Detox with this Rejuvenating Spice & Herb Recipe

Whew! Now that the holidays have passed, we can breathe a sigh of relief, put away the sugary cookies, take a break from the alcohol, and get back on track with healthy resolutions. The Cleansing Detox Spice/Herb Blend below will help detoxify and cleanse your body, which is particularly needed following an over-indulgent festive season. These herbs will also help alleviate some of the sluggish, worn down physical conditions I most commonly see among my patients after the busy holiday bustle.

You can find these and plenty more healthy, tasty, and easy-to-make recipes for long and healthy living in Secrets of Longevity Cookbook, available now. 

Cleansing Detox Spice/Herb Blend

These warming herbs and spices help detoxify and cleanse your body by supporting the function of your liver, lymphatic system, bowels, urinary tract, and skin. Want more healing specifics? Check out the cleansing abilities of the three herbs below.

For making your own spice blend, there is no need to measure these spices/herbs exactly, but I recommend using equal amounts of each spice in dried and ground forms. I also recommend using a grinder similar to a coffee grinder to pulverize these, but keep in mind the grinder should be used only for spices and herbs. The consistency of the finished spices should be a dark powder. Store the blended spices in an airtight, glass jar to protect the volatile oils for six months to a year.

• turmeric
• ground ginger
• dried parsley
• dried rosemary
• cayenne pepper
• fenugreek
• fennel seed

Whenever you think your body needs a detoxifying jump start, add this blend to your meals just as you are finishing cooking the dish—about 1 minute before you turn off the heat. Add to your soups, stir-frys, fish and veggie dishes, and bean and grain dishes.

Spotlight on 3 Cleansing Herbs

As always, if you are on medication, speak with your physician to make sure these spices aren’t interfering with your medicine.

1. Turmeric: This orange-colored spice makes a frequent appearance in curry dishes, and boasts anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor properties. Additionally, turmeric promotes circulation, prevents blood clots, and decreases inflammation. It is also thought to accelerate the detoxification process in the whole body by increasing bile production and release. Fun fact: did you know that the blood-thinning drug Coumadin orginated from turmeric?

2. Rosemary: This fragrant, perennial herb has been used since ancient times to flavor cooking and it was also used to preserve meat. As it turns out, rosemary’s high level of antioxidants may play a role in protecting against food spoliage—and also protecting your bodily tissues from free radical damage. It is rosemary’s ability to stimulate the digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems that is thought by herbalists to help cleanse your body. Also, taken alone, rosemary can be a helpful digestive aid for settling your stomach. This is a great herb to grow in your kitchen window, whether you want to cook with fresh needles, or hang upside down to dry out and add to a spice/herb blend.

3. Parsley: Far more important than its low status as a garnish on your plate, parsley has one of the highest levels of chlorophyll of any herb. The high level of chlorophyll can help boost immunity, lower inflammation, and clear toxins. Parsley is traditionally used as a diuretic, which is thought to strengthen the bladder and support kidney function. Additionally, parsley contains alpha-linolenic acid, the omega-3 fatty acid that may help prevent cardiovascular disease and arthritis. With all these benefits, you will want to put parsley in everything from juices to spice mixes.

You can find plenty of healthy, tasty, and creative recipes for long and healthy living in Secrets of Longevity Cookbook, which just came out and is a great companion book to my Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of Ways to Live to Be 100, now available on Kindle.

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May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

—Dr. Mao

The herb blends that follow are meant to support your health, but you should not treat them as a cure-all or replacement for medication. Some herbal supplements may interact with drug medications. As your health strategies change and evolve, never stop taking prescription medications without first speaking to your physician.

This blog is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

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