This time of year, I see so many people coming in to discuss stagnant, bloating type digestion, swelling in the joints, puffiness in the face and other tissues, worsenened mastitis or clogged ducts, and other signs of lymphatic stagnation. Unlike the fluid retention of the early spring that still has a cold quality, this time of year tissues are also inflamed and overheated, leading to a different and more uncomfortable type of stagnation.
There are so many lymphatic herbs – red clover, calendula, chickweed, violet, cleavers, and more! How do you pick? This time of year and the fluid imbalance from up and down heat and humidity calls for cooling and gentle lymphatic herbs like cleavers. Cleavers clears fluid retention from the respiratory system, gut, and joints, and softens hardened lymph nodes, also bringing fresh fluids to overheated and inflamed tissues by regulating lymph flow. This can be ideal for people who accumulate fluids in some areas (gut, lungs, lymph nodes, etc.) but still feel tense, overheated tissues in other areas (joints, muscles, skin, etc.).
Cleavers is mineral rich, diuretic, relaxant, and juicy. It is notably cooling. In the short term, it has a moistening action to dry tissues while clearing stuck dampness, but if taken in the long term can help shift long term patterns of dampness such as cysts and long-held fluid retention. Its velcro-like leaves and clinging nature, relying on neighboring plants to grow to its full height, makes me think of the way Cleavers seems to go through the body and grab material that has been stuck and stagnant. Many people work with Cleavers to soothe the hot, irritated, and watery condition of painful UTIs, but it is helpful for moving fluids throughout the body as well. In the Ayurvedic sense, Sajah Popham discusses how Cleavers clears patterns of excess pitta and kapha, which are both aggravated during humid summers.
Popham even discusses working with Cleavers, in spagyric tincture, for working through stuck emotions and “clinging” type relational patterns. Popham’s work often compares the mirroring nature of the physical, emotional, and spiritual indications of plants, and compares the way Cleavers pulls stuck fluids to the ways he’s seen it work with stuck emotional patterns. This could be due to its relaxant properties, its kidney support assisting the adrenals, or just the unique nature of this herb. Plants continue to surprise me all the time. In his book Evolutionary Herbalism, he discusses working with a spagyric tincture in a dose of only 3 drops 3 times per day. Dosage needs will vary by person, constitution, and body type, but he saw significant results with doses even this low. Doses up to 10-30 drops 3 times a day may suit your constitution, just listen to your body.
I feel a spagyric preparation of mineral-rich Cleavers is ideal as it still contains the mineral content of Cleavers, allowing it to interact with the fluids of the body in a balanced manner. Spagyric preparations are a time-honored method to extract the herb through evaporation, dissolution, filtration, and calcination, with the resulting combined medicine containing a much higher oil and mineral content than your standard tincture. These preparations have a greater bioavailability and represent a fuller range of constituents within the plant. Many people find working with a spagyric preparation of a plant to have different effects than working with a standard tincture due to more plant parts resulting in the finished medicine. My favorite local spagyric medicine maker is Montana Sky from Radiant Garden Alchemy, who brings us products such as Tick Bite and ImmUNITY as well as a line of single herbs. Recently, we have also been able to make a price reduction on all Radiant Garden products.
Other products in the aisle that include Cleavers are Solaray Lymph Cleanse capsules and Avena Urinary Tract Support.
Cleavers pairs well with other herbs taken to support digestion, respiration, and healthy joints. If you are especially prone to allergies and/or digestive insufficiency, try pairing with goldenrod. If you are prone to bloating and/or swelling but also run dry, try pairing with mullein for additional digestive, respiratory, and joint benefits.
Taking cleavers to support lymph flow fits well into a routine that encourages lymphatic drainage, which includes moving smooth muscle – the pump for our lymphatic system. Gentle exercise such as walking and swimming, as well as practices such as dry brushing and abhyangha – self-massage with oil – are all well known for their lymphatic support benefits. Following dry brushing, warmed or room temperature oil is massaged in from feet up to the heart, left to absorb, then washed off, either with chickpea flour or with your usual shower routine. These oils can also be used for more local massage such as to the stomach for bloating, or to the joints or feet for swelling. Check out the resources from Banyan for more detailed instructions.
Untoasted sesame oil with its neutral to warm quality tends to be the go-to choice for most seasons and constitutions, but if you run especially hot, you may prefer the cooling property of coconut oil for abhyanga. Herbal infused oils can also be an excellent choice to impart additional benefits, such as:
- CBD Body Oil from Mantis Medicinals which includes not only hemp but lymphatic support from Calendula, pain relief support from St. John’s Wort, Comfrey, and Arnica, blood flow support from Yarrow, Peppermint, Rosemary, Lavender, Tulsi, and Ginger, and skin health support from Plantain, Echinacea, and Rose in a jojoba base.
- Lymphatic Oil from Flora Ex Machina with stimulating Mint, Basil, and Palo Santo in a sesame and castor oil base.
- Brahmi Oil from which calms the nerves, joints, and muscles with Gotu Kola and Bacopa in a sesame oil base.
- Love Your Body Oil from Organic Meadow Herbals (F.K.A. Indian Meadow Herbals) with Chickweed and Calendula as lymphatic allies in a sesame, grapeseed, sunflower, and apricot oil base.
Happy oiling!
Cleavers – The Inner Water Purifier
Ayurvedic Self-Massage Instruction Video
Ayurvedic Self-Massage Article (contains a 1 page instructional pdf)
Spagyrics: Ancient Medicine for the Modern World
Harvest Herald Autumn 2023 See page 4 for more information on Goldenrod
As always check with your medical practitioner for your specific needs. These are recommendations only and not meant for medical advice.
