Posted by Danielle Downs on Apr.08, 2009

©iStockphoto.com - AndreasWeber

It’s Spring, which for many women is time to think about the dreaded bikini season. Well, Mother Nature knows a thing or two about fixing those vanity pounds. Did you know that some amazing plant-medicines have started sprouting in your backyard? If your lawn is free from chemical pollutants like fertilizers, pet waste, and car exhaust, harvesting these plants can help you get back your bikini body faster.

Red Clover

Drinking a cup of hot tea before meals can help you feel fuller faster, so chose a hot tea that flushes your system too. These flower buds are an amazing liver detoxifier. Keeping your liver functioning properly will help you eliminate fats and fat soluble chemicals that may have accumulated during winter’s dietary indiscretions. To brew this tea, add 1 cup of washed clover buds to 4 cups of quality water. Bring to a boil, then cover and immediately remove from heat. Honey may be added to strained tea.

Medicinal tea brewing tip: Always keep your tea covered. Many of the beneficial compounds can oxidize or breakdown in air. Some many evaporate. A lidded tea cup and tea pot will keep the good stuff in your cup.

Dandelion Root

If water weight is a problem, this bitter root will get your jeans fitting in no time. Just remember, this is NOT a delicious plant. Dandelion root is very bitter. Mixing it with anise seed or licorice root tea will disguise the flavor without the added calorie of sugar. To make this tea from your backyard, add 3 whole dandelion roots (well washed) to 1 quart of water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add licorice, mint, or other flavoring herb to taste and let rest covered for 10 minutes. To make this tea from powdered dandelion root, use 1 tablespoon dandelion root powder to 1 quart of water.

Violet

Many flowers are edible and violets are among them. This delicious flower has a delicate flavor and a relaxing aroma. This is an ideal tea to drink iced throughout the day or as a wind-down beverage in the evening. Remember, you can’t shed pounds if you’re stressed! Add 1 cup violet flowers to 1 quart of water. Bring just below a simmer, remove from heat, and allow to steep covered for 10 minutes. Mixed with a tablespoon or two of honey, this not-yet-sweet tea is amazing iced. The barely lavender color will encourage you to stay hydrated because it’s too pretty not to drink! Proper hydration will help you curb cravings better than any other diet tip.

Wild Ginger

This plant often blends in with the invasive English Ivy, but it’s leaves are easily distinguishable. Carefully dig your wild ginger by piercing the soil behind the wide part of the leaf. The direction of the root growth will be obvious and you can pull it gently up. Harvest your population judiciously so it can keep growing all year round. The roots are long and thin, about the size of a drinking straw. Wash them well and use them for tea just as you would cultivated ginger root from the store. Because wild ginger is sweeter and much more tender (it doesn’t have the stringy fibers of cultivated ginger), it makes a great alternative to candy. A half inch piece can be chewed for several minutes in place of dessert to help you keep those cravings at bay. Also, ginger is a great tonic for whole body detox and improves circulation. If you have concerns about bleeding, thin blood, stomach ulcers, or heavy and uncomfortable menstrual cycles, avoid ginger of all kinds as it can promote blood flow.

If your yard isn’t great for harvesting your diet aides, check out your local co-op for bulk herbs.

CAUTION: When harvesting wild herbs, even from your own lawn, make sure you positively identify the plant as an edible species.

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Posted under Drinks, Other Beverages.