burdock
articum lappa
Herbalist Matthew Wood explains that if ‘the liver, the seat of metabolism, is not burning cleanly enough to remove all catabolic waste products,’ then they start to accumulate in the body. As explained by Sajah Popham, in an effort to purge these toxic buildups, ‘the body often launches an immunologically based inflammatory process to try to move things along,’ resulting in these toxins getting pushed out through the skin in chronic skin conditions such as acne, eczema & psoriasis. By stimulating the liver, bitter herbs like burdock help to alleviate toxic stagnation that builds up in the liver, blood & lymphatic system, initiating beneficial detoxification.
While burdock helps the body to dismantle toxic build up, it simultaneously replenishes the body. A deep taproot, burdock digs deep into the subsoil for mineral nutrition, building up stores vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, & zinc which are later delivered to US upon consumption. With stagnation corrected, this nutrition can be more effectively distributed to tissues throughout the body, optimizing function across systems. Win win.
Burdock’s nutrient value doesn’t stop there, though. Prebiotics are valuable carbs that our bodies can’t digest, so they land in the lower GI tract and serve as food for the microbiome, or the good bacteria population in the gut . Burdock root is a strong prebiotic that helps to rebuild and maintain a healthy microbiome population. Antibiotics indiscriminately obliterate ALL bacteria, good & bad. In a day & age where most meat available comes from livestock that was pumped full of antibiotics, where tap water can’t be trusted, & where antibiotic prescriptions rain down like confetti, nourishing the microbiome is critical.
Another way that burdock enhances gut health is by promoting better absorption of fats. When cells are deficient of fat, they fail to retain water and then ATROPHY. According to Sajah Popham, of The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, ample fat consumption and ABSORPTION ‘fortifies cellular membranes thereby creating a lipid membrane which prevents cellular water loss.’ This means better functioning on a cellular level, and more ideal nutrient absorption overall.
In addressing the root cause by supporting the liver & elimination pathways throughout the body, burdock paves the way for clearer skin, better lymphatic flow, appropriate immune system activity & optimal digestion. Look to this root when digestion is lagging, when feeling sluggish, tired & when facing stubborn, unresponsive skin conditions. A safe and gentle TONIC for these systems, take when things are running smoothly as well, to keep the good things in motion. Its underlying power as a blood purifying alterative is only effective when taken regularly, so take those bitters every damn day!
Sourcing this common root from a good farm has been a surprising struggle locally, so we get ours from the reputable Oshala Farm, in Grants Pass, OR.*
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