According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), spring is dominated by the wood element, which represents the ability to express one's individuality, make plans, take decisions, and is associated with the liver and the gallbladder, which, again according to Eastern tradition, "govern" the muscles and eyesight.

This is why, if we embrace this tradition, we can consider spring an excellent time to cleanse this vital organ — one that may have been "burdened" by a winter during which we consumed too many fats or substances harmful to the body, which the liver has been forced to "purify".

It is worth remembering that, among its functions, the liver is also responsible for detoxifying the body from metabolic waste or toxins introduced through food, pollution or medication, facilitating their elimination.

Here, then, are three plants useful for lightening the load on the liver, to be consumed on the advice of a trusted herbalist.

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus)
Excellent at the table and also beneficial (for its properties, given that it has a bitter taste not everyone appreciates) in the form of an infusion, decoction or extract. The artichoke not only protects the organ responsible for cleansing our body, but also has antibacterial qualities, as well as reducing cholesterol and blood sugar levels. In herbalist shops you will find the stem leaves, not the fleshy flower heads, which are instead used in cooking.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
Milk thistle is a plant that grows in southern Europe (in Italy it is found mainly in the centre and south) and is known for promoting healthy liver function thanks to silymarin, a substance it contains. It can be found loose in herbalist shops, in ready-made herbal teas, or also in the form of a mother tincture. It is not recommended for people with hypertension due to the presence of tyramine.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
The beautiful yellow flower that blooms in spring is extremely common in meadows and uncultivated fields. The leaves and rhizome are used to make an infusion or decoction, considered beneficial in various liver conditions. Dandelion too can be found in herbalist shops, in ready-made herbal teas or as a mother tincture.