Lavender

Lavender and milky oats for nervous exhaustion and tension

Lavender and rosemary for headache with nervous tension

Lavender and feverfew for migraine

Lavender and catnip for colic in children

Lavender and peppermint for epigastric or abdominal discomfort with depression

𝗟𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

We are all familiar with lavender’s calming and tranquilizing effects. It Calms the Heart Shen, i.e., anxiety, insomnia, palpitations. Calms Liver Yang rising and Liver Wind = headache, migraine, nervous tension.

As seen in rat studies, lavender has direct antispasmodic action on the intestines (Intestinal Qi disturbances); this is beneficial for IBS, gas, menstrual cramps, Crohn’s, intestinal colic, muscle spasms, etc.

It is also has a secondary effect as a mild circulatory stimulant. This gentle moving effect can move both Heart and Liver Qi, making it useful for mild depression, indigestion, bipolar disorder, anxiety-depression, etc.

Hypertension

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀:

❤️ High Blood pressure is more common in males than females

❤️ High Blood pressure is most common in non-Hispanic black adults

❤️ In 2019, over ½ a million deaths had hypertension as a  primary or contributing cause

❤️ 1 In 4 adults with high Blood pressure have their condition  under control

❤️ In many instances, hypertension is asymptomatic

❤️ Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing high Blood pressure 

❤️ If you are diabetic, you are twice as likely to have high Blood pressure

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻s𝗶𝗼𝗻:

❤️ In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is no ancient “disease” called hypertension

❤️ Two of the most common symptoms of hypertension are headaches and dizziness

❤️ Some contributing factors to high Blood pressure:

➳Stress: worry, anger, repressed emotions, resentment, etc

➳Old age: Kidney Jing declines w/age = can lead to Liver patterns & Phlegm

➳Diet choices: excessive sweets, processed foods, dairy, cold & raw foods, alcohol = damages the Spleen, leads to Heat, leads to Phlegm

➳Phlegm

➳Overwork: damages the Kidneys and Liver over time

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗖𝗠, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:

❤️ Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency

❤️ Liver Yang Rising

❤️ Liver Fire

❤️ Phlegm

❤️ Spleen deficiency

❤️ Blood stagnation

❤️ Some other patterns may include Liver Qi stagnation w/Blood rebelling upward, Wind, Kidney Yang deficiency, etc.

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 -𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻(𝘀)

❤️ Hawthorn - circulatory enhancing herb. It may help improve  Blood vessels. Mildly lowers BP, inhibits plaque buildup on arterial walls. angina, palpitations, oppression in the chest.

❤️ Motherwort - used in formulas for hypertension with anxiety/stress, palpitations. oppression in the chest.

❤️ Maca - used in cases of renal hypertension

❤️ Khella seeds - vasodilator

❤️ Yarrow - peripheral vasodilator, also used for nosebleeds

❤️ Garlic - lowers BP, vascular herb, plaque formation 

❤️ Passionflower - vasodilating effects, anxiety/stress-induced  hypertension

❤️ California poppy - for hypertension-associated adrenal exhaustion due to stress/anxiety

❤️ Tian Ma - used in TCM for headaches, dizziness

❤️ Linden - stress-related hypertension

❤️ Milky oats -  for stress-induced hypertension

❤️ Bugleweed - for stress-induced hypertension. Relieves oppression in the chest.

❤️ several TCM formulas are beneficial. Choosing one depends on what patterns of disharmony are present.

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁 & 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀: (check with your Dr. if you are unsure)

❤️ If overweight, reduce and maintain a healthy weight

❤️ Eat a healthy diet: reduce salt, sugar, saturated fat, & processed foods 

❤️ Eat a healthy diet: include leafy greens & veggies, legumes, lentils, & whole grains

❤️ Reduce/omit coffee and alcohol

❤️ Quit smoking

❤️ Include omega III fatty acids (wild-caught salmon, sardines, halibut, etc.)

