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Focus on Herbs: Spring Tonicsby Lynne
Latella
As spring
approaches, it is traditional for many people to turn their attention
toward cleansing.
For some, it’s the spring cleaning that removes the dust and dirt
accumulated over
the winter. For health-minded people, it’s the perfect time for a
spring
cleansing which detoxifies and tones the body. Tonic herbs exert
healing in
opposing directions to create system balance. For example, some herbs
can both
raise and lower cholesterol, thus promoting balance. Throughout
the ages, various cultures have realized the importance of spring
cleansing.
According to Chinese medicinal practices, spring is related to liver
and gall bladder
meridians, the primary detoxification organs. Health practitioners
prescribe astragalus
tea to activate the immune system and as a balancing agent for heart
conditions, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, colds and other
conditions. Early
American settlers used commonly available plants to concoct their
spring
tonics. Old timers said spring tonic would make your blood rise like
the sap in
a tree. Burdock was widely used as a tonic for the blood. Red raspberry
leaves
were used to tone the uterus, alleviating menstrual difficulties and
providing
help during pregnancy. They used yarrow for respiratory conditions and
sore
throats, and not only included dandelion leaves in salads, but also
cooked them
as a vegetable and made the into tea to drink as a tonic. In
Ayurvedic medicine, there is a variety of spices that are useful to
balance and
tone the system, most notably ginger, pepper, cloves, cardamom and
cinnamon. Spring
is a great time to gather and prepare fresh, young greens such as
mustard, dandelion,
watercress and violets. Ingesting these herbs provides nourishment,
purification and building properties to cleanse the liver and bowel and
strengthen digestion. Herbs that can be helpful as a spring tonic
include: • Sassafrass:
blood and entire system cleaner and tonic • Dandelion:
high in vitamins A and C, an excellent liver cleanser and
tonic • Violet:
rich in vitamin C, a respiratory and bowel tonic • Alfalfa:
a super spring tonic • Nettles:
high in vitamins A and C, liver and kidney tonic • Peppermint:
digestive system tonic • Chicory:
liver and gall bladder tonic • Watercress:
detoxification herb; liver and kidney tonic All these
herbs are useful to support healing for various other conditions. But
for the
purposes of this article, details are only about their usage as tonics. The Co-op
carries many cleansing formulas in compounds, teas and tinctures and,
of course,
loose in the bulk herb section. Dandelion
Tea Pour 2 cups
boiling water over 2 TBS dandelion flowers. Cover and steep 15 minutes.
Strain
and sweeten, if desired. Drink daily. Spring
Tonic Mix
together 1 tsp each of alfalfa leaf, peppermint leaf, licorice root and
nettle
leaf, and 2 tsp red clover. Place 1 heaping TBS of the mixture in 8 oz.
of
boiling water. Steep no less than 15 minutes. This is good for the
digestion
and liver. |
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