Toxins enter our bodies from all angles – the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and shower in, the products we use to clean, and the cosmetics we put on our skin (in addition to the general toxins from the environment).
Spring is nature’s time of cleansing. The winter frost melts, and the world around us is renewed and regenerated. The same should be done for our bodies! By cleansing the toxins that build up both physically and emotionally, it allows the body to maintain a balanced, healthy state of well-being.
Toxins are eliminated through the blood and lymph (circulatory system), and eliminatory organs such as kidneys, colon, lungs, and skin. Before any toxins can be eliminated, however, they must first pass through the liver. The liver is crucial to the overall health of our body; it digests and metabolizes fats, converts certain nutrients for the rest of the body, manufactures nutrient-transferring proteins, metabolizes carbs and maintains sugar levels, produces cholesterol, maintains blood fluid volume, removes excess hormones in the blood, destroys worn out red blood cells, and filters the blood. The liver is also a site for high levels of immune activity. The bile produced by the liver acts as a natural laxative for toxins and wastes.
Without a healthy liver, the elimination of toxins is not possible. Spring clean your system naturally by using herbs to cleanse and accelerate the body’s process of elimination. For a simple cleansing formulation, follow these guidelines using herbs from three different groups.
First Group: Warming Herbs
Choose one herb from this group:
Garlic bulb, 10-15%
Cayenne fruit, 1-2%
Turmeric, 20-25%
Elecampagne root, 20-25%
Ginger, 10-15%
Second Group: Choose two herbs from this group, 20-25% each
Burdock root
Chicory root
Elecampagne root
Yellow dock root
Milk thistle seed
Dandelion root
Third Group: Choose two herbs from this group, 20-25% each
Horsetail herb
Cleavers herb
Yellow bedstraw herb
Plantain herb
Heal-all herb
Goldenrod herb
Red clover herb
Stinging nettle herb
The best way to use these herbs is a 1:5 fresh herb tinctures taken 3-4 times daily on an empty stomach, 10-15 minutes before meals, or 20-30 minutes before bed. Add your tincture formulation to a small amount of water (0.5-1 ounce), and hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds before swallowing. Begin with a low dose, about 2 droppers full. If no symptoms arise, you can increase the dose by one dropper every week until you reach a maximum dose of 5-6 droppers per dose.
It is also recommended to switch up the herbs in your formulation every couple of months so your body doesn’t get accustomed to the herbs. The best results will occur after 2 to 3 months and is not recommended for children or pregnant or nursing women.