Spring Equinox & Cleansing

Spring is here! As the earth warms, the landscape bursts into fresh greens, pastel blossoms and birdsong. The energy is undeniably gentle but has a new zap of excitement. Creation is having a grand moment indeed, but there is a softness and tenderness still to be found, we do not crash right out of winter, but slowly meander.

I personally approach the Spring Equinox with a moment of reflection, I follow the tradition of a spring cleansing: This ritual bases itself around restoring our vitality and coaxing our bodies back into balance after a long slow winter.

If you are ready for an internal clean sweep there are some things to consider before cleansing or fasting. There are many many protocols out there for such things, some can be harder on the body than others. I have noticed a tendency in recent years to take an approach to cleansing with a go hard - all guns blazing approach. Of course there are occasions where a more aggressive strategy could yield a desired result, but cleansing needn’t be an all or nothing affair. In fact, it can be very gentle.

Spring cleansing traditionally is simple, a way to embrace wild green plants that now will start to appear as days grow warmer and done right, it can leave us feeling restored and renewed. During spring equinox a plenitude of cleansing, mineral-rich and detoxifying herbs appear over the landscape. These plants are generous, vibrant and green with new life and energy. Herbs such as violets, dandelions and chickweed are deep with cleansing properties and the minerals which are needed by the body after a long winter of hibernation and heavy root foods. Adding them into meals and teas is often enough to revitalized a sense of health.

Herbs & Organs

While your skin is your largest organ, it is not necessarily the most efficient organ for detoxification. The best organ to aid a spring cleanse is your liver, which constantly filters toxins and wastes out of your blood, before it enters the rest of your body.

This is where bitter herbs can support your liver’s natural detoxification function, bitter herbs encourage the liver to clean blood more efficiently hence them often being known as blood cleansers. Bitters include dandelion and burdock while turmeric and ginger can aid in liver protection and regeneration.  

Burdock nourishes and strengthens your natural filtration system, dandelion cleanses and stimulates the liver and gallbladder and calendula, (often known for helping with skin inflammation) is prized for its detox properties and abilities to aid the liver and gallbladder in cleansing.

You could consider including any of the following herbs into a spring cleansing protocol:

• Violet, leaf / flower

• Mint, leaf

• Dandelion, leaf/flower

• Burdock, root

• Stinging nettles, leaf

• Cleavers, leaf / stem

• Chickweed, leaf / stem

• Plantain, leaf

• Purple dead nettle, leaf / flower

How To Use Spring Cleanse Herbs

• Eating herbs is an easy way to bring them into your spring cleansing practice, you can add violet, chickweed or dandelion greens to a lovely spring salads or you can make pesto from them. Some spring greens are lovely when cooked, stinging nettle is always a winner in our house, rich in vitamins and minerals you can add to stir fries or prepare them the same way you would spinach (they must be well cooked to put a stop to the little stinging hairs on the leaves and stem!) And you must try dandelion fritters - lightly fried flowers and leaves in a little tempura batter, VERY moreish!

• Juicing - a perfect way to cleanse! You can add cleavers or chickweed picked first thing in the morning to your usual favourite juice blend, including things like parsley, carrot, apples and turmeric can really give things a kick, if you have a sweeter tooth add some extra apple!

• Tea is by far and away one of my favourite methods of using herbs, it is also one of the most ancient ways of using medicine for healing. Any of the herbs I have mentioned here above can be steeped into tea, personally I like nettle, dandelion and mint though.
  

  A Spring Tea Recipe

  2 teaspoons of burdock root
  1 teaspoon of dandelion root

  Place 2 cups of water into a small saucepan, add the roots, bring to a gentle boil and immediately reduce heat to continue to simmer (leave the pan covered) for 15-20 minutes, strain out the roots, serve hot or let cool a bit and serve over ice. (I personally prefer herbal teas when almost cold, you can add a little honey if you wish to sweeten!)

  Whichever ways you choose to cleanse using spring herbs, always try to stick to a routine and plan, more is not better! Set attainable goals! On top of your spring cleanse, remember to incorporate the basics, keep well hydrated (by the time your body has told you it is thirsty you are already dehydrated!). Keep moving… brisk walks down, yoga, a dance around the living room - anything, as long as you move a little each day! Moving really aids the body to detoxify and is by far one the best remedies for banishing the blues! Rest well, deeply and often! Deep sleep promotes inner beauty and has a direct effect on our overall longevity, health, and immunity- we repair while we sleep! And finally, walk barefoot when you can, get your feet into the soil, feel the morning dew from the grass and get out in the sunshine for a good dose of vitamin D as you pick your springtime herbs, use this time to connect in with the fresh and new spirit of the season!

Safety / Contraindications: In the main the herbs mentioned here are safe for general use but there are always exceptions, please contact me if you are unsure about the effect of any herb on your current medication or health situation! This is a gentle cleanse, but herbs are potent and when used incorrectly can cause damage!