❤️ 30-minutes of aerobic exercise per day

❤️ Meditate, yoga, qi gong, tai chi, pranayama

❤️ Consider supplementing CoQ10 

❤️ Make certain you are getting the RDA vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium,  & calcium

❤️ Remember that not all herbs are suitable for everyone. Please check with your Dr. or a qualified herbalist before starting a new herb. 

TCM Heart Deficient-Empty Patterns

Chart #1 in the series of TCM Heart Patterns of Disharmony

Chart #2 will concentrate on TCM Heart Excess-Full Patterns of Disharmony

Heart

• Time of day is 11 am to 1 pm

• Paired with the Small Intestine

• Governs Blood

• Controls the Blood vessels and sweat

• Manifests in the complexion

• Fluid is sweat

• Sound is laughing

• Climate is Heat

• Direction is South

• Taste is bitter

• Season is Summer

• Sense is tongue

• Odor is scorched

• Emotion is joy

• Houses the Mind

• Color is red

• Development is growth

• Movement is upward

• Yin/Yang is utmost Yang

TCM Liver Deficient/Empty Patterns of Disharmony

Chart #2 in the series of TCM Liver Patterns of Disharmony.

Chart #3 will concentrate on TCM Liver Combination Excess/Full and Deficient/Empty Patterns of Disharmony.

20 Things About Evening Primrose - Oenothera biennis - Sun Drops

• Native to North America

• Flowers open and release scent in the evenings and are pollinated by moths

• Parts used: root, root bark, leaf, flower, seed, stem

• Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic (muscle tension, spasms, etc), astringent, diuretic, sedative  

Uses: 

• Native Americans used poultices for bruises and wounds, ingested for bowel pains, weight loss, and muscle strength

• Whooping cough, asthma, hiccups, COPD

• Gastrointestinal uses include IBS, IBD, colitis, poor digestion, vomiting, diverticulitis, chronic indigestion, chronic diarrhea

• Blood or mucus in urine, bladder spasms, nervous bladder

• Antidepressant - depression when toxins and waste have accumulated in the digestive tract

• Sluggish Liver and Liver inflammation

• Nervous exhaustion and anxiety

• Seeds were recommended as a coffee substitute in wartime

Evening Primrose Seed Oil:

• Yin tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine 

• Contains Gamma lipoic acid (GLA) -essential fatty acids that help balance hormones and fight inflammation and Linolenic acid - contains fatty acids, supports Heart health, improves insulin sensitivity and Blood pressure

• Hypertension, anxiety, and fatigue

• Women: PMS, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, sore breasts, fibrocystic breasts

• Skin: Burns, atopic dermatitis (especially itching), psoriasis, eczema, and acne

• Anti-cancer therapy - In studies, the oil has shown antiproliferative effects against breast, hepatic, prostate, and leukemia cancer cell lines

• Benefits seen through clinical trials include diabetic neuropathy, hypertension, mastalgia, PMS, osteoporosis, and dementia.  Mixed results in trials for atopic eczema and dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, diabetic lipid metabolism, and alcoholism. 

• Osteoporosis: Combined with fish oil a trial confirmed osteocalcin levels rose (a bone formation marker) and alkaline phosphatase levels dropped (indicates an increase in bone mineral density)

     ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6003444;ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116039;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22414479;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28555835;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1185351; nccih.nih.gov/health/evening-primrose-oil; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116039/#:~:text=Evening%20primrose

• Granica, S.;  ´nska, M.E.; Piwowarski, J.P.; Ziaja, M.; Kiss, A.K. Chemical composition, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity of extracts prepared from aerial parts of Oenothera biennis L. and Oenothera paradoxa Hudziok obtained after seeds cultivation. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2013, 61, 801–810

• The Worst Weeds Are Your Best Medicine– The Common and Weedy Plant Materia Medica ©2005 Revised 2018 David Winston, RH (AHG) 

• Christopher Hobbs - Herbal prescriber database

• Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy - Modern Herbal Medicine Simon Mills, Kerry Bone

• Medical Herbalism - The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine David Hoffman

• The Way of Herbs - Michael Tierra

• The Admirable Secrets of Herbs, Roots & Barks - Matthew Wood