Aromatic plants – cultivating the scented garden within.

It is legend that, some twenty-five hundred years ago, a ruler of  Babylon (or was it Niniveh?) commissioned a wondrous garden, terraced up from the flat plains between the rivers of the Fertile Crescent. Its levels were built of huge slabs of stone, elaborately carved and supported by high vaulted colonnades. Huge amounts of soil were transported to create hills and fields in this garden many, many feet above street level. Sundry species of trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs were brought in to plant its winding paths. Using giant corkscrew pumps, thousands of gallons of water were moved against gravity on a daily basis to keep the garden lush and green. The ancient historians named it one of the seven wonders of the world, and marveled at this oasis, high above the incessant bustle of the city, smoothed with endless marble and steeped in a deep, seductive fragrance from the constant bloom of aromatic plants. 

 It is also said that it was in fact the queen who, longing for her homeland in the rich, flowering hills of the north, had pleaded with her husband for a retreat that could remind her of her younger days, of her family, and of what brought her joy. Watching her languish in the hot, humid, noisy city at the heart of his kindgom, he met her request in grand style - and her Hanging Gardens have been the stuff of myth ever since. But while some may wonder at the choice of such a garden to appease the restless spirit, it makes perfect sense to me: a retreat of roses and jasmine, lavender and linden is the perfect prescription not only for bringing a quiet respite in the middle of a hectic life, but also for re-inspiring and re-awakening the joy and creativity of childhood. Furthermore, the fact that it was literally floating above the day-to-day activity of the city serves as a fitting metaphor for the scented garden itself: a time apart, uplifted, serene.

Think of the last time you received a bouquet of flowers, or brushed past a patch of mint in a field, or simply stood in the deep part of a forest and smelled, just smelled, the earth, the spruce, the moss. Chances are you experienced a moment where you lost track of your responsibilities, your desires, your plans and just existed in the fragrance. If even for a second, you tapped into a very primeval state of being: it is childlike, flowing, and free. In such a state, it is difficult to be judgemental, anxious, rigid, sad, or angry - and this may be why we so often give gifts of scented flowers when we want to nurture an atmosphere of love, understanding, and joy. 

 This fact may also underlie the nearly universal practice of burning scented plants, resins, and oils to alter the "energy" of a room or space: it clears the mind, sets the stage for creative, spiritual work, and attunes us to the present moment. Cultural rituals have harnessed the power aromatic plants hold over us and have embedded their use into the peak times of our lives: at birth and death; during marriage celebrations; as a cornerstone of purification ceremonies; during the dark, wintry months when the light is low; as part of meditative practice. Perfumery and aromatherapy have long recognized the power scent has on the human spirit - even real estate marketing suggests that a home, when appropriately scented, may put prospective buyers in a relaxed, comfortable mindset. In the ancient world, a thousand years before the Hanging Gardens were built, priests in the old stone temples along the Nile were mixing kyphi, the sweet and spicy incense sacred to the pharaos. 

 But the Egyptian ceremonies didn't only involve smoke and scent. Often, the priests leading the rituals would also ingest a good amount of kyphi, powdered and dissolved in wine, as a sort of primitive herbal extract. Here the truest power of scented herbs is revealed: when they are ingested, their action is magnified and lasts much longer. The smell may awaken us, bring us into the present moment, and help us flow through change more gracefully: but once the aromatic plants enter our bodies, their volatile constituents first relax our bellies, then disslove into our bloodstream and reach all of our internal organs. If there is underactivity in an organ or tissue, fragrant plants can "wake it up" (think of ginger, or peppermint). Conversely, if a tissue is overly tense, aromatic herbs "loosen the knot" (like fennel seeds after a huge meal, or lavender oil during a massage). Net result: a more balanced state of internal tension. Since forever, herbalists have called many of these plants “nervines”, loved the scented brews they yield, and prized them as stress-tamers, tonics for the nerves. 

 More modern research gives us two interesting pieces of information to help understand how this works: first, the chemicals in highly scented plants (specifically, their volatile oils) have the ability to alter the way smooth muscle contracts, depending on its current state of tension. Smooth muscle is found in the lining of all our hollow organs - lungs, gut, bladder, and uterus - as well as in the heart and blood vessels. Plants that affect smooth muscle can thereby affect how we perceive our internal state - and anyone who has experienced a spasming, crampy belly knows what a dramatic impact this can have. It is fascinating to note, however, that the place in the brain tasked with assessing this "internal state" is exactly the same place most affected by the perception of smell itself! The limbic system, a complex of brain structures known for its processing of emotion and its ability to guide "executive function" (our ability to flow through tasks efficiently and productively), is where all of this information is integrated. Aromatic plants thus have a dual effect: their smell immediately awakens and engages the limbic system, and if consumed, their chemistry helps adjust internal tension, removing the distractions that keep us from the present moment. When they are ingested, clinical research always shows the same results: more balanced mood, more restorative sleep, better attention, and an ability to move through challenging tasks more smoothly (and joyfully).

