Winter cleanse

While I had some downtime at my farm, I decided to do a 24 hour fast. However, not eating at all makes me feel uncomfortable — so I made cleansing decoction and herbal bone broth. (Here is the broth recipe.) You could do this anytime, but I like it especially in winter.

A cleanse from an herbal standpoint is about choosing herbs that will help support your body’s natural processes of elimination. It may also include herbs to eliminate pathogens and boost the immune system.

We get rid of toxins through digestion (urination and defecation,) sweat, mucus, and other bodily secretions such as cysts. I would also add that we store feelings in our body and we cleanse unprocessed feelings by feeling them. If you are doing it right, there’s a chance that a cleanse might make you feel worse before you feel better.

A decoction is how you get constituents out of tough herbs like roots, barks, and dried berries. It’s fairly easy to do, once you know how.

Decoction Instructions

1. Collect your herbs.
2. Add water to a pot on the stove. (I do 4 cups.)
3. Add herbs. (I put in about one tablespoon of each herb.)
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Lower to simmer. (No cover.)
6. Simmer for 25+ minutes. (I usually do around 40 minutes.)
7. Strain.
8. Enjoy!
   Sometimes the first sip is a little surprising, it is a remedy after all. Let it sink in and take a few more. I find it gets better as I acclimate and is actually delicious once I’m used to it.
   You can also add some honey, if needed. You can drink it warm or cold throughout the day. During my cleanse I made it twice that day, but ever since I have been making it once a day.

Here are the herbs I chose… (these should all should be available at your local apothecary, or online at Mountain Rose Herbs or Starwest Botanicals. I’m thinking it might be sweet to offer packages of cleansing herbs so that folks wouldn’t have to buy large bulk amounts of each. Contact me if you’re interested in this.)

1. Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) – I use fresh ginger because it’s gentler and not as heating as dried ginger. It’s a natural detoxifier, promotes digestion, circulation, sweating. It’s also naturally antimicrobial and can help clear out any excess mucus.
2. Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus) – As an adaptogen, astragalus is supportive to the body in relation to stress generally and also offers immune system support. It can help with excess inflammation. I learned not to take astragalus during an acute infection as it can drive those deeper, so something to keep in mind when choosing your herbs.
3. Cardamom pods (Elettaria cardamomum) – Cardamom could be described as a blood detoxifier due to its antioxidant and diuretic properties. (Diuretic means it cleans out the kidney channels and makes you pee!) I also just love the flavor! It’s carminative, which helps with gas and digestion.
4. Burdock root (Arctium minus) – Burdock is a great internal body cleanser! Specifically, it works gently on the liver. I could list more attributes, but it would be a repeat of many above.
5. Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) – Dandelion root also helps to detoxify the liver and helps reduce excess inflammation.
6. Cinnamon chips (Cinnamomum verum) – This herb is also called true cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon. (Side note: some herbalists say cassia works in the same way, but others says it does not. Cassia contains more coumarin, which in large doses is a liver toxin, so I stick with Ceylon.) Cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar, adds amazing flavor, and helps with circulation… among many more things.

What did I notice from doing this? Subtle changes. I felt solemn that day, reflective. Consider that your body holds emotions physically, so cleansing can bring them out. Liver detoxification can specifically bring out unprocessed anger. I felt like I could hear my body more than usual, I felt grounded, I felt uncomfortable, I felt like I was facing some things I had been putting aside. On a physical level I noticed that in the days after my body was flushing out some cysts that had been under the surface of my skin for a long time.

The bone broth, in addition to being incredibly nourishing, calmed my nerves when I would start to get anxious about being hungry. I’d take a deep breath, warm some broth, and drink it — feeling so deeply taken care of.

I am continuing to make this decoction a daily part of my life since after the specific cleanse day. I plan to do so for a few months. I also plan to include more days to fast (with bone broth and this decoction.) I will probably do this weekly, or every other week.

I’ve added elderberry to the mix of herbs as I move forward.

7. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – Wonderful immune support with immuno-modulatory action. Antiviral, diuretic, reduces excess inflammation, and alterative.

Other herbs that could be great to use: turmeric, Oregon grape, horsetail, oatstraw, medicinal mushrooms, and rosehips.

If you wanted to add anything leafy, I’d add that in the last 5 minutes. Great herbaceous additions would be anything for flavor (like mint) or nettle (for nutrition).

If you try it, let me know how it goes for you!