September Chaos

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lameness of Herbal Amanda's Rant lately, but new job + new apartment + no internet service = no blogging! I would shoot the poor thing, but I think if I use a little herbal magic voodoo I could save its leg.

... ok maybe that metaphor went a little farther than made sense. Anyways I am here to blog the heck out of this place! Woo!!!!

I have determined that this months herbal remedy will be Stress Relief, of which I could probably fill an entire book of information, so I will try and keep in simple and focus on one herb and build some stuff around it. I am picking this subject for the obvious reason that now that I am gainfully employed I am of course visiting the land of stress again and need to remind myself (and you all) how to calm the heck down! (I almost swore there, see how I am not the calm rational me I was before employment?)*

The herb in question for this month is... drum roll please... Wood Betony, Stachys betonica! This is my favorite herb and has a lot of meaning for me. I was introduced to this herb by my professor and Naturopathic Physician Robin Dipasquale and it is one of the herbs that my particular brand of nervous tension responded to quite well.

Wood betony is a small herbaceous plant from the mint family that grows in moist areas (like most mints). It is hard to grow, for it doesn't get very big, but also the seeds need to be stratified (frozen more than once over the winter) since they aren't a 'domesticated' plant. It has a pleasant floral taste and makes an excellent tea on its own or in combination. I often pair it with other mild/restorative nervines such as: lemon balm, oat pods, nettles, or with sleep aids such as lavender, california poppy or valerian. I find even the tincture is pleasant in taste for those floral notes dominate and drown out the bitter alcohol flavor. This is a mild herb and can be taken daily for mild anxiety, or for peopler who find they are too often in their head daydreaming. But can be used for more serious problems such as dementia, alien abduction and full on anxiety disorders. It works well on depression when paired with St. John's (Joan's?) wort since they both work well with anxiety laden depression.

I am the anxious, worry filled, tension headache type stressor that lives in my head a little too much. Wood betony is the calminf bring you back down to earth herb that is just perfect for this type of person. Wood Betony has been used by Mathew Wood for people who think they have been abducted by aliens. He states in his Book "The Book of Herbal Wisdom" that the use of this herb in small doses over time the patients no longer fear another abduction, though they often still think they were abducted in the past. The implications of this herb are that it brings a person back into themself and out of the air, or their heads, putting them firmly in the present and not so disconnected with reality. Yes there are times when one wants to be disconnected, but I find even though I spend a lot of time writing and 'in my head' this herb grounds me in a way that still allows me to imagine a great deal, but leaves me focused so I can actually put my thoughts down on paper. It takes negative spirals where you focus on the negative and puts them into clearer foucs, calming tension and making things easier to deal with. This herb is also great for older patients with dementia to connect with what is going on who are extrememly nervous when they cannot remember things.

So that is Wood Betony in a nutshell.

*Calm? Rational? ...right.

Augustly Robust Digestion

I noticed today that August is in the air, but so is fall which I really don't understand since they aren't usually friends. I wish that fall would go back to his room and leave us be till September arrives, but alas and alack the weird weather of 2008 persists. In keeping with weird choices I have decided to not go with an obvious herb for August but am settling on a beautiful blue flowered herbaceous plant called gentian (Gentiana lutea). My mom planted a gentian last year and this year it is actually blooming and its quite pretty.


Gentian is in the family named after itself Gentianaceae. The part of gentian used is the root and rhizome. (which means I will not probably be harvesting any this year so that the plant has a few years to establish itself before I start dividing roots-luckily a little gentian root goes a long way!) Gentians main action is as a bitter, it is also a sialagogue* (meaning it makes you salivate), hepatic, cholagogue, antihelmintic, and an emmenagogue. Bitters are herbs that aid in digestion via the stimulation of many or all digestive juices. Bitters actually work through the tongues response to bitter taste. The tongue tells the body to increase secretions of saliva (sialagogue), gastric juices (HCL, pepsin etc.), and bile (cholagogue). It also accelerates the stomachs ability to empty. Gentian is most commonly used as a general appetite stimulant and digestive aid and is used for people with sluggish digestion, acid reflux and flatulence. It can be helpful for people that are generally sluggish, have lost their appetite (anorexia, depression), jaundice and liver dysfunction or congestion (Do not use for gallstones, the moving/stimulating nature of gentian can cause gallstones to become lodged in the hepatic portal). Bitters also stimulate te self repair mechanisms of the gut lining.

Gentian is one of the most bitter 'bitters' though I think hops is more bitter on the contiuum, however gentians secndary actions (cholagogue, sialagogue etc) make it a much better all around bitter and is usually my number one choice. Gentian pairs well with fennel and ginger which can slightly aid with the taste (keep in mind you must taste the bitter to get the affects!). Also fennel is an excellent aromatic digestive aid which will help with cramping and flatulence, and ginger will aid as a stimulant and anti-emetic (anti-nausea).

Bitters should be taken an hour before a meal, though you can take it after a meal if you feel you aren't digesting something properly.

*sialagogue is my old professor Sheila Kingbury's favorite word, and one of my favorites as well :)

Resources
Memory
Hoffman, David- Medical Herbalism, Healing arts press, 2003

July is Here!

...and you all know what that means. That's right its time for a new Herb of the Month. This month I have chosen Tilia commonly called Linden in North America, or Lime Blossom in Europe.
Linden is a deciduous tree that is native to Europe, Asia, and eastern North America, here in the west it is a non-native imported from Europe. Tilia's are often planted along roadways and in parks. It's distinctive blossoms are easy to distinguish once you know what to look for and they are in full bloom right now.
Linden is most often utilized as a nerve tonic tea. It is a common remedy for frayed nerves and inability to sleep. It is specifically for those that are nervous, don't trust anything and want to be in control. It is also very useful in relaxing one to sleep, especially children. Linden has a pleasant aroma (it really does smell like limes) and tastes floral, sweet and tangy.