‘NATURAL SPRING TONICS’

Haven’t these last few days been wonderful, especially after this year’s hard stretch of winter? Maybe spring will arrive on time after all- and bring with it spring yard work, some springhouse cleaning and the long anticipated joy of outdoor sports and other activities.

Okay, so much for the house and the yard. What about some spring-cleaning for our bodies? We’ve had a fall and winter of heavier foods, meats, grains, holiday feasting, and the pounds that sometimes go with it. Time to clean house here too.

Nature has a wonderful way of handing us what we need just when we need it. Young spring plants; asparagus, dandelion greens, fresh lettuce, spinach and parsley all make perfect spring tonics that cleanse and flush the liver and blood of excesses.

If your energy is flat, your just don’t have the get up and go you would like give some of these tonics a try.

Dandelion is one of the best spring tonics for cleansing the blood and the liver. Dandelion is also good for the digestion, helps rid the body of excess salt and water and helps relieve iron deficiency anemia. Fresh young dandelion greens in salads, steamed or in light soups not only cleanse they taste great. The root is also effective, especially for balancing blood sugar.

Burdock is revered as nature’s best blood purifier. Today, herbalists still recommend this herb for its diuretic action through increased flow of urine and sweating. This herb also relieves the soreness of arthritis and rheumatism common when the body needs to cleanse itself.

Plantain is useful for flushing the kidneys and the secretion of uric acid. It also doubles as a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic so needed in the spring as pollens and mold spores begin once again to fill the air.

Parsley is a course in vitamin therapy all by itself. It contains more vitamin A, more vitamin C than 3 oranges, plus several B vitamins calcium and iron. Use sparingly.

Red clover blossoms have been used as a tonic in the spring to promote health and peace of mind. This lowly herb is being rediscovered for its powerful antioxidant nature in treating a variety of chronic ailments more naturally.

Digestive enzymes should be used all year for those over 35, but especially when a cleanse is needed. They boost metabolism, balance blood sugar, help you assimilate herb nutrients and act as natural anti-inflammatories and anti-allergic agents.

These natural plant medicines are safe but powerful and should be used as any other medicine, with caution. Try one herb at a time, you may take the enzymes along with them, but one at a time until you see how your body reacts.

So, this spring as you clean up the house, dust out the cobwebs and tidy up the yard remember not to over look your body’s needs for some house cleaning as well. Till next time, Rebecca