Herbs that help the body cope with stress and restore balance, strengthen the immune system or relieve pain: ashwagandha, ginseng, holy basil, rhodiola, reishi, astragalus, white willow, devil's claw and Jamaican dogwood. Chapter 5 teaches this family as a whole.
No. 122Ashwagandha
Traditional uses and main actions
The adaptogen of Ayurveda: calms anxiety while restoring energy, improves sleep, supports the thyroid and adrenals, and builds strength and stamina in the tired and stressed. Somnifera means "sleep-bringing."
How it's prepared
Powder in warm milk (the traditional way); capsules; tincture.
Typical amounts
Powder, ½–1 teaspoon once or twice a day; extract, 300–600 mg a day.
Cautions and interactions
Not in pregnancy. Raises thyroid hormone (caution with hyperthyroidism or thyroid medication). Adds to sedatives. A nightshade (avoid with nightshade sensitivity). Rare liver reactions: stop with dark urine or yellowing.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 123Ginseng
Traditional uses and main actions
The "king of herbs" of Chinese medicine and a superior herb of the Shennong Ben Cao Jing: restores energy, stamina, mental focus and resistance to stress and illness, especially in the elderly and convalescent. Asian ginseng is warming and stimulating; American ginseng is cooler and gentler. Christopher used Siberian ginseng in BPE and Adrenetone.
How it's prepared
Decoction or slices chewed; tincture; capsules; cooked in soups.
Typical amounts
Asian ginseng, 1–2 grams of root or 200–400 mg extract a day, in courses of a few weeks with breaks.
Cautions and interactions
Can cause sleeplessness or nervousness; take in the morning. Lowers blood sugar (diabetes drugs). Interacts with warfarin and MAOIs. Not with high blood pressure (Asian), in pregnancy or for children. American ginseng is at risk: buy cultivated.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 124Holy Basil
Traditional uses and main actions
India's sacred basil: an adaptogen that calms the mind and lifts the spirit, steadies blood sugar, supports the immune system and eases colds, coughs and fevers. A gentle daily tea.
How it's prepared
Tea; tincture.
Typical amounts
Tea, 1–2 teaspoons per cup, 2–3 cups a day.
Cautions and interactions
Very safe as a tea. May lower blood sugar. Not in medicinal amounts in pregnancy or when trying to conceive.
Taught in Lessons 5, 6 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 125Rhodiola
Traditional uses and main actions
An adaptogen of the far north, used by Siberian and Scandinavian peoples for endurance and by modern athletes and students for fatigue, stress, focus and mild low mood.
How it's prepared
Extract; tincture.
Typical amounts
200–600 mg of extract (standardized to rosavins) in the morning.
Cautions and interactions
Can trigger mania in bipolar disorder. Not with antidepressants, MAOIs or stimulants. Causes sleeplessness if taken late. Not in pregnancy.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 126Reishi
Traditional uses and main actions
The "mushroom of immortality" and a superior herb of Chinese medicine: calms the spirit, improves sleep, strengthens and balances the immune system, and protects the liver. Nicole Apelian takes it daily for multiple sclerosis.
How it's prepared
Double extraction (decoction plus tincture); long decoction; powder.
Typical amounts
Extract, 1–3 grams a day; decoction, a few slices simmered an hour or more.
Cautions and interactions
Adds to blood thinners; stop before surgery. Lowers blood pressure. Not with immune-suppressing drugs after a transplant. Rare liver reactions to powders.
Taught in Lessons 2, 5, 6 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 127Astragalus
Traditional uses and main actions
The great immune tonic of Chinese medicine for people who catch every cold, recover slowly and tire easily: it builds the body's defenses over time, supports energy and helps convalescence. Usually taken to prevent illness rather than during an acute fever.
How it's prepared
Decoction (slices simmered in soups and broths); tincture; capsules.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 9–30 grams of root a day (a few slices in soup); capsules, 500 mg 2–3 times a day.
Cautions and interactions
Not with immune-suppressing drugs or during an acute infection with high fever. Wild "locoweed" astragalus species are toxic to livestock; use A. membranaceus.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 128White Willow
Traditional uses and main actions
The original aspirin: its salicin eases pain, fever, headaches, arthritis, back pain and menstrual cramps, more slowly but more gently on the stomach than aspirin.
How it's prepared
Decoction; tincture; capsules; chewing the inner bark in the field.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1–2 teaspoons per cup, 3 cups a day; extract supplying 120–240 mg of salicin a day.
Cautions and interactions
Avoid with aspirin allergy, with blood thinners, in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and in children and teenagers with viral illnesses (as with aspirin, because of Reye's syndrome). Not with kidney disease.
Taught in Lessons 5, 6 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 129Devil's Claw
Traditional uses and main actions
A bitter African root used for arthritis, back pain and joint pain, and as a digestive bitter.
How it's prepared
Capsules; tincture; tea.
Typical amounts
Extract, 600–1,200 mg a day (about 50–100 mg of harpagoside).
Cautions and interactions
Not with stomach ulcers or gallstones, or in pregnancy. Adds to blood thinners and may affect heart rhythm drugs and blood sugar.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 130Jamaican Dogwood
Traditional uses and main actions
A strong pain-relieving and sedative herb for nerve pain, toothache, migraines, menstrual cramps and pain that keeps you awake. Caribbean fishermen used it to stun fish.
How it's prepared
Tincture, in small doses.
Typical amounts
Tincture, 5–20 drops, up to 3 times a day, for short periods.
Cautions and interactions
A strong herb: use measured doses, short term. Adds to sedatives and pain drugs. Not in pregnancy, for children, or with heart disease.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).