What Are Vulneraries And Cell Turnover?

If you’re battling lingering symptoms or just trying to help your body bounce back from infection or mold, I’ve got something you need to know.

I’m Dr. Jill Crista, mold expert, author of Break the Mold, and today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite vulnerary herbs, Red Clover. Vulnerary herbs help your body shed old, damaged cells and make way for fresh, vibrant ones—a key piece in the recovery puzzle I dive into in my Long-Haul Recovery blog.

Let’s explore how it helps you rebuild from the inside out.

What Are Vulneraries and Why They Matter

Vulneraries are herbs that assist with cell turnover. Here’s why they’re crucial:

Cell Turnover: When a virus infects a cell, the body kills off that sick cell, and lets a new healthy cell replace it. This process clears infections.
Support Needed: We need nutrients and growth factors that support cell turnover to avoid complications like thick blood, inflammation and lingering symptoms.
Multi-Action Herbs: Vulneraries promote healing while reducing inflammation and clotting, perfect for long-haul recovery challenges.

Learn more in my Long-Haul Recovery blog, where I talk about the importance of herbs that not only heal tissue, but also help clear toxic debris and restore proper flow.

Red Clover: The Star Vulnerary Herb

One of my go-to vulneraries: Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) is a “magical roadside ‘weed’” that shows up just when we need her. Especially during the healing phase after chronic infection or mold exposure. Here’s why I love her:

Vulnerary Action: It assists with making fresh new replacement cells on epithelial linings like those in your respiratory passages, gut, blood vessels, and skin.
Blood Thinning: It has blood thinning capacities, reducing thick blood, critical for preventing turbulence in long-haul cases.
Nutrient-Rich: Packed with antioxidants, it supports overall healing, even used alongside cancer treatments (Mohsen et al., 2021).

Learn more in my Long-Haul Recovery blog, I walk through how vulneraries fit into a wider protocol to restore resilience, especially when the body’s stuck in a toxic loop after mold or infection.

How Vulneraries Support Long-Haul Recovery

If you have a lot of virus particles, there will be turbulence causing more clotting, inflammation and sluggish repair process. That’s where vulneraries shine. Herbs like Red Clover work by:

Reduce Turbulence: Strong plants in the vulnerary capacity with anticoagulant activity prevents inflammation and hypercoagulability, as seen in long-haul cases.
Enhance Healing: They ensure cell-to-cell transfer of knowledge, replacing damaged cells smoothly.
Synergy with Other Herbs: Combine with Plantain or Cleavers for amplified vulnerary effects.

Tips for Using Red Clover Safely

I love Red Clover’s versatility: It’s so yummy to take as a tea, tincture, or glycerite. Now that you know how powerful Red Clover is, let’s make sure you’re using her wisely:

As Tea: Use 1 tablespoon per cup of water when flowering (mid-summer in Wisconsin). Just make sure it’s away from roads and pesticides.
As Tincture: A typical adult dose is about 15 drops with meals.
Harvest Safely: Harvest a bunch when it’s flowering and dry it. Store in a mylar bag. Avoid chemically-sprayed areas.
Check Medications: If you’re on blood thinning medication, talk to your doctor, as Red Clover may lower your dose needs.
Give the Body a Boost: I often add MycoXpel for extra detox support when mold’s still in the picture.

You’re Ready to Boost Your Healing!

Vulnerary herbs like Red Clover are nature’s way of helping you shed the old and welcome the new, especially after a viral hit or mold exposure. They support the body in making fresh, healthy cells, keeping blood flowing, and clearing debris left behind by chronic exposure or illness.

So if you’re feeling stuck in your recovery, don’t overlook these gentle but powerful plant allies. Combine what you’ve learned here with strategies in my blog where I cover more vulneraries Plantain and Cleavers; and lean on MycoXpel to nudge toxins out.

You’ve got what it takes to heal, friend—and Red Clover’s got your back.

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Disclaimer This content is health information and not intended as personal medical advice. Viewing will not establish a doctor-patient relationship. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. The information discussed is not intended to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Reliance on information provided by Dr. Jill Crista, employees, or others appearing at the invitation of Dr. Crista is solely at your own risk.