Cleansing Herbs - Super Healing Herbs For Purification
Cleansing herbs are herbs that make healing from chronic sickness possible! All disease takes hold when the body and its organs are backed up and stagnant. These blocks can often be cleared with the use of a cleansing detox program of herbs, green juicing and other purifying superfoods.
It is very beneficial to overall superhealth to maintain some kind of yearly or bi-yearly cleansing program that involves a combination of the top 6 herbs listed below.
I ultimately recommend making a liver purifying formula that is tailored to your own personal health goals or issues. This helps the body to detox from environmental pollutants and reduce any toxic burdens on the liver and other organs.
It is good idea to do cleansing herbs in moderation if you are just transitioning into a healthier diet. You don't want to detox too quickly. In my opinion, it is best to take the slow and easy approach and clean up the diet first with fresh whole raw living foods, seaweeds, fermented foods, etc.
Then, you can do a more intensive herbal juice fast or even just a one day juice fast to begin the process. This will help the body to adjust and let go of the unnecessary burden and strain on the liver.
In addition to the liver herbs, there are also a few herbs we use for colon health to free of body of parasites and candida.
(This is, of course, NOT medical advice. Always seek the consult of a medical doctor for the best possible approach to serious disease.)
Top 6 Liver Herbs:
Many liver herbs are roots that go deep into the earth to draw their nourishment. These roots provide stability, much like the role of the liver in the human body.
When the liver functions optimally, all other systems thrive as a consequence. It purifies the blood, aids digestion, and provides energy for converting our food into nutrients we can use.
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You can use the following herbs on a regular basis as a tonic without harmful effects. I use them alone with other nutritive herbs when I want to clean out. One of my favorite tasting cleansing teas is my Rootbeer Liver Tea.
1) Dandelion Root
Dandelion root (Taraxaeum officinale) is one of the "herbs supreme" for the liver. It is a gentle and safe herb to use for this all important organ. The root is the most medicinal for deep organ cleansing, although other parts of the plant are used, including the leaves. (See wild edible greens.)
It especially stimulates and cleanses the liver when used over several weeks or months. It is known to clear any skin conditions and provides excellent endocrine support. It is a nutritious bitter root that cleans the blood, tissues and lymph.
2) Milk Thistle
Milk thistle seed (Silybum marianum) contains a flavonoid called silymarin that has protective effects on the liver. It takes action in 3 ways: 1) as an antioxidant preventing free-radical damage 2) increases the synthesis of an anticarcinogen, called glutathione and 3) increases the liver's speed of tissue regeneration.
Milk thistle is very powerful for even chronic illnesses and liver ailments, such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. It is a must to have in your herbal pantry, to support complete liver function and vitality.
Milk thistle seeds can be ground down and added to nut milks or herbal teas.
You can also wildcraft your own milk thistle. For more info see
wild edible plants.
3) Pau De' Arco
Pau de'arco (Tabebuia avellanedae) is a rain forest bark that is considered to be an analgesic, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and laxative.... all in one! It is great to use on a continuous basis in any
herbal tea preparation
or with the
tonic herbs.
This amazing tea has been used by the Indio tribes of South America, as well as the ancient Aztecs and Incas. It has quinoid properties and lapachol, which has been studied to help with the reduction of tumor growth.
It is particularly known in its treatment for candida, autoimmune diseases, and glandular disorders. It aids, strengthens and builds both the liver and endocrine system.
I like to blend it into
nutritive herbal tea
or powdered herbal formulas. It has a wonderful pleasant taste, so I sometimes I drink a cup all by itself!
4) Burdock Root
Burdock root (Arctium Lappa) is a great nourishing root that works, also, to purify the bloodstream of toxins. It is high in iron, which enriches the blood and is great for strengthening the entire system.
It is one of the few cleansing herbs that you can often find fresh in the produce section of your local health food store.
(The herbs and roots below contain certain plant alkaloids that should only be used once in awhile not on a regular basis)
5) Oregon Grape Root
regon grape root (Mahonia aquifolium) has a great reputation as one of the best cleansing herbs for ridding the blood and tissues of toxins and waste products.
It is therefore especially useful for congestion and sluggishness in this region. It has bitter components that make it stimulating to the liver and gall bladder with a tonic effect on digestion as a mild laxative.
6) Sarsaparilla root
Sarsaparilla (Smilax officinalis) is a blood purifier and has been proven to be effective remedy for mercury poisoning. It clears the skin as the liver removes toxins.
It is a quite pleasant tasting tea, most commonly used in the original "rootbeers", along with other cleansing
herbs and spices,
like sassafras. Rootbeer actually originated as a liver tonic! See our Rootbeer Liver Tea.
Healing Herbs For Parasites!
There are certain cleansing herbs that are perfect for driving unwanted critters out of the body. To keep our colon superhealthy, we must have balanced body ecology with good amounts of friendly micro-organisms. When we have an overgrowth of unfriendly flora, the following herbs can help to re-establish this balance.
We use all the the following herbs in powdered form. You can by them in bulk and mix them together to make your own "parasite formula."
You can either mix them with water or use them in capsules. Most are a bit unpleasant tasting, so you pretty much just want to get them down in whatever way works best for you.
1) Black Walnut Hulls - oxygenates the blood to kill parasites and has a unique composition of juglone, tannins, and natural iodine. It is an antiseptic, a germicide, a parasitic, and a laxative, making it ideal for ridding the body of harmful critters.
2) Wormwood - is an extremely bitter herb, and top among the cleansing herbs for killing off unwanted organisms hanging out in the body.
3) Cloves - are a great anti-viral and antibacterial herb, stimulating the blood circulation and digestive processes.
We have often used these three herbs together over a few weeks to rid any parasitical activity. You can powder them all down in a high speed Vitamix blender. They are usually available in the bulk herb section of your local health food store.