If you are seeking respite from the demands of the modern world and the bustle of the city, the scented garden and incense-filled temple may well be the answer. But fragrant herbs are the way to take your garden with you, to suffumigate your own internal temple. There are so many options available to help with the milder cases of restless or despondent spirit: sedatives for anxiety and insomnia, stimulants for apathy and sluggishness, narcotics to escape, concentrated extracts of botanicals like kava or St. Johnswort, and designer drugs for depression and the mental malaise of today's life. Unlike all of these, aromatic herbs are not strongly mind-altering, are safe and non-habit-forming, and quite easy to grow and use! They are part of a very old toolkit available to humans, and many animals before us, to enter more fully into the flow of life. When led by scent, we follow a path through a garden where intuition and emotion, more than analysis and control, dominate the landscape. 

For now, happy Full Moon, happy First Harvest. Our gardens are in fullest bloom. But since I so often turn to these gifts during the darker months of the year, when night is deep and one can't often see the path to brighter days, I leave you with the words of Margared McKenny, recalling her own garden on a January dawn:

                "The snow still lies upon the ground,

                And yet I feel

                The shadow of the scent of flowers;

                Breathless the firs against the gray -

                So still the air

                That hung upon a bare rose spray

                Are drops of rain

                Left there by midnight showers -

                (.....)

                Black head atilt

                A chickadee

                Whistles the first love-notes of the year."

               

The Natural Products Industry that Isn’t.

                A few evenings ago I was sitting on a rough cedar deck, watching sunlight orange across the tops of the poplar and maple canopy, and thinking how nice it was to be visiting my friend’s house in the forest: the nestled feeling, the total privacy, the familiar smells. He confessed  that, sometimes, he too liked to imagine his house from the perspective of a guest, walking through his gardens, up the wooden steps, and into the kitchen with the eye of an outsider, taking the time to appreciate it without the preconceptions and perceptual habits that develop after living in a place for an extended period of time. Perhaps it was the effects of the mixture of Schisandra kombucha, gin, and tonic water we were drinking, but this short exercise in mindfulness seemed to me as both a useful habit to practice and also a profoundly important skill for the modern human. We are so entrenched in our politics, our communities, our niches and worldviews that, without occasionally looking at life from outside the fences, we might run the risk of missing out on an important and useful perspective.

                I have also been thinking a lot about the Food and Drug Administration recently. Don’t get me wrong – there are serious issues around funding, connections to the food and pharma lobbies, and separation from nature that continue to concern me about this regulatory body’s work. But I have been trying to walk these familiar corridors (herbalists versus the FDA) with an outsider’s eye. In the last year, there have been more and more inspections of natural product manufacturing facilities. The government is trying to identify “new” dietary ingredients and regulate their use. There is both clamor and confusion rising up from those who make and sell products that are used under the umbrella of “complementary and alternative medicine”.  What is going on here, and why? What might we learn by observing the situation?

                Since 1994, when the US Congress passed the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA), we have seen many, many new “dietary supplements” on the shelves of our food stores and pharmacies. Many of these products have come on to the market because DSHEA allows a fuzzy “gray zone” between food and medicine: while recognizing that supplements are more than vegetables, it doesn’t require that they be tested for safety and efficacy the way prescription and over-the-counter drugs are. This has allowed a profitable industry to grow in the United States, where annual sales of products labeled as “natural” and falling under the legal aegis of DSHEA top $28 billion, according to the Nutrition Business Journal. (http://newhope360.com/2010-supplement-business-report-0)

                Out of these annual sales, herbal products account for about five billion annual dollars, or just under 18% of the total. Within this five billion, it is hard to assess what percentage of products are made from refined, concentrated botanical constituents (such as curcuminoids, or silymarin) versus crude whole-plant encapsulations, tea blends, and tinctures – but suffice it to say, the bulk of that five billion annual dollars is not finding its way into the pockets of small-scale, heart-centered local herbalists! So, in sum, at least 82% and probably over 90% of what makes up the “natural products” industry isn’t “natural” at all: it is either a cocktail of vitamins and minerals, a sports nutrition or meal replacement product built up from processed constituents, or some other mixture of naturally-derived, refined, or outright synthetic ingredients. We may have encountered pieces of these products in nature at some point, but never at these doses. In certain cases, they are completely new to our physiologies.

                Take the case of grapefruit seed extract. The FDA has been warning manufacturers of this “natural” antiseptic and antibiotic agent that their products may contain triclosan (an antiseptic linked with bacterial resistance and toxicity); the American Botanical Council suspects that these extracts are adulterated purposefully to increase their antibiotic power (http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue94/QUALCONTROL_gfse.html). Others feel that the extensive processing that the original grapefruit seed slurry undergoes actually generates triclosan-like compounds (http://herbsandinfluenza.com/blog/2006/12/22/grapeseed-extract-explained/). Regardless, you either have an adulterated product (falsely labeled!), or a product that has undergone extensive chemical alteration, resembling grapefruit seeds less than high fructose corn syrup resembles an ear of corn. This isn’t a natural product at all.

