March Detox Contest

March Detox Contest

The winds are blowing. We just rolled our clocks forward. Spring is virtually here! And spring is one of the best times to cleanse your body.

If you look at Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), spring is the best time to detoxify the body—specifically the liver. The primary biological reason is that nature supports cleansing the body during the spring season. As spring approaches, most people notice changes in their sleep and eating habits, along with their energy levels, mood, and even their senses. As these changes take place, the organs of the body are ready for cleanse, so any efforts to detox the liver and other organs are enhanced. Historically, people would eat lighter and would include wild foods such as nettles, dandelion and sorrel in the spring, which cleanse the liver and other organs of elimination.

Wild Foods and Liver Detoxification

Wild Foods and Liver Detoxification

Spring has sprung, as they say. Wild herbs are poking their heads through the ground, and some are up waving at the sky. Wild grown greens and herbs offer us some of the most cleansing, medicinal, and nutrient-dense foods we could find. And they are free! Here are some characteristics of wild foods:

• They are organic, clean, resilient, resistant to diseases, and nutrient and antioxidant rich.
• They are often grown in rich soils and have greater access to and quality of nutrients
• They come in a variety of species and offer a wide variety of nutrients.
• They have a diversity of flavor—bitter, pungent, sour, bland, sweet, and salty.
• They are time-tested—wild plants have been used for thousands of years.
• They have enzyme systems and mechanisms for optimal digestion.
• Our human genome (inherited genetic information) is responsive to wild foods.
• They follow cycles and rhythms of nature, like our bodies.
• They cleanse and nourish our bodies and support optimal health.
• Specific plants cleanse and support specific organs.

Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens

Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens

I just picked up a bunch of dandelion greens at Natural Growers. It took me back to childhood when my grandmother would pick dandelion leaves in our backyard. She would make tea. I juice them.

Folk medicine says dandelion greens purify the blood and heal the body along with promoting good digestion and helping to prevent gallstones. The strength of the humble dandelion is undisputed. We’ve all watched them push their way through asphalt. Give yourself some dandelion strength. It is known to strengthen bones and the brain.

It’s Not A Weed To Your Body

It’s Not A Weed To Your Body

The lowly little dandelion is something most homeowners detest.  Popping up in our beautiful green lawn, we go after them with a vengeance. Hopefully, no one is spraying them with chemicals.  But maybe we should be doing something more with them than throwing them away.  My grandmother picked them and made tea by boiling them.  I juice them—not for the taste, but for their health benefits.   All parts for the dandelion have a bitter bite. This taste comes from their flavonoids that give them their blood purifying properties. These compounds work in the digestive system to increase the flow of urine. Unlike other diuretics, dandelion contains vast amounts of potassium that restore the mineral balance in the kidneys as toxins are flushed out. Healers also count on dandelion’s highly volatile and bitter constituents in the root to flush toxins from the system.

Dandelion is in most liver tonics due to its oils, the bitter resins that stimulate the digestive system. The fiber in the whole plant is described as viscous because of its astonishing ability to absorb and transport toxins from the bowels out of the body, balance intestinal flora, and soothe the digestive tract in the process.

Conditions Helped By Dandelion

Detoxification is the word most people think of with dandelion. There are few detox formulas on the market that don’t use of this plant. Dandelion can be your best friend when recovering from illnesses. It can revive you after a flu or a cold have taken their toll. People with liver conditions, skin conditions, changes in hormones such as menopause or adolescence and arthritis (including gout) can benefit greatly from dandelion.

Dandelion is also useful for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and unstable blood sugar levels. This plant is full of bitter constituents that are not only excellent for stimulating the digestive system but offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Dandelion is also helpful as a lactation stimulator.

Liver Cleansing Cocktail

1 handful dandelion greens
3-4 carrots, scrubbed well, tops removed, ends trimmed
1/2 cucumber, peeled
1/2 lemon, peeled

Bunch up dandelion greens. Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube. Tuck the greens in feed tube and push through with the carrot. Juice remaining ingredients, finishing with a carrot. Stir the juice, pour into a glass, and drink as soon as possible.
Serves 1

Note: Dandelion juice is a traditional remedy for cleansing the liver.

From Juicing, Fasting, and Detoxing for Life

It’s Not a Weed to Your Body!

Health Benefits of Dandelion

The lowly little dandelion is something most homeowners detest.  Popping up in our beautiful green lawn, we go after them with a vengeance. Hopefully, no one is spraying them with chemicals.  But maybe we should be doing something more with them than throwing them away.  My grandmother picked them and made tea by boiling them.  I juice them—not for the taste, but for their health benefits.   All parts for the dandelion have a bitter bite. This taste comes from their flavonoids that give them their blood purifying properties. These compounds work in the digestive system to increase the flow of urine. Unlike other diuretics, dandelion contains vast amounts of potassium that restore the mineral balance in the kidneys as toxins are flushed out. Healers also count on dandelion’s highly volatile and bitter constituents in the root to flush toxins from the system.

Dandelion is in most liver tonics due to its oils, the bitter resins that stimulate the digestive system. The fiber in the whole plant is described as viscous because of its astonishing ability to absorb and transport toxins from the bowels out of the body, balance intestinal flora, and soothe the digestive tract in the process.

Conditions Helped By Dandelion

Detoxification is the word most people think of with dandelion. There are few detox formulas on the market that don’t use of this plant. Dandelion can be your best friend when recovering from illnesses. It can revive you after a flu or a cold have taken their toll. People with liver conditions, skin conditions, changes in hormones such as menopause or adolescence and arthritis (including gout) can benefit greatly from dandelion.

Dandelion is also useful for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and unstable blood sugar levels. This plant is full of bitter constituents that are not only excellent for stimulating the digestive system but offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Dandelion is also helpful as a lactation stimulator.

Liver Cleansing Cocktail

1 handful dandelion greens
3-4 carrots, scrubbed well, tops removed, ends trimmed
1/2 cucumber, peeled
1/2 lemon, peeled

Bunch up dandelion greens. Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube. Tuck the greens in feed tube and push through with the carrot. Juice remaining ingredients, finishing with a carrot. Stir the juice, pour into a glass, and drink as soon as possible.
Serves 1

Note: Dandelion juice is a traditional remedy for cleansing the liver.

From Juicing, Fasting, and Detoxing for Life