Gloria writes:

Happy new day Gloria,

Thank you for your beautiful inquiry.

I am a Chinese and DCAUS (Descendant of Captured Africans in the United States) woman, healer, herbalist and licensed massage therapist in the Washington, DC area. In more recent years, I have set the intention to have my contribution in the herbal community to be in the form of counter storytelling. Oftentimes, folks of color, and specifically Africans and descendants of Africans, come from oral traditions and our stories may not be recorded because literacy could cost you your life during times of enslavement.

I often tell folks just because it was not written down does not mean it did not happen. The ancestors of every group of people on this planet has had some sort of relationship with plant spirit medicine, which is how I refer to herbs. Each plant has its own energetics, personality, unique expression and contribution. When I was studying herbal medicine in graduate school, it was my desire to write specifically about a plant that African women had knowledge of and that curiosity lead me to cotton root bark, which I wrote about here.

Through prayer, grace and persistence, I was able to able to trace the use of cotton root bark back to the Mandinka people in Africa. African women used this plant to control their fertility during times of famine, used the plant rhythmically and also used the plant part to intentionally terminate pregnancy. (Note: I would NOT suggest that folks use cotton root bark in this manner without guidance and extensive research.) I did the majority of the research for my thesis at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, NY. The librarians are very knowledgeable and the wealth of information that is preserved between those walls is fascinating, overwhelming and affirming.

While doing research, it was such a joy to become reacquainted with Work Projects Administration (WPA) narratives. This body of work contains the testimonies of over 2,000 ex-slaves and was recorded between 1936-1938. I was able to get a glimpse into “life” on the plantation, as well as have access to first hand accounts about a few herbs and what herbs were used for which ailments.

To ground this knowledge back to Africa, African people were very advanced. There were established cities of well over 30,000 people during times when folks were nomadic, intricate trade routes crossed multiple continents and an abundance of natural resources from minerals to gold to diamonds and spices. There were also very high levels of sophistication as expressed through the use of currency, the knowledge of breeding animals, the use of vaccinations and the more than 100 species of global food supplies such as tubers, pearl millet, sorghum, coffee, black eyed peas, okra and a variety of species of rice, just to name a few. In fact, plantation owners in the Americas captured Africans from very specific areas of African just for their knowledge of agriculture, specifically rice in the Carolinas.

I could go on and on about the brilliance of Africa and all of its descendants, however, when we ground it on this land and in this realm, that conversation will be overshadowed by an unspeakable level of harm and torture. There is a deep disconnect from our true history and experience that is often not taught in school and quite frankly is probably unknown to many. This is one of the reasons why we are not able to access the brilliance of our plant teachers today, which was the seed of your initial inquiry. This is why I am committed to being a vessel for information and teachings from our ancestors. This is why it is important for folks of color to lift up the stories, experiences and knowledge of our ancestors.

A few books that come to mind, and could guide you as you plan a program for your congregation, include the following:

Please reach out if there is any way that I can support and foster a learning space that is committed to the reclamation of our indigenous knowledge through plant spirit medicine.

Sending you inspiration, joy and curiosity,

Karen

Karen L. Culpepper (she/her/hers) is a Chinese-DCAUS (Descendant of Captured Africans in the US) clinical herbalist and licensed massage therapist. She is founder of the MD-based clinical herbal practice, Embracing Rhythm, and apothecary, Sacred Legacy Herbal Apothecary. Karen’s unique herbalist contribution centers on the ways in which the energetics of plant medicine can support deep healing. Her particular focus areas are intergenerational trauma and its impact on physiology and womb restoration. Within the intersection of historical trauma of the African slave trade and womb healing, her study and knowledge of cotton root bark was recently published in the Journal of the American Herbalists Guild and offers a powerful perspective on role of plant spirit healing in the context of political changes and reproductive resistance. Karen is also ⅓ of the Oxalis Collective, a group of three healers of color that offer healing support to activists in movement spaces. Send all inquiries to Karen through www.oxaliscollective.com.

I have some chamomile tea bags in my pantry. I know it’s good for sleep, but what else, if anything, can I use them for?

