Achoo! Herbal Tips for Cold Season

What’s the first thing you recommend doing if I feel a cold coming on, or suspect my kid is getting one?
With fall weather, many people will soon be getting their first cold of the season. It is hard to avoid, so it is best to be prepared. Here are a few items to have on hand to support the body’s natural defenses and to ease the discomfort and inconvenience of fall’s first cold.
But first….REST! If you are feeling run down, you probably are! According to a 2015 study, sleeping less than six hours a night greatly increases your chance of catching a cold. So do your immune system a huge favor and go to bed, take nap, and/or a relaxing bath. Now for the herbs…
Elderberry Syrup – The moment you feel that first tickle in your throat, notice you are suddenly sneezing a lot, or are simply experiencing that drained feeling that signals you may be coming down with something, reach for the elderberry syrup. Several small clinical trials and thousands of years of use, have demonstrated that elderberry syrup can reduce the bothersome symptoms of a cold. The dark purple elderberry fruit (Sambucus nigra) is loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavanoids. One of the ways it seems to work is by preventing the virus you’ve been infected with from replicating, thus shortening the duration and annoying symptoms of your illness.
In our home, we make a batch of of elderberry syrup each fall (scroll down for the recipe!), but you can also buy excellent products in most natural food stores or online. Here’s an elderberry syrup formula we keep on hand, or take with us when traveling. This syrup is also widely available online and is wonderful.
While there isn’t any modern research yet on effectiveness of taking elderberry syrup as a preventative, many herbalists highly recommend it. Its delicious, safe and nutritious and you may just find that a teaspoon or two a day, especially when colds are going around school or the office, will keep you healthier. My kids have grown up with it and love the taste, so there are no complaints when I add this in to the breakfast routine in autumn.
Echinacea Tincture or Capsules – Chances are good that even if you are new to natural health, you’ve heard of echinacea for colds. Its very popular, and a mainstay in western herbal medicine, despite modern research and news questioning it’s effectiveness. Much of the research conducted hasn’t used proper dosing or preparation —be sure to take a good quality product (here’s a nice echinacea tincture) and take it throughout the day (every two hours!) if you are feeling ill!
Ginger Root Tea – If you have that chilly feeling that accompanies the beginning stage of a viral infection, try making a strong ginger root tea. Simply slice/chop two inches of ginger root, cover with 16 oz water and boil on the stove for 15 minutes or so, until the water has reduced by half. Add honey and sip. Too strong? Add more hot water. This will stimulate circulation, warm you up and may be just the nudge your body needs to fend off a virus. Plus it doesn’t hurt to breathe in steamy tea and warm up and moisten your nose…the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, thrives at 91 degrees and in dry noses.
Throat Spray – The second you feel a sore, scratchy feeling, spray this terrific remedy on your throat. It has a strong taste but it is instantly soothing and contains anti-microbial herbs to help fight off any viral or bacterial invaders. This is such a simple and helpful remedy and one I wish more people knew about and had on hand! With a little persistence and patience you can get kids to give it a go (my kids squirm at the unusual flavor, but sigh with relief at the soothing).
Here’s hoping these plants (and extra rest!!) help you and your family have a less bothersome cold season!
RECIPE: Elderberry Immune Syrup
1 cup dried elderberries
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
2 Tbs. fresh sliced ginger
1 quart water
2 cups honey (raw and unfiltered)
Place all herbs and spices in a pan. Add cool water. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by 1/2. Strain. Allow to cool. Stir in honey and place in jars. Store in refrigerator. Adults 2 tsp. (children 1 tsp), four times daily when ill, or as a preventative: Adults 2 tsp/day and children 1 tsp/day.

