Detoxify with herbs: give your body a break with the help of time-tested herbal rejuvenators.(HOW TO: SUPPLEMENTS)

Grandma talked about it. Infomercials trumpet it. We hear a lot about detoxification. Sure, we all want to get cleaned out, but just what is this detoxification?

Basically, health maintenance is relatively simple: give the body what it needs, avoid giving it what it doesn't need, and it will run itself. Failing that, imbalances occur, causing inefficient elimination of noxious substances. Cleaning out these "toxins" that build up in the body--safely, naturally, and effectively--can result in renewed strength and vitality.

To treat the accumulation of toxins, we can use a number of remedies that support the body in removing waste products via the kidneys, liver, or lungs. Many classic cleansing herbs, also known as "blood purifiers," are now being found to be potent antioxidants.

Here are three of the top detoxifying, antioxidant-rich herbs.

1. Sarsaparilla Root: Detox Your Skin. Sarsaparilla, the herb that gives root beer its characteristic flavor, has a long history of European use as a blood purifier. Several compounds in sarsaparilla (called saponins) have been researched and shown to be effective in treating psoriasis, a disease that many natural practitioners attribute to an overload of toxins. In a controlled study, sarsaponin (a type of saponin) greatly improved symptoms of psoriasis in 62 percent of subjects and completely cleared the disease in 18 percent. Another study found that sarsaparilla saponins showed anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting COX-2 enzymes. Sarsaparilla helps bind endotoxins, bacteria by-products that are absorbed from your digestive tract. If these endotoxins circulate in the blood, they can contribute to gout, arthritis, psoriasis, and fever. Take 3 to 12 g of sarsaparilla root per day as a tea, or the equivalent in capsules or liquid extract.

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2. Burdock Root: Detox Your Liver. Few herbs are more widely used than burdock root for detoxifying the liver. British herbalists use it specifically for eruptions of the head, face, and neck, and esteem the root for just about any liver toxicity condition, including eczema, psoriasis, and boils. A member of the daisy family, burdock is loaded with anti-inflammatory compounds, including flavonoids, lignins, and bitter glycosides. In a series of studies, scientists in Taiwan recently confirmed the powerful liver-protective effects of burdock. Also, a recent Dutch study found that burdock significantly inhibited skin allergy by reducing release of leukotrienes, which play a role in the ...