Great question! I love chamomile, even though I don’t drink it nearly as much as someone who loves it should, because it’s not only so versatile but safe for just about everyone*. When people tell me about their (acute) ailments, my answer is almost always: chamomile!

It’s safe (and inexpensive) enough to be used every day, so do give this underutilized herb a chance!

Chamomile is the common name of the plant with the scientific name Matricaria recutita. This is what’s usually called chamomile, although it’s also well known as German chamomile. The flower heads are used as the medicinal part of the plant (props to the people who pick and dry all those flowers!). Knowing the scientific name is actually really important because it’s universal and can help distinguish from other plants with the same or similar names. For example, Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is an entirely different plant and although it’s in the same family (daisy) as Matricaria recutita, and smells lovely, it is not what we use medicinally.

Now that you know a little about the plant, here’s a sample of the MANY WAYS to use chamomile.

1. For tight muscles or muscle spasms: I recommend a very high dose of chamomile. If you have a scale and loose tea at home, measure 10 grams of chamomile flowers (and grind them if possible), and pour about 32 ounces of boiling water over them in a heat resistant container. Cover and steep for about 10-15 min then strain and drink throughout the day. If you don’t have loose leaf tea or a scale, check the label to see how much chamomile each bag contains. Use enough bags to make 9-12 grams and follow the above directions to infuse them. If each bag has 500 mg, for example, you would need 18-24 tea bags to make a day’s dose. That’s a lot! But, it’s only for a day or two or three, and for a specific treatment.

2. For tummy troubles: gas, indigestion, overactive stomach issues (stomach spasms) and even constipation are just a few of the things chamomile can help with. Start with one tea bag steeped for 10-15 min and drink as needed. Sometimes anxiety can give people “butterflies” in their stomach. Chamomile can help with both the “stomach flips” and easing the nerves because it’s a relaxant as well as an antispasmodic. This is why it’s marketed a lot for helping people sleep.

3. For getting over a cold: chamomile can help get rid of mucus while also easing the cough.

4. For colicky or cranky children: The dose should be adjusted based on age, but it would be very hard to overdose on chamomile. For children under 10, try one to two tea bags divided up throughout the day. For kids 11 and older, two to three bags divided up throughout the day is a good start.

5. To help babies while teething: If the baby is old enough to drink something other than breast milk or formula, infuse one tea bag in 8-10 ounces of water and divide that dose throughout the day (2-3 ounces every 6-8 hours). If mom is breastfeeding, she can drink chamomile tea and it will come out in the breast milk to baby. Some moms also freeze chamomile (mixed with breast milk or not) and have the baby suck on it; the coolness helps sooth the teething pain too.

Side notes: Some people say they don’t like the taste of chamomile, because it is slightly bitter (and especially at higher doses). I say, “coffee is bitter”. Not saying that we should start making chamomile lattes (although….), but experiment and see how you can make drinking these pretty flowers a little more palatable to you. We can get our taste buds accustomed to a lot of different tastes.

There’s so much more that chamomile can be used for — these are just a few of the short term, quick remedies that it can help with. It also shines for longer term use in digestive and nervous system health, and is a wonderful anti-inflammatory to use topically. We’ll cover that in a future post! ????

*It is rare to have a reaction, but note that people with allergies to plants in the daisy family, may not want to take chamomile.

Thanks for writing in to AskTheHerbalists and for trying chamomile in a new way.

Amani Elsawah lives and works in Dallas, TX. She is a pharmacist, PharmD Rutgers, and herbalist, MS Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health, and most recently has been a student of Arabic and Islamic Studies.

As a clinical herbalist, I often find myself describing to people what, exactly, I do. They may wonder if I can help them sleep better (spoiler: yes), but not really know how I work, or what they will need to do.

Part of the problem is that herbalism in the United States is somewhat on the periphery. In many parts of the world, medicinal herbs are mainstream and commonly relied on by healthcare providers and families. In Australia and parts of Europe, herbal care is even integrated as part of their medical system. Americans haven’t had the same exposure to the profession, and in conversation I have found widely different impressions of what clinical herbal medicine is. Allow me to share some of how herbal medicine is practiced in the United States today (as well as some insight on how an herbalist might help you with health concerns like night sweats, digestive problems, or chronic pain, or whatever is troubling you).

