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Suki Roth on Herbs: Spring Tonics from
Nature's Wild, Uncultivated Garden: Our Common Weeds - A Remarkable
Gift
New Year s resolutions are long past,and
we have forgotten our promises for a healthier diet and a
less stressful lifestyle. Just as we are about to lose hope,
something wonderful happens.The magic of springtime emerges
and again we are given a opportunity to heal.
The Plant kingdom awakens from a long winter
sleep and offers us an abundant cornucopia of rejuvenating,
visually stimulating, recharging, healing, edible and medicinal
plants.
While we are busy planning our gardens and
planting spring bulbs and flowers, nature is graciously providing
us with her abundant uncultivated wild foods. This is no coincidence
that these wild foods are available to us just as we need
them to make the transition from winter to spring.
Spring is the "green reemergence"
time. Nature awakens and offers new growth, a time of new
beginnings, a fresh start. A time for winter dreams to blossom.
The organs of the body are affected by the
changing seasons. Our changing climate puts different demands
on our physical bodies. The warmth we needed in the winter
is now being stimulated from deep within our bodies to come
to the surface to help us start the cooling down process that
will enable us to be comfortable in the summer s heat.
Spring is the traditional time for cleansing
our bodies. The wild spring greens that are now emerging play
a large roll in facilitating our natural cleansing process.
They do this by nourishing, stimulating and aiding our body
s major detoxifier, our liver. Spring greens are either sour
or bitter in taste. Both of these flavors stimulate and invigorate
the liver. They offer us nutrients beneficial to our liver.
All our healing green allies help the liver do its monumental
job; that of regulating our metabolism, balancing our blood
sugars, filtering out excess hormones and most importantly,
filtering our blood.
Spring is the time we need to incorporate
wild greens into our diets. These wild foods help replenish
the body s systems and get our energy going. The way we eat
and what we eat affects our immune system and how well we
deal with stress, anger, and all the pressures of our modern
times. Eating these spring tonics is an excellent way to start
this process.
A walk across our back yards, open fields
and local wooded areas will yield dozens of these healing
treasures. Look for
Chickweed leaf Wintercress
Violet leaf Wood Sorrel leaf
Sheep sorrel leaf Lamb s Quarter leaf
Cleaver tips Burdock
Dandelion Nettle leaf
Curly Dock leaf Red Bud Flowers
Watercress sprigs Dandelion Flowers
Mint leaf Violet Flowers
Catbrier tips
Wild Mustard leaf Pansy Flowers
Plantain leaf
Wild onion bulb/tops
Just to name a few!!! Enjoy wild salads,
teas and cooked greens. Partake of this joyful, abundant time
and enjoy vibrant health and many exciting outdoor adventures
while collecting spring treasures.
Healing Wild Spring Salad
Gather a large bowl of fresh spring greens,
a combination of
CHICKWEED, VIOLET, WATERCRESS, DANDELION GREENS
Gather 1 cup or more fresh wild flowers,
a combination of
RED BUD FLOWERS, VIOLET FLOWERS, DANDELION FLOWERS, JOHNNY
JUMP UPS.
Gather 1/4 cup WILD ONION TOPS chopped
Dig gingerly 2-3 roots WILD GINGER chopped
Toss this in your favorite large salad bowl..top
with Olive oil and Lemon juice and treat yourself to a tonifying
spring wild salad.
Spring Tonic tea
1 fresh Dandelion root, washed and chopped
1 handful of Red Raspberry leaf
1/2 handful of Nettle leaf
1/4 handful of Sheep Sorrel
1/4 handful of Wood Sorrel
Place herbs in a glass quart jar and cover
with 4 cups boiled water. Cover and let sit for 1-2 hours.
Strain and enjoy...use 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day. ENJOY...
AHHHHH Spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
**I would like to extend an invitation
to you to ask herbal questions that I will enjoy answering
in this column. Please e-mail questions or inquiries to me
at bruki@peoplepc.com.
In green health, Suki Roth
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