Herbs for a Healthy Lymphatic System

As we approach Spring Equinox, there is a quickening energy as birds begin returning to our gardens here at Avena Botanicals. Sunlight is longer and stronger. Tree sap is flowing. Winter's ice and snow is melting. The music of flowing streams joins with my morning songs of gratitude. Soon the red-winged blackbirds will return and fill the air with their joyous chorus. 

Early spring beckons us to reflect upon the inner seeds we planted at the winter solstice. If you made any journal entries three months ago, perhaps revisit them, ponder which are the inner seeds (and herbal seeds) you are ready to water and tend this spring. This is also the time of year when the lymph within our body can begin to move more freely with physical exercise, dry brushing, steams and saunas, and herbal support. 

The lymphatic system is an amazing network of lymphatic vessels and groups of nodes — reminding me of underground mycelium networks — that contain various immune cells, help clean the interstitial fluid in the body and release metabolic waste products into the bloodstream for removal. This is the time of year to consider adding in a few herbs that support a healthy lymphatic system. 

 

Our Spring and Fall Tonic is a valuable tonic to take daily for 4-8 weeks as early spring arrives to support the health of the liver and kidneys which work a bit harder during the winter. Spring is a good time of year to shift our diet to less heavy foods and more greens. Nibbling on Dandelion greens and Violet leaves will delight your body and support a gentle detoxification process.

 

 

Burdock Root stimulates good digestive activity, encourages healthy bowel movements, tonifies the kidneys and liver, and helps remove accumulated waste from the tissues, bringing the body back into a balanced state of health. Herbalist David Hoffman says that Burdock will "move the body to a state of integration and health". Burdock can be taken before meals as a tincture or tea, and the fresh or dried roots can be cooked in soups or bone broths.

 

 

Dandelion's yellow flowers are the bringer of spring, feeding nectar to hungry bees and migrating Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and delighting children and herbalists of all ages. Please, please don't mow (or spray chemicals) on Dandelions. If you have to mow, mow around the Dandelions and Violets. Eating Dandelion greens raw in salad or cooked in a spring green soup stimulate saliva and hydrochloric acid, bile flow, and digestive enzymes. This action supports healthy fat metabolism, digestion, assimilation, elimination, and the liver's vitality. Dandelion root tea or tincture can be taken before meals and the fresh or dried roots can also be cooked in soups or bone broths.

 

Our Lymph Mover, formulated by long-time clinical herbalist Hart Brent, is a balanced blend to call upon in spring, 5-15 drops, 1-3 times per day for 4-6 weeks. This dynamic formula deeply supports the vibrancy of the lymphatic system as well as the function of the liver, kidneys, and immune system, which all play important roles in the integrity of the lymphatic system. Although the best way to support the physical movement of lymph fluid around the body is through muscle contraction via movement and massage, Lymph Mover promotes healthy lymphatic tissue and the flow of fluid. The herbs in this formula are Blessed Thistle, Cleavers, Milk Thistle seed, Prickly Ash bark and Red Root. An excellent blend to include as part of your spring renewal routine.

 

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