First, it’s probably no surprise that herbs are a primary recommendation you will get from a clinical herbalist. But, they are not the only one. They are part of a holistic strategy that also includes nutritional and lifestyle modifications. Herbs can be quite powerful, but if used without regard to other aspects of our lives – food, movement, rest, social connections – their efficacy can be limited. Similarly, it is important to note that an herb is not a substitute for a pharmaceutical drug.

While it may be tempting to want an herb for _____ symptom or ____ disease, and some doctors and other practitioners will make recommendations like these, a trained herbalist seldom suggests herbs in isolation to treat a single symptom or condition. Instead, herbalists combine herbs synergistically to address what we identify as the root cause of that symptom. To do this, some clinicians (like me), use a Functional Medicine model to assess how well (or not) the body and mind are working.

What is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine aims to get to the root cause of illness and disease, as opposed to treating the symptoms that are a result of the disease. Instead of looking at body (organ) systems as individual entities, functional medicine organizes an assessment in terms of several functions that the body must perform to maintain overall health.

For example, the Institute for Functional Medicine, started by Dr. Jeffrey Bland, M. D. and his wife Susan, classifies physiologic functions into 7 categories: assimilation (of what we bring into our bodies – food, air), defense and repair (immunity, inflammation), energy (metabolic functions), biotransformation and elimination (detoxifying foreign substances), communication (neural, hormonal), transport (blood and lymph circulation), and structural integrity (musculo-skeletal, also cells and tissues).

If you begin to look at a state of health in terms of these functions which may cross multiple organ systems, it naturally follows that a dys-function may have any number of different causes – different pathologies, multiple pathologies, environmental or genetic influences, diet and lifestyle choices, even social situation. Functional medicine investigates all of this in detail in partnership with the patient. The goal is to discover areas of imbalance that may be resulting in the current (presumed) dys-function – the root cause. The answer will be specific to the individual, which allows for a tailored treatment strategy. The end goal is that by treating the underlying imbalances, the dys-function or dis-ease will disappear (or at least diminish).

The IFM describes the functional medicine model as:

“an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness.”

This is different from what we think of the ‘standard’ medical model, which tends to focus on specific organs or organ systems, often without consideration of relation to other body systems or facets of the individual (think about going to see a cardiologist, an endocrinologist, or any number of other, specialized ‘-ologists’). The goal is to discover a specific, named disease, and then follow a standardized treatment protocol. The IFM agrees that this drug-based model of fighting infectious diseases worked very well in the 20th century; however, it does not align quite as well to today’s growing chronic disease epidemic, which is often caused by genetics, environmental exposures, and lifestyle choices. Instead, the IFM advocates and teaches a systems oriented, patient-focused clinical model, one in which herbs and herbal medicine are particularly well-suited to follow.

Let’s look at an example of how this might play out in herbal medicine. In my practice I see many clients who come to me with ‘sleep issues’. A simple response might be to provide an herb that is known to have sedative effects (valerian is popular for this). Now, this may provide relief for some, but without diving into more detail as to what is causing the sleep issues, results will be very limited. Instead, what I do is begin to explore potential root causes with the client. I ask questions like: Are you having trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep? What are your stress levels and where do they manifest in your life? Do you have digestive distress (what kind and when)? Cramping or physical pain (where, when, how severe?) For women, do you have any menstrual challenges? Men, do you wake numerous times to urinate?

The answers to these questions guide me into selecting specific herbs to address any multitude of causes that may impair the ability to fall and stay asleep. And the beauty of herbal medicine is that I am not limited to selecting just one! I put together a combination of herbs – some that can individually address more than one functional imbalance – to address what I assess to be the overall root cause of the sleep difficulty.

