Vegan day 69: Blood Purifier tea
Committing to a “lifestyle change” is a process involving not only changes in food choices but changes in eating habits. For example, I eat more frequently than before, I eat smaller meals, I try to chew my food more thoroughly, I avoid liquids while eating and I drink medicinal teas everyday- sometimes as meals. I can get carried away with snacks so it’s beneficial to just have a cup of tea to break up all the frequent eating. I enjoy many teas and combinations- some of my favorites are dandelion tea and coffee, kuchika tea, green tea, calcium rich teas, calming teas, teas for digestion and those to purify my blood!
“Most herbalists agree that if one can purify the blood and neutralize excess acidity, all diseases will eventually subside.” …. “The site of the body most responsible for the purity of blood is the small intestine, which must separate useful nutrients from the totality of substances ingested. Secondary organs affecting blood purity include the liver, kidneys and colon.” ~ Michael Tierra
Tierra believes in purifying the blood by:
- Directly neutralizing acids in the body with the strong alkaline herbs (dandelion and slippery elm)
- Stimulating the organs of the body especially the liver, kidneys, lungs and colon (Oregon grape root and goldenseal)
- Drying excess moisture and removing excess fat where the toxins are (plantain, mullein, chickweed and goat kola)
- Eliminating excess heat (toxic blood) especially from the small intestine (rhubarb root)
River of Life Blood Purifier
(recipe from The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D.)
Echinacea- 2 parts
Chaparral- 2 parts
Yellow dock- 1 part
Garlic-1 part
Sarsaparilla- 1 part
Sassafras- 1 part
Ginseng- 1 part
Golden seal- 1 part
Ginger- 1 part
Licorice- 1 part
Poke root- 1 part
I combine the herbs that I can acquire and keep them in a glass jar. It just happens now that I use all of my old alcohol shakers that I collect- for herbs! Then, I steep about 1.5 teaspoon of herb mix to each cup of boiling water. I would use fresh garlic and ginger. It’s nice to have a tea cup with a strainer like in the picture- so easy to use and clean. The book suggests to make your own capsules (vegan ones of course) or to make a tincture. More on herbology throughout the year! I buy my herbs at Integral Yoga, 13th Street, NYC or I buy them online.
Reference:
Michael T, L.Ac., O.M.D. 1998. Way of Herbs. New York, NY: Pocket Books
Disclaimer: The information given here is for educational purposes only. You should not use this to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.
[Friday, March 9th 2012 blog]
