7 Powerful Blood Cleansing Herbs

Modern Western lifestyles are often far from healthy; many of us eat poorly with an increasing reliance on convenient processed food and how many of us get enough exercise? Poor lifestyle habits coupled with the environmental toxins and heavy meals that we inevitably come across from day to day can cause harmful toxins to build up in our body and our bloodstreams.

This often leads to general ill health, poor skin tone, a weakened immune system and the risk of serious disease like heart or liver diseases and even cancer. If you feel that your body needs a healthy cleanse, all is not lost and there are plenty effective natural remedies at hand.

Herbs have been used for centuries to cleanse the body and purify the blood and many of them have developed an excellent reputation as natural cleansers. This article will take a look at some of the most effective herbal cleansers for your blood and your overall health.

1. Burdock

Burdock which is also known as arctium lappa has antioxidant agents as well as natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and is especially well known for its ability to purify the skin and to heal many skin complaints including psoriasis, eczema and acne. Burdock works by stimulating the body to excrete toxins; it effectively flushes out the impurities from the bloodstream and allows toxins to be transported out via the skin.

Burdock is usually taken orally and is available in capsule and tincture form as well as being used to make teas. It is possible for burdock to interact with diuretics and diabetic medications so please make sure that you speak to your doctor before taking it. Likewise, it is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women.

2. Dandelion

Many people consider dandelions to be no more than a pesky eyesore but they have amazing health benefits. Try to resist the temptation to just throw them away; the entire plant including the leaves, stems and the dandelion root can all be put to good use for your health and wellbeing.

Dandelions are packed with vitamins and minerals like potassium, zinc and iron and they have a wide spectrum of health uses ranging from skin complaints to liver and kidney conditions.

Dandelions are a natural diuretic meaning they can stimulate the production of urine and help the body’s detoxification process by flushing the kidneys of toxins and helping the body to excrete excess fluids and salt which in turn helps the body to purify the blood.

You can pick your own dandelions, dry them and make a dandelion root tea. Alternatively they are available as tinctures and powdered extract.

Because dandelion is a natural diuretic, it may cause certain medications to work less efficiently so check with your doctor before taking it.

For a more detailed look at the benefits of dandelion root, see here.

3. Yellow Dock Root

Yellow dock root has traditionally been used to purify the blood and detox the liver and is known to work for several reasons. First of all it stimulates the body’s production of bile ensuring better digestion of fats.

It also promotes urine production and stimulates the excretory system both of which help eliminate toxic waste from the system and prevent toxins from building up in the liver. Yellow dock root is also a powerful antioxidant and studies have demonstrated that it can destroy many harmful organisms.

Like many herbal remedies, yellow dock root can be enjoyed as a herbal tea or taken in capsule and tincture form. Yellow dock root is considered safe for a healthy adult but it is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding or expecting because it has laxative effects that might be passed to the child.

4. Stinging Nettles

I am sure that everybody has been stung by them at some point in time and it is difficult to imagine that these ugly looking stinging nettles have anything much going for them. However, both the leaves and the stems of these plants contain a number of useful active compounds which include histamine and formic acid.

Nettles have traditionally been used as an herbal remedy for arthritis, migraines and allergies because of their anti-inflammatory abilities. Nettles are also known as one of the best blood cleansing herbs; they promote pancreatic health act as a natural diuretic and can help reduce blood sugar levels.

Many experts recommend you purify the blood several times each year by drinking a cup of nettle tea every day for a month.

1. To make stinging nettle tea, simply bring half a liter of water to the boil; add in a tablespoon of dried nettles, cover your pot and let it steep for 30 minutes.
2. For the most delicious and healthy results, try drinking it unsweetened.

5. Milk thistle

Milk thistle has been used at least 2,000 years for a litany of medicinal purposes. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and is especially well known for its ability to detoxify the liver. Your liver’s health is absolutely essential because of the purification functions it performs. The liver cleans the blood day in and day out allowing it to support nearly every system in our bodies.

The main active ingredient of milk thistle is a flavonoid called silymarin which is responsible for many of its therapeutic benefits. Silymarin can help to repair liver cells that are damaged by toxins and can even protect new cells from further damage. Milk thistle also promotes the production of bile which is an important aid to digestion and the effective absorption of nutrients.

Milk thistle can be taken in capsule, liquid extract or tincture form and is generally regarded as safe. It should however be avoided by pregnant and nursing women and might interact with certain medications.

6. Turmeric

While turmeric is a spice rather than an herb, it is very worthy of a mention in any article related to detoxification and blood cleansing. Turmeric is a powerful anti-oxidant food which provides a full range of health support including its ability to effectively detoxify the liver and improve blood circulation.

Turmeric aids digestion especially the digestion of fat by stimulating the body’s secretion of bile and boosts immunity by promoting a healthier liver function.

Turmeric can be enjoyed as a spice, made into a delicious tea and is also available in capsule form.

 

7. Indian Herbs

There are many Indian herbs that are possibly less well known in the west but have nevertheless been used successfully for generations to clean the blood and to detoxify the body. Popular blood cleansing Indian herbs include neem, guduchi, antamul and manjistha all of which have an excellent reputation as effective blood cleansers.

As well as the herbal remedies mentioned above, make sure that you are drinking plenty of water and try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise in every day.

I know full well that these sorts of lifestyle changes are never easy at first but when it comes to your health, it is definitely worth trying.

Good luck and let us know if any of these remedies helped.