BY COSITAS BONITAS BOTANICALS
Spring. A fresh Breath. While you may have been taught that January 1st marks the start of the new year, living in tune with the natural world will tell you otherwise. Whether you tend to a garden, or simply enjoy getting out for a walk, I’m sure you’re able to sense all the new life popping up throughout the spring season. Wild flowers, fresh rain, garden seeds and little green plants waking from their winter slumber. Spring is the season of new life. This is where the new year really begins.
Read along to learn how to embrace Spring’s vital energy, how to support your body through the transition and stay in good health. When it comes to living in alignment with the season and incorporating the wisdom of healing herbs into your life, it’s important to remember one thing: you are very much a part of nature. The patterns you see in the natural world are also patterns you hold within yourself.
If we listen to our bodies’ wisdom, there’s always a way to find balance and ease through each season. Read back to my other seasonal blogs to learn about caring for yourself during Summer, Fall, and Winter. The way you care for your body throughout the year makes a big difference, but the winter season is perhaps the most important in setting your spring-self up for success. If you took good care of your adrenals (kidneys) throughout the Winter season with rest and nourishing/warming foods-your store of vital energy should be replenished. We can think of the kidneys as your body’s “bank”, or perhaps more specifically–a regular old savings account that only grows when you invest in it. You can easily make withdrawals when you are in need, but your savings will only grow when you intentionally put funds into it. When your kidney “account” is plentiful, all of your body systems will benefit.
You can find more information in the Winter Energetics blog!
As a new year unfolds into birdsong and wild-flowers, it’s time for your body to cleanse excess stagnation. While western wellness touts cleansing as a year-round tool, eastern perspectives which align with nature recognize spring as the season for cleansing–most specifically blood & liver cleansing. This blog will guide you through the energetics, lifestyle choices and herbal support for the spring season at large. If you want a deeper dive into Spring Cleansing, check out my past blog that outlines the importance of Spring Cleansing and offers strategic techniques and recipes to help support the process.
The first place I want to start is lifestyle shifts. During the spring season, it’s especially important to remember that……it’s NOT summer yet. Spring comes with sudden shifts like a bitter breeze that gives an unexpected bite. If you’re anything like me, you might be wondering, “Why? Okay so I get a little cold on a spring day? So, What?” Adjusting to the changes puts a lot of stress on your body, regardless of whether the shifts are needed and welcomed. Bring a scarf with you, and take extra care in protecting the back of the neck, which houses specific points that are vulnerable to unwanted pathogens.
Other lifestyle considerations to align yourself with spring:
● Tap into your emotions! Don’t let them bottle up–embrace the season of flow by tuning in with your feelings and expressing them honestly and fully.
● Exercise! Avoid strenuous exercise, but be sure to carve out time for gentle movement which encourages and supports flow and subtle detoxification. Yoga, walking, hiking, and Qi Gong are some options that come to mind.
● Express your creativity! Find ways to weave creativity into your daily life. Create for the sake of creation rather than production. Engage in a creative process that simply allows you to feel happy and at ease. Let go of any notion of perfection and release yourself
from desired outcomes—just see where the process takes you!
● Make sure you’re continuing to support your kidneys, especially if you weren’t able to do so throughout the winter. Focus on dark leafy greens, whole grains, and antioxidant-rich herbs & berries. Drink warm liquids and mineral-rich plant infusions. Try out this Spring Vitality Tea Blend that I formulated specifically for this time of year!
On the topic of what to eat, it’s important to have an awareness of general guidelines when it comes to nourishing your body with food. Take these considerations into mind with ease and moderation. Only incorporate changes that feel stress-free and be gentle with yourself as you interact with food on the “Eat Less” list. We are imperfect beings, so celebrating what you can do rather than harping on yourself for what you’re doing wrong is a big part of finding balance and wholeness.
Eat More
● dark leafy greens
● seasonal greens–which I highlight below
● lemon juice
● white meats–aside from turkey which is thought to add excess heat to the liver
● cooked whole grains
● cooked vegetables
Eat Less
● caffeine
● alcohol
● sugary foods
● fatty, greasy, or fried foods
● cheese
● spicy foods
● nuts
● cold foods
● excess raw foods
● iced drinks
This brings us to the part that I’m sure you’ve been waiting for. Herbs. While there are many herb types that can support you through the spring season, I am narrowing my focus to the bright & cheerful spring greens that usher in the new year.
Each year, the Earth offers your body exactly what it needs. Earlier in this blog I talked about spring being the season for detox and cleansing. It’s no mistake that many of the first plants to pop up each year directly support this process. Harvesting spring greens is a great way to connect with the season and support your body’s natural need for cleansing and renewal. The best part? You often don’t have to go far to do this. Most of the spring “weeds” that pop-up in your yard or garden, are actually the perfect allies to support you through the season. One of my favorites is dandelion–I even wrote a whole blog about this plant because I think it’s so special–check it out here! Or keep reading below for a quick view into who this, and other, detox-supporting plants.