Root causes and herbal helpers

Here are some actual herbal examples of root causes of sleep dysfunction and herbal matches:

1. Indigestion, nausea: chamomile, peppermint, ginger 2. Anxiety: skullcap, holy basil, kava 3. Stress with cardiovascular symptoms: motherwort, linden (tilia) 4. What I like to call the ‘squirrel brain’ (inability to shut off that circular thinking): bacopa 5. Aches and pains: California poppy, passionflower 6. Night leg cramps: cramp bark, black haw 7. For women: night sweats or hot flashes: sage, possibly chaste tree or black cohosh 8. For men: frequent nocturnal urination: saw palmetto, maca 9. Trouble falling and staying asleep: valerian, hops

In addition to combining these herbs (and many others!), we would also assess the sleeping environment and pre-bedtime routine. These aspects are equally important in improving sleep. In terms of environmental influences I would ask into: what are you eating before bed and when? What is your sleep environment and what, if any, is your wind-down routine? How much movement do you get throughout the day? I have had clients that report back that something as simple as keeping their phone or TV out of the bedroom or taking the time to make a cup of tea made a huge difference in their ability to fall asleep. As you can see, a simple question of ‘Can you help me sleep better?’ can have any number of responses. Using the functional (and herbal) medicine model, there is no single ‘right’ answer for everyone, only what is right for the individual.

Donna Koczaja, M.S., graduated from Maryland University of Integrative Health (formerly Tai Sophia Institute) with a Master of Science in Therapeutic Herbalism and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Clinical Herbalism. Originally educated as a mechanical engineer, she combines the rigor of her original scientific training with the traditional healing art of herbal medicine to partner with her clients to uncover the root cause of their underlying health issues. Also a Master Gardener since 2008, her primary interest is in inspiring others to improve their health and sense of wellbeing through the joys of gardening and the power of natural medicine. Read more about her, what she does, and why she does it at www.greenhavenliving.com.

Looking to naturally support your psychological healthand overall wellbeing? Today I’ll take a close look at the many health benefits of creativity and suggest some herbal favorites for relaxation and cognition.

In our culture we tend to think of creativity as a special personality trait—something we’re born with, the domain of a chosen few. But we ALL have creative potential and what’s more? Creative expression is essential to our wellbeing.

Research in recent years has demonstrated the health benefits of engaging in creative activity. Studies show that creative expression helps us in several ways:

Learn more about the research at this Medical News Today article and at this American Psychological Association article.

Most studies have focused on performing and visual arts, and writing as modes of creativity. These are all fabulous, and we can also include activities like sewing, knitting, gardening and crafting of all sorts. So many possibilities!

What is the role of herbs in supporting our creative endeavors?

We can look first to the nootropic herbs— herbs that enhance learning, memory and other cognitive processes that we engage when we’re creating. And, to help us let go of anxiety and tension so we can more easily relax into a creative state of mind we can turn to relaxing nervine herbs. Some herbs that come to mind are:

To enjoy the benefits of rosemary and lavender, add a pinch to your favorite herbal tea or mix them with other fragrant herbs like rose petals and enjoy as potpourri.

For a Relaxing Tea combine:

1 tablespoon gotu kola 1 tablespoon damiana1 teaspoon orange peel

Infuse, covered, in 1-2 cups just boiled water for 15 minutes and strain.

Relax, enjoy and get creative!

Renata Lynn is a clinical herbalist with a deep love of nature and esteem for science and tradition. Find her online at renatalynn.com and on Facebook @renatalynnclinicalherbalist.

Have a question? AskTheHerbalists!

Rusty asks: “I have been taking a nettle seed tincture for over a year for adrenal, hormonal and kidney support. I’m also 52 and am going thru menopause and have been retaining water. Can you offer any advice?

First of all Rusty, welcome, to the change in life where we go from being a woman to being a wise-woman or “crone”. Our culture does not honor this change like many indigenous cultures do, but we should because as women, we become older and wiser and have greater courage and strength than ever before.

I cannot say what is causing your water retention; however, I will say that taking only one herb (via tincture or tea) for a long time is probably not the best practice. Here are some herbs that support the kidneys along with stinging nettles: hydrangea root (Hydrangea arborescens), horsetail (Equisetum arvense), goldenrod leaf (Solidago spp.), celery seed (Apium graveolens) to name a few.

In terms of supporting our bodies from stress and indirectly, from hormonal changes, we look to herbs that work through and support the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal). These herbs are known as “adaptogens” and there are many. Here are a handful that taste great as a tea: ashwaganda root (Withania somnifera), licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), (Asparagus racemosus).

