Time for Red Clover

Gathering Red Clover This cooling herb makes a refreshing tea to sip on after summertime gardening. The common purple-colored clover that you see growing in the grass in your lawn or nearby fields can be gathered mid-June through mid July in the northern USA and other similar climates of the world. When most of the florets are open, that is the time to harvest. To gather simply use scissors to separate the blossom base from the stem. I dry the blossoms in a basket set on a wooden clothes rack to allow for air circulation. The blossoms are edible and the florets make a fun addition to a wild garden salad. The dried blossoms can be prepared as an infusion, tea, or tincture. Detox with Red Clover Tea Red clover is a detoxifying herb traditionally known as an alterative or “blood purifier". Medicinally it works with the circulatory and lymphatic system eliminating toxins from the blood stream. Research shows that the blossoms contains blood-thinning coumarins, which makes red clover a popular complimentary remedy for cancer treatment, problematic skin, and inflammatory conditions associated with arthritis and gout. I blend it with pau d’arco bark, burdock root, fennel seeds, and rosehips for a popular “Red Clover Flower Detox Tea”. Two cups a day along with a whole food plant based diet can improve conditions like acne or eczema. I also prepare this tea into a Detox tincture that is easy to take on the go by simply adding drops to water. It is also cooling for the lungs and has expectorant properties. In Chinese medicine it is known to benefit the liver, heart, and lung meridians. Menopausal support Research shows that Red Clover is full of hormone-like flavonoids and contains more estrogenic isoflavones than soy. This makes it a popular choice for navigating mid-life hormonal changes. Studies show it reduces some menopausal symptoms because of these rich phytoestrogen properties, natural calcium, and thyroid normalizing potential. Make a simple Red Clover infusion by pouring 1 quart of boiling water over 1 oz. of red clover blossoms in a jar and letting it steep for one to one and a half hours. This extracts a broad range of nutrients for optimal benefits. Drink 1-2 cups a day as part of your midlife rejuvenating program. Red Clover has been used to improve urinary tract and breast health, enhance memory, and bone strength. Combined with Motherwort and Chickweed it makes a good formula to ease hot flashes. Red Clover tincture also contains salicylic acid making it a natural pain reliever to ease joint pain. Express Yourself I recently bought a bumper sticker that says “Speak your mind even if your voice shakes.” That is good advice to keep the throat chakra clear and to optimize communication both in the form of compassionate listening and speaking up. Communicating your truth as it unfolds creates a pathway for successfully bringing your passion and purpose into physical form. Red Clover blossoms assist in allowing a free flow of communication and self-expression. Prepare a cup of tea to sip on during a difficult conversation to promote speaking from the heart. Red clover can also support articulating emotions and memories that have been previously locked in the body but are now bubbling up for release. This makes Chakra Elixir #5 blended with red clover blossom tincture, lapis gem elixir, and snap dragon flower essence a great adjunct to counseling and sound healing sessions. Sow Good Red clover offers many health benefits for your body and soul. When you see red clover blossoms growing in a unsprayed area, may you feel inclined to help them fulfill their purpose of supporting you to build your health naturally. Be sure to gather herbs respectfully thanking all that made the plant possible, the wind to carry the seeds, the sun for supporting the plants growth, the rain for water, and the earth for all the minerals and nutrients for the plant to root and thrive in. Plants love songs of gratitude, seeds, and intentional offerings in exchange for their healing gifts. It is also respectful to gather some but not all of the plants that you find. Be sure to leave some for the bees and the rabbits. As I was writing this blog my mother called and said the rabbits loved eating the clover in her rural New England yard.