Spring is no time to feel sluggish or tired out. If the long winter has left you feeling lethargic, out of shape and just generally cruddy, the cure to what ails you could be a detox.
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While there are lots of artificial ways to detoxify your body, sticking to what’s natural is best. Instead of investing a hefty sum in some mass-produced detox promising seemingly impossible results, convene with Mother Nature and let her natural wonders do the work. Select from an assortment of plants and herbs to pick the detoxifying agents that make you feel fit and fabulous fast. You will thank nature for its assistance.
1. Dandelion
Dandelions aren’t just an oddly beautiful nuisance, filling what should be uninterrupted strips of green grass. This meadow flower actually has amazing properties that herbalists have depended on for centuries.
Most notably, this herb can help improve your liver function, which naturally leads to a reduction in the number of toxins that threaten to upset the functioning of your system. Whether chewed raw or brewed into a tea, the benefits of this herb are plentiful. Because this flower is so common in the spring, gathering your batch of this natural cure should be no problem at all.
Many users consume this herb in the form of tea. Making dandelion tea is simple and affordable. To make your own, pick dandelion greens and wash them to remove any dirt. Allow them to dry for several days.
When you’re ready to make your tea, mix one cup of boiling water with one teaspoon of dried leaves. Let the mixture steep for about three minutes, and then strain out the leaves and enjoy. If you’re enjoying on a warm day, you can also serve this tea over ice.
2. Sarsaparilla
This perennial herb has natural detoxification and anti-inflammatory properties. Because of its diaphoretic properties, characteristics which allow it to bind with and remove toxins – most commonly through sweat – it’s a wonderful choice, as the rising levels of toxins in your body could result in abscesses, acne or boils. Internally, this herb is most helpful to your kidneys, as it acts as a diuretic and promotes the release of toxins through urine.
The easiest way to create a soothing sarsaparilla concoction is to purchase mass-produced teas containing just the root. Many natural food stores carry tea bags filled exclusively with sarsaparilla. Because this herb is a bit harder to come by in its natural form, this option proves most convenient to many would-be users.
3. Milk Thistle
Like many herbal remedies, milk thistle has long been a go-to. This herb is most commonly used to treat toxins within the liver and gallbladder. The usefulness of milk thistle as a detoxifying agent has been proven several times over, with numerous studies confirming the effectiveness of this naturally potent plant.
Many elect to consume milk thistle in its whole form, adding the seeds to their food for additional flavor and crunch. If you’d rather sip at milk thistle, creating a tea is quite simple. To brew your own, grind up one teaspoon of milk thistle seeds. Combine these seeds with one cup of water, and allow it to steep for 15 minutes. Drain the drink to remove the seeds and enjoy.
4. Elderberry
Detoxifying elderberry serves a very specific function; it helps remove mucus from the body. Even though spring isn’t typically the time during which you’ll come down with a case of the common cold, the proliferation of flowers does, for many, lead to allergy flare-ups.
If you suffer from this malady, elderberry could be the natural cure you seek. Along with helping your body process to get rid of mucus, elderberries have natural antioxidant properties, allowing them to contribute to your general overall health.
To produce your own elderberry tea, start with fresh elderberries. Place a handful of these berries into a sauce pan along with three to four cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the mixture. Add turmeric, cinnamon or honey if you would like to reduce the potency of the flavor. Otherwise, serve as is and enjoy.
5. Turmeric
This bold-hued herb is related to the more common ginger. Along with offering anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits, this herb offers benefits to the liver and can aid in digestion. The herb can be used alone or incorporated into foods. It is part of the common cooking spice, curry powder. It is this herb, in fact, that gives curry powder its characteristics bold gold hue.
You can enjoy turmeric alone, but due to its strong flavor, most consume it in combination with other herbal elements – bolstering its benefits. To brew a simple turmeric tea, combine three cups of water, one teaspoon minced ginger root, one teaspoon turmeric and one teaspoon cinnamon in a small sauce pan. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and serve.
6. Chrysanthemum
Flowers are never more beautiful and profuse than in the spring. As you devise a detox plan, stick with the season and select something decidedly floral by opting to utilize chrysanthemum as your treatment of choice. This floral herb is known to reduce liver inflammation and decrease levels of toxicity throughout the body. It is most commonly ingested in tea form.
To brew your own chrysanthemum tea, all you need are chrysanthemum flowers, which you can find readily during the sunny spring months. Once you’ve plucked your chrysanthemums (or purchased them) pop off the tops. After rinsing them, brew the petals of a chrysanthemum flower in hot water for approximately five minutes. Not only will the warm beverage prove soothing, but the aroma offers similar calming benefits. After steeping, strain and enjoy.
7. Gum Acacia
This byproduct of the acacia tree can help restore digestive function. It’s long been a go-to remedy for reducing the ill-effects of diarrhea and improving electrolyte absorption. It is commonly found in nature-based remedies for gastrointestinal issues, but can be just as effective in its natural, unadulterated form.
Unlike many of the more commonly available remedies, this natural wonder is a bit harder to come by. You can obtain gum acacia from some specialty herbalists, although it’s usually already in its processed form. While this may not be as desirable to those trying to stay as close to nature as possible, it does make brewing a tea or adding to your diet a bit easier. The method you will need to follow to make your gum acacia tea will depend substantially on the way in which it is processed. Follow package instructions if creating a gum acacia mixture to consume to ensure that you get just the right amount of this herbal remedy.
