Members-only reference entries on herbs, binders, foods and practices used in detoxing.
Calcium-D-glucarate is a staple of "estrogen detox" and liver formulas. Here is the beta-glucuronidase idea behind it, what lab, animal and the one small human study show, typical label amounts, and why it may make some medicines and hormones work less well.
Wheatgrass shots and barley-grass powders have been sold as "detox" and "blood-builders" since the 1940s. Here is where the habit came from, what the small human trials found, how people use them, and the raw-sprout, wheat-allergy, coeliac and warfarin cautions.
Liquid chlorophyll is usually copper chlorophyllin, and its one solid finding is as an aflatoxin binder. Here is its odd history from 1950s chlorophyll gum to social-media trend, what the research shows and does not, study amounts, and the sun-sensitivity and stool-test cautions.
The 16 oz morning celery juice habit is one of the best-known detox trends. Here is where it came from, what the research actually shows (no human trials of the juice itself), what is in a glass, and the allergy, sun-sensitivity, sodium, warfarin and lithium cautions.
Parsley is the kitchen herb detoxers turn into "kidney flush" teas, parsley water and green juices. Here is its traditional "water herb" use, what the evidence does and does not show, why it does not dissolve kidney stones, and the pregnancy, oxalate and medicine cautions.
Corn silk, the fine threads at the top of an ear of corn, is a gentle traditional tea for the bladder and puffiness in Chinese and Native American medicine. Here is its history, the draft EU monograph amounts, what the evidence does and does not show, and the potassium and medicine cautions.
Cranberry is the best-studied urinary food in the library. Here is its Indigenous and folk history, what the 2023 Cochrane review of 50 trials found for repeat bladder infections (and who it did not help), study amounts, and the warfarin and kidney-stone cautions.
Uva ursi, or bearberry, is one of the best-known traditional bladder herbs, and one with the strictest limits. Here is its history from Welsh physicians to kinnikinnick, what the EU monograph and a 382-woman trial say, the one-week amounts, and who should not use it.
Chanca piedra, the "stone breaker" herb of Brazil and India, is a popular tea for kidney, urinary and liver support. Here is its history, what the small studies on kidney stones and hepatitis B actually found, typical amounts, and the cautions to know first.
Gentian root and Swedish bitters are sipped before meals in European tradition to wake up appetite, digestion and bile flow. Here's the history, what the research does and doesn't show, the EU amounts, and why most Swedish bitters are short-term only.
