Spring: Dandelions: Your Liver
Now is the time to eat dandelions.
Ok, they’re good for you any time of the year.
But now, in early Spring, especially.
It’s old-school for a reason.
Dandelions heal your liver, which usually gets sluggish over the winter, from all the coldness, from heavy foods, from lower physical activity, and from less sunlight.
But eating dandelions will help to pick you back up, clear your liver and digestive system as a whole, and boost your mood in the process.
Eat them raw straight out of your yard, if you or your neighbors haven’t been spraying.
Sometimes you can buy fresh dandelions at your farmer’s market, or in a health food store.
You can also get the dried roots and leaves online, in some commercial teas available at supermarkets, at your local herbalist, or in the bulk herb section at your health food store.
My favorite brand is Frontier Co-Op. I’ve been using them for at least 15 years.
Dandelions not only do a great job helping your body to detox, they’re super-packed with nutrition.
They are full of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like folate, calcium, potassium, and iron.
Some people call dandelions a tonic for the blood. Some people being my grandmother who made it to 105 years old. See her recipe below. My grandfather — who made it to 91 years old — really liked his dandelion greens with apple cider vinegar.
Old-School Recipe:
Cook a bunch of the raw greens in salted water until limp. Strain. Sprinkle with salt and raw apple cider vinegar. Some people also like to add crisped salt pork (very New England — does your region do anything similar? Let us know in the comments).
The earlier in spring you pick the dandelion greens, the milder they are. They become more bitter through the growing season.
You can freeze the greens to keep them available.
Bitter greens like these are are super good for your health.
Mood:
When you physically clear and heal your liver, you also free up stuck anger. You’ll feel lighter, happier, and more energetic. Learn more ways to do this in my Heal Your Power Center course.
Combine healing your liver with walking in sunshine in Nature for at least 30 minutes every day, and you’ll be better off than taking most anti-depressants.
Add in eating as much high Vitamin C food as you can (fresh oranges and pineapple, for instance), and you’ll be doing great!
Cheers!
Heather Cate
Spiritual Coach for the Creative Soul
