Spring tonics are here!

Springtime is exciting for anyone, and even more so for herbalists, foragers and gardeners!

The transition from cold dark winter hibernation into the bright fresh lightness of spring enlivens our mind, body and soul. We, like the plants, re-emerge into the light to greet the world again with hope and joy. Like the seed we may have been lying dormant ready to awaken as the sun returns and the earth warms.

As beings of nature, like all other animals and plants, we are profoundly connected to the rhythms and cycles of life; the turning of the earth, proximity of the sun and its ability to warm us. After millennia of evolving alongside plants and along with the seasons, it’s no wonder that when we look to nature for guidance, we are presented with exactly what we need.

The move from winter to spring is all about letting go and rising up to the fresh new potential that is open to us. One way of receiving support in this is by turning to the plants.

Nature offers us much in the way of letting go and releasing, as well as drawing in the new, and spring is a prime time to access this. I’m talking about the blessing of a traditional spring tonic!

As a herbalist, spring elicits joy for the green gifts that arise, literally poking through the soil, re-emerging like old friends to say hello and offer up their services. And the service they offer is exactly what we need to let go of our winter sluggishness. Because over the wintertime, let’s face it, (and there is no shame in it!), we have all become more sedentary enjoying a much needed rest from the abundance and energy of summer, foods have been heavier and more on the preserved side, and we may have experienced coughs, colds and ‘flu that have left us feeling a little stagnant. Enter Spring Tonics!

The magic of spring tonics relates to their ability to improve the body in its detoxification processes. Detoxification is especially important after a winters rest because the reduced circulation of general lower level activity will allow toxins to accumulate, as well as metabolic waste and general debris such as that left over from an immune response. The body has a number of processes which expel these wastes from the body, and it is through these processes that the spring tonic herbs offer their support.

Spring tonic herbs exert their effects via the kidneys, liver and gut. In fact this is what defines a spring tonic herb, one which improves the body’s ability to eliminate waste by supporting the body’s excretory organs, basically our waste disposal systems. It’s kind of like engaging in an annual spring cleaning ritual for the body!

The organs involved in this waste disposal are the liver, gall bladder, bowel, kidneys and skin. Obviously, the blood plays an important part here as does the lymph. The lymphatic system links up all the glands involved that create the cells involved in an immune response. It carries white blood cells to where they are needed and can end up with a bit of a backlog in terms of clearing out the old dead cells. Encouraging increased flow through the kidneys draws out these old dead cells, such as in the obvious palpable and sometimes tender lymph nodes of the neck when we catch a cough, cold or ‘flu. These glands work hard and the left over debris needs removing to create space for an efficient immune response when we next require it.

Another area particularly prone to waste accumulation is around the joints which have a poor blood supply, and also at any points of tension in the muscles and soft tissues. If you imagine a healthy flowing stream, clear water dancing happily along and then splitting off into very narrow water ways which have an increased tendency to clog up, this is what the joints are up against. Metabolic waste can accumulate as the small blood vessels struggle to remove it, as well as bringing in the nutrients from the blood to nourish the joints, the absence of which can cause aggravation of joint issues. So again, here, anything that encourages increased flow and removal of wastes will have a positive effect on joint health, including the reduction of joint symptoms of pain and inflammation. Of course increasing our activity level and including circulatory tonics also have a big part to play.

As well as joint flare ups due to toxic accumulation the skin can suffer. This is because the skin is also an excretory organ and will be enlisted by the body in the removal of wastes only when the other excretory organs are over-burdened and can’t keep up with the load. This may be seen in an exacerbation of skin issues such as acne and eczema. As toxins are expelled via the skin they can be aggravating and cause a flare-up. The way a herbalist will deal with this is to support the body’s main excretory functions, and in particular, the liver.

The liver is quite a focal point for herbalists, along with bowel function of course. Signs of an overburdened liver include skin trouble and mood disorders. In fact the liver has long been referred to as the ‘seat of melancholy’. This relates to the fact that it is the livers job to clear out hormones, including those involved in the stress response, as well as male and female sex hormones. Think cortisol, androgens, oestrogen, etc.… An excess of any of these hormones circulating the body can cause disruption and even destruction. On top of the processing of hormones, the liver is also responsible for detoxification of alcohol from our system, and fats through the production of bile. Therefore, at times when we may find ourselves stressed, drinking alcohol and consuming fatty foods, our liver is most likely to be overburdened. Hence the reason for the herbalists pre-occupation with treating the liver; our modern western lifestyle require it!

Improving the general functioning of the digestion system will have a positive knock-on effect to the functioning of the rest of the body, because after all, our need for sustenance is massively reliant upon an its effectiveness in transforming the foods we eat into our physical make up and providing for our physiological processes. And so in terms of spring tonics, we find that here they offer support through stimulating the release of digestive juices from the liver and gall bladder which ready the system for efficient digestion and assimilation of food. Additionally, support also comes in the form of improving gut transit time, ensuring that substances don’t hang around too long in the gut to putrefy and add more toxins to the load. Again, moving away from stagnation and sluggishness, towards the encouragement of flow and freshness.

Once things are flowing more freely, and we have cleared away the cobwebs, we now have space to invite in the much needed fresh nutrients that can rebuild our stores and ready us for the energy of summer. A number of the spring tonic herbs provide a whole host of vitamins and minerals to do just this. They offer great nourishment directly to the tissues which optimise cellular function and place us in our best health. For this reason and all the aforementioned, we can see that an annual spring cleanse using tonic herbs is a great way to work in terms of preventative medicine. To engage in that spring clean, keep everything in order, flowing well, and properly nourished. This is an important practice that I love to share widely in the hope that we will bring back this healthy tradition linked so tightly with the seasons of nature and our needs.

Yesterday evening I hosted a herb walk in my local park for our local horticultural society. We explored the reasoning behind a spring cleanse and met quite a few plants which can offer support in this process. Herbs that you may know and likely see regularly in our green spaces. Herbs such as nettles, cleavers, dandelion, dock, birch and hawthorn among others. Herbs that offer actions such as diuretic, working on the kidneys to improve joints, skin and lymph glands, and bitters, which stimulate the liver, gall bladder and gut in its excretory function. We talked about how best to harvest and prepare the herbs and I am hopeful that some people will continue their exploration of these powerful green allies.

If you would like to learn more in person, I will be hosting a Spring Tonics workshop on Saturday 30th April 2022. It will be a chance to build up your relationship with each herb through engaging the senses. We’ll be exploring characteristics, preparations and taste. Getting up close and becoming intimately acquainted with each one to the point of gaining the confidence to be able to get on and carry out your own annual spring cleanse with all that nature has to offer!