Finally, as we go through hormonal changes, we often need palliative relief. Here are some herbs to support and give you relief from the changes your body is going through: licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), wild yam root (Dioscorea villosa), shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), black cohosh root (Actaea racemosa).

So, now you have an arsenal of herbs that you can combine to make fun, helpful and delicious teas. So start blending and experimenting. Write down how you feel before and after to see if the tea is helping. Good luck on your journey! Jayne

Staff writer, editor and lecturer, Jayne Tamburello, MS, CNS, RH(AHG), LDN, is the founder of Invibe Herbal (invibeherbal.com), a company dedicated to creating organic tea blends to meet your needs. At Invibe, just take the questionnaire and find out what you’ve been missing! Jayne is a licensed nutritionist (LDN) and certified nutritionist (CNS) practicing in Delaware and Pennslyvania. She holds an MS in Herbal Medicine from Maryland University of Integrative Health and is a registered herbalist (RH) with the American Herbalist Guild (AHG).

A subscriber writes in and asks:

“ I have a bottle of Black Walnut and Wormwood extract tincture that has an expiry date of 2020. I opened the bottle about 10 months ago, and kept it in 18 degrees temperature. I wonder if it’s still safe to use? The tincture is alcohol free.”

Great question! Herbal quality & safety is such an important subject. We cannot expect our herbal medicines to be safe and efficacious if we don’t start with good quality raw materials and then process and store them in a way that preserves their potency. Most people don’t know this but significantly more St Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum) finished products were for sale in the 1990’s than raw materials could have possibly supplied. So, what was in those bottled labeled St Johns Wort? We don’t know!

Quality is such an important concern of mine that I spent over 10 years working in various areas of quality control for herbal medicine companies. Here are some basic quality tips before I answer your specific question:

Let’s look at the details of your extract:

So, based on what we know, assuming the product was not stored in light or contaminated, I personally would feel safe consuming it.

Thank you for writing Ask The Herbalist!

Ready to AskTheHerbalists? Subscribe here!

Hi, I am a 48 year old wife and Mom with a rewarding career and lately I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and disinterested. My gynecologist suggested antidepressants, but I have serious concerns about taking them. What else can I do to improve my mood? Are there herbs that can help? Andrea Charlottesville, VA

This is a great question and the good news is that there are lots of things that can help. First, you are far from alone in the feelings that you describe. In my practice I see a lot of women around your age, and without exception they are taking stock and looking toward the future. Typically, they’ve happily given 110% and more to their careers, families, communities, churches, causes, etc. and while their pursuits have been rewarding, many women are burnt out, have low energy and they know they need to make changes. Some are also doing the work of healing old wounds, moving through grief, and letting go. This is also a time when women are in some stage of perimenopause or menopause and moving into a new life stage. It is a time for reevaluating priorities and strengthening foundations of wellness so they can thrive – now and into the future. There is a lot going on for women at this time of life, and many women don’t have the space in their lives to do this vital work.

You are also not alone in your concern about taking antidepressants. In June 2012, the American Psychological Association publication ‘Monitor on Psychology’ ran a cover story titled “Inappropriate prescribing” that examined this issue in depth.

In his TEDx talk, depression researcher, Dr. Stephen Ilardi describes depression as a “disease of civilization”. In his talk Dr. Ilardi points out that while use of antidepressants is increasing so are rates of depression; and while he’s not anti-medication he says that medication alone will never solve the problem. He asserts that our bodies and brains evolved to live lives very different from the modern lifestyle – where we are largely indoors, sedentary, isolated from each other, and our food often lacks the nourishment we need. Dr. Ilardi has developed a treatment plan that is similar, in many ways, to the approach that herbalists have been using for a long time and is based on making changes in lifestyle that improve overall wellbeing as well as psychological wellbeing. (All of that being said…. if you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, like depression, do not try to go it alone. Medication and other therapies may be a necessary part of your care and it is critical that you work with professionals who can support you in making the best choice for your situation).

