Spring Cleaning: How Dandelions Can Help Detox Your Hormones
“The only difference between a flower and a weed is judgement.”
This quote applies quite directly to what is often felt to be a pesky garden weed during this time of year: Dandelions.
It’s around springtime that you may start noticing some dandelions popping up in your yard or garden in full force.
If you’re growing a garden and you’re constantly wondering “how do I keep the dandelions out of my garden without using herbicides?”, you may experience some frustration as these begin popping up their pretty yellow heads everywhere.
So this is a suggestion to shift your mentality into one of recognizing opportunity, one of acknowledging the wisdom of nature rather than feeling like nature is out to get you (and your garden veggies), plus they’re great for early spring pollinators.
How can dandelions help hormone detox?
Dandelion roots can be easily harvested to use as an herbal decoction* that strengthens, tones and stimulates bile secretions, improving liver detoxification and gut health (just make sure you’re not harvesting them from a location that has been sprayed with pesticides/herbicides/or any other -cides).
*A decoction is an herbal tea that is simmered over time to help extract the compounds that otherwise wouldn’t be effectively extracted if just pouring boiling water over it. Keep reading if you want to learn how make my Dandy Decoction.
Stimulating bile secretions (by way of dandelion root tea) calls on the liver to process and package up more toxic waste (and excess cholesterol if you have it) to put into the bile for release into your gallbladder and your gut.
How do I know I need to “detox” my hormones?
In a healthy scenario, when your liver detoxifies excess estrogen, it’s packaged up into the bile and released into the gut and eliminated without any issue.
BUT most women experiencing hormone imbalances, like estrogen dominance, also struggle with them, in part, because of a sluggish liver and/or inadequate elimination.
If you’re experiencing symptoms or conditions like:
Unexplained infertility
PMS
Breast tenderness before your period
Painful periods
Carrying excess body fat
Constipation
Bloating
Endometriosis
PCOS
Recurrent pregnancy loss
Sleep problems
Acne
Skin rashes
Anxiety/Depression
Tired
Brain fog
Cravings
Bad breath
Difficulty sweating
Then your liver could definitely use some detox support! Book a discovery call with me to see how I can help!
Liver detox and gut health are intimately intertwined
Your liver is your body’s “cleanup crew”, your gallbladder is your body’s “garbage truck” and gut is your body’s “dump”. Wouldn’t it be horrible if the waste that was intended for the dump and eventual landfill was returned to your home to have to clean up all over again???
Well that’s what happens with “entero-hepatic recirculation” when the waste in the gut is reabsorbed back to the liver to be re-processed.
Gross!
Ensuring you are effectively binding your waste enroute to the gut and that you’re having regular bowel movements is critical to prevent reabsorption of toxic waste.
You should especially dedicate some intention towards supporting your liver health, detoxification, and gut health if you are experiencing symptoms like PMS, period cramps, breast tenderness before your period and more, all signs of estrogen dominance (read my full blog post, “What is Estrogen Dominance and Why It Might Be Keeping You From Getting Pregnant” to learn more on that topic here).
What causes a “sluggish” liver?
Your liver can be “sluggish”, leaving you with too much estrogen waiting to be processed, for a variety of reasons such as:
Nutrient deficiencies
Inadequate antioxidant status
Low antioxidant intake
Excess toxic burden
Mineral imbalances
and more!
And this is exactly why I focus on all of these factors in my course Resilient Motherhood!
When your liver is “sluggish”, it’s not effectively keeping up with the “burden” of toxins/toxicants it needs to process.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed trying to sift through the noise of figuring out what’s “toxic” and how do you reduce your toxic burden, check out this podcast episode my husband (a Naturopathic Doctor) and I recorded on practical tips to make non-toxic living approachable.
Wondering if you need to “do a detox” before getting pregnant?
Listen to my podcast episode on The Resilient Fertility Podcast where I break down:
Why taking steps to support detoxification BEFORE your 3 month preconception window is important for optimal health of your future baby
How environmental toxicants can impact your fertility (and male fertility), directly impacting egg quality and sperm quality
The impact your environment has on your hormone balance, influencing states of estrogen dominance and common conditions symptoms like PCOS, Endometriosis, PMS, heavy periods, irregular cycles and more
What you can do to reduce your chances of experiencing extreme nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and some natural strategies to improve Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)
Whether or not you need to stop breastfeeding to “do a detox” before your next pregnancy
How I approach supporting detoxification in the preconception period with my clients
How does dandelion root tea help your gut?
Dandelion root tea can also support your hormones and fertility by improving gut health.
Dandelion roots are rich in prebiotic fibers that can feed beneficial bacteria in your gut to grow. They are also somewhat bitter in flavor and those bitter compounds can stimulate digestive movement and secretions, especially helpful if you struggle with constipation or reflux.
Optimal gut health is critical for fertility, producing healthy eggs, to prevent testing positive for GBS (Group B streptococcus) in pregnancy, and to inoculate your future baby with a healthy microbiome.
One person’s junk is another person’s treasure, am I right??
Note: If you experience IBS or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) or are sensitive to other high-FODMAP foods, dandelion root tea may worsen symptoms as it his high in prebiotic fibers (naturally high-FODMAPs) that can feed the bacteria in your small intestine. Responses may be dose-dependent, however. Consult with your trusted, qualified healthcare practitioner to get to the root of why you are reacting to such foods. Book a discovery call with me if you’re experiencing gut issues that you need to address before preparing your body for pregnancy, I’d be happy to help you figure out what next steps you can take.
So how do you make a dandelion decoction? Follow this general strategy below!
How to make a Dandy Decoction Herbal “Coffee”
You’ll need:
1 quart water
2 tbsp roasted dandelion root
Optional: cinnamon, burdock root, chicory root, lemon/orange peel
Medium-sized saucepan
Directions:
Place your roasted dandelion root, water (and any other herbs you’d like) in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce to simmer and steep until the water has reduced in half.
Strain and drink throughout the day.
Want to learn more about how to support your detoxification capacity?
This is just the tip of the iceberg! In my course, Resilient Motherhood: a self-paced guide to preparing for conception and beyond, I guide you through even more about how you can reduce your toxic burden, but also how you can provide your body with the nutrients necessary to run liver detox effectively and how you can optimize your elimination routes to ensure you are eliminating what your liver is intending as waste. Say goodbye to hormone problems and say hello to a revived and fertile body!
I invite you join my FREE masterclass where I’ll teach you 3 simple tips to unlock your fertility.
