Detox Herbs that Make You Lighter and Cleaner

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Top 5 Detox Herbs that Make You Lighter and Cleaner

Detox diets have been so popular on the market lately. They have grabbed the attention of readers of the most popular health magazines and websites. However, not everyone can follow a very restrictive detox diet plan, including me. I use some specific herbs to help detoxify my body and keep me light and healthy.

Because our environment is more toxic today, our livers and kidneys are overstressed when trying to process the abundant toxins in our body. Detoxification becomes essential and necessary to maintain good health.

Here are a few of my favorite powerful detox herbs.

Maca

Maca is a root originally from Peru, and it a distant relative of the tuberous root vegetable radish. Today, it is available on the market as a powder. It is a powerful endocrine adaptogen, which provides specific nutrients that directly fuel the endocrine system and help balance hormones and reduce stress. An adaptogen is a compound that helps improve your adrenal function and manage stress through enhancing your immune system and balancing your hormone responses. Maca powder also contains unique acids called macaenes and macamides that help balance your hormones. As a superfood, Maca naturally detoxifies and is nutritionally dense. It contains a wide range of nutrients including plant-based protein, Vitamin B groups, fiber, magnesium, and calcium. It contains nearly 20 amino acids, including essential amino acids. Maca is also a rich source of sterols, and its protein and fiber contents are higher than other root vegetables. Fiber helps remove toxins and wastes from your body. Maca also has an impressive lipid profile for a root plant, which includes linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid. For thousands of years, Maca has been widely used to boost energy and promote sexual function for both men and women. It not only helps boost your energy but also reduces your stress and anxiety. As an enhancer for sexual function, it boosts your libido and increases endurance^[1].

Nutrient snapshot of Maca

Nutritional Profile of Dried Maca Root (Average 10 gram serving)
Component	per 10 g	Amino Acids	per 10 g	Minerals	Per 10 g
Protein	1–1.4 g	Alanine	63.1 mg	Calcium	25 mg
Carbohydrates	6–7.5 g	Arginine	99.4 mg	Copper	0.6 mg
Fats (lipids)	220 mg	Aspartic acid	91.7 mg	Iron	1.5 mg
Fiber	850 mg	Glutamic acid	156.5 mg	Iodine	52 mcg
Ash	490 mg	Glycine	68.3 mg	Manganese	80 mcg
Sterols	5–10 mg	Histidine	41.9 mg	Potassium	205 mg
Calories	32.5	HO-Proline	26.0 mg	Sodium	1.9 mg
		Isoleucine	47.4 mg	Zinc	380 mcg
		Leucine	91.0 mg
Vitamins	per 10 g	Lysine	54.5 mg	Fats/Lipids	per 10 g
B2	39 mcg	Methionine	28.0 mg	Linoleic	72 mcg
B6	114 mcg	Phenylalanine	55.3 mg	Palmitic	52 mcg
C	28.6 mg	Proline	0.5 mg	Oleic	24.5 mcg
Niacin	565 mcg	Sarcosine	0.7 mg
		Serine	50.4 mg
		Threonine	33.1 mg
		Tryptophan	4.9 mg
		Tyrosine	30.6 mg
		Valine	79.3 mg

Source: http://www.rain-tree.com/maca.htm

How do you add Maca powder to your diet to benefit from its amazing health benefits? It is really simple. You can mix it into your smoothies or yogurt or add it to your cereals and baked goods. The taste of Maca can be a bit less familiar at the beginning but it gets more pleasant after you get used to it, and it also depends on what you mix it with. Very hot temperatures can alter its taste and may affect its nutritive value. One to two teaspoons is good enough not to affect the original flavor of your food. If you like to make fresh juices, Maca can be a good addition to sprinkling on top of it, such as celery carrot Maca juice. It not only cleanses your body but also supercharges your energy, especially in the hot summer.

Ginger

Ginger is very soothing for the stomach, as it helps digestion and reduces bloating. It has been used for the treatment of nausea and motion sickness since ancient times. Due to its natural anti-inflammatory properties, ginger helps strengthen your immune system and detoxify your liver and kidneys. You can add it to soups, tea, stir-fries, and marinades to enhance the flavor while giving your health a boost. All you need is just a few slices.

Turmeric

Turmeric is an orange color root that has been used in Ayurveda medicine for ages. The active compound in turmeric is curcumin, which has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, especially in the treatment of chronic pain such as arthritis. It also helps detoxify your liver and purify your blood. It is better to cook turmeric with fatty foods to increase its bioavailability. You can take curcumin capsules or mix turmeric powder with milk or coconut oil to help maximize its absorption. Sometimes less is more, as excessive intake of turmeric may damage your liver.
For more information about how turmeric can improve your health, read A Super-Charged Anti-aging Diet-Part Two.

Milk thistle

Milk thistle is one of my favorite liver detox herbs. It is a flowering plant of the daisy family that is popular in Europe, North Africa, and the Mid-East. Sometimes it is called silymarin, which is the active ingredient in the seeds. Milk thistle directly blocks certain toxins from penetrating the cells and supports the detoxification of your liver. It has been clinically proven to improve your liver function and repair liver damage such as cirrhosis. The active ingredient, silymarin, has been used in many liver detox formulas. Research also indicates that milk thistle helps improve the control of blood sugar in those who have diabetes, with and without the liver disease^[2]. Milk thistle is available in capsules or extracts. The recommended dose varies and depends on your medical condition and focus. It is a good idea to consult your healthcare provider before taking it.