Ready for some quick tips on lifestyle changes that can greatly benefit our mood and overall wellness? (In future posts, I’ll examine each more deeply, including the connection to mental health, and my favorite herbs to support positive changes in each area. Click here to subscribe so you don’t miss anything.)

1. Nourishing food – spring is here! And summer is right around the corner. That means that there is an abundance of fresh, local fruits and veggies. So eat lots of them! Try to eat some of each color of the rainbow every day, and you’ll get the beneficial effects from the full variety of plant compounds.

2. Sleep – Get enough sleep. The amount of sleep we need varies between individuals, with most people’s nightly needs falling somewhere between 7 and 9 hours. Be sure to honor your individual needs; structure your schedule so you have the time to get enough sleep. If you’re having difficulty sleeping consider putting away the screens (or at least use a blue light filter) and dimming the lights two hours before bedtime. Designing and following a bedtime routine is a powerful signal to your body that you’re preparing for sleep.

3. Movement – Think outside of the exercise box when it comes moving your body. You don’t have to hit the gym to benefit from physical activity. Taking a walk in the park or playing Frisbee with your friends are great ways to get moving and have the added benefit of getting outdoors into the fresh air and sunshine. Dance is another great way to get moving and often offers the added benefit of being highly social.

4. Creativity – Many studies have found a positive relationship between creative expression and psychological and physical health. So if you’re not already involved in some creative pursuit start trying different things until you find something that resonates. Your local community center is a great place to start. Try taking up an instrument, drawing or watercolor, or a craft like pottery or stained glass. Gardening is one my favorite creative outlets because it get us outside, gets us moving and can produce fresh, nourishing food.

5. Social connection – This is vital to our wellbeing and different people need different levels of social connection, so be sure to honor your needs. Meet up groups are a great way to meet and spend time with others who have a common interest. For more intimate gatherings schedule weekly or monthly meals with family and friends, preparing the meals together adds to the enjoyment.

6. Connection with nature’s rhythms – This is an overlooked, yet important contributor to our wellbeing. We have evolved living in harmony with natural rhythms and cycles and our modern lives often cut us off from that. But, if we recognize the importance of this harmony and approach it with some intention we can strengthen the connection. Some ideas to get started: Mark the new moon and the full moon, the new moon is great time to set intention and the full moon is a great time to reflect on the manifestation of intentions. Choose one tree, shrub, or perennial plant and get to know it through each season: sit with it often, notice the color of its leaves, its smell, when it blossoms. Sketching the plant during each season is a great way to do this.

7. Perimenopause/Menopause – In addition to causing a variety of physical symptoms, fluctuating hormone levels that accompany this time of life can affect mood. The good news is that if you’re making positive changes in the areas mentioned above, you’re well on your way to building the resilience you’ll need to thrive during this time. Herbs can be a valuable support here and a consult with an herbalist is the best way to get the herbal support that’s best for your unique needs. Learn more about herbal support for perimenopause at this ATH post by Amy Charnay.

Herbal Strategies to Support Balanced Mood

Two important categories of herbs I rely on for you’ll are adaptogens and nervines. Adaptogens are herbs that help restore vitality and normalize our physiological response to stress. Nervine herbs effect the nervous system and are vital allies when working through depression and anxiety. There are many herbs in these categories that support balanced mood. Here are a few of my favorites:

To make a wonderfully relaxing, restorative and uplifting tea

combine 1tsp each:

holy basil

lemon balm

skullcap

rose petals

Add 2 cups just boiled water and let sit covered for 15 minutes, then strain.

Ease into a relaxing place (perhaps with the plant you’ve chosen to get acquainted with) and enjoy!

Implementing the suggestions above should really help improve your mood, and an herbalist can help you get the herbal support that’s just right for you. AND, if you ever feel your mood is worsening, despite your efforts to address it with lifestyle, nutrition and herbs, please seek medical care.

Guest blogger Renata Lynn is a clinical herbalist with a deep love of nature and esteem for science and tradition. Find her at renatalynn.com .

A reader asks: Is it ok to take Berberine with Lipitor? I take 500 mg of Berberine twice a day and 20 mg of Lipitor at bedtime.

Hello and thank you for your question!