                So whether it be an antibiotic derived from chemical manipulation, a mega-dose vitamin, a solvent-extracted slurry of connective tissue from a shark, or a digestive enzyme obtained from a genetically-modified Aspergillus fungus, I fear that our “natural” products bear little resemblance to those found on the shelves of natural food stores in the 1980s.  Even more disturbingly, most of what’s out there (with a few rare exceptions, like folic acid) shows very little evidence of helping for any problem whatsoever. Where do we see a consistent body of research and a rich depth of traditional use? It’s in herbal medicine – less than 1/5 of what’s on the shelves. Most of these other “natural” products are marketed on the basis of petri dish experiments, fruit fly studies from fifty years ago, anecdotal testimonials, or in some cases, just snazzy packaging. Some of them contain toxic, drug-like ingredients. It is no wonder the FDA is trying to get a handle on this situation (as it already has with the amphetamine-like additive DMAA http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm302133.htm). It is also no wonder that we are starting to see more and more reports of vitamins, minerals, and other supplements potentially doing us more harm than good: they are at best weak drugs, and at worst untested, potentially unsafe, chemical additives.

                What put this over the top for me was a discussion I had when I recently visited Bastyr University, the premier training ground for naturopathic physicians in the United States. Out of the 299 credits required for graduation, there are five credits devoted specifically to botanical medicine. Over seventeen are assigned to physical medicine (somatic therapies involving touch, manipulation, etc), and over eight for homeopathy (http://www.bastyr.edu/academics/areas-study/study-naturopathic-medicine/naturopathic-doctor-degree-program#Curriculum). Where are the herbal materia medica classes? Where are the topics on complexity in medicine, the study of interactions between multilayered living botanicals and multilayered living humans? These are the roots of naturopathic medicine, but they seem to be nourishing less and less of the Bastyr curriculum these days. So can we really be surprised that some practitioners recommend abstracted, drug-like “natural” products to their patients instead of teaching them to brew tea and walk in the forest?

                Natural products aren’t real, folks – but fortunately,  herbal medicine is. Herbal medicine is traditional medicine – for over 80% of the world, but for us in the “developed” world, too. Along with ancient somatic and energetic therapies like massage and acupuncture, all tied together by a rich and meaningful mythology, herbal medicine makes up this tradition. Modern alternatives – be they the mainstream technological medicine, or “CAM” technological medicine – are just that: a different choice, some of which is well validated for use in health care, some of which lacks any validation whatsoever. But neither prescription drugs, over-the-counter pills, or that 80% of “natural” dietary supplements can come close to providing the breadth, depth, and accessibility of true traditional medicine. 

                It is time for herbalists to affirm that our plants are not “complementary and alternative” to technological medicine. Our medicine is real, and just as real vegetables are not a complement to frozen dinners and meal replacement shakes, true botanical medicine is not some kind of extra adjunct to pharmaceuticals and surgical interventions. It is a birthright. It is a daily gift. Its memory is visibly encoded in our genetic material. And it is being practiced everywhere, in kitchens and apothecaries, in modern production facilities and improvised forest clinics. We as herbalists – the growers, the clinicians, the wildcrafters, the medicine-makers, the keepers of wortcunning, the storytellers – have been sinking our roots back into the tradition over the last few decades. Now, having moved well past the embryonic stage, and our cotyledons fully unfurled, it is time to rise up and proclaim what makes us unique: we are traditional medicine, we are integrated ecology, we are plants. Argue all you want about what is “mainstream” and what is “alternative” – we as herbalists are neither. We are tradition, we hold the roots. Now let’s stand up and let others know the deal.  As Rima Staines simply put it (http://intothehermitage.blogspot.com/2012/01/rise-root.html): rise and root. Think as a plant does: up, up! and down, down! One movement in many directions, many directions with one focus.

A brief and practical introduction to pulse and tongue assessment

Any assessment or diagnostic technique that seeks to make sense of what’s happening inside the human system is inherently pretty complex – be it a modern tool such as a CT scanner, or a traditional device such as the stethoscope. Interpretation is tricky, and the background knowledge required can often be intimidating. While using the tongue and pulse to get a glimpse inside the human body is not an exception, one can nevertheless glean really useful, actionable information with even a basic understanding of the technique. This basic understanding can become richer and deeper with ongoing practice. The complexity evidenced in traditional texts on the subject should not be a reason to keep you from experimenting!

Basics: Excess / deficient. Hot / cold. Dry / moist. The polarities!

            Pick two people and look at their faces. Feel their skin. Who is more red? Whose skin more dry? Who speaks more loudly and often? Who is more reserved and shy? The answers to these questions are clinically relevant, and it is in these basic categories that we will try to fit our observations of pulse and tongue. They have been universally recognized in traditional healing systems, from Chinese yin/yang theory to the Western humors.

The Pulse: Neuromuscular tension and tone

            When feeling the pulse, set your fingers on the radial artery. It can be found on the palm side of the wrist, right where the hand (thumb side) ends. You can often find a pair of strong tendons here; feel for the pulse in the little “trench” just above these.

            What we can learn from pulses: relative state of anxiety, tension, stress. Underactivity in the heart, vessels, and spirit (or, conversely, overactivity). 

            Herbs we can use to rebalance pulse: aromatic plants, and sometimes rooty, nourishing adaptogens. Archetypal plant for the pulse: Holy Basil (Tulsi – ocimum sanctum).

