Cleaning house isn’t just about getting rid of unwanted items that have accumulated in your cupboards. It’s also the time to help your body eliminate the toxins and impurities that have accumulated and get a fresh, energetic start. Are you game? Then let’s find out how which herbs will help detox your body.
How do I detox naturally?
Mother nature gifts us with some fabulous herbs that can make chasing away those internal cobwebs an easy task. Check out the following herbal remedies and what they can do for you. You can choose to take a single herb or, better yet, a combination of remedies in a single supplement. These herbs are available in the form of teas, tinctures, gelcaps, and capsules, so choose the one that works best for you and your lifestyle to detox your body. Hint: Tinctures are suggested because they are easy to swallow—simply place a few drops in water or juice and you’re done!
Read about Fasting to Detox Your Body
Top Herbs to Detox Your Body
#1 Buckthorn bark (Frangula alnus)
Dried buckthorn bark comes from the alder buckthorn, which is a shrub that thrives in Europe and western Asia. The bark contains flavonoids, tannins, and anthraquinone, which is believed to be responsible for the bark’s medicinal properties. Buckthorn bark is perhaps best known as a laxative and for constipation. It also is sometimes used for liver problems.
#2 Burdock seed (Arctium lappa)
Burdock, which is also known as beggar’s buttons, love leaves, and greater burdock, is a member of the sunflower family. The pink or purplish flowers, as well as the heart-shaped leaves, seeds, and taproot all can be used for medicinal purposes. Burdock is often referred to as a tonic, blood purifier, and liver cleanser, and the seeds may have antiviral properties.
#3 Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
We are not talking about the licorice whips you buy at the movie theaters (which don’t contain real licorice) but the perennial herb that has been used for more than three millennia as a remedy and flavoring agent. In Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, licorice root has been revered as a tonic, expectorant, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, and pain killer for gastrointestinal problems. Researchers have identified more than three dozen substances in licorice, including triterpenes, glycyrrhizin, and glycyrrhetic acid, which are believed to be the most active in the body.
#4 Oregon grape root (Berberis aquifolium)
This evergreen shrub has long shiny leaves and yellow flowers that burst forth in the spring and then mature into grape-like berries in the summer. Although it is referred to as Oregon grape root, the inner bark is usually used in herbal remedies. This herb is bitter and can be used to aid digestion and to support liver function.
#5 Poke root (Phytolacca Americana)
Poke root, which is also known as pokeweed, pigeon berry, and poke, has a long history of being used to treat conditions associated with a compromised immune system. The root has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and pain-killing abilities and also has been used in cases of autoimmune diseases.
Learn How to Cleanse Your Liver for Good Health
#6 Prickly ash bark (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis)
This small tree is native to the southeastern United States, where it is also known as Hercules club, toothache tree, and tingle tongue. The prickly ash has a spiny trunk, and the bark was traditionally chewed by Native Americans and early settlers to treat toothache. Prickly ash has demonstrated some ability to relieve pain, improve blood flow, and reduce swelling.
#7 Red clover (Trifolium pretense)
Among herbalists, red clover has a long history and reputation as a blood purifier, which means it may help eliminate toxins from the bloodstream. Red clover blossoms contain coumarins, which have a blood-thinning quality. Coumarins have been shown to help reduce the possibility of blood clots and plaque buildup in the arteries. In addition to coumarins, red clover also contains vitamin E, flavonoids, and isoflavones.
#8 Stillingia root (Stillingia sylvatica)
Queen’s root and queen’s delight are two other names for Stillingia root, which is found in the southern part of the United States. Native American healers used the plant to support the respiratory system and skin health. The herb reportedly supports detoxification of the liver, lymphatic system, and mucous membranes.
#9 Wild indigo root (Baptisia spp)
This perennial is native to eastern and central North America and sports a bright indigo flower that appears in July and August. Wild indigo root is used as a laxative and has potential as a stimulant for the immune system.
Which herbs will you incorporate into your spring cleanse?
Sources
Alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus). Natural herbs
Baptisia australis. Plants for a Future
Davis R. Oregon grape root. (Berberis spp). Herb Rally
Dixon T. Red clover monograph. Wild Plant Guide 2017 Mar 18
Moya N. Burdock (Arctium lappa). Herb Rally
Phytolacca Americana. Plants for a Future
Snow JM. Licorice monograph. Herbal Gram 1998 Feb 27
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis. Missouri Botanical Garden
