Spring cleaning for the body with herbal remedies

By Jonathan Evans Herbal Information Specialist /Business Representative for the Herbarium Special to PRIME Spring has finally arrived! It is a time of renewal. It is another chance to get going on the right path. Many gave up trying to keep New Year's resolutions, so here we have a new opportunity to get healthy. Be wary of the ads that will surely surface for "detox programs." The word "program" should be an alarm bell signaling hundreds of dollars that you will be compelled to dish out. Most cultures have traditionally used herbs for "Spring cleaning", getting rid of the sludge accumulated during the winter. Spring tonics are famous the world over, and are very simple to find and use. One thing to remember is to take your time. Avoid cleansing too quickly. It took a few months to get in this condition, so do not expect to clean out in a couple of days. Too fast cleansing usually results in feeling terrible. Formulas to help with your cleansing program should include herbs such as Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale), Oregon Grape root (Mohonia aquifolium), Yellowdock root(Rumex crispus), Nettles (Urtica dioica) and Milk thistle (Sylibum marianum). These traditional herbs help stimulate the liver, increase fat and bile production, and clean the organs most responsible for detoxifying the body. Renew Life is a company that specializes in cleansing products, mostly in a capsule form, and uses only organic material. Their products are designed to be gentle and progressive, so you are not trapped being near a bathroom for several days. I always laugh when I come across the infomercials for detoxifying. The guy selling the stuff looks like he could use a good cleaning out, and then to add insult to injury, I find the herbs misspelled. Gee, doesn't that build trust in the products. If you prefer liquids, Herbarium has several formulas for general cleansing, lymph, and liver cleansing. We had two great success stories recently. One customer came in to tell us of his friend who had a serious liver condition, and had started taking a guaranteed potency Milk Thistle. They had such an improvement that they were taken off the transplant list! That is the kind of story that we love to hear. This is the second time this has happened, using a guaranteed potency product. Notice I did not call it a standardized product, since not all standardized products are the same, especially in quality. More on that subject later. The other story was equally impressive. A fellow came in with what was called a rash, and tried one of our salves. It did not work, because his condition was not a rash. He told us the name of the condition, which had to do with an inflammatory condition. The doctor had been treating it with a cream, but with no effect. I suggested Vitamin C because the studies showed some evidence it may be helpful. One month later, the customer returned with the good news that the condition was almost gone. The doctor was so impressed with his results she now recommends Vitamin C to her patients. It's always great to get this kind of feedback and to see that sometimes the simplest, basic things can have the most effect. —Jonathan Please send your questions on botanical remedies to Natures Rx : Jonathan Evans via e-mail at info@theherbarium.com, or by regular mail at The Herbarium, 264 Exchange Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. If you are requesting additional information from Jonathan, please include a self-addrresed stamped envelope.