelion root increases the production of bile to flush and restore liver cells.Harvested in the spring, dried and ground into powder, dandelion root works to draw wastes from the cells. The effect is noticed in the lungs as it helps to clear congestion, and in the joints as it alleviates the inflammation of arthritis.
Because the action of dandelion root on the liver is gentle, it is the best herb with which to begin a detox. Caution should be taken not to over-stimulate the liver initially because, if waste metabolites and/or toxins stored there are dumped too quickly into the bloodstream, and can’t be cleared efficiently through the kidneys, the result is skin irritation and other unpleasant side effects mentioned earlier.
If the waste matter cleared out from the liver stays in the bloodstream, it will circulate all over the body until it can be removed, either through the skin, or by passing through the kidneys, or with red blood cells being broken down in the spleen. Two particular herbs make the removal of waste from the blood more efficient.
Typical Use
Tonic for liver or gallbladder:
3 – 5 g dandelion root made as a decoction, taken 3 times per day.
5 – 10 ml tincture taken 3 times per day.
Used as a diuretic:
4 – 10 g dried Dandelion leaves infused into 1 cup of boiling water, left to sit for 10 – 15 minutes. Then drink as tea.
YARROW
Yarrow is a plant traditionally thought of as a vulnerary because of its ability to heal wounds of any kind, but this plant also has many additional benefits.
Important for the detox process is the ability of yarrow leaves and flowers to help clear waste from the bloodstream by carrying worn-out red blood cells to the spleen for recycling, as well as stimulating the production of mast cells in the bone marrow.
Yarrow’s bitter taste works to stimulate the liver and general digestion, and the herb also has a tonic effect on the lungs and skin. Furthermore, its diuretic action assists with clearing metabolic waste from the body.
As Yarrow seems to aid in the physical flow of the body’s most important substance, blood, its magical use is connected to managing the energetic flow in the body. It strengthens blood circulation and improves blood flow. It is known to dilate the capillaries, which in turn increases circulation. Healthy blood circulation is essential to maintaining the overall health of the body as it ensures that every part of the body receives enough blood and oxygen to function properly.
Yarrow is the traditional go to herb for stomach flu and other gastro-intestinal disorders because of its ability to heal and tone the mucus membranes in the digestive tract.
The benefits of Yarrow for women’s health in particular are many. It is particularly effective in either lessening heavy menstrual flow or in stimulating the uterus to bring on menstruation. Yarrow aids in toning the muscles and increasing muscular activity of the uterus, which serves to initiate menstrual flow. This is a wonderful herb for women with absent periods. If you are using this herb to stop heavy bleeding, it is important to address the cause of this whilst using Yarrow.
Typical Use
Yarrow Powder
Yarrow Powder can be added to smoothies, encapsulated or mixed with a little water or juice. It can be also be used topically on minor wounds and made into a healing salve.
Yarrow Tincture
Traditional Use: 2-3ml taken 2-3 times per day, or as directed by a Herbal Practitioner.
Yarrow Herb Tea
Use 1-2 teaspoons per cup of boiling water and steep for 5 -10 minutes depending on taste.
Yarrow Essential Oil
Yarrow essential oil can be used in the bath, or vaporized in an oil burner. It can be added to a massage oil or cream. Use 6-8 drops per bath and 10 -18 drops per 30ml of carrier oil.
RED CLOVER
Red clover flowers share with yarrow the ability to carry waste out of the bloodstream, and so are a valuable part of a spring detoxification regime It is also considered a phytoestrogen for its ability to fill the same cellular receptor sites as natural estrogen. The phytoestrogenic effect is weaker than natural estrogen, making it a good choice when hormonal issues are caused by too much estrogen.
Red clover also performs a tonic action on the lymphatic system, and its expectorant properties are useful for individuals needing a lung tonic.
Red Clover promotes the drainage of mucus from the lungs by thinning the mucus and lubricating an irritated respiratory tract. It also promotes the secretion of sputum (phlegm), from the lower airways in a process known as expectoration. An agent that promotes the discharge or expulsion of mucus from the respiratory tract is known as an “expectorant” or an antitussive agent, which is a cough suppressant.
It is commonly prescribed by herbal practitioners for respiratory conditions such as; whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma and colds. Because of its ability to calm bronchial spasms and improved sleep quality it is an excellent herb to take before bedtime to alleviate coughing in ones sleep.
Studies have shown that it also improves cardiovascular health and lowers the bone density loss of menopausal women. Red Clover’s estrogen-like properties exert a positive effect on the arterial walls, making them more flexible, thus easing any strain on the heart and making it harder for blood clots to form.
Do not take Red Clover if you are taking blood thinning medication. Due to its blood thinning effects, drinking Red Clover is not recommended before surgery as it may exacerbate surgical bleeding. Red Clover is contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation because it contains phytosterols, with estrogenic and abortifacient properties.
Typical Use
Red Clover Tincture
Take 2-5ml up three times a day or as directed by a herbalist.
STINGING NETTLE
Who has ever fallen into a singing nettle bush ? Oh dear, those lovely childhood memories.
To assist the body in clearing waste, support for the kidneys is provided by stinging nettle leaves. This is another wild plant that tends to be unwelcome in any area, not just the garden. Yet herbalists consider nettles as essential components of kidney-supportive protocols that are part of a spring detox.
If you encounter them in the wild, you can be sure of their identity by brushing your hand against them – the leaves and stalks will impart a nasty sting. So wear gloves when harvesting nettles.
The leaves can be collected and steamed to be eaten as a vegetable, or chopped and added to a salad (blanch the leaves first). When the leaves are used in a detox combination (as part of a tea or tincture), their supportive action on the kidneys is concentrated to help clear waste from the blood that passes through them.
And nettles have other ways to help us feel better. The antihistamine content can relieve allergy symptoms. Anti- inflammatory action is also part of reducing allergies and can benefit anyone suffering from arthritis. Nettles are also considered to be nutritive because of the chlorophyll and micromineral (particularly boron) content, making them useful in a formula for strong bones, nails, and teeth.
Recent studies have found that Nettle is effective in reducing prostate size. It not only reduces the prostate size, it also alleviates the symptoms such as the frequent urge to urinate, painful urination and incomplete emptying of the bladder. Nettle leaf works well for inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) and other inflammation whilst the Nettle root is much better for Benign Prostate Hyperplasia.
Typical Use
Used as a tea from the leaf and root. Taken also in powdered root form for medical purposes.
These are all safe herbs. However, they should be used with caution by anyone who is pregnant or taking prescription medications, and only if they are under the supervision of a qualified herbalist or other natural health practitioner who is experienced with the use of herbs.
By choosing the herbs mentioned, you can achieve a balanced detox with no unwanted symptoms, giving only the energy that results from a body working as it was meant to.
Enjoy and Happy Detox.