These weedy plants offer superb nutritional benefits. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and many of them have the sour or bitter qualities needed to get your liver moving. They naturally and easefully clear out winter stagnation, and help you embrace a new year or health and growth.
Chickweed, Stellaria maedia
Energetics: moist, cool
Historical: if the name hasn’t already given it away, chickweed has long been used as a superstar hen-feed. It is thought to support increased egg size and enhance overall egg production. Due to its cooling and moistening properties, chickweed has also been a fabulous ally for skin ailments like eye sores, acne/oily skin problems and hot/agitated conditions like eczema. For skin support, it has traditionally been used as a poultice by macerating the herb and applying it directly to the skin.
In his book Making Plant Medicine, Richo Cech talks about Stellaria yunnanensis (the species endemic to regions within China), being consumed as a nutritive tonic by boiling the plant’s tubers in soups.
He also recounts meeting the African (Stellaria mannii) species, which he says tastes similar to the species endemic to North America and is traditionally used as food–thought to support or enhance overall vitality2
Western: Western herbalism recognizes chickweed as a safe, yet powerful cleansing and nutritive tonic. It is known to support blood cleansing, assists the body in metabolizing fats, supports overall vitality and is even thought to alkalize the blood to counter hyper-acidic diets2
The dried plant can be infused into oils and used to make salves that can offer a soothing action to inflamed conditions.
Contraindications: chickweed is generally safe to consume, but be mindful of this plant’s laxative qualities–a true sign of how it supports the body’s cleansing/detox actions. When consumed in large quantities, this plant has the potential to cause loose stools
Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica
Energetics: drying, salty, slightly cooling
Historical Use: One folk use for nettle is flogging. This is a practice that has long been revered by Native Americans for alleviating arthritis pain/joint pain. The sting releases anti-inflammatory compounds and pain-relieving compounds which offer respite from inflammation. This offers temporary relief. Nettle has also been used for hair care. Because of its high mineral content, it can help increase the strength of hair shafts when applied topically
Western Therapeutics:
Nutritive: Nettle is a top-tier ally for basic nutrition. Nettle is high in iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and chlorophyll3. Nettle offers one of the most bioavailable forms of calcium, meaning that the calcium is more easily absorbed than other calcium sources. Nettle is also high in vitamins A, C, and D4
Anti-inflammatory/antihistamine: Nettle also helps reduce histamines, which can improve allergy responses–including reactions from environmental pollutants.
Astringent/tonifying: This plant also helps tone respiratory, uterine, bladder, stomach, and kidney tissues. This can also help with boggy, mucus-y tissue affected by allergies and also supports these body systems in performing their jobs effectively.
Diuretic: It makes you pee! And also supports the kidneys’ cleansing process.
Blood Building: It’s a blood builder AND blood cleanser. This plant’s high iron content makes it a superb ally for supplementing iron. Iron is essential for producing hemoglobin, which is the protein molecule in red blood cells4
Contraindications: Considered one of the most safe herbs to use!!! There is some room to exercise caution around its diuretic effect. For those with dry constitutions and kidney deficiency, keep a watchful eye when using4. The drying quality along with the diuretic effect can be too much for some bodies. Discontinue use or reduce intake if this becomes an issue.
Fresh nettle stings. Nothing terrible will happen aside from mild discomfort. Cooking, drying, or tincturing the plant will eliminate the potential for stinging.
Purslane, Portulaca oleracea
Energetics: moist, cool
Historical: known in traditional Mexican kitchens as verdolagas, this plant is a revered food source. While often considered a weed in the Western eye, those with traditional mesoamerican roots know this plant as a nutritive and healing food source. This food is often plucked from garden beds and added to stews, or scrambled eggs. It’s thought of as a liver and kidney tonic and is also thought to help the body recover from injury5
I love verdolagas chopped and added into quecas (similar to quesadillas), enjoying the picked stems, or chopping the herb and adding it fresh to salads.
Western: this herb is beginning to become more popular in the western world, especially in high-end restaurants. It is recognized as a digestive and urinary tonic due to its demulcent properties and research shows that it has the highest Omega-3 content found in a terrestrial plant6
It can be consumed to support soothing hot conditions that manifest in the skin like fevers or sunstroke, and can even be applied directly to the skin as a poultice.
Contraindications: no known contraindications
Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale
Energetics: cold, sweet, bitter
Historical: Dandelion is a traditional blood and liver tonic. It has a long history of use to help find respite from chronic skin conditions as well as assisting with digestion. A traditional use that is still common today is using the fresh flowers to make dandelion wine or beer in the spring2. In Europe, this plant is grown as a vegetable. The plant gets incorporated into spring cuisine to help clear out winter excess. The Chinese use the root to treat hot, protruding afflictions like swelling, boils, fevers and infection. They also use this herb for breast afflictions like sores, tumors, cysts, swollen lymph nodes and mastitis1 . Native
Americans use the latex-ey juice that comes from the stem to treat poisonous bites1.
