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Using Herbs Simply and Safely
By: Susun
S. Weed
Using Herbs Simply and Safely
By Susun S. Weed
Are herbs “dilute forms of drugs” — and therefore dangerous? Or
are they “natural” — and therefore safe? If you sell herbs, you
probably hear these questions often. What is the “right” answer? It
depends on the herb! These thoughts on herbs will help you explain to
your customers (and yourself) how safe--or dangerous-- any herb might
be.
To prevent problems when selling or using herbs:
1. Be certain you have the correct plant.
2. Use simples.
3. Understand that different preparations of the same herb can work
differently.
4. Use nourishing, tonifying, stimulating, and potentially poisonous
herbs wisely.
Be certain you have the correct plant.
One of the easiest ways to get into trouble with an herb is to use the
“wrong” one. How could that happen? Common names for herbs overlap,
causing confusion as to the proper identity. Herbs that are labeled
correctly may contain extraneous material from another, more dangerous,
herb. Herbs may be picked at the wrong stage of growth or handled
incorrectly after harvesting, causing them to develop detrimental
qualities.
Protect yourself and your customers with these simple steps:
• Buy herbs only from reputable suppliers.
• Only buy herbs that are labeled with their botanical name. Botanical
names are specific, but the same common name can refer to several
different plants. “Marigold” can be Calendula officinalis, a
medicinal herb, or Tagetes, an annual used as a bedding plant.
• If you grow the herbs you sell, be meticulous about keeping
different plants separate when you harvest and dry them, and obsessive
about labeling.
Use simples
A simple is one herb. For optimum safety, I prepare, buy, sell, teach
about and use herbal simples, that is: preparations containing only one
herb. (Occasionally I use will add some mint to flavor a remedy.)
The more herbs there are in a formula, the more likelihood there is of
unwanted side-effects. Understandably, the public seeks combinations,
hoping to get more for less. And many mistakenly believe that herbs must
be used together to be effective (probably because potentially poisonous
herbs are often combined with protective herbs to mitigate the damage
they cause). But combining herbs with the same properties, such as
goldenseal and echinacea, is counter-productive and more likely to cause
trouble than a simple. A simple tincture of echinacea is more effective
than any combination and much safer.)
Different people have different reactions to substances, whether drugs,
foods, or herbs. When herbs are mixed together in a formula and someone
taking it has distressing side effects, there is no way to determine
which herb is the cause. With simples, it's easy to tell which herb is
doing what. If there's an adverse reaction, other herbs with similar
properties can be tried. Limiting the number of herbs used in any one
day (to no more than four) offers added protection.
Side effects from herbs are less common than side effects from drugs and
usually less severe. If an herb disturbs the digestion, it may be that
the body is learning to process it. Give it a few more tries before
giving up. Stop taking any herb that causes nausea, dizziness, sharp
stomach pains, diarrhea, headache, or blurred vision. (These effects
will generally occur quite quickly.) Slippery elm is an excellent
antidote to any type of poison.
If you are allergic to any foods or medicines, it is especially
important to consult resources that list the side effects of herbs
before you use them.
Understand that different preparations of the same herb can work
differently
The safety of any herbal remedy is dependent on the way it is prepared
and used.
* Tinctures and extracts contain the alkaloids, or poisonous, parts of
plants and need to be used with care and wisdom. Tinctures are as safe
as the herb involved (see cautions below for tonifying, stimulating,
sedating, or potentially poisonous herbs). Best used/sold as simples,
not combinations, especially when strong herbs are being used.
* Dried herbs made into teas or infusions contain the nourishing aspects
of the plants and are usually quite safe, especially when nourishing or
tonifying herbs are used.
* Dried herbs in capsules are generally the least effective way to use
herbs. They are poorly digested, poorly utilized, often stale or
ineffective, and quite expensive.
* Infused herbal oils are available as is, or thickened into ointments.
They are much safer than essential oils, which are highly concentrated
and can be lethal if taken internally.
* Herbal vinegars are not only decorative but mineral-rich as well. A
good medium for nourishing and tonifying herbs; not as strong as
tinctures for stimulants/sedatives.
* Herbal glycerins are available for those who prefer to avoid alcohol
but are usually weaker in action than tinctures.
Use nourishing, tonifying, stimulating, and potentially poisonous herbs
wisely
Herbs comprise a group of several thousand plants with widely varying
actions. Some are nourishers, some tonifiers, some stimulants and
sedatives, and some are potential poisons. To use them wisely and well,
we need to understand each category, its uses, best manner of
preparation, and usual dosage range.
Nourishing herbs are the safest of all herbs; side effects are rare.
Nourishing herbs are taken in any quantity for any length of time. They
are used as foods, just like spinach and kale. Nourishing herbs provide
high levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, carotenes,
and essential fatty acids. Examples of nourishing herbs are: alfalfa,
amaranth, astragalus, calendula flowers, chickweed, comfrey leaves,
dandelion, fenugreek, flax seeds, honeysuckle flowers, lamb’s quarter,
marshmallow, nettles, oatstraw, plantain (leaves/seeds), purslane, red
clover blossoms, seaweed, Siberian ginseng, slippery elm, violet leaves,
and wild mushrooms.
Tonifying herbs act slowly in the body and have a cumulative, rather
than immediate, effect. They build the functional ability of an organ
(like the liver) or a system (like the immune system). Tonifying herbs
are most beneficial when they are used in small quantities for extended
periods of time. The more bitter the tonic tastes, the less you need to
take. Bland tonics may be used in quantity, like nourishing herbs.