Thankfully, as an herbalist who is also a pharmacist, I have access to some databases of drugs and their interactions (including with herbs). In looking at this data, I found no known interactions between Lipitor and Berberine.

It may interest you to know that

However…that’s not to say that there’s no actual or potential for interaction between the two, only that they have not been studied and/or reported. Drug interactions, especially with herbs, are only documented once they have been examined or reported by enough people for it to be more than a coincidence. Berberine, not being a very frequently used supplement, is highly unlikely to have been studied for drug interactions. Lipitor, on the other hand, is a very commonly prescribed and used medication, but at this point in time there are only a select few herbal medicines that have been documented as having interactions with it.

What I would recommend is to take the Berberine two hours before Lipitor. So, for example, if you go to bed at 10 pm and take your Lipitor then, take the berberine at 8 pm (and at 8 am if you wish to separate the doses evenly). This will add an extra level of precaution in the case of a possible interaction.

Thanks for writing in to AskTheHerbalistsand I hope this helped.

Amani Elsawah lives and works in Dallas, TX. She is a pharmacist, PharmD Rutgers, has her MS Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health and most recently has been a student of Arabic and Islamic Studies.

Holy basil, aka Tulsi, is one of my favorite herbs, both to use and to grow. The smell it gives to your garden is just wonderful, and if you touch the plant on your way to work you may even feel a grounding force. It somehow helps me to put my feet on the floor and focus better. Holy basil supports the mind, body and spirit…it is a true ‘wholeness’ herb. I have given it as a tea for energy support, and my clients report greater ease and calm. Yet another, more recently known benefit, is its ability to help lower blood sugar levels, which I will talk about.

Holy basil has thousands of years of traditional use in its original growing area, the tropical part of Asia. It is a ceremonial herb used in religious practices in Hinduism and plays an important role in Ayurvedic medicine. An ancient Ayurvedic scripture, Padmapurana, opens: “Oh, Narada! Every house, every village, every forest, wherever the plant Tulsi is grown, misery, fear, disease and poverty do not exist…………”. Modern science follows in the ancient footsteps and considers it a very promising plant: “Its very special properties like protection from cancer, radioprotection and insulin secretory effects can prove to be a blessing for the modern day society.”(1) In this first holy basil blog we focus on diabetes.

Holy Basil and diabetes

The impact of holy basil on diabetes is probably the most well researched. The studies with real people confirm the effect on diabetes type II. Donald Yance mentions a study where a holy basil extract was given to two groups (2). The people receiving the extract saw a 60 percent decrease in blood sugar levels after 13 weeks. The control group saw a 10% decrease (2, p482). Studies have been done with a decoction of the leaves, a tea, a leaf powder and extracts and all confirm a lowering of blood sugar with diabetes patients (3). In another trial, men with type 2 diabetes received 2 grams of holy basil leaf powder alone or combined with neem leaf, in both cases diabetic symptoms decreased, with the combination being slightly more effective (4).

One recent study analyzed the effect of specific holy basil molecules on the pancreas, the organ that creates insulin. Insulin is needed to process sugars and lowers the blood sugar or blood glucose level. It was found that insulin secretion was activated and increased after treatment with holy basil, but only when the blood sugar level was high. The study was done with diabetic mice and plant molecules instead of the whole plant. It points to an explanation why holy basil lowers blood sugar in humans. (5) It also explains why holy basil is only effective for type 2 diabetes; in type 1 diabetes the pancreas is unable to produce insulin no matter the amount of holy basil it gets.

How could you use holy basil?

First of all, it is still in time to plant the seeds and grow it yourself if you live in an area with a long late summer. The fresh leaves can be used to make pesto. I replace half of the amount of the regular basil with holy basil. But you don’t need to do anything other than just eat a few leaves a day to improve your health, spirit and balance. You can make a tincture from both fresh or dried leaves and use during the winter for general support. Other than this, there is a large supply of supplements containing holy basil in itself or in combination with other herbs specifically for blood sugar control. Holy basil tea (also named Tulsi tea) tea is easy to find.

Stay Tuned For Part Two…..