Western: Dandelion is an effective diuretic, helping to reduce water retention and lower blood pressure. Because it is high in iron, vitamins, and minerals, it is less harsh than conventional water-flushing medications. It pairs nicely with burdock root for skin issues. Dandelion offers great liver and digestive support. Its bitter taste stimulates bile production which supports the digestion and elimination processes. This herb has been known to help with kidney stones and is also helpful in managing blood sugar.
Contraindications: Dandelion is generally gentle and safe to use.
Below are a couple of herbs that are additional helpful spring allies. Milk thistle is particularly helpful for springtime allergies. If allergies seem to get you down each spring, check out this blog for extra support
Burdock Root, Arcticum lappa
Energetics: cool, bitter, mildly sweet
Historical Use: Traditional Chinese Medicine uses Burdock seeds for sore throats with red, swollen presentation1. It is thought to clear heat and thus relieve red swelling conditions like boils, lesions and the beginning stages of rashes from measles and chickenpox1. TCM also sees this herb as clearing out heat associated with anger, irritability and restlessness.
In Japan, the raw root is known as Gobo and has historically been used as food. This is done by slicing the root into thin portions, soaking it in vinegar water for 15 minutes and finally boiling the slices in salt water. It is typically eaten in the morning, to help cleanse the body, add fiber into the diet and help reduce cravings for sweetness1.
In many traditions, burdock root is used in soups and stir-fries alike.
Western Therapeutics: Burdock is widely known in western healing practices as being a triumphant ally for skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, acne and boils. Because of its ability to work on hot, irritated conditions, it is also used in managing symptoms in arthritis, rheumatism and gout1. Burdock helps to flush out the kidney, clearing toxins which may ultimately alleviate lower back pain1. This herb is a prized blood, liver, kidney and lymphatic cleanser, but it does more than flush these systems. Burdock is high in iron1, so it helps replenish some of the minerals that are lost through the detoxification process.
Contraindications: Generally safe, especially when used as food. Avoid using Burdock seeds while in the first two trimesters of pregnancy2. When using the tincture or decoction, it is best combined with diuretic herbs like dandelion to help support the detoxification process
Milk thistle, Silybum marianum
Energetics: cool, bitter, sweet
Historical: Milk thistle has a record of over 2,000 years of use in Europe, having been used to treat jaundice and syphilis7. It was commonly grown by “peasants” in backyard gardens throughout the continent7.
Western: Milk thistle helps to both protect and restore the liver from damage1. It has been
studied for its antioxidant compound known as Silymarin, which can offer support for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic liver cirrhosis and hepatitis8. Herbalist Leslie Tierra finds Milk Thistle to be useful in dealing with chronic allergies associated with liver heat and congestion1.
Contraindications: Milk thistle is generally safe to use.
Other seasonal “weeds” to consider adding into your diet:
cleavers, sorrel and lamb’s quarters.
These herbs, along with chickweed, stinging nettle, purslane and dandelion can be added into cooked dishes to enjoy their healing and nutritive benefits. Stinging nettles should always be cooked, to ensure that you break down the irritating hair-like structures that cause the stinging. Chickweed, purslane, dandelion, cleavers, sorrel, and lamb’s quarters can all be eaten raw–which offers additional cleansing benefits.
For more specific recipe ideas, try out this Spring Green Pesto, or Gluten Free Dandelion Fritters.
DISCLAIMER: it is important to ensure proper plant identification, and to refresh on ethical
foraging practices before consuming wild plants
References
1: Tierra, L. (2003). Healing with the Herbs of Life: Hundreds of Herbal Remedies, Therapies, and Preparations. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed.Cech, R. (2016). Making Plant Medicine. Herbal Reads LLC
2: Cech, R. (2000). Making Plant Medicine (4th ed.). Herbal Reads LLC.
3: Groves, M. N. (2016). Body Into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care. Storey Publishing, LLC.
4: Barrett, K. (n.d.). Nettle Monograph — HerbRally. HerbRally. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.herbrally.com/monographs/nettle
5: Calvo, L., & Esquibel, C. R. (2015). Decolonize your diet: Plant-based Mexican-American recipes for Health and Healing. Arsenal Pulp Press.
6: Uddin, M. K., Juraimi, A. S., Hossain, M. S., Nahar, M. A. U., Ali, M. E., & Rahman, M. M. (2014, February 10). Purslane weed (Portulaca oleracea): A prospective plant source of nutrition, omega-3 fatty acid, and antioxidant attributes. TheScientificWorldJournal. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3934766/
7: Elliott, B. (n.d.). Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Herbal Monograph. Brett Elliott. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.brettelliott.com/milk-thistle-silybum-marianum-herbal-monograph/
8: Gillessen, A., & Schmidt, H. H.-J. (2020, February 17). Silymarin as Supportiv Treatment in Liver Diseases: A Narrative Review. Advances in Therapy, 37(4),1279-1301. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7140758/
