With the magnolia trees blooming on my block and temperatures in the 70’s, my body is telling me “lighten-up! It’s spring-time!” I’m hearing people talking about cleansing, juicing and detox diets. Spring is associated with the liver in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Allergies, PMS, mood swings, fatigue, headache, cravings, upper abdominal pain, bloating and constipation are a few signs of an over-burdened liver. Yet, no laboratory test can diagnose this. It’s easy though to give your liver a spring cleaning, making you feel lighter and brighter.
One way is to include some liver supportive vegetables in your diet, such as artichokes. Artichokes are known to promote liver detoxification, improve bowel function and balance cholesterol levels.
Artichokes stimulate bile flow. Bile emulsifies fats and fat soluble vitamins so the body can absorb them. The liver itself processes the many toxins we are exposed to every day. It is the bile that carries them out of the body via the intestines. Bile also moves excess cholesterol and triglycerides out of the body. Bile stimulates intestinal peristalsis which keeps the bowels moving freely.
Artichokes are in season spring and fall. They are appearing in markets now. I found some beautiful purple ones today. They are quite easy to prepare. I prefer to boil them. Cut the stem so the artichoke will stand flat. Trim any thorny leaf tips with kitchen shears. Use a pot large enough to hold the artichokes upright without falling over. Fill with water to cover. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a slice of lemon per artichoke to prevent browning. Bring the water to a boil and simmer 30 – 45 minutes. The bottom of the artichoke will pierce easily with a fork and the leaves will come off with ease when done.
Eat artichokes with your fingers. Peel off a leaf; put it between your teeth and pull! The tasty flesh will remain in your mouth and discard the rest. I like to dip the leaves in a fruity olive oil. Balsamic vinegar is delicious, too. Keep pulling off leaves one by one until you reach a part that is too thorny to eat. That's the choke. It pulls out easily with your hand or a spoon. What's left is the delicious, creamy heart. Enjoy!
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