Henriette den Ouden and her partner Chris own Habanera Farm, a Maryland herb farm producing teas. Habanera Farm also offers herbal and nature classes and a possibility to come and enjoy a rare stillness. Henriette has a degree from Maryland University of Integrative Health and is a practicing herbalist. For more information: www.habanerafarm.com and for their teas: http://shop.habanerafarm.com or follow at Facebook.

Tulsi: The Pharmacological significance; Bhuvnesh Kumar Singh, Trivedi Neelanchal , Abhishek Bharadwaj In: Int.J Rec.Adv.Sci.Tech., 2017; 4(2):1-5Yance, Donald; “Adaptogens in Medical Herbalism”, Healing Arts Press, 2013Jamshidi, Negar and Cohen, Marc; “The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of Literature; in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine”, Vol 2017, Article ID 9217567A. Kochhar, N. Sharma, and R. Sachdeva, “Effect of supplementation of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder on diabetic symptoms, anthropometric parameters and blood pressure of non insulin dependent male diabetics,” Studies on Ethno-Medicine, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 5–9, 2009.Casanova LM, Gu W, et all, “Phenolic Substances from Ocimum Species Enhance Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion and Modulate the Expression of Key Insulin Regulatory Genes in Mice Pancreatic Islets”, J Nat Prod. 2017 Dec 22;80(12):3267-3275.

I’m going camping in June and I was wondering if there are herbal remedies that

I should take with me. Thanks, Karen in Idaho.

Now is a great time to plan your outdoor activities, and your herbal first aid kit. I normally pack a larger first aid kit for the car or campsite, and then take what I need and put it in a smaller pack, depending on where I am or what I am doing.

First aid essentials:

Bottle of water. A no-brainer, I know, but many forget to pack this. There are even sealed packs of water that you can put in your kit for drinking or wound cleaning.

Water purification tablets. It’s easy to drink all the water you have, especially on a long hike. If you find yourself in need of water but have none, using these pills may help you to be able to drink the stream water. Just make sure you do your research to find exactly what you need before leaving the house.

Small piece of naphtha soap. This is great for removing poison ivy, oak, sumac or any other irritant. Just use it right away. If you don’t plan on bringing soap and water, be familiar with what jewelweed and Virginia creeper look like. Crush the leaves of either and put them on the part of the irritated skin as soon as possible.

Cayenne pepper. Cayenne is a natural styptic (stops bleeding), wound cleanser and anti-inflammatory. If you get a cut, wash with the soap and water and put some cayenne over the wound and hold till the bleeding stops. You can also put it under a bandage. Just carry a small baggie of it with you.

Tea tree oil. Just take a very small bottle with you. This is great for bug bites and small wounds.

Ginger root. Ginger is great if you’re feeling a bit nauseous. Just chew on a piece or make a cup of tea. Tea is best if simmered for about 15 minutes. Just cut up a small root and put it in a small bag.

Activated charcoal. If you’ve eaten something that doesn’t agree, activated charcoal will help dilute the ‘toxin’ and bind to it so that it passes through you faster. You can buy this in bulk and just take a small baggie with you.

Aloe vera leaves if you have the plant, or gel if you do not. Take a couple of leaves with you in case of sunburn or scrapes. Just break the leaf and use the gel-like substance directly on your skin.

Besides the herbal antidotes, I always carry aspirin, bandages (gauze, tape, Band-Aids and ace bandage), hydrogen peroxide, a Swiss Army knife with small scissors, a good tweezers, and a portable phone charger (pre-charged) and my cell phone. I also carry a protein bar or a small amount of food. This is especially important if you have any blood sugar issue (i.e. get dizzy if your body needs food). I even carry pieces of hard candy to suck on or give to some one else in distress. Other items to include are a flashlight, a magnifying glass, a compass, disposable gloves, an ice pack (the ones that you break to activate), an herbal guide book and some extra money.

Now you are ready to go an explore the trails!

Jayne Tamburello has a Master’s Degree in herbal medicine from MUIH and is the founder of Invibe Herbal (invibeherbal.com). She is also a licensed nutritionist in the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware and lectures around her home of Rehoboth Beach, DE, educating others on the use of herbs as medicine.