If you’ve asked yourself this question, I have an answer for you – SO MUCH!
Herbs are a great way to boost your body’s innate ability to heal itself. Combined with proper nutrition, hydration, sleep, movement, and mental health, they can personalize and expedite your road to wellness.
Aside from that, I love that herbal medicine is a versatile, fun, and creative experience! For instance, there are so many ways to prepare and consume herbs – supplements, teas, tinctures, sprinkled on salads, or in smoothies. There are also so many herbs to chose and benefit from! Trying something new, whether for a specific ailment or to simply improve quality of life, is extremely exciting to me.
It’s important to note that we are all unique and can have different outcomes from the same herb. If you try one of the herbs in one of the categories below and it isn’t working to improve your complaint after 30 days, I recommend that you try another one from that same category. It can be trial and error sometimes. To me, that’s part of the fun! While one may work perfectly for your friend/brother/bus driver, you might have a better outcome with another.
Herbs can be categorized by their “actions,” namely what solution they provide in the body. Below I have listed six different action categories, an explanation of what those herbs can do for your health, and example herbs in that category.
These are just a few of the many different herbal actions!
Nutritive Herbs
The title may have given this one away – nutritive herbs supply a substantial amount of nutrients to nourish our bodies and address any deficiencies. You may want to include them in your regimen if you have a nutrient-poor diet or often feel sluggish.
Some nutritive herbs include:
- Nettle, which contains a good amount of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Consuming nettle tea is a great way to make these nutrients available to your body.
- Horsetail, which is high in silica. Silica is a trace mineral that plays a large role in keeping your tendons, cartilage, teeth, hair, and blood vessels strong. Horsetail is a great option if you have a sprain or strain.
- Rosehips, which contain a substantial amount of vitamin C. As I’m sure you already know, this vitamin provides a hefty boost to your immune system. It is also important for the healing processes within the body.
- Oat straw – a different way to consume oats! It contains a variety of nutrients such as iron, magnesium, calcium, and B vitamins.
Adaptogens
Adaptogens are a group of herbs categorized by their ability to help the body adapt to stress. They do so through their impact on the body’s stress response, which includes the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. These herbs are “modulating” – meaning they can either increase or decrease hormones depending on what your body needs. In other words, the same herb may increase a specific hormone for you and decrease it for your friend, but you will both feel better.
Adaptogens are a great option for those with anxiety, depression, and high levels of stress. Further, they can be broken down into stimulating, balancing, and calming categories. Because of this, be sure to do a little research and take adaptogens at the appropriate time of day (you don’t want to take a stimulating herb before bed).
Some examples of adaptogens:
- Stimulating – Ginseng, Eleuthero, Rhodiola
- Balancing – Ashwagandha, Schisandra
- Calming – Holy Basil, Gotu Kola
Nervines
Nervine herbs are similar to adaptogens. They nourish and support the nervous and adrenal systems, which helps to decrease nervous tension. And I know we can all use a little of that right now!
Nervines that may help you sleep are herbs like chamomile, skullcap, catnip, and thyme. They provide a gentle calming, not a harsh sedative effect. Red clover, hyssop, St. John’s Wort, and wormwood will help you be calm, yet energized.
Milky oat seed is a great choice when you find yourself under demanding situations – all-nighters, high-stress situations, periods of long travel, etc. It provides a unique combination of simultaneous calm and stimulation to give you comfort during these moments.
Bitters
Jumping to the categories of herbs that aid the digestive system – the first one on the list is bitters. And, yes, they are the same bitters you can find at the liquor store! My grandfather always takes his manhattan with ‘no bitters,’ but he may want to rethink that decision.
These herbs act as a start button for digestion. They stimulate stomach acid and enzyme production, peristalsis (the wave-like motion that moves food through your body), and bile excretion. In other words, they help your body effectively and efficiently break down food into the building blocks you need. Without the processes above, you could eat the most nutritious salad in the world without reaping any of the benefits.
Examples of bitter herbs:
- Artichoke leaf
- Turmeric
- Dandelion
- Yellow Root
- Mugwort
A few side benefits of these herbs include balanced appetite, craving suppression, improved sluggishness, and better liver function. Nice!
Demulcents
Our next group pertaining to the digestive system – but also the urinary and respiratory systems – are demulcents. These herbs are also known as “slimers” because, when they come in contact with water, they become slick and slimy. Sounds kinda gross, right? Yes, but they are very soothing and healing to the mucus membranes in the body, and even leave a temporary protective coating!
I utilize a few different demulcents right now, as they are great for my leaky gut. They are also helpful for heartburn, sore throats, coughs, dry lungs, canker sores, urinary tract infections, and constipation.
Demulcent herbs include:
- Slippery elm
- Aloe vera
- Corn silk
- Marshmallow root
- Flax seeds
- Licorice root
- Kelp
Expectorants
You may have heard of this one from OTC medications like Mucinex or Robitussin. These expectorants eliminate mucus from the lungs and throat. However, there are herbal options to help you ditch the icky mucus, too! Herbs such as goldenrod, mullein, fennel, and horehound are great for congestion, asthma, colds, flu, and allergies. For an added soothing bonus, combine them with one of the demulcents mentioned above.
If you can believe it, herbs have even more superpowers than the ones listed here. You can find laxative herbs, herbs that help dissolve kidney or gall bladder stones (lithotriptics), herbs that stop bleeding (styptics), herbs that can reduce fevers (febrifuges), and more! While I don’t believe that herbs are a cure-all, I feel strongly that adding them to a balanced lifestyle and healing plan can truly make a difference!
The herbs mentioned in this list are relatively safe. However, it is always a good idea to consult with your doctor before starting a new supplement. Remember, we are all different and can see different outcomes from the same supplement. Seek further information on the use of herbs for children and interactions with certain medications. As a rule of thumb, do not take herbs while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Have you tried any of the herbs listed above? Feel free to share in the comments below!