Herbal Energetics

Chamomile

Chamomile is slightly cooling & slightly drying as a nervins, bitter, anti-inflammatory, disphoretic, antispasmodic, carminative, antimicrobial.

Stinging Nettle

Cooling & drying as a nutritive, astringent, anti-inflammatory & a diuretic support

Calendula

Antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, & a vulnerary

Lavendar

warming with antimicrobial, aromatic, nervine, antifungal & carminative qualities

Rosemary

Warming & drying with nervine, antimicrobial, aromatic, carminative, stimulating circulatory system & antioxidant qualities

Dandelion

Cooling & drying with leaves that are bitter, diuretic, nutritious & hepatic (supports the liver) while her roots hold the same support as the leaves but also are a mild laxative, blood nurturing & a prebiotic (high in inulin)

Milk Thistle

Neutral Energy - Neutralizes toxins, inflammation modulating, hepato protective cholerectic & cholagogue

Chickweed

Moistening & cooling with its vulnerary, diuretic, nutritive, demulcent, lymphatic, anti-inflammatory & an expectorant properties

Lemon Balm

Cooling & slightly drying & may bring support to frazzled nerves, anxiousness, depression, digestion, seasonal disorder, colic, herpes, insomnia, cognitive health, heart palpitations, spasmodic coughing, inflammation

Yarrow

Harmonizing energey. Bring balance - Astringent, diuretic, diaphorectic & antiseptic

Motherwart

Cooling & drying as a nervine, cardiotonic, antispasmodic, anxiolytic (reduces anxiety) & an emmenagogue.

California Poppy

Antidepressant, sedative, nervine, anxiolytic (reduces anxiety) & a painkiller

Rose

Cooling energy - antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, nervine & analgesic

Elder

Cooling & drying with her flowers & berries being composed of nervine, diuretic (lower blood pressure), immune enhancing, antiviral & diaphorectic (includes sweating) properties

Spearmint

Cooling and high in antioxidants. Can alleviate symptons of toothache, gas, nausea, cramps, headaches and sore threat

AYURVEDA Test

ayurveda venn diagram

Match your unique energy to the energy of different herbs.

Vata (Air) - Elements of space, runs cold & windy

Pitta (Fire & Water) - elements of heat, runs warm

Kapha (Earth & Water) - elements of steadiness, runs smooth & stable

Opposites create balance. Example: Peppermint + Ginger

Cooling herbs

Clears infections & used as a sedatiive

Dandelion Root

Chickweed

Motherwort

Lavendar

Milk Thristle

Spearmint

Drying herbs

Used as a diuretic and astringent

Dandelion Leaf

Nettles

Chamomile

Yarrow

Calendula

Rose

Warming Herbs

Increases circulation and decreases pain.

Chickweed

Milk Thistle

Damp herbs

Soothes irritations and is mucilaginous.

Chickweed

Milk Thistle

Talk the herbal verbal

Vulnerary - Wound healer (Calendula, Aloe, Plantain, Turmeric & Chamomile)

Cardio Tonic Herbs - Support heart function (Motherwort & Rose)

Bitters - Help digestion (Dandelion leaf, Yarrow, & Chamomile)

Carminatives - Gas & Bloating (Ginger & Chamomile)

Demulcent - Soothe hot & irritated tissues *dry cough, sunburn, sore throat, etc *Mucilaginous (Chickweed)

Immunomodulating - Encourages the Immune System (Elderberry, Holy Basil/Tulsi, Shitake, Astragalus)

Anti-Inflammatory - Reduce inflammation (Turmeric, Ginger, Paprika, Chickweed, Lavender, & Plantain)

Antimicrobial - Fight against bacteria, viral, & fungal infections (Elderberry, Yarrow, Garlic, & Rosemary)

Adaptogen Herbs - Taken over time to build resiliency to handle stress (Holy Basil/Tulsi)

Emmenagogue - Promotes menstruation *AVOID IF PREGNANT (Motherwort, Ginger, Yarrow, & Parsley)

Nervine - Alters the nervous system (California Poppy, Milky Oats, Chamomile, Lavender, & Lemon Balm)

Antispasmodic - To relieve cramping muscles (California Poppy, Motherwort, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, & Ginger)

Astrigent - Tones & tightens tissue *Diarrhea or sore throat etc (Rose Yarrow, & Sage)

Diaphoretic - 2 different camps: Relaxing (Chamomile & Yarrow) or Stimulating (Ginger & Yarrow) to support during a fever

Identifying

Best to properly spot while herb is in flower, which will give a more successful determination of who is who out in the wild. Then watch her year-round before consuming to make sure you have positively picked her out.

Warning: Some plants may have hazardous interactions with certain medications. Don't eat something if you don't know what it is.

Opposite Leaves

Oval/Egg-shaped leaves with Rosette Formation

Alternating Leaves

Bi-Pinnately Compound Leaves

Medicine making

Water, vinegar, oil, alcohol, honey & glycerin are called a solvent if they are extracting medicinal compounds from herbs. A solvent is called a menstruum when creating a tincture.

Tincture

Olive Oil

Lesson wrap up (activity)

Water, vinegar, oil, alcohol, honey & glycerin are called a solvent if they are extracting medicinal compounds from herbs. A solvent is called a menstruum when creating a tincture.

  1. Meet herbs, learn herbal energetics & understand your dominate Dosha
  2. Plant & grow Calendula to give in gratitude to someone who you appreciate
  3. Include everyone in a picnic-bringing an item from nature to share (Tea-Fruit-Vegetable) *Learn an herbal salad recipe
  4. Adapt by reaching for alternative medicine in making & having on hand Chickweed Salve
  5. Curiously sample different herbal teas
  6. Master an understanding of a single herb & share you knowledge

Additional Resources

Energetic System of Herbal Medicine by David Winston

Don't Eat Something If You Don't Know What It Is