Spring Cleaning: Helpful Herbs for Detox
Spring is here! As we watch the snow melt and the temperature rise, we're thinking about spring cleaning...
But not so much for our homes. We're thinking about spring cleaning for our bodies. A few times a year, particularly when the seasons change, we like to give our bodies a boost with a good clean out.
And our focus is primarily on herbs for detox.
Helpful Herbs for Detox
The liver is your body's primary detoxification organ, but the kidneys, colon, lymphatic system, and skin also play an important role.
These are our favourite herbs for detox. They target those detoxification organs and give your body that cleanse it's craving.
1. Dandelion
For years, dandelions were celebrated for their therapeutic properties, and then all of a sudden "clean, clear lawns" became the thing. It's time to stop thinking about those pretty yellow blooms as weeds, and start looking at the power they hold.
When it comes to helpful herbs for detox, dandelion tops our list.
Dandelion targets both the liver and the kidneys. Much of its detox power comes from its ability to increase the flow of bile. As a mild diuretic, it helps to flush out waste. It's specifically helpful for stimulating your liver, helping it to remove waste and toxins from the blood. The root tends to be the favourite for detox, but the leaves are also useful. Plus, both contain nutritional value!
Use dandelion for detox by making a tea. Either buy dandelion tea, or use what's out there on your lawn - just make sure they haven't be sprayed with any chemicals.
2. Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is another powerful herb for detoxing the liver. It contains an antioxidant complex known as silymarin. Silymarin boosts the production of two other antioxidants in your body, glutathione and superoxide dismutase. All of these antioxidants help protect the healthy cells in the liver from free radical damage or inflammation caused by toxins. It even stimulates the regeneration of new healthy cells and aids the body in mopping up toxins.
You can buy milk thistle tea and steep that and drink it, or buy a milk thistle supplement and follow the directions on the label.
3. Nettle
A great purifying herb, stinging nettles have cleansing properties to clean out the blood and flush toxins out of the detox organs. They have an affinity for the skin, but can also help all the main organs involved in detox function better. This is because they stimulate the lymphatic system, helping to keep things moving.
Nettles also have diuretic properties, which help to support the liver and kidneys to flush out waste.
You can find stinging nettle as tinctures, extracts, tablets, even ointments and creams, but our favourite way is in the form of tea. (Yes, you're seeing a pattern here!)
4. Turmeric
Maybe you love turmeric because of it's anti-inflammatory properties, but it also makes the list of helpful herbs for detox!
With a specifcal affinity for the liver, it helps stimulate the production of bile, and protects it from toxic buildup. Turmeric also contains powerful antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals and prevent them from accumulating.
You can find turmeric in main different forms, but one of the easiest ways to take it daily is mixing 1/3 tablespoon of turmeric, honey (to taste), and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in lukewarm water.
5. Burdock Root
Yet another powerful herb for cleansing the body, burdock root supports the purification of the liver and detoxification organs. But, it actually has the strongest affinity for the skin. Taking it internally helps your body to flush out toxins through the skin. This can
Burdock also stimulates lymphatic drainage, which, again, is important for the detoxification process as a whole.
You can use burdock root in a tea or tincture for a powerful detox (just start slow!).
There are lots of helpful herbs for detox out there, and giving your detoxification organs a little boost a few times a year can really help to support overall health. As the seasons change, help your body adapt with a little help from Mother Nature!