            Polarities to observe:

-         The pulse has a depth. It is right on the surface, somewhere in the middle, or deep down. This is determined by the amount of pressure required to find it. Surface pulse with no depth indicates “paper fire” (quick burnout, moody and changeable, hyper then crashing. Consider lavender, linden). Deep pulse that’s hard to find can mean depletion (hard to get going, tends to depression, fatigued. Consider ashwagandha, ginger, cayenne, green tea).

-         The pulse has a width. Think of the artery as a river, ideally flowing through the middle channel of depth. If it’s full and noticeable at all depths, it might be called “flooding” (excess function, high blood pressure, over-intensity. Consider motherwort, rose). If it’s thin and feels like a string, it might be called “tight” (high tension, excess sympathetic discharge. Consider motherwort again, lemon balm, scullcap). If it’s just thin, it might be a sign of deficiency and we would turn to the nourishing herbs (ashwagandha, oat, licorice, American ginseng).

-         The pulse has a speed. This is a pretty classic assessment: greater physical activity usually raises the pulse rate. When sitting, speedy pulses usually indicate anxiety or poor physical conditioning. Aromatic plants and exercise are called for. In extreme situations (requiring hospitalization: shock, toxicity, severe dehydration) you can see rapid, thin pulses too – but hopefully you won’t ever run in to these as they are emergency situations.

-         The pulse should respond to breath. Feeling the pulse, have the person take a deep, full breath slowly. The pulse should quicken on inhale, and slow down noticeably on exhale. Failure to do so indicates poor heart rate variability: if the pulse has low depth, feels thin or absent, consider nourishing and building here (ashwagandha, oat, licorice, American ginseng). If the pulse is of surface depth, flooding, or tight consider aromatherapy, and any aromatic plants (chamomile, linden, lemon balm, scullcap, mint, rose, yarrow).

-         The pulse should come back well after being completely blocked. Occlude the artery by pressing hard, then feel for the return of blood. Slow return to the “normal” state (taking more than 1 second) may indicate blood stagnation (purple color, cold, areas of chronic pain. Consider yarrow, elderflower, Salvia milthiorrhiza)

Basically, aromatic nervines make great teas and are often just the ticket for an imbalance in the pulse. This is because the radial pulse reflects the degree of sympathetic, or fight-flight, tone really well, and these plants are supremely useful for those who have either excessive or deficient tension in their systems. They modulate how we respond to change in the world within and without – and if we’re not doing a great job of it, the pulse tells us. If the pulse truly seems weak, sunken, and/or thin, you might want to add nourishing adaptogens as well to provide a literal foundation for stress hormone production, not just a way to balance response.

The Tongue: state of the mucous membranes

            When looking at the tongue, ask the person to really open wide and stick their tongue out completely. Then, tell them to relax it (often the “sticking out” causes the tongue to get really tight and weirdly-shaped).

            What we can learn from the tongue: relative state of activity and moisture of the membranes that line the GI tract, but also the respiratory passages by reflex. Degree of inflammation. Degree of swelling / moisture.

            Herbs we can use to rebalance the tongue: bitter and astringent plants. Archetypal plant for the tongue: Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria).

            Polarities to observe:

-         The tongue has a body color. This is the general hue of the tongue itself, not its coating, and indicates the degree of blood flow and activity in the mucous membranes. Pale tongue can indicate anemia, poor nutrition (consider yellowdock, rehmannia, protein). Red tongue indicates inflammation and irritation (consider dandelion and also slippery elm or meadowsweet depending on dry vs moist below). Purple: blood stagnation (see above).

-         The tongue has a coat. It should be whitish/gray, and relatively thin. Absent coat calls for soothing, especially with a red body (consider slippery elm, licorice, flax seed meal). Thick coat calls for bitters, especially if the coat has any signs of yellow in it – though watch for coffee stains! (consider dandelion, yellowdock, burdock)

-         The tongue has a shape, largely determined by its moisture (though the coat can tell us about moisture, too). Wider, thicker, glistening tongues indicate a swollen, boggy gastric mucous membrane. Often there will even be the scallops of tooth marks on the side (consider specific bitters such as goldenseal or barberry, but also meadowsweet, cleavers). Thin, wrinkly tongues indicate an atrophied, dry gastric mucous membrane (consider dietary oils such as sesame, bitters, and potentially soothers such as slippery elm especially with redness).

Basically, bitters are often a great choice for any tongue signs, except maybe in cases where the tongue is really pale and wet and there are symptoms of looseness in the bowel. This is because bitter herbs stimulate and awaken digestive function, and tone the mucous membranes in the process. They help us deal well with what comes to us from the world outside (most often food) by making sure that the interface (the mucous membrane) is functioning well. The tongue is a convenient piece of mucous membrane we can always observe!

Conclusion

            None of the diagnostic signs are infallible, of course – and should always be read in the context of symptoms and case presentation. The assessment of pulse and tongue can precede the oral interview, and guide it: for instance, feeling a tight and rising pulse with poor response to breath, you might want to ask about tension, anxiety, and a difficult response to life’s changes and stresses. Or noticing a dry and red tongue, you might ask about heartburn and/or constipation. Conversely, the assessment can come at the end of the oral interview, and be used to corroborate information obtained through conversation. Finally, the maxim: treat the person, not the tongue (or pulse)!

