Spring is here!

Even though it’s been a very mild winter in Toronto, we’re pretty happy the early signs of spring are in effect. 

Here at Bright Holler, we’ve been leaning into the season quite a bit. As gardeners, we’ve been sorting out which seeds to plant, growing some seedlings indoors, and watching as the early perennials poke their heads above the earth for the first time. 

Of course, spring isn’t all just sunshine and rainbows. With all the new planning and activity happening, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious and even irritable. It’s easy to get run down and sick or have a sensitive immune system, giving way to allergies. There’s also residual vibes left over from the season before. During the winter months, people tend to eat heavier, richer food and exercise less. By the time spring rolls around, many people feel bogged down, bluesy, and don’t feel that powerful spring forward energy, the way others might.

Often the plants that pop up first in spring are the ones that ward off common seasonal ailments. In the Holler Gardens, the herbs Nettle, Chickweed, and Dandelion have been popping up. They’re all high in vitamins, minerals and support various stages of the detoxification processes- very helpful to help get rid of all the build up left over from winter, that leads to lethargy, depression, and digestive upsets. These can be taken as a tea, tincture or as a food herb (cooking the nettle first will remove the sting).

Burdock is also popping up. Like Dandelion, Burdock is helpful for detoxification and supports the liver in doing so. They also help the liver in its role in balancing blood sugar levels.

Many people do a spring cleanse using herbs that support the liver. While we aren’t big fans of the word “cleanse” per se, we are big on supporting the organs that cleanse the body of toxins, allowing us to have vitality, while helping to keep us clear of sickness and disease. So we made a tincture to help protect and support the liver in its many of its processes. It has Burdock and Dandelion, as well as a Globe Artichoke, and Milk Thistle.

We like to take this tincture in the spring to support the seasonal transitions, and any time we feel the liver needs direct support. Happy Spring!