December 2024

ROOTS

• Roots For Stoking The Digestive Fire
• Nourishing Roots
• Roots That Boost The Immune System
• Roots For Unwinding

Roots were a prime source of energy for our ancestors, the hunter-gatherers. Imagine them digging out roots with no pitchforks; it was hard work. Without a refrigerator, meat got spoiled very fast, and the aerial parts of plants provided only minuscule calories, as anyone who has ever tried a vegan raw diet knows.

Nourishing Roots For Winter

The fibrous nature of roots

Roots contain a lot of fiber, too. The digestive system lacks the enzyme needed to break fiber; therefore, it passes out undigested. Although we don’t directly digest and absorb fiber, it plays a crucial role in digestion and metabolism.

Fiber comes in two forms, both beneficial in different ways.

Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and can help lower glucose levels and blood cholesterol. Prebiotic fiber is a type of soluble fiber that feeds your gut bacteria. The ecology of healthy gut bacteria is linked to better mood, immune system, and metabolism. Foods with soluble fiber include oatmeal, chia seeds, nuts, beans, lentils, apples, and blueberries.

Insoluble fiber

Insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water, can help food move through your digestive system, promoting regular bowel movement and helping prevent constipation. Foods with insoluble fibers include whole wheat products (especially wheat bran), quinoa, brown rice, legumes, leafy greens like kale, almonds, walnuts, seeds, and fruits with edible skins like pears and apples.

One of the most nourishing roots is burdock root.

Burdock Root

Burdock, a biannual plant, grows as a weed in meadows and wasteland. It is a mildly sweet, bitter, and oily-tasting herb that helps build tissue in people who are deficient, emaciated, and weak.

This paradoxical nature of BurdockBurdock  or its unique  potency is it’s ability  

to function on seemingly polar opposite actions. On the one hand, BurdockBurdock is a building-nourishing herb; on the other, it’s a catabolic detoxifying plant.

Burdock for detox

While burdock root is known as a building herb, it also functions as a blood purifier, breaking down and removing toxins. As a blood purifier, BurdockBurdock is used chiefly for chronic inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

The lymphatic system plays the roles of the police (immunity) and garbage truck (removal of toxins) in the body. Burdock stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluids, assisting in removing toxins.

Another way Burdock helps detox the body is by stimulating bile production in the liver. Bile has two important roles in the body. On the one hand, bile breaks down fats from your food into tiny droplets that the small intestines can absorb.

All cell membranes have a fatty layer, which is the primary way cells communicate with one another. The cell membrane is also where waste products are expelled, and nutrients enter the cell. Proper fat assimilation ensures the integrity of the cell membrane, preventing dehydration and cell atrophy.

On the other hand, bile emulsifies excess cholesterol and binds it to fiber so it can be eliminated from the body, reducing cholesterol.

Burdock & Microbiome

Burdock root contains unique and beneficial starches and soluble fibers, rich in prebiotic sugars that feed the beneficial ecology of bacteria within the colon. When these beneficial bacteria are in equilibrium, they maintain the integrity of the gut wall, reduce inflammation, regulate bowel movement, provide immunological support and protection from pathogenic bacteria, and support overall proper digestion and mood. 

A Grounding Root

The root is tough to dig, sending long, deep rootlets that firmly attach to the Earth. Burdock is a grounding herb associated with the first chakra. It relates to our basic need to find a home in our bodies and on the Earth.

Its association with the root chakra suggests a direct relationship with food and nourishment. When the diet lacks nutrients, and the digestive fire dims, toxins accumulate in the body, manifesting in inflammation. Burdock can help us feel grounded in our bodies so we can nourish them from a mindset of self-love.

Burdock is still used as a nourishing food in some cultures. Because carbohydrates are best extracted by water, I love adding burdock root pieces to my bone broth and letting it simmer with the bones for a couple of days. Add burdock root to your soup or decoct the sliced root for twenty minutes to half an hour for a burdock tea.

In a food culture where simple carbohydrates are dominant, and most diets are high in calories and low in nutrients, BurdockBurdock can nourish the body with complex carbohydrates, help assimilate healthy fats, and support detox, increasing vitality and growing health.

It’s winter 🥶🥶🥶, and my body craves nourishing and grounding roots such as potatoes, carrots, rutabagas, and beets.

Did you ever wonder why you crave roots in the winter?

Roots are a prime source of nutrition during the winter because they are rich in complex carbohydrates, the primary energy source for our cells. Burdock is one of the most beneficial herbal roots to have handy during winter.