Gentle Cleansing with Spring Herbs
A glimpse into Georgia’s recent whole body cleanse.
Georgia Fickes, a bright soul who is an herbalist and full of wisdom.
Here is a guideline of how I took care of my body for
2-3 days with food and herbs:
Morning Time
Upon waking…
Raw Crushed Garlic
Crush garlic, letting it sit 10-15 minutes then eat on an empty stomach immediately followed by 1 cup of water
Liver Vitality Drink
Drink this 10 to 15 minutes after the garlic. I like to add a squeeze of lemon.
There are so many herbs in this powder that assist your liver. Supporting in restoring it to better deal with metabolic waste as well as other toxins. It also has some binders in it which is important when cleansing.
Nourishing Infusion
Make this in a quart size jar the night before. Drink 1 quart a day, making a batch of 3 at a time. Keep the other two in the fridge for the next 2-3 days to drink. After it has sat for 4-8 hours, strain and heat up 1 cup. Splitting 1 quart jar through-out the day or drinking in full in the morning.
These drinks have substance and support your body in multiple ways. Reach out for more information or if you would like to create a blend for your body and energetic needs.
Adaptogen Drink
Once I feel that I digested the garlic, liver drink, and nourishing infusion and feel I can use a little more substance I move onto a yummy drink! If you can make your own nut milk, do, if not don’t stress it. This is all about doing the best we can with the time and tools we have.
1 cup Milk of choice
I’ve been loving Oat Milk
Cacao 1tbsp
Powdered mushrooms about 1 tsp
I like to use a blend of Reishi, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, and Lions Mane
Stevia few drops
Stevia is a beautiful plant and blows my mind how sweet the leaves are. If you do not like the taste opt for no sweetener or use a little honey, maple syrup, or 1 date
Coconut Butter or Oil 1 tsp
if you are feeling that you need food add a teaspoon of coconut oil or butter. The fat helps to extract more medicinal properties and better assimilates the medicine in your body.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes to extract medicinal properties.
I really try to not eat or drink anything sweet but I find that it can be helpful to ease ourselves into a cleanse slowly with more compassion
Lunch Time
Steamed Vegetables
Asparagus and Leeks are in season. Be sure to look for the vegetables that look the most vibrant and locally grown when possible!
Wild Green Salad with Herbal Vinegar & Olive Oil
If you have an herbal vinegar here is where you can add that into the mix! I have a fresh batch of Herbal vinegars for sale if you would like to try one. You can also blend ACV and Olive Oil for a simple dressing.
Wild Greens: Chickweed, Violets, Curly Dock, Sheep Sorrel, Nettles, and Dandelion leaves and flowers. *If you need help identifying please reach out.
These plants have a variety of benefits. They are high in nutrients and can be a great addition into a cleanse. Here is a short description:
Chickweed and Violets are great to support the lymphatic system, soothing to heat tissue states, and high in vitamins & minerals.
Nettles is used to soothe inflammation, support the kidneys, cleanse and build the blood.
Curly Dock and Dandelion are bitters. They stimulate bile production to assist in breaking down of food, creating better absorption in GI. Great for moving any stagnant energy in detox pathways.
Sheep Sorrel is high in antioxidants and nutrient content
Clockwise from top left: Cleavers, Nettles, Violet Leaves, Chickweed
Dinner Time
Bone or Veggie Broth
I purchase my broth from an organic, small, and local source. For myself I find comfort in local products and connecting with ancestral foods. My health has shifted since this journey of reconnection with my roots. Honoring all sentient beings on the earth with prayers of gratitude. If you choose to eat animal products, give thanks through prayer and offerings. Understand and respect all viewpoints and hope you can too. Blessings on your food journey.
Stretch the broth with spring water this way you can save some for the next night. Add some garlic, lemon, lots of Thyme and Oregano, sea salt, nettles fennel, and broccoli.
Bone broth is super great for tissues, ligaments, the musculoskeletal system overall, Gut Health, Hair, and Skin
Thyme and Oregano have resinous oils that support immune and lung health
If you add Nettles you are adding a nutrient rich element that is blood building. If you don’t have fresh add dried.
Side Note: *Nettles is an amazing herb to consume during allergy season.
Other herbs and medicinal elements:
Herbal Tinctures
Burdock & Dandelion tincture 2-3x a day
Motherwort, Tulsi, St Johns, and Rose Tincture 2-3x a day or as needed. This soothed my nervous system, boosted my moon, and tonifies tissues. *this blend was made by my herb friend Melody.
Vitex & Shisandra hormonal support 2x a day. This is a blend I made custom to support my moon cycle.
Add this to a big jug of water to drink through-out the day
Fresh Herbs
As spring time can be a bit cold and damp adding Ginger and Cayenne into broths and teas can help stimulate and keep your body warm. Circulation is a beautiful way to make sure that the medicine is being delivered through out your body. Of course with any herb, knowing the energetics of yourself and the plant is best to make a wise choice of who your allies are. If you run hot or dry these may not be for you.
Probiotics
Kimchi on empty stomach before lunch and dinner. Using one with ginger in it activates and warms the stomach up, prepping the digestion process. You can of course use a classic sauerkraut.
If I didn’t eat kimchi I would take a probiotic usually in the afternoon between lunch and dinner.
Dry Skin Brushing
I like to do this in the morning by drop some stimulating essential oil, for me it was lemongrass, onto your hand and brush the skin over your hand so the brush picks up the oil. Brush up your legs, up your arms, and up your belly. This supports your lymphatic system and boosts circulation.
Lymphatic Herbal Oil Self Massage
Ingredients: Violets, Red Clover, Calendula, Chickweed as a base
At night I dry skin brush, followed by an herbal oil self-massage, and a hot shower. Some say to stay away from dry skin brushing at night. I have noticed with my sometimes Kapha constitution it does not affect me. Especially in combination with herbal oil self-massage and a hot shower. If you are Pita or Vata you can skip dry brushing and go straight to an herbal oil massage followed by a hot shower. The nervous system is immediately smoothed and ready for bed after this ritual.
Herbal oils are great to use as a way to support your nervous and lymphatic system. It gently cleanses while also supporting your nerve endings. When your nervous system is smoothed out your body is able to cleanse better.
Enemas
This is super supportive when cleansing. This is a way to support our detox pathways. This can support in clearing skin, increase energy, immunity, and overall wellbeing.
You can do gentle enemas of lemon water, garlic water, or even marshmallow root tea infusion to support mucosal membranes in GI tract.
Nervine Herbs
Skullcap, Oat Tops and Straw infusions, and Sleep Tincture Blend that has Skullcap, Rose, Chamomile, and Lavender
These are great before bed to drift off easier and to add a bit of assurance to a good night’s rest.
A restored nervous system supports in better communication throughout the body.