Blood-Cleansing Herbs

Your blood is responsible for transporting all sorts of materials throughout your body, from oxygen to hormones, clotting factors, sugar, fats, and the cells of your immune system.

There’s no need to invest in an expensive cleanse diet or buy tons of detox supplements to help keep your blood clean and free of toxins and waste. Your liver and your kidneys already do a great job of purifying your blood by removing and breaking down waste.

Vegetable and Fruits:

• Cruciferous vegetables are often recommended for people with kidney disease. They’re high in antioxidants and extremely nutritious. They have been shown to reduce the risk of many types of cancer, including kidney cancer. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile. You can eat them raw, steamed, baked, grilled, or as part of a soup or casserole.

• 

  Blueberries are incredibly high in antioxidants, which can protect the liver from damage.

• Cranberries are often touted for their urinary tract benefits. They have been shown to prevent bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract, which in turn keeps your kidneys free from infection.
• Grapefruit is high in antioxidants and may help control inflammation in the body. These studies have found that antioxidants contained in grapefruit can help protect the liver from injury and the harmful effects of alcohol.
• Apples contain a high amount of a soluble fiber known as pectin. Soluble fiber helps regulate your blood sugar levels. Since high blood sugar can damage your kidneys, anything that helps keep it in check will have an indirect, positive effect on kidney health.

Cleansing Herbs

In the past, bitter-tasting plant material was used to flush out the system of toxins. These plants were consumed on a seasonal cycle that maximized the purpose of these plants. As an example, nettles were consumed in the spring. The reason for this was two-fold. One, the greens were tender and you did not have to worry about the “needles” getting stuck in your throat. Another reason is that this is what the human body needs at this time. What do I mean about this? Well, nettles are known to be a wonderful spring toxic or detoxifying agent after the long winter.

Nettles

Nettles are known to support the skin, aid joints, and all-around body detoxifier. When it comes to using nettles, you do have a couple of choices. One is to simply make a salad of the young greens as you would lettuce. Another choice is to sauté the young greens as you would spinach or kale. Another choice is to make a nettle tea. While the first two recipes require young greens due to the “needles,” the tea on the other hand can be made with both young and older nettle leaves.

Before I move on to the nettle tea recipe, keep in mind that you have a few choices when it comes to getting your nettles. One choice is to simply purchase nettle leave tea bags, which are easily found in the grocery store. Another choice is to order dried nettle leaves, but you can easily grow and pick your own, giving you a source to dry your own for winter use.

If you are using fresh leaves or loose leaf nettle tea you will need to experiment with the strength that you enjoy. In doing so, the recipe below provides general directions for the nettle tea.

Nettle Tea

Ingredients

• 1 cup of nettle leaves, dried or fresh
• 2 cups of water
• Optional: honey, cinnamon

Steps

1. Place nettle leaves in a saucepan.
2. Add 2 cups of water to the saucepan and place on the stove.
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Once the water has come to a boil, turn off the heat and allow it to steep for five minutes.
5. Strain the liquid and place it in a mug.
6. Add flavoring if you like it to your drink. Enjoy

Burdock

Burdock root is known to be a great eliminator for the body, in the sense that all paths of elimination are triggered. Since bad stuff is removed, it makes room for nutrient use and absorption. Now, you may be thinking that burdock root is a far-out idea but it is common in Japanese cooking.

So where do you start if you would like to try burdock root? Do not worry; the recipe below is a simple and tasty way to try out burdock root and detox.

Burdock Stir-fry

Ingredients

• Burdock roots
• Soy sauce

Steps

1. Remove any dirt from your burdock roots. If they are large, you may want to peel them a bit.
2. Cut the roots into thin strips.
3. Place in a saucepan with water and soy sauce. Now you may note there are no amounts. The key is to add enough water to make sure the roots are covered. As far as the soy sauce goes, the amount is strictly determined by your taste.
4. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not worry about the water evaporating. This process will infuse the soy sauce flavor into the roots.
5. After the period has passed, the burdock roots are ready enough as a snack or as a side dish.

Dandelion

In a nutshell, the dandelion stimulates the liver and the body’s natural way of detoxing. Now, you may have seen dandelion greens in the grocery store lately. The interest in this green has increased over the years to a point that this plant is being bred to produce leaves that the consumer likes better for greens. So, one approach is to buy a bunch of dandelion greens, take them home, and cook them like sautéed spinach. Another approach is to make a simple dandelion tea with greens. Dandelion tea can be a bit strong in flavor but I do have a tastier way of consuming your dandelion and that is through the root. So, check out the recipe below for making a delicious and detoxifying drink from dandelion root.

Roasted Dandelion Root Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of ground, roasted dandelion root
• 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice
• 1 cup of milk
• Honey

Steps 

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Place on the stove and bring to a simmer. Cook for three to five minutes.
3. After the time has passed, remove from the heat and pour into a mug.
4. Sweeten with honey if you like. Enjoy.

Schisandra

You may have never heard of this detoxifier but it is well known in Traditional Chinese medicine. It is referred to as the “five flavor fruit” because it teases the five tastes. In Traditional Chinese medicine, it is known to balance the qi and has been proven to support the liver.

When it comes to using these delightful berries, the first thing one must do is soak them. Why you may ask? Well, the Schisandra berries are high in tannin along with malic acid and tartaric acid. To reduce the amount of these substances, it is advised to soak them.

Another hint I have to offer when it comes to using these berries is to sweeten whatever you are using them in. Even soaking them to remove certain substances does not lessen the lip-puckering flavor of these berries.

Schisandra Tea

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dried Schisandra berries
• 2 cups of water
• 1 Tablespoon goji berries
• 1 ½ teaspoon astragalus root
• 1 ½ teaspoon Rhodiola root
• 1/8 teaspoon licorice root pieces
• ½ teaspoon fresh ginger root
• Sweetener of choice

Steps

1. Place dried Schisandra berries in a saucepan and cover with water.
2. Allow the berries to soak for several hours or overnight.
3. Drain berries and place them in a saucepan.
4. Add the 2 cups of water to the saucepan.
5. Place the remaining ingredients into the saucepan.
6. Put the saucepan on the stove and bring it to a simmer.
7. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Strain and sweeten liquid. Enjoy.

Red Clover

You may be surprised to know that red clover growing in your lawn is also a detoxifier. Now, you can use fresh or dried red clover flowers to make the tea below.

Red Clover Tea

Ingredients

• 1 cup of red clover blossoms
• 2 Tablespoons of mint
• 4 cups of water
• Sweetener of your choice

Steps

1. Pick your red clover in the morning and go through the blooms to make sure there are no bugs.
2. Place water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
4. Place the red clover blossoms and mint of your choice in the saucepan. Allow steeping for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes, strain the liquid and sweeten as desired. Enjoy.

If you would like to supply yourself with red clover for winter, I do have a tip. Harvest your red clover in the morning and hang it upside down in a dark room to dry. Once the flowers have dried, remove them from the stems and store them in paper bags.

Takeaway:

There’s no need to buy expensive detox supplements or embark on any drastic detox cleanses to keep your blood clean. The body is equipped with a detox system of its own. All you really need is a well-balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, herbs, and enough water. You should also limit your alcohol intake. This will ensure that your liver and kidneys are operating at their best.

Of course, things can go wrong with your liver and kidneys that can’t be controlled with this alone. If you’ve been diagnosed with a liver or kidney condition, talk to your doctor about any special dietary changes, herbal teas, or lifestyle changes you need to make in order to manage your condition.

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