Plant allies for winter health

Enhancing immune activity

Why: Herbal allies to combat respiratory infection as it begins.

Echinacea, Andrographis, Elderberry, Hyssop, Garlic, Osha

These agents provide an immediate “boost” to immune function, particularly the body’s ability to produce antibodies against viral infections. Will shorten the duration of common winter infections, and can also be used longer-term as preventative agents particularly for those more at risk.

How to take: most acute-use antiviral herbs can be taken whole, or with minimal processing. I often will simply nibble on a small (1”) piece of Echinacea root, or an even smaller piece of Osha root, when the first warning signs of illness begin. Stored in a glass mason jar in a cool cabinet, they will keep at least a year.

Elderberry seems best taken as a syrup. These preparations are pretty widely available, or you can make your own by mixing an equal volume of fresh berry juice with raw honey, and storing in the fridge. The honey is really medicinal too! 2 TBS three to five times daily is typical.

Andrographis is extremely bitter and hard to take straight. Often, we recommend a tablet or capsule of this plant, at a dose of 400mg three times a day, again at the first signs of trouble.

Hyssop makes an excellent though somewhat biting tea, and Garlic can be included with food (though the more raw, the better).


“Deep” immunity

Why: Enhancement of our own immune function, to clear infection more quickly if it does begin, and help get rid of lingering problems or break the pattern of repeated illnesses.

Astragalus, Medicinal mushrooms, Spikenard, Tulsi

Good policy for anyone, these tonics are most indicated in conditions of convalescence, to rebuild strength, or in cases of repeated infection every season. Taken consistently, they will also improve immune activity, helping to shorten lingering colds and flus, and prevent them to begin with.

How to take: these herbs are an easy addition to your regular stock-making routine. If you’re not making stock regularly (once a week or so), consider doing it! Save your vegetable scraps and peels and any animal bones, and simmer them with Astragalus root ( ½ cup per gallon), dried mushrooms (Reishi, Turkey Tail, about ½ cup total per gallon) and some spikenard root (Aralia racemosa, about 2 TBS per gallon). This last one is especially indicated to help bring up vitality and kick out lingering congestion. Also, see a specific recipe variant in the “recipes” below.

Tulsi (aka Holy Basil) is a wonderful tea herb. Start it up in September if there are concerns about the coming season.



Adjusting mucous membrane function

Why: Our respiratory mucosa is our first line of defense. Ensuring it is not swollen, stuck, and/or inflamed not only improves symptoms immediately, but also improves defense.

Reducing swelling: Goldenseal, Barberry, Osha
Reducing thick secretions: Echinacea, Horseradish
Reducing dryness and irritation: Propolis, Licorice

How to take: These strong herbs usually don’t require a high dosage to accomplish their goals. Part of this may be due to the fact that reflex action mediates their effects – horseradish makes your eyes water, for instance, even though none is ever put in your eyes. So I usually suggest tinctures, good to have on hand and already picked out depending on what your respiratory passages tend to feel like when you get sick. Of these liquid extracts, try taking 15 drops or so every couple of hours and seeing how it makes you feel.


Protecting and toning the respiratory tract

Why: If lungs are consistently affected. This isn’t an issue for everyone, but if it tends to be, best to include these herbs right away before the illness gets there.

Thyme, Garlic, Usnea

These herbs are especially useful for those whose lungs are prone to weakness (history of pneumonia, repeated bouts of bronchitis or bacterial infection, or smokers).

How to take: Thyme can be inhaled as a steam by brewing strong tea and breathing deeply. After that, go ahead and drink the tea too! With a little raw honey. Usnea lichen is eaten whole, or taken as a capsule – though I really like the effect of the raw herb as it goes down the throat. It kills viruses and bacteria that contribute to sore throat, and enhances lung immunity once you absorb it internally. 1-2 grams of Usnea twice daily is usually plenty.


Encouraging lymphatic activity

Calendula, Cleavers

Useful in the latter phases of an illness, after the fever or acute symptoms have abated, to clear lingering inflammation and hasten recovery. Can also be used right at first if there is a history of lymph node (gland) tenderness.

How to take: Most often as teas. The extra fluid is really helpful too. 4-6 TBS per quart of water.


Encouraging circulatory activity

Ginger, Garlic, Cayenne

This often is all you’ll need for a common cold in those of strong constitution. Helpful for all to stimulate warmth, encourage perspiration and speed recovery, but particularly indicated in a colder person.

How to take: Special hot sauce? Or a home-made version thereof where the above three herbs are blended, to taste, with apple cider vinegar. Try ½ teaspoon twice a day to start.



Herbal Recipes for Winter Health

Remember that, when using herbs for healing and wellness, it is important to bring their powers into your life from many different angles – use a tea, tincture, and/or an aromatherapy steam to reinvigorate a weak constitution, and think preventatively to strengthen immunity during times of good health.

Immune ‘soup’:

This simple blend can serve as a base for any soup, or can be taken ‘as is’. It strengtens the immune system and can help prevent weakness during the winter months. It is quite powerful, but as with any herbal tonics (blends designed to strengthen over the long term) it is best used on a regular, daily basis.

