Botanical Name :  Prunella vulgaris Energetics :  Cooling, drying Major Properties :  Astringent, antiviral, diffusive, demulcent, refrigerant, inflammatory modulator, immuno-modulator, vulnerary Examples of Uses:  Wounds, ulcers, sore throat, hemorrhoids, allergies, moving lymph Parts Used : Aerial parts Preparations: Tincture, oil, dry, fresh edible Personal Observations : I have used self heal in blends for its antiviral properties and for digestion support with much success.  Doing further research here has confirmed for me what I’ve seen. We should all be considering using self heal more! Some herbalists compare its healing to that of plantain, abe to draw out infections and promote healing. Supports a healthy immune system. Reduces excessive immune system response, may possibly ease seasonal allergies. Research has shown it inhibits the binding activity of viruses, so may have effectiveness at stopping recurring localized viral infections such as herpes. And lots more!  I’m going to be trying this one out more! This brief overview merely highlights my observations.  There is, of course, a great deal of information that you can find on the Internet or in books.  Or better yet - get together with other herbalists and share your experiences! Please add your own experiences so that together we can create a more comprehensive overview. As always, if you have a chronic ailment that is not resolving itself or an acute issue, seek the attention of your physician.

Botanical Name :  Avena sativa Energetics :  Neutral to warming, moistening Major Properties :  Relaxing nervine, nutritive Examples of Uses:  “Type A burnout”, breaking addiction, nervous system tonic Parts Used : Unripe seed pods when going from flower to seed. Preparations: Tincture, dropping freshly picked, unripe seed pods directly into menstruum Personal Observations : Milky Oats is a great nervous system tonic, not a sedative or stimulating, but it stabilizes, rebuilds, and/or enhances the nervous system. Great for physical and mental exhaustion from too much work for too long. Specific indications include nervous systems that are “fried” due to ongoing excess work or play.  “Type A burnout” - emotionally brittle due to stress. Milky Oats has adaptogen-like qualities - good to take along with adaptogens such as Tulsi and Ashwagandha. Great remedy for having to deal with sudden loss, such as a death or a situation that feels “as if something important has died”. Very useful for breaking addictions, reducing cravings for tobacco and drugs.  Using it along with American Skullcap is very effective, especially where the addict is seeking the nervous strength to break the addiction. This brief overview merely highlights my observations.  There is, of course, a great deal of information that you can find on the Internet or in books.  Or better yet - get together with other herbalists and share your experiences! Please add your own experiences so that together we can create a more comprehensive overview. As always, if you have a chronic ailment that is not resolving itself or an acute issue, seek the attention of your physician.

Botanical Name :   Cnicus benedictus Click Here to See Photo Energetics :  Neutral, drying Major Properties :  Stomachic, tonic, emmenagogue, galactagogue Examples of Uses:   Increase lactation, treat painful menstruation, stimulate and tonify digestion, increase appetite, digest fat more effectively Parts Used : Flowering tops, leaves, and upper stem Preparations: Tincture - my preference as I feel a tincture preserves the properties of its milky sap best Tea - dried leaves, especially in regard to increase milk supply for nursing mothers Edible - young leaves Personal Observations : - I think of Blessed Thistle when the liver needs some support, due to its bitter compounds.  I often consider it when mixing up a bitters blend as it seems a gentle, yet powerful tonic for the liver and digestive system.  It allows the body to digest fat more effectively, possibly in turn reducing cholesterol and helping to prevent gallstones. Historically, blessed thistle was considered a "cure-all", even credited with healing during the Bubonic Plague. Seems to make sense to add it to bitters blend, in my opinion anyway. - A common use today is to promote milk production in lactating women.  Studies have shown that taking blessed thistle and fenugreek together were the most effective. This brief overview merely highlights my observations.  There is, of course, a great deal of information that you can find on the Internet or in books.  Or better yet - get together with other herbalists and share your experiences! Please add your own experiences so that together we can create a more comprehensive overview. As always, if you have a chronic ailment that is not resolving itself or an acute issue, seek the attention of your physician.