Article courtesy of BCHA Professional RHT member Megan Tardif-Woolgar, BSc (Hons.), Dip. Phyt. RH (AHG), RHT (CHA of BC)
To view entire article with additional information, please visit: http://megantardifwoolgar.com/blog/the-bitter-truth
Why do I love spring? Because of all the BITTER herbs that are popping up all over the place! Dandelions! Nettles! Burdock! Oh my!
It is this time of the year when we would traditionally be moving away from those heavy and starchy tubers and meats, things we have stored to survive the winter, and on to the newest greens that we find once the snows melt.
But….we just finished Easter- the festivity of rebirth- celebrated with the heavy consumption of bunny-lain chocolate Easter eggs, yellow chick peeps, chocolate rabbits, eggies and cream eggs. Carnage. All the foods which bog us down even more and make our livers unhappy- we pile them right on. But don`t we love those sweet and fatty tastes? It`s not just our cultures affinity for the rich and boisterous flavours that make us unhealthy. It is the cravings for the sweet and the neglect of the other tastes which causes so much imbalance within our bodies. And the modern food industry helps us get there- making sweeter than sweet (and highly addictive) high fructose corn syrup, and the saltier than salt monosodium glutamate (MSG). In fact, they had this all figured out some time ago. Enter obesity epidemic…. Now we totally disregard and even selectively breed out those tastes that are less tantalizing, such as the bitter and the sour tastes.
Why should we all love BITTERS? Because bitters stimulate digestion. More specifically, the bitter taste on your tongue (and YES you have to taste it!) stimulates the production of digestive secretions via the vagus nerve. It prepares your body for food and promotes the breakdown and the ASSIMILATION of the food you eat. Bitters can be taken 15 minutes before you eat, or you can try adding some delicious dandelion leaves to your salads. They are also delish if you steam the basal florette (the bunch of leaves that pop up before the plant produces yellow flowers) and add a splash of vinegar. Yum! Your digestive system will LOVE you! Also, when we prepare our system to eat by introducing bitters, we feel full sooner, and we are far less likely to over eat (Mr. Munchie, Peeps, or what have you…).
Bitters also support the liver- the organ that suffers so much wear and tear trying to detoxify our bodies- especially after all the grief we give it. Let`s all give our livers some LOVE and eat dandies instead of candies! Don`t feel too keen on skipping through your back yard picking dandelions or other bitters for your salad?
Do not fear! Head down to the Dieppe market on Saturdays from 7 to 1:30- I have a Bitters blend with your name on it! Just remember that Bitters stimulate stomach secretions, and therefore should not be taken if you experience acid reflux, GERD, or stomach ulcers.
About the Author:
About Megan
Megan started her journey with a degree in Environmental Science from Dalhousie University. Although she is still very passionate about healing the planet, she feels that on the large scale this planetary healing cannot happen without individual changes in perception and well-being.
Megan graduated from Pacific Rim College with her diploma of Phytotherapy (Herbal Medicine) in 2014. She has extensively studied and worked with over 150 different herbs, and has over 500 clinic hours of experience. Megan is a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist`s Guild (http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/), the Canadian Herbalists Association of British Columbia (http://www.chaofbc.ca/), and has been a board member of the Herbalist`s Association of Nova Scotia since 2015 (http://herbalns.org/). Megan has a special interest and experience treating digestive disorders and mental health issues (the two of which she believes are inherently interconnected).
Megan is happiest helping facilitate the connection between the human and plant world for the purpose of healing the body, the mind and soul. She can often be found in her herb garden with her hands in the dirt- planting, harvesting, or medicine-making. Megan believes that the key to creating resilient communities lies within the nurturing of both individuals and the planet. It is important for Megan to participate in the empowerment of both patients and the community, educating about herbal medicine so that individuals may foster their own healthy relationships with plants.