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) root 1 cup of dry root

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root ½ cup dry root

Red Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) mushroom ½ cup dry mushrooms

Burdock (Actium lappa) root ½ cup dry or fresh root

Garlic (Allium sativum) bulb 4 minced cloves

Take the above ingredients, and simmer them, covered, in a pot with 2 quarts of spring or well water (this process is called a decoction). Simmer on very, very low heat for at least one hour (in China, these types of tonics are often simmered for a whole day – a crock pot can be helpful. Be sure to keep an eye on the soup, and add water as needed. Don’t scorch the pot!). Strain and serve, perhaps with a little honey, or freeze for storage. The daily dose is 8 fluid ounces (1 cup).

Get creative with this soup! Add onions, carrots, seaweed (dulse, arame for example) and salt to taste. You can also add cabbage, potatoes, and cooked beans to make it more of a hearty meal. Or herbs and spices like Cayenne, Thyme, and Parsley. These soups remind us that our daily food is our best medicine!



Tea #1 – For lung congestion

Sometimes a cold can ‘go down’ into the lungs, making it difficult to breathe and producing a deep and sometimes painful cough. In these cases, this blend can help.



Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) leaves 3 Tablespoons dry leaves

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) leaves 1 Tablespoon dry leaves

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root 1 Tablespoon dry root

Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) root powder 2 Teaspoons dry powder



Place all the ingredients in a teapot or mason jar, add 1 Quart of boiling-hot water, cover, and steep for 15 to 20 minutes (this process is called an infusion), then strain. Drink the whole quart over the course of a day. You can prepare this tea the night before, and let it steep all night if you’d like, but I have found that teas for colds and flus work better if you drink them hot.

Add honey to taste.




Tea #2 – For nose and sinus congestion

Often times the worst part of a cold is a stuffy nose. This blend can help relieve that congestion, drying up the nasal passages a bit. It is also useful, I’ve found, after the worst of a cold or flu is done, to help relieve lingering symptoms of congestion.


Elder (Sambucus nigra) flowers 2 Tablespoons dry flowers

Red Clover (Trifolium praetense) flowers 2 Tablespoons dry flowers

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) leaves 1 Tablespoon dry leaves

Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) dry root powder 1 Teaspoon dry powder

Place all the ingredients in a teapot or mason jar, add 1 Quart of boiling-hot water, cover, and steep for 15 to 20 minutes (this process is called an infusion), then strain. Drink this quart of tea over the course of 4 hours, then repeat if necessary. You can add a little honey to taste if desired, although I’ve found too much sweetness can make nasal congestion worse.




Tincture – Echinacea purpurea

Tinctures are alcohol-based extracts of herbs. Usually quite potent and concentrated, they require a solvent such as Vodka to create. The dose is usually much, much smaller than that of a tea.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) root 2 or 3 Tablespoons fresh or dry

Vodka (100 proof) 8 fluid ounces (1 cup)

Chop the root as finely as is possible, and place it in a jar you can close securely (mason jars work well, I’ve found). Pour the vodka over the chopped root, close the jar, and shake it really well for at least 30 seconds. Label your tincture (name of herb and date are the mimimum requirements) and put it in a cool, dark place. Shake it well at least every other day.

After two weeks (better yet, wait four weeks if you can), strain your tincture, discard the spent roots, wash out the jar, and put the tincture back in. It should have turned a nice reddish-brown color, and is ready to use!

Echinacea tincture is taken 1 teaspoon at a time, in a little water, once every hour when you feel the first signs of a cold or a sore throat.




Aromatherapy steam

This process is very useful to help relieve congestion in the nose and lungs. Usually best to do at night, before bed, to clear the breathing passages and encourage restful sleep.
Boil a pot of water. When the water is hot, remove from heat and place it on a safe surface (a stone or trivet works well).
Add 2 drops each of these essential oils (highly concentrated plant essences – use only a few drops, never internally, and be careful because, undiluted, they can irritate the skin):
Rosemary
Thyme
Eucalyptus
Cover your head with a towel and breathe in the steam for 5-10 minutes.

Plant medicine heals more than just people

We often discuss how effective plants can be at supporting and gently bringing human beings back to a state of "wellness" (meaning that resiliency, vibrancy, passion are maximized). I've spent a lot of time exploring how this happens, reading through the historical record and perusing modern research, and on balance it seems pretty clear that medicinal herbs, trees, mushrooms and more are good at helping folks in need. But that's not what I want to discuss today.
Rather, I'd like to posit the idea that working intimately with the botanical world alters our lives in ways that transcend individual health. Of course, this is not a surprising idea: reality mirrors itself, and the skin is barely more than an illusory boundary. Nevertheless, as a person whose life was redirected, and perhaps saved, by trees and herbs, I want to share three ways in which these allies can have powerful effects beyond the individual.

First, the people. Herbalists, gardeners, and other plant folk are consistently the most cooperative and compassionate people with whom I've had the pleasure of working. They share knowledge freely, contributing to a vibrant living oral (and now digital) tradition. They are often excellent communicators, speaking easily in language of metaphor and myth, forest and field. Even the most "beginning" herbalists have taught me amazing lessons and come up with amazing insights - which is why I avoid ranking plant people based on experience, training, or whatever else. Nature's gifts aren't reserved for the well-learned - and those of us who have spent a lot of time studying may find that, in the end, we return to the simple source of life for lasting truth, and books fall away in the light of the green world. This engenders gratitude, and may be the reason plant people are generally gentle, compassionate, and giving. They are often amazingly creative, too - coming up with new pictures, herbal formulae, and solutions where science falls short. I don't mean to disparage any way of "knowing", as all ways are necessary. I simply feel that knowing through plants is so very beautiful, and makes its people beautiful, too.

