May Sunshine? Use Dandelion to Support Your Liver This Season

✨ 1% Better Mondays: Seasonal Tip with Medicinal Herbs

Photo by Viridi Green on Unsplash

The best medicine is the breath of nature.

— Pliny the Elder

Good Monday morning!

Sunshine generally benefits liver health by supporting vitamin D production and anti-inflammatory processes. Why not give your liver a little extra support with dandelion?

Traditional healers turned to dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) for its detoxifying properties—every part of the plant, from root to flower, is edible and medicinal. Dandelion’s role in liver support is just another example of nature’s healing power.

Although it has sadly been maligned in lawns and gardens, dandelion is a well-known herb for supporting liver health. It helps cool and cleanse the liver, making it especially useful in formulations for hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver toxicity. Stimulating bile flow also supports the gallbladder and has traditionally been used for conditions such as cholecystitis, gallstones, and jaundice.

Dandelion is widely used in folk medicine for liver and gallbladder disorders in Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe. Traditional preparations include decoctions and infusions of the root and leaves to address liver ailments.

Dandelion is often used as a spring tonic to "purge the stagnation" of the colder months. Studies suggest that dandelion has lipid-lowering, hepatoprotective, antiviral, anticoagulant, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, all supporting blood purification and digestive vitality.

☀️ What a beautiful sunny little plant nature has given us! It makes you wonder why and who decided that dandelion was a “weed” that needed to be killed.

This week’s tip: Brew dandelion tea or add fresh greens to a salad a few times this week.

• Make tea with dandelion by infusing 1-2 teaspoons of the dried leaves in hot water for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze some lemon in there—it tastes better and helps your body absorb more nutrients.

• To cook with them, rehydrate the dried leaves or grab fresh ones for salads, pesto, or soups. The bitterness works well with citrus, garlic, and olive oil.

• For detox, mix dandelion leaves with dandelion root in a morning tea. It's a gentle way to keep things moving and helps clean out the liver.

☀️ Comment on how it felt, or share this tip with a friend.

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Have a great week — see you Thursday!

Mary Ann Rollano

Creator of Steeped Stories