Side effects occasionally occur with tonics, but are usually quite
short-term. Many older herbals mistakenly equated stimulating herbs with
tonifying herbs, leading to widespread misuse of many herbs, and severe
side effects. Examples of tonifying herbs are: barberry bark,
burdock root/seeds, chaste tree, crone(mug)wort, dandelion root,
echinacea, elecampane, fennel, garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, ground ivy,
hawthorn berries, horsetail, lady’s mantle, lemon balm, milk thistle
seeds, motherwort, mullein, pau d’arco, raspberry leaves, schisandra
berries, St. Joan’s wort, turmeric root, usnea, wild yam, and yellow
dock.
Sedating and stimulating herbs cause a variety of rapid reactions, some
of which may be unwanted. Some parts of the person may be stressed in
order to help other parts. Strong sedatives and stimulants, whether
herbs or drugs, push us outside our normal ranges of activity and may
cause strong side effects. If we rely on them and then try to function
without them, we wind up more agitated (or depressed) than before we
began. Habitual use of strong sedatives and stimulants—whether opium,
rhubarb root, cayenne, or coffee—leads to loss of tone, impairment of
functioning, and even physical dependency. The stronger the herb, the
more moderate the dose needs to be, and the shorter the duration of its
use.
Herbs that tonify and nourish while sedating/stimulating are some of my
favorite herbs. I use them freely, as they do not cause dependency.
Sedating/stimulating herbs that also tonify or nourish: boneset, catnip,
citrus peel, cleavers, ginger, hops, lavender, marjoram, motherwort,
oatstraw, passion flower, peppermint, rosemary, sage, skullcap.
Strongly sedating/stimulating herbs include: angelica, black pepper,
blessed thistle root, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, licorice, opium
poppy, osha root, shepherd’s purse, sweet woodruff, turkey rhubarb
root, uva ursu leaves, valerian root, wild lettuce sap, willow bark, and
wintergreen leaves.
Potentially poisonous herbs are intense, potent medicines that are taken
in tiny amounts and only for as long as needed. Side effects are common.
Examples of potentially poisonous herbs are: belladonna, blood-root,
celandine, chaparral, foxglove, goldenseal, henbane, iris root, Jimson
weed, lobelia, May apple (American mandrake), mistletoe, poke root,
poison hemlock, stillingia root, turkey corn root, wild cucumber root.
In addition, consider these thoughts on using herbs safely:
• Respect the power of plants to change the body and spirit in
dramatic ways.
• Increase trust in the healing effectiveness of plants by trying
remedies for minor or external problems before, or while, working with
major and internal problems.
• Develop ongoing relationships with knowledgeable healers—in person
or in books—who are interested in herbal medicine.
• Honor the uniqueness of every plant, every person, every situation.
• Remember that each person becomes whole and healed in their own
unique way, at their own speed. People, plants, and animals can help in
this process. But it is the body/spirit that does the healing.
Don’t expect plants to be cure-alls.
Susun Weed, PO Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498 (845-246-8081)
Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com
and www.ashtreepublishing.com
For permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@hvc.rr.com
Susun Weed’s books include:
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
Author: Susun S. Weed. Simple, safe remedies for pregnancy, childbirth,
lactation, and newborns. Includes herbs for fertility and birth control.
Foreword by Jeannine Parvati Baker. 196 pages, index, illustrations.
Retails for $9.95 Get 20% off at: www.ash-tree-publishing.com
Healing Wise
Author: Susun S. Weed. Superb herbal in the feminine-intuitive mode.
Complete instructions for using common plants for food, beauty,
medicine, and longevity. Introduction by Jean Houston. 312 pages, index,
illustrations. Retails for $12.95 Get 20% off at: www.ash-tree-publishing.com
NEW Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way
Author: Susun S. Weed. The best book on menopause is now better.
Completely revised with 100 new pages. All the remedies women know and
trust plus hundreds of new ones. New sections on thyroid health,
fibromyalgia, hairy problems, male menopause, and herbs for women taking
hormones. Recommended by Susan Love MD and Christiane Northrup MD.
Foreword by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. 304 pages, index, illustrations.
Retails for $12.95 order at: www.ash-tree-publishing.com
For more great info on menopause, visit: www.menopause-metamorphosis.com
Breast Cancer? Breast Health!
Author: Susun S. Weed. Foods, exercises, and attitudes to keep your
breasts healthy. Supportive complimentary medicines to ease side-effects
of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or tamoxifen. Foreword by
Christiane Northrup, M.D. 380 pages, index, illustrations. Retails for
$14.95 Get 20% off at: www.ash-tree-publishing.com
Bio:
The author, Susun Weed, has been living the simple
life for more than 30 years as an herbalist, goatkeeper, homesteader,
and feminist. In addition to being the author of four highly-acclaimed
books on herbs and women's health, Susun lectures world-wide as the
voice of the Wise Woman tradition, personally supervises 400
correspondence students, is editor-in-chief of Ash Tree Publishing,
and directs the activities of the Wise Woman Center, where she trains
apprentices (240 to date) in the shamanic arts, and plays with the
fairies. Her four books: Healing Wise; Menopausal Years the Wise
Woman Way; Breast Cancer? Breast Health! the Wise Woman Way and Wise
Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year are used by more than a million
women, and have been translated into German and French. Visit her
website at www.susunweed.com
and find her books at www.ashtreepublishing.com
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