Today’s blog is on helpful herbs in Western, Ayurveda and
Chinese herbalism that begin with the letter N. Before we get into these herbs and their
properties I would like to begin with the taste of herbs. In every blog post
about herbs I include the energy and taste of the herb. I wanted to explain why
taste is important to the body in choosing an herbal remedy for your overall
health and wellness. The first taste I
want to talk about is Sour. These herbs are usually astringent or drying in
nature and help to drain things. They are often acid in nature (think of a
lemon) and this helps to cleanse and detoxify the body. One of the ways that a
sour herb does that is through taking a fat soluble toxin and making it more of
a water soluble toxin that is easier to excrete by the kidneys. This is one of
the reasons you will see all those articles about drinking lemon water to help
you lose weight. The next taste is
bitter. These herbs are known to drain and dry. They are used for the heart,
respiration, digestion, and immune function. They are often anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic,
antibacterial, and alkaloid. These properties help to move things out of the
body (liver cleansing, lung and mucus cleansing, and blood purifying). They are
best taken in smaller doses as too much will have an adverse effect on the
body. The next taste is
sweet and they are to nourish and strengthen the body. Simple sugars are more
readily available to utilize by the body. The brain, muscles, and tissues feed
on glucose. When this is easily available the digestive system doesn’t have to
work as hard and energy is preserved. This is only referring to natural food
sugars (think yams or molasses) not refined sugars that harm your body. A major
class of compounds called heteropolysaccharides are in many herbs that
strengthen the immune system (like astragalus) and have been well studies for
these benefits. These are to be taken in small doses for short periods of time. The next taste is
pungent also referred to as acrid. These herbs have a dispersing and moving
effect on the body. They are good for the liver, and lungs as they help to
prevent stagnation and to move mucus. Think of herbs like black pepper, cayenne
pepper, ginger, onion, garlic, horseradish. These herbs help to warm the organs
and disperse mucus. The last taste is
salty and these herbs are good for the kidneys, the heart, and to dissolve things. Salty herbs can tone and moisturize tissues but when taken in
too high a concentration they will dry and irritate. Salt helps to balance
potassium, calcium, and phosphorus in the body. These are herbs like sea side
plants (kelp) celery and parsley. Use only in small and therapeutic doses. This was only a
short introduction into the taste of herbs and why they matter but I think it
will help in understanding how herbs work and why. Here are some helpful herbs that begin with the letter N. Western Herb  Nettles (Urtica Urens)Parts used:
Leaves Energy and Taste:
Cool, bland and slightly bitter. Constituents:
High amounts of chlorophyll, indoles,
including histamine and serotonin, acetylcholine, vitamin C, A, potassium,
protein and fiber. Internal Uses:
Diuretic, astringent tonic, hemostatic, expectorant, and nutritive tincture
that is helpful in allergies. The high concentration of nutrients in nettles
make it great for anemia, asthma, and rheumatic conditions. A study of nettle
roots found them to be very effective in the treatment of enlarged prostate.
Take as a tincture 10-30 drops, as a pill, or a tea. Topical uses:
Helps to stimulate hair growth in shampoos, serums, or oils. Also stops
bleeding when applied topically on wounds. Ayurveda Herb  Neem (Azadiracta
indica)Ayurvedic Name:
Nimba Parts Used:
Seeds, leaves, and bark Energy and Taste:
Cooling, pungent and bitter astringent. Constituents:
isomeldenim, nimbin, nimbinene, quercetin, beta-sit sterol, terpenoids,
limonoids, azadrachtin. Internal Uses:
Purifies the blood, stimulates insulin secretion in the pancreas, is
antimicrobial and is often referred to as “the village pharmacy” because of its
numerous benefits. 250 to 500 mg a day, or as a tea. Topical uses:
parasites, eczema, acne, eye inflammations, gum inflammations. Use as a powder,
in ghee, in tincture, or tea or neem oil.  Chinese HerbNotopterygium (Qiang
Huo) This herb is endangered due to excessive cultivation Parts Used:
Root and Rhizome Energy and taste:
Warm, aromatic and bitter. Constituents:
furanocoumarins, notopterol, falcorindiol and phenethyl ferulate =
antioxidants, anti-cancer properties, cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Internal Uses:
6-12 grams These blogs are
not meant to treat, diagnose, or cure anything. They are intended for educational purposes only. Always
check with your physician before taking any herbs or vitamins. Hope of any of
the above information was helpful and check back for the next blog on the
letter O. Resources The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs: A Contemporary Introduction and
Useful Manual for the World's Oldest Healing System, Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa
and Michael Tierra The Way of Chinese Herbs, Michael Tierra The Way of Herbs: Fully Updated with the Latest Developments
in Herbal Science, Michael Tierra |
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