Next, herbal medicine has a way of reconnecting our species to nature. Clearly a no-brainer: we get outside more, we tend to eat differently, we appreciate a woodland walk differently when we have an intimate knowledge of the green folk living all around us. This gets into our heads slowly, insidiously, and deliciously. Before we know it, we may find ourselves kneeling on a city sidewalk looking at plantain (the horror)! But I feel like the gift of reconnecting to nature that herbal medicine offers us is most clearly evident in what happens when nature and wild plants are removed from human life: this is what, in Western culture, we've been working on for a few hundred years. The results are dramatic: epidemics of chronic disease affect the population, not because of the rise technological medicine, but because of a removal of traditional medicine! Additionally, to support homogenized, un-wild, unchallenging food systems we are also creating epidemics of chronic disease in the environment: new chemical signals that affect fertility, waste material that alters climate and ecosystem balance, disorganized living arrangements that sprawl over the landscape. I may be overly optimistic, but I believe that we don't need to remove technology to fix these issues: we simply need to bring plants back in to daily life. Once we develop the botanical habit, herbs begin to mess with our heads (where we all too often live). As we lose our heads, we save our spirit - and spirit being all-encompassing and transcending the human species, we participate in a more sustainable dance with the rest of nature.

Which leads me to my final point of appreciation for herbal medicine: mystery. Anyone who has seen a plant effect a cure knows that there is something magical about this process, as it may never be able to be replicated again. The herbalist, plant, and client have somehow managed to work together, in that one timeless moment, and the feeling all (plant included!) are left with is similar to what you feel when you run in to a random friend in a random place at just the right moment. It is synchronicity beyond coincidence, and we glimpse for an instant what it is like to be the immortal Universe. A healing modality that respects and welcomes mystery is my kind of medicine: because in the end, no matter how much we dress it up or understand its details, a human physiology brought back in to balance always reveals an awe-inspiring mystery. All good scientists know this. Einsten, for instance, tells us:

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.

I have great faith in the power of herbal medicine to heal not only people, but also culture, species, and ecology. It's really pretty simple: we really need plants in our lives. Even only a little bit. And once their green tendrils begin to grow in our hearts, like the first pea vines of spring, there is no turning back. Thank goodness - thank greenness.
In gratitude, I leave you with the words of Peter Conway, English herbalist, philosopher, and erstwhile humorist.

The future of herbal medicine is the past of herbal medicine - self care & psychedelics - serious...

Joyful herbs for the darker days

All of us feel the loss of daylight to a certain extent. For some, it may be occasional sluggishness, less motivation to get outside and exercise, or less of a desire to spend time with friends and family. Others may feel even deeper withdrawal, or experience less control over anxiety and the sometimes overwhelming responsibilities of daily life. To a certain extent, the culture has tried to address this by consistently packing in times of remembrance, celebration, and family during the darkest months of the year – but by the time it’s all over (or even during the often stressful holidays), there are still many months of darker days left and it is usually at this time that folks express the desire for more fun, more joy, more light.

Aside from creating internal tension by working the same schedule regardless of season every single week of the year, darkness literally affects our mood, in a pattern that has been fairly well characterized and is known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. This pattern can carry a significant depression along with it, though most often it is a period of withdrawal, sadness, and perhaps increased anxiety whose chief feature is that it occurs as the daylight wanes.

So what can be done? Naturally, being outside is extremely important. Feeling sunlight directly on the skin, for even 30 minutes a day, can have substantial benefits! Some choose to install and operate full-spectrum lighting in their homes. As an extension of this, folks also supplement with between 1,000 and 4,000 IUs of vitamin D daily. This important nutrient is essential for those who suffer from a seasonal sadness pattern. But there are some specific medicinal plants that can reinforce these sun-seeking impulses, while at the same time buffering the symptoms of sluggishness, sadness, anxiety and withdrawal. All of this put together helps us not only feel better during the winter months, but also perform better at work, play, and family gatherings.

 

Pulling out of the “hole”: stronger botanicals for SAD

 

St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) has a well-deserved reputation as a good herb for mild to moderate depression, and clinical research has confirmed its effectiveness for this condition. SAD, usually a moderate case, responds extremely well to this plant, which not coincidentally has a long history of solar mythology tied to it. Though also useful for anxious conditions, it is better suited to the depressive side of the winter blues, where it warms, enlivens, and improves circulation.

Consider between ½ tsp and 1 tsp (3-5ml) of a good, fresh tincture prepared from the whole buds and flowering tops. This extract can be taken up to 5 times a day – though it should never be consumed alongside conventional medication without checking with an herbalist first.

Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) is perhaps a bit less well-known, but is a stellar and powerful plant for supporting darker, sadder moods characterized by apathy and withdrawal. It comes from the flower and bark of a medium-sized tree, and has an astringent and somewhat acrid flavor. The tincture is usually taken at a dose of 30 drops all the way up to 1 tsp (1-5ml) twice a day.

