With all the immunity boosting health tips doing the rounds. It would be great to have some all-natural ingredients that can help revitalize, increase immunity for summer and beyond.
Teas are a great way of taking herbs, or as tinctures, powders, capsules, or with water. We can also add them to soups, smoothies, desserts, dips and more. For instance, dandelion makes a good tea while rosemary or fennel is ideal for cooking.
Here are great ways to incorporate some detoxifying herbs & spices into your life and alleviate your toxic burden.
1. Cilantro
Cilantro has elements that act as natural cleansing agent, binding to toxic metals and loosen them for easier movement out of the body. If heavy metals accumulate to reach toxic levels, they can lead to a host of symptoms and chronic health issues.
2. Dandelion
Dandelion has mostly been used as a diuretic, and it may help improve liver and gallbladder function. Dandelion has vitamins A, B, C, D and K plus minerals, such as iron, potassium, zinc, and higher levels of beta carotene or anti-oxidants than carrots. It helps promote the use of bile, which flushes out toxins. Hence, it is a perfect detoxifying herb for your gallbladder and liver, besides it’s a skin cleansing herb clearing dirt that leads to acne. Steep it as a tea.
3. Milk Thistle
Milk thistle helps to protect the liver against toxins. Improved liver health, anti-cancer properties in milk thistle with active ingredient being silymarin, a flavonoid helps repair and heal liver cells damaged by toxic substances. Milk thistle tea is a great addition to any cleanse or detoxification program, but it can also support the daily detoxification process that our body carries out.
It’s a strong detoxifying herb, it can reverse the damage of alcohol, heavy metals, pollutants. Have it steeped as a tea or take as a capsule supplement.
4. Ginger
Ginger is very great for digestion, diarrhea, nausea, and upset stomachs. It also promotes circulation and soothes PMS, a super hero kitchen ingredient can be added to tea, soups or savouries making it wonderfully warming.
5. Turmeric
Turmeric has bountiful health benefits. This spice comes from a root and is popular in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. A potent antioxidant that protects the heart, joints, and liver, is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer. Use turmeric in curries, soups and Golden Milk or turmeric latte to cleanse your system!
6. Nettle Leaf
This has been used to treat and cure a range of diseases including hay fever, bone issues-joint & muscle pain, allergy, diuretic as well as to treat joint pain and muscle pain, urinary tract infections, insect bites or eczema, psoriasis and acne.
7. Celery Seed
Great source of essential minerals like calcium, manganese, and iron. Supports bone health, promotes red blood cells, blood sugar level, heart issues or digestive issues.
8. Black Walnut
Ideal for solving intestinal problems, ulcers, laxative, cold sores, candida, or acne. With plenty of beta-carotene, acids, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silicon, zinc, tannin, B-vitamins, and vitamin C. Black walnut is an antifungal agent, which expels parasites from the body. It also works within the bowels to remove fatty material, which stores toxins and impurities.
9. Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds are ideal to induce bowel movements. It relieves gas, bloat pains and cramps within the gastrointestinal tract. The ingredient within fennel seeds inhibits spasms in the smooth muscles of the intestine.
10. Slippery Elm Bark
Slippery elm is an anti-inflammatory, laxative and nutritive herb. Slippery elm heals and soothes all parts of the body especially the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. It is super digestible and neutralizes stomach acidity.
Nutritionist Rekha Rai says, “I tell people to keep some things handy in kitchen to improve stomach health as it is the soil, foundation for overall wellbeing. Keep stock of cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, cumin, cilantro, fenugreek, ginger, fennel, cayenne pepper, black pepper, clove, parsley, and rosemary.
Psyllium seeds have a laxative effect, which promote health bowel movements. Effective at cleaning out the intestines and colon. Once in the digestive tract, the seed absorbs water and swells, scrubbing and cleaning out any toxins or chemicals. Great for constipation, IBS, and as a fiber supplement. Marshmallow root is a soothing and detoxifying herb with mild laxative properties. It protects mucous membranes, calms irritated digestive tracts and restores moisture to dry tissues besides being diuretic, nutritive and rejuvenative. Licorice root has mild laxative effects. It soothes irritated mucous membranes and nourishes the adrenal glands. It fights viruses by helping the body to produce antibodies besides being nutritive, rejuvenative, antioxidant. Irish Moss, is a type of seaweed that is alterative, nutritive, and demulcent. It soothes the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.”