Using Plant Medicines for Health
With all the information available online, trying to decide what natural treatments to use can be overwhelming. We get emails with information about new supplements, foods we should and should not be eating, herbs that will cure our health problems, and opportunities to purchase the latest and greatest products.
Most of us are used to the Western, allopathic approach to health, with a focus on diagnosis and medications used to address symptoms and their causes. This approach seems logical, so it’s not surprising that we tend to use the same framework when we decide to add to or replace medications with plant medicines.
However, holistic health systems such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Western Herbalism generally recommend herbs based on the principles of “constitutional medicine,” which focuses on the whole person as an individual. The principles of this approach may be helpful in deciding how to integrate herbal treatments into your health regimen and/or how to understand herbal recommendations from natural health providers.
Constitutional medicine takes a holistic approach to health, recognizing that diet, lifestyle, environmental factors, and emotions affect health.
Constitutional medicine considers a person’s individual constitution (physical traits, emotional tendencies, predispositions, energetic balance) as well as the person’s current state to identify areas of health imbalance.
Herbal (and other) recommendations are made to restore balance to the individual rather than just address symptoms, and to encourage long-term health rather than quick fixes.
Herbs have their own energetic properties (heating, cooling, drying, moisturizing, stimulating, relaxing), which are considered when recommending them. For example, a heating herb could be beneficial to a person with little heat in their constitution but aggravating to a person with a lot of heat in their constitution. In other words, what’s good for one person is not so good for another.
In addition to understanding the importance of constitution and state of imbalance when seeking an herbal remedy, there are other things to consider with plant medicines:
Dose and timing are important and depend on the purpose of the herb. For example, drinking a mild herbal infusion daily to maintain balance is different from drinking a “super-concentrated” infusion 3 times a day to address a current illness or imbalance.
Herbs can be taken in different forms (the subject of the next newsletter).
Consistency is important! In general, plant medicines are mild and take longer than pharmaceuticals to work within the body. Depending on the imbalance (and the individual), it may take 6-8 weeks to notice effects of an herb or formulation. Unless you are taking an herb for an acute condition or having negative reactions, try to stick with it for at least 2 months before making changes.
Nature has given us a multitude of plants – and many plants have the same actions in the body. This makes it possible to find an herb that “fits” your constitution and imbalance and works for you.
Each plant has a multitude of actions in the body. One person may be taking turmeric for its anti-inflammatory actions, while another may be taking it for its actions against blockages in the circulatory system. But both actions are taking place in the body when a person takes turmeric.
Simple is usually better than complex! Start with herbs to address an obvious imbalance, then give them time before you add or replace herbs or supplements. The digestive system is a good place to start! Helping your digestive system is the first step to restoring balance.
In general, don’t replace your pharmaceuticals with plant medicines, especially if they are critical to your condition. Herbs can usually be added to your regimen, and as balance is restored, it may be possible to reduce or eliminate pharmaceuticals. This should be done in coordination with your healthcare provider.
Herbs can have side effects, which should be considered if you are taking medicines, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you’re interested in understanding your constitution, you can pick up a short form in the Shop that will help you identify what characteristics of herbs (for example, heating or cooling, drying or moisturizing, etc.) may be useful for you. We’re also available for consultations.