Spring Clean
“That is one good thing about this world...there are always sure to be more springs.”-L.M. Montgomery
Spring brings so much excitement, everywhere you look there is renewal and new growth, what magic! Spring is a great time to reignite the energy and vitality we need to cleanse our lives and make way for the beautiful things to come.
When we eat seasonally not only does the food taste better and cost less but they are typically the foods we need at that time. In the spring Bitter herbs grow everywhere, Dandelion (which we all have in our yards), is my favorite spring herb. If you have convinced everyone to keep their weed killers away from you then you can walk right out and eat them out of your yard, the pungent bitter flavor works well in salads or they can be enjoyed as a warm cup of tea. As herbalists we know that good health starts in the gut. Bitter foods are packed with nutrients and may help stimulate digestion and help with the absorption of food. These herbs are also known to be cleansing to the liver and blood.
Spring is also a good time to use Nettle which is full of nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium and is known to help seasonal allergies. Nettle makes a nice tea and can also be eaten in soup . Burdock is another good tonic to have on hand in the spring as it helps cleanse the toxins from our gut and liver. It helps with seasonal allergies and it may even help you curb those sweet cravings. Burdock tastes great in soups, stir-fry and teas. Cleavers is another nutritive tonic we can add to our regimen in the spring. We sometimes forget how hard our lymphatic system has to work to keep toxins from our body. The young spring tops of this herb can be juiced or made into a tea to give your lymphatic glands a boost.
As the days get longer and we find we have more daylight it is a good opportunity for us to go out and forage for these herbs. Putting your hands in the dirt in the cool morning air, allowing the sunshine we haven't felt in months to shine on our faces. This for me is how to cleanse my thoughts which is just as important as cleansing our physical bodies. Being in nature helps us expand our hearts and experience so much gratitude for all that is to come.
When it comes to cleansing we should also cleanse our space and clear up the clutter that gathered on all of the flat surfaces of your house over the winter. A clean space to reflect is a good first step. What do you love? What habits do you want to create? Your space will affect that. Listen to your music loudly while you clean. Maybe bring some green inside, start some herbs in your windowsill that you can harvest such as rosemary, basil, or thyme. Whatever it is that makes you happy- do it, there is no better time than now!