Traditionally people have undertaken cleanses as a good clear-out at various times of the year. Usually, the change of seasons brings an opportunity to take stock and re-evaluate. Over the past few years a cleanse has also been called a detox, the word ‘detox’ is one that has been banded about a lot in alternative and complimentary health circles. So, what is detoxification?
Before it was co-opted in the recent times, the word “detox” referred chiefly to a medical procedure that rids the body of dangerous. This is often life-threatening, levels of alcohol, drugs, or poisons. Patients undergoing medical detoxification are usually treated in hospitals or clinics. The treatment generally involves the use of drugs and other therapies in a combination that depends on the type and severity of the toxicity.
A herbalists perspective on detoxification
What we are using the word detox to mean is supporting the body with transportation and excretory systems to promote optimal functioning of the body and all the organs.
When someone fills their body with heavy processed foods, alcoholic or caffeinated drinks, the organs of elimination in the body are put under a lot of strain. This often then results in skin issues like eczema, spots or pustules. Alternatively, there is a sense that the lymph glands become almost permanently swollen as they try to filter out the unwanted compounds from the blood.
In a detoxification situation, if done too quickly, the organs of elimination can’t keep up with the flooding of toxins released from all the tissues in the body. This is because suddenly, there is space to start forcing them into the blood stream. Someone can go into a severe period of malaise, headaches, worse spots or pustules if this is the case for them. We sometimes called a ‘healing crisis’.
By entering into a healthy or considered diet and lifestyle, gently and with awareness, we can create more long-term lifestyle changes that will benefit us for years to come. This is more important than a token detox one a year for a week.
Drinking to your health
Something we love to add into our cleanse is a regime of smoothies and juices with as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible in our diets. This gives us a definite bounce in our steps and we add in our food state herbs powders. Taking herbs in power form not only ensures you are getting the whole plant, all the constituents, but you can also take these nutrient dense herbs year-round.
We Seed SistAs have been working clinically as herbalists for over two decades and nearly everyone that comes to see us can do with support with their nutrition and digestion. We see these as the foundations of health. That is what led us originally to explore creating a whole food plant powder product. And over the years, we have experimented with a range of different formulas – some of you have tried our Garden Treats or SuperHeroHerbs/Super greens in the past. After much experimentation, we have settled on a new mix of 6 super foods, Rosie’s Super Herbs.
When we talk about detoxification, we promote the drinking of smoothies and juices and often encourage people to add the powders into their morning drinks. The development of Rosie’s Superfoods has been 9 years in the making and we hope you love our recipe as much as we do.
Rosie’s Herbal Powders
Rosie’s Super Herbs are power packed food powders of abundantly growing plants containing powders of rosehips, nettles, globe artichoke, barley grass, kelp and alfalfa. These plants are full of nutrients that support the system encouraging greater clarity and energy.
The powders can be added to smoothies. Or just a little hot water and drunk down daily for a super vitamin and mineral plant powered boost. Utilising the power of nutritional powders is a great to get the system moving, improve energy and encourage eating more consciously. In herbal therapeutics, we think about supporting all of the body’s systems to bring balance and harmony to any blend. We’ve used herbs that have been shown to support the immune system such as rosehip.
Rosehip is the star of these powders has long been used for a health boost and was also a replacement for vitamin C when there has been trade embargoes on oranges. Post-war England saw the harvesting of rosehips by local people in exchange for money to be processed into syrup for babies an adults alike as a nutritional supplement. This herbal hip is particularly famous for her nutrition high in vitamins and compounds that support and boost immunity, integrity of the joints and nerves.
The beautiful, delicious, nutritious Rosehip. The varied red hues catch your eye in autumn as the hips bob their heads throughout the hedgerows, contrasting with the dark greens of theserrated leaves. Nestled in the thorny briar, the blood-red hips are reminiscent of the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. They counsel the importance of protection, the good fairy godmother’s magic of patience and rest, followed by the awakening.
These sensual, fruity hips represent the whole of the female reproductive system. Their womb-shaped nourishing shells are filled with thousands of seeds holding the potential of generations to come. We use them as a tonic for the female reproductive system and to nourish women with heavy periods.
We often sprout the Alfalfa seeds which are super rich in anti-oxidants but not everyone has the time nor inclination. Therefore, the powder is another fast and easy way to gain optimum support from this plant .
Anti-oxidants have reached fame for protecting the body from damaging compounds and have shown potential for boosting immunity and reducing inflammation. Dioscorides wrote about the nutritional alfalfa in the first century AD. The common name ‘alfalfa’ comes from the Arabic term meaning ‘father of all foods,’ due to its high levels of protein and vitamins.
Nettle leaf is known for its iron-rich content, as well as other minerals in Spring. It is a real bloody nourisher. It is one of the safest alterative (altering to improve health) or blood purifying herbs. This is because it helps the body restore optimal functioning by aiding metabolic processes, especially the elimination of waste products. It aids the body to do this by stimulating the kidneys, helping the body to eliminate bacteria and other toxins especially in the treatment of chronic disorders that require long-term treatment. It has a gentle, stimulating effect on the lymphatic system, enhancing the excretion of wastes through the kidneys for the detoxification process.
Barley grass is the young leaf of the barley plant (Hordeum vulgare) and is super rich in chlorophyll which is almost identical to haem cells in the blood. Haem carries iron in the body. It is a great source of fibre in this whole powdered form too.
Globe artichoke is not only packed full of nutrients but it has quality that supports liver function. Long used by herbalists and revered by the Greeks and Romans for its delicious and nutritious qualities.
Kelp is rich in vitamins and minerals but has shown to be particularly comparatively high in calcium. Kelps are seaweeds that grow in particular shallow and nutrient-rich waters around the world. They’ve been eaten and used medicinally for hundreds of years and are a natural source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E. This is as well as minerals including zinc, iodine, magnesium, iron, potassium, copper and calcium. In fact, kelp contains the highest natural concentration of calcium of any food – 10 times more than milk.
Directions for use: We use up to one teaspoon of the formula in a little water, or our favourite, we make our morning cup of herbal tea and dissolve the Rosie’s in it. It’s delicious as well as packing a healthful punch.
Don’t stop reading yet…..!
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