Leaves are budding, birds are singing, the first flowers are brightening the forests and fields. As the days gets warmer and longer, as we shake off the sluggishness of winter, it is time to refresh our minds and bodies, to renew, revitalize and rejuvenate.
Take advantage of this spring energy by joining Chanchal Cabrera, medical herbalist, and Joseph Forest, professional chef and author as they kick-start their 2014 Food as Medicine Culinary Series with a 'Spring Cleanse' Seminar April 29th at Innisfree Farm and Education Center in Royston. Additionally the following evening, Chanchal is offering a walk in the herb gardens to identify many herbs used for tissue cleansing and detoxification.
In her work as a health care professional, says Cabrera, she routinely places people onto cleansing and detoxification programs but it is much better to be pro-active and to practice preventative medicine.
"Just as you change your engine oil in the car regularly, and don't wait for it to get too gummed up and dirty, so you should think about doing a regular tissue cleanse and deep detoxification for the body" she says. "This can include diet changes, fasting, specific herbs, sauna and more, but is actually easy and usually feels really good".
On April 29 the class runs from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. starting with a delicious buffet dinner menu letting you taste many of the foods you will be learning about in the evenings class. Topics covered in this evening seminar include cleansing foods to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation, raw food pros and cons, the role of whole food and botanical medicine in detoxifying the body, preparatory steps to take for a successful cleanse, how to resume life after a cleanse and additional activities to supplement a cleanse: exercise, steam, sauna, sweat lodge, etc.
On April 30 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. join Chanchal Cabrera in the herb gardens as she points out many common weeds and a few more exotic plants routinely used for tissue cleansing. From burdock to yellow dock to chickweed to cleavers, and including some common foods like kale and parsley, you will learn identifying features, parts used and ways to harvest, process and use a wide variety of plants for detoxification.
For further information and for registration write to Chanchal@chanchalcabrera.com.
— Innisfree Farm