Dandelion

Dandelion is an excellent food and herb that anyone can find, grow and enjoy. Traditionally, dandelion root has been used by Native Americans to treat kidney disease. It is a natural diuretic that helps the kidneys wash out waste, salt, and excess water. It also helps detoxify your liver and stimulate the production of bile and its flow between the gall bladder and liver to improve liver function. It improves your liver function by removing toxins and balancing hydration and electrolytes. It has been commonly used to mix with milk thistle as an excellent combination of detox formulas. Nutritionally, this flowering plant provides a variety of vitamins and minerals including iron, potassium, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It is also rich in vitamin C, fiber, and B-complex vitamins. It contains protein too, and its protein content is higher than spinach. Dandelion is also a good source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients that help improve your immune function^[3].

Nutrient snapshot of dandelion

Dandelion herb greens(Taraxacum officinale), Fresh, Nutrition value per 100 g (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	45 Kcal	2%
Carbohydrates	9.20 g	7%
Protein	2.70 g	5%
Total Fat	0.70 g	3%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	3.50 g	9%
Vitamins
Folates	27 µg	7%
Niacin	0.806 mg	5%
Pantothenic acid	0.084 mg	1.5%
Pyridoxine	0.251 mg	19%
Riboflavin	0.260 mg	20%
Thiamin	0.190 mg	17%
Vitamin A	10161 IU	338%
Vitamin C	35 mg	58%
Vitamin E	3.44 mg	23%
Vitamin K	778.4 µg	649%
Electrolytes
Sodium	76 mg	5%
Potassium	397 mg	8%
Minerals
Calcium	187 mg	19%
Iron	3.10 mg	39%
Magnesium	36 mg	9%
Manganese	0.342 mg	15%
Phosphorus	66 mg	9%
Selenium	0.5 mg	1%
Zinc	0.41 mg	4%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-α	363 µg	—
Carotene-β	5854 µg	—
Crypto-xanthin-β	121 µg	—
Lutein-zeaxanthin	13610 µg	—

Dandelion leaves, flowers, and roots are all edible. It is generally considered safe in food and medicine. Like spinach, dandelion greens are commonly used in salads, but they also taste great in stir-fries, stew and soups.

Supercharged detox herbal tea recipes

You can enjoy herbal tea to make your detoxification more smoothly. Herbal teas are easily made and you can enjoy them throughout the day. They are mild and gentle and can be refreshing. Try some herbal mix and decide which one suits you the best before purchasing a large quantity, Herbal teas speak for themselves because there are so many different ways to make them based on their health benefits. Here are a few of my favorite detox herbal tea recipes.

Liver Detox herbal tea blend

Ingredients:

Fresh ginger (peeled, finely chopped): 1 tbsp.
Dandelion root (dried): 2 tsp.
Milk thistle (dried): 2 tsp.
Cinnamon sticks: 1
Lemon juice (fresh): 1 tbsp.
Water: 3 cups
Honey: 1-2 tsp.
Coconut oil: 1 tsp.

Preparation: Mix all the herbs with water and bring to boil. Simmer for one minute over low heat, then cover and steep the tea for 15 minutes. Drain the herbs from the liquid and stir in lemon juice, coconut oil, and honey, serve warm or cold.

Kidney detox herbal tea blend

Ingredients:

Lemon juice (fresh): 1 tbsp.
Fresh ginger (peeled, finely chopped): 1 tbsp.
Cinnamon stick: 1
Basil leaves: 8
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp.
Fennel seeds: ½ tsp.
Water: 3 cups
Honey: 1-2 tsp.

Preparation: Mix all the herbs with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes with low heat. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Drain the herbs from the liquid. Stir in lemon juice and honey, and serve warm or cold.

Conclusion

Your body is your temple. Herbs can help stimulate the detoxification process in your lungs, liver, kidneys, and bowels. However, a healthy diet is a must to limit toxins in the first place. It does not make any sense to take herbs to cleanse your liver if the bowels are clogged with junk foods such as high sugar and high animal fat foods. It is also not a good idea to overly depend on herbal laxatives. Excessive use of herbal laxatives can do more harm than good. In addition, a detoxification diet may be reinforced by herbs to stimulate the elimination organs to speed up the detoxification process.

What are your favorite detox herbs and recipes? Please share with us.

Do you know that your navel is also a powerhouse for the healing? Ancient Chinese Medicine practitioners have been using the navel both as a diagnostic tool and also a treatment center for thousands of years. We created this Magical Navel Patch that has many health benefits including:

Click the image below to find out more.

Anti-aging
Anti-inflammatory and shrink the waistline
Promote a sound sleep
Balance Yin and Yang energy.

References

Quote

“Food can be a poison or a cure. Why would you choose to ingest toxins when you could be taking the world’s best detox medicine? ” ~ Woodson Merrell

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About the author: Lucy Liu

As a Holistic Health Practitioner, Registered Dietitian, TCM Practitioner, Energy Healer, Master Hypnotist, Reiki Master, Advanced Theta Healing Practitioner, Author and Speaker, Lucy Liu, the founder of optimalhealthsolutions.ca, has gained a good reputation in holistic health after many years of serving patients and clients as a holistic health practitioner. Lucy has developed a unique and comprehensive approach, which combines Western Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Energy Medicine, and Alternative Medicine together, to help others achieve optimal health by creating harmony between the body, mind, and spirit, and maintain long-term success for healthy lifestyle changes.
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