Herbs to support our muscles

My muscles twitch at night and sometimes spasm, can you offer any herbal (or other relief)?
If your muscles twitch at night or you get spasms at any time, this generally is an indication that your body may need more water, calcium, magnesium, or all three. Also, it’s important to stretch your muscles, especially after a workout–and drink plenty of filtered
water, especially with electrolytes. If you don’t take a supplement, try taking a calcium/magnesium supplement in a 1:2 formulation. Make sure the calcium is not calcium carbonate as that is not very bioavailable. Jarrow makes a nice product in this ratio. You can also create your own tea with stinging nettles (dried), horsetail, licorice root, and oat straw. All are high in minerals. You can find these herbs at your local health food store or go online to Mountain Rose Herbs. Always try to use organic or wild-harvested herbs.
This post is sponsored by Invibe Herbal. Where better health is just a click away!

Autumn and immune support

As halloween approaches, I find that kids get sick the day after! I am a teacher and I was wondering if you could recommend some herbal or other support to keep us healthy.
I said before, we all know that starting the school season = increased stress and exposure to pathogens. It’s also the time of year when the days shorten and the weather cools down, thus reducing our sun exposure and body’s ability to make vitamin D, an important immune system vitamin. Add in Halloween with all the sugar and staying up late and we create the perfect terrain in our body for a cold or flu to take hold!
Make sure and maintain the basics including regular hand washing, going to bed by about 10pm, eating well (lots of fruits and veggies!), getting adequate exercise to keep the lymph flowing and staying hydrated. Avoid sugar as much as possible since it certainly does not support immune health! Some kitchen herbal approaches that are particularly helpful include making and consuming bone broth regularly (check out the Weston Price recipe) and adding astragalus and medicinal mushrooms such as shiitake to your broth. Mushrooms are immune supporting superstars! High quality bulk herbs and mushrooms can be ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs or Pacific Botanicals. Some other wonderful herbal supports include Elderberry as a tea or syrup – Gaia Herbs or Honey Garden Elderberry syrups can be found in many local natural stores. If you do succumb to a cold or flu, check out Traditional Medicinals’ line of cold care teas.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Monograph: alfalfa
I. Botanical Nomenclature:
Name: Medicago sativa
Family: Fabaceae
Common: alfalfa
II. Definition of drug: leaf (not sprout)
IV. Taste/Odor/Energetics: neutral
V. Summary of physiological actions:
Gentle alterative; rich in vitamin K (so potential co with cumadin); vitamin K helps with clottingSome cholesterol elimination although need a high quantity (5-10 grams TID)as a digestive tonifying agent that strengthens and invigorates and appetite stimulantin the treatment of dyspepsia and/or indigestion or upset stomach and for the relief of pain from arthritisto promote the appetite and weight gain
VI. Key constituents: enzymes, phytoestrogens, flavonoids, saponins
VII. Pharmacology:
Some hypoglycemic benefit (so good for blood lipids)
IX. Specific indications:
nourishes the liver and the bloodhelps tone the digestive “qi’ and promotes absorption of foodpromotes detoxification of kidneyshelps to relive depression and reduce pain
XI. Preparation and Dosage:
dried herb: 5 g to 10 g, 3 times per day fluid extract: 5 g to 10 g dried equivalent, 3 times per day (1:1, 25% ethanol)
XII. Safety:
potentially estrogenic; can bring on a period if taken in concentrated form

Devil’s Club instead of Panax ginseng?