Rhodiola (R. rosea) is an anti-stress, energy-enhancing tonic. As such, it lessens the pressures our psyches may feel when we are also sluggish or anxious from the changes in daylight. And of all the “stronger” herbs, it has the greatest affinity for the overwhelmed and frazzled type, where it also serves the purpose of enhancing and evening out energy throughout the day. ½ tsp once, or sometimes twice, a day usually suffices to add spark back into a tired life – and sometimes enough spark to start back in to an exercise program, a snowshoe adventure, or that wintertime project you were putting off…

Aromatic plants: a daily habit to keep us happy, focused, and “in the flow”

            Plants with strong smells, rich in volatile essential oils, have been used throughout history as ways to facilitate ceremony, mark momentous (large or small) events, reduce the effects of stress on the human system, and spark creative focus. They accomplish this by quite literally balancing the level of internal tension we experience: tension in our internal organs, along our nerves, in our skeletal muscle. Though probably best to consume them daily, they make a more frequent appearance in my life from about mid-September to mid-March – the darker half of the year. All of the plants below can be combined together, are very safe to use alone or in concert with conventional medication, and are perhaps somewhat interchangeable. Find a few that you like, and try to start consuming them regularly before mood becomes an issue: it’s always easier to prevent a downslide than it is to climb back out of a dark hole.

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum, aka Tulsi) reduces inflammation in the body, buffers the effects of stress, calms anxiety and gladdens the heart – all while tasting delicious as a simple cup of tea! Various teabags prepared with Tulsi are available today, and almost all are delicious, safe, and effective when used habitually (2-3 cups of tea a day). The tincture too can help, when at least ½ tsp is taken twice a day, perhaps alongside other herbs.

Frankincense (Boswellia species) is a resin from an east African / Arabian tree. It is traditionally burned as incense, but its internal use is also storied and has been receiving a lot of attention over the last decade.  It seems very useful at controlling inflammation, especially in nervous system and cardiovascular tissue, but has important mood-balancing effects as well. It is a rich and sensuous ally for the darker days. Typically ¼ tsp to ½ tsp of the “tears” (amber-like resin chunks) are eaten daily.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) has a delightful scent that is enlivening and makes for a happy heart. It brews a delicious tea, and its aromatic constituents are antidepressant and very, very useful in anxiety. Clinical research shows that consuming a strong cup of Lemon Balm tea (2TBS of leaf per cup) or its extract (1tsp per dose) lessens anxiety and uplifts the frazzled, overwhelmed person for up to six hours! That said, I usually recommend at least 3 cups or doses a day.

Rose (various Rosa species, the stronger scented the better) holds a sad heart and nourishes it. In clinic, its specific use centers around trauma, physical or emotional, and the withdrawal and closed-heartedness that can result. But it is also quite applicable in any context where sadness is overwhelming the ability to enjoy and engage life. Typically not used alone, Rose makes an amazing addition to tea blends and extract formulas for sadness and apathy. Use about 1tsp of petals per cup of tea, or 30-60 drops of tincture. If you can find a “rose elixir” (Avena Botanicals makes an amazing one), 5-50 drops can be used as needed to mend a broken heart.

Pine (Pinus species, often P. alba or white pine), along with spruce and fir, is an evergreen that has always been associated with the darker winter months. It’s for reasons that are more than celebratory that its fronds are brought indoors to decorate the home when the light is waning: the smell is uplifting, antidepressant, and energizing. It is also a great source of vitamin C and very good for the lungs. I’ve only ever used a tea of the fresh needles, regardless of species: about 1TBS of chopped needles steeped in a cup of hot water, taken 2-3 times a day.

Finally, Oats (Avena sativa) is the most nourishing of the bunch. It may be needed for folks who have experienced a SAD pattern for years, or who are perhaps getting worse and worse with every dark season’s passing. It also makes a good tonic for those used to burning the candle at both ends – all in all, not the strongest and immediately relieving anxiety and depression, but the secret ingredient for building resistance to stress and weathering the lack of sunlight with greater grace. Typically a tea is made with 2TBS of unripe, dried oat seedheads per cup of hot water – and 3-4 cups are consumed every day.

There is extensive research correlating the use of highly scented plants (think lavender, for example, or peppermint) to less tension, stress, anxiety and sadness. People have consumed these plants in a range of ways: as teas and extracts, but also as aromatherapy essential oil blends, in room diffusers, as incense, or in bath sachets. Other plants, such as white sage, pine, and citrus fruits, are brought into the home for decoration (and their noticeable medicinal effects). One way or another, it does us all a lot of good to share our space and lives with these sweet-smelling herbs: and it may be that the rise in patterns such as SAD in our culture parallels the loss of these allies in our environment. Many of the scented candles used for the holidays are artificially aromatic nowadays, their medicinal effects unclear (and perhaps even detrimental, as they might lead to hypersensitivity symptoms). So consider real plants, wreaths of evergreen fronds, and true potpourri and mulling spices as part of your seasonal rituals: there are good reasons for these customs, and a happy heart may be the most important!