It’s been a long, wet, slog but Spring is finally here! In ancient times, people survived the winter eating meats and had little in the way of fresh vegetables. Thus emerging into spring they were both stagnant but also starved for fresh greens and minerals. The bitter, mineral rich green plants that emerge in early spring were a literal life saver, providing important nutrition at a time when peoples bodies were starved for vitamins and minerals, and also detoxing vital organs like the Liver and Kidneys.
Nourishment AND cleansing are essential after the confinement of winter, and naturally, in accordance with the healing intelligence of the plants, seasonal springtime greens provide the perfect medicine.
Tradtional wild spring greens include herbs like nettles, chickweed, cleavers, plantain, dandelion, and mugwort. These bitter spring greens both cleanse and nourish the body in tandem. In modern times, where Winter tends to be a time of stagnation and excess, these spring greens help cleanse and kick start us into health. The bitter flavor has a purifying, purging effect on the body and mind. In Ayurveda, bitter is seen as literally scraping excess fat and toxins out of the body. At the same time, it is also the flavor associated most strongly with spiritual cultivation and purification, promoting deeply meditative states. In Taoist 5 Elements, bitter drains excesses from the body, purifying and bringing us fully into the present moment. In modern Western culture, we are often averse to bitter, instead overconsuming sweet and salt, leaving our bodies out of balance and in need of the cleansing medicine of bitter. Asian cultures on the other hand, traditionally consume all five flavors at each meal, insuring the bodies’ well being.
The beauty of bitter early spring greens is not just in their ability to detox, but also deeply nourish. Our modern lifestyle tends to leave us overburdened with toxins and excess weight, yet underneath it, we are still undernourished, starving for minerals and nutrients.
We exist in a strange paradox of both excess and deficiency- overfed on the outside but empty on the inside . Lack of nutrtious food, and overuse of pesticides and other pollutants mean that our food is no longer as wholesome as it used to be. Certain nutrients, like Magnesium and Selenium, have been so depleted from the soil that it is nearly impossible to get enough from our diet. Even folks consuming plenty of organic veggies are still often lacking. The wild greens of early spring are thus the perfect support for modern life, not just in spring, but year round. Simultaneously detoxing and nourishing our bodies, and so sky high in nutrients they surpass even powerhouse greens like kale or spinach.
Here is some of the healing bounty that’s available now, right outside our doors!
Nettles (Urtica dioica) love to grow in sunlit clearings near seasonal bogs and streams
Nettles: Packed with Iron, Chlorophyll, Vitamin A and C, nettles are a natural anti-inflammatory that prevent seasonal allergies, and flush the Kidneys and Urinary system. Nettles also deeply nourish the Liver Blood.
Cleavers grow in abundance and are easy to harvest. They taste great juiced!
Cleavers: This herb literally tastes like spring! Excellent cleanser for the lymph, they drain sluggishness and damp from the body, and their green, tasty flavor helps attune us to the spring season. Cleavers soothe and heal the skin. They also tone the Kidneys and Urinary system, and can prevent Kidney stones. Cleavers are best used fresh.
Chickweed: Succulent, nutritious, and soothing!
Chickweed: Chickweed is a nourishing, soothing anti inflamatory that heals the gut lining and promotes healthy digestion, and it packs even more nutrition than Spinach. Higher in Iron! And adds a healthful dose of Magnesium, Zinc, and Vitamins A and C to boot. Chickweed also cleanses the skin and can treat psoriasis and eczema.
Dandelion is a time tested cleanser for the Liver and Gallbladder. It is revered in Herbal Traditions worldwide.
Dandelion: Dandelion is the classic spring bitter, purging the Liver and Gallbladder, draining excess bile and preventing gallstones. It also clears and nourishes the eyesight. Dandelion is also a natural “potassium sparing” diuretic. It flushes the Kidneys and urinary tract, while simaltaneously replenishing electrolytes like Potassium. It’s also high in Iron and Vitamin A.
These are just a few of the wild spring greens that can support our health...
Want to learn more? check out Athene’s Community Herb Walk, Sat. April 8th in Oakland CA. And, Daylong Intensive May 20th on Mt. Tam.
Please do not harvest or consume any of the plants in this article unless you are under the guidance of a trained professional. The statements in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, or sure any illness. Copyright 2023 by Dr. Athene Eisenhardt, L.Ac