This is an excellent overview on Devil’s Club
Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus): An Ethnobotanical Review
HerbalGram. 2004; 62:33-48 American Botanical Council
by Trevor C. Lantz, Kristina Swerhun, and Nancy J. Turner
Devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus (Sm.) Torr. & A. Gray ex. Miq., Araliaceae) is probably the most important spiritual and medicinal plant to most indigenous peoples who live within its range. Different parts of this plant are used by over 38 linguistic groups for over 34 categories of physical ailment, as well as many spiritual applications.
Devil’s club [syn. Echinopanax horridus (Sm.) Decne. & Planch, Fatsia horrida (Sm.) Benth. & Hook, Panax horridum Sm.; Riconophyllum horridum Pall.] is a common deciduous understory shrub occurring in moist, but well drained, forested ecosystems from coastal Alaska southward to central Oregon and eastward to the southwestern Yukon, the Canadian Rockies, northwestern Alberta, Montana, and Idaho. There are also several disjunct populations near northern Lake Superior in Michigan and Ontario. The stems of this shrub are upright to decumbent and can reach heights exceeding 6 meters (~20 feet). The leaves are large (up to 35 cm across [~14 inches]) and maple-shaped.
The stems, petioles, and leaf veins of devil’s club are covered with a dense armor of yellowish needle-like spines up to 2 cm (~0.5 inches) long, which can cause severe skin irritation. The flowers are small and whitish, borne in terminal pyramidal clusters, and ripen to shiny flattened, bright red berries. Devil’s club forms large sprawling clones that expand laterally through the layering of decumbent stems.1
A member of the family Araliaceae (which also contains the ginsengs), devil’s club is related to a number of widely known medicinals including Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer), American ginseng (P. quinquefolius L.), eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim., formerly called Siberian ginseng), and small spikenard (Aralia nudicaulis L., or sarsaparilla).
Devil’s club is often cited as the most significant plant, both medicinally and spiritually, to the indigenous peoples within its range.2-5 The first ethnographic record of devil’s club use dates back to 1842, when Eduardo Blaschke, the chief physician for the Russian American Company, reported the use of devil’s club ash as a treatment for sores amongst the Tlingit.6 Subsequently, devil’s club has received widespread documentation for its medicinal, spiritual, and technological uses in ethnographies, ethnobotanies, medical journals, and historical records from within (as well as outside) its geographical range. In a 1982 review, Turner reported more than 30 categories of medicinal, spiritual, and technological uses by peoples of over 25 different indigenous linguistic groups of western North America.4 Phytochemical research has revealed that this plant has antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and antimycobacterial properties, and these are undoubtedly related to its widespread use in traditional medicine.7-11
Ethnobotanical Records of Traditional Use
A review of published and unpublished ethnographic sources reveals great diversity in the uses of devil’s club among many indigenous groups over a wide geographic area. These applications are summarized here in 34 broad categories of medicinal use (Table 1), and eight categories of spiritual use (Table 2). The indigenous peoples who use devil’s club include 38 linguistic groups from across northwestern North America (Tables 1-2), representing nine language families.14 The region delineated by this cultural usage almost directly parallels the geographic distribution of devil’s club (Figure 2) and underscores the cultural importance of this plant across its range. In some areas devil’s club is used well outside of its geographic range; the few areas where cultural use is not recorded from within the area of its distribution appear to represent gaps in the ethnobotanical documentation and not in actual usage.
Table 1: Summary of Medicinal Uses of Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus)
Medicinal Uses Cultural Linguistic Group (and References)
Appetite Stimulant Infusion of inner bark. Nlaka’pamux (64); Secwepemc (65); Squamish (66)
Arthritis / Rheumatism Infusion or decoction of inner bark, pounded leaves and sometimes roots, inner bark used in bath/steam bath, inner bark chewed, crushed root used as poultice, and whole stems used to beat rheumatic limbs as counter-irritant. Alutiiq (67, 68, 69, 70); Carrier (71); Ditidaht (72, 73); Gitxsan (17, 74, 75); Haida (2, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81); Halkomelem (82); Hanaksiala (83); Makah (84); Oweekeno (85); Nuu-chah-nulth (72); Stl’atl’imx (85); Nuxalk (76, 77, 79); Sahaptin (86); Sechelt (72, 87, 88); Sekani (89); Squamish (66, 72); Stl’atl’imx (85, 90); Tlingit (2, 80); Tsimshian (80); Unspecified (91)Birth Control Decoction of roots. Métis (92)Blood Purifier Decoction of inner bark. Carrier (73); Nlaka’pamux (64, 93)Broken Bone Decoction of inner bark. Alutiiq (70); Gitxsan (95); Haida (2)Cancer Infusion of inner bark. Alutiiq (70); Gitxsan (17); Haida (2; 81); Tlingit (2); Tsimshian (80)Childbirth / Menstruation Inner bark mashed and swallowed, or decoction of inner bark taken as purgative to expel afterbirth, to start post-partum menstrual flow, regulate menstruation, and for cramps. Alutiiq (94); Carrier (77, 101); Hanaksiala (83); Lushootseed (86); Makah (86); Secwepemc (96); Tlingit (16)Diabetes Infusion or decoction of inner bark and sometimes roots, both alone and in mixtures. Cree (92); Haida (81); Halkomelem (97); Heiltsuk (27); Metis (92); Nlaka’pamux (64); Nuxalk (98); Sechelt (99); Secwepemc (65); Squamish (66); Stl’atl’imx (85); Straits Salish (97, 100); Tsimshian (23)Diphtheria Infusion of roots applied externally. Sekani (89)Emetic / Purgative Decoction or infusion of inner bark prepared in water or seal oil, both alone and in mixtures, roots chewed and the inner bark sometimes swallowed. Alutiiq (68, 70); Carrier (3, 101); Eyak (3, 102); Gitxsan (79, 95); Haisla (83); Haida (76); Makah (86); Nuxalk (77, 79, 98); Tlingit (3, 16, 103); Tsetsaut (3); Unspecified (104); Wet’suwet’en (95)Fertility Unspecified. Unspecified (104)Fever Decoction of inner bark. Tanaina (105); Unspecified (104)Flu Infusion of inner bark, alone and in mixtures, and the inner stem bark chewed. Alutiiq (68, 70); Gitxsan (17); Haida (80, 81); Nlaka’pamux (4, 64); Tanaina (106); Tsimshian (80); Tlingit (16, 80); Wet’suwet’en (107)Gall Stones Infusion of inner bark. Haida (2); Tlingit (2)Haemorrhaging and Blood Disorders Infusion of inner bark, alone and in mixture, and berries pounded into paste taken internally. Comox (108); Hanaksiala (83)Heart Disease Berries pounded into paste taken internally. Alustiiq (70); Hanaksiala (83); Wet’suwet’en (107)Insanity Introduced into the system by beating with stems. Haida (80); Tsimshian (80); Tlingit (80)Internal Infections Infusion of inner bark. Haida (80); Tanaina (106); Tsimshian (80); Tlingit (80); Unspecified (91)Laxative Infusion or decoction of inner bark prepared both alone and in mixtures. Gitxsan (109); Haida (2, 80); Haisla (83); Hanaksiala (83) Heiltsuk (4); Kwakwaka’wakw (110); Nlaka’pamux (93; 64); Nuxalk (77); Tanaina (105); Tlingit (2, 80, 103); Tsimshian (80, 111); Unspecified (91)Lice and Dandruff Pounded berries rubbed on hair and scalp. Haida (78); Oweekeno (83)Lymph Trouble (Dropsy) Ash of inner bark. Alutiiq (94)Measles Decoction of inner bark. Halkomelem (72); Tlingit (106)Pain Relief, Analgesic Decoction of inner bark, inner stem bark mixed with oil and eaten, dried inner bark laid into tooth cavity, steam bath with inner bark. Alutiiq (67, 69); Gitxsan (75); Haida (2); Kwakwaka’wakw (110, 112, 113, 114); Nuxalk (98); Oweekeno (83); Tlingit (2); Tsimshian (2)Perfume, Baby Talc Unspecified. Makah (86)Pneumonia Decoction or infusion of inner bark, and inner bark used in steam baths with a variety of additional plants. Alutiiq (68); Squamish (66); Tlingit (16)Respiratory Ailments, Coughs, Colds Decoctions and infusions prepared from inner stem bark, whole stems and sometimes roots, inner bark also chewed, used in sweat baths, and burned and dampened and worn around the neck. Alutiiq (67, 70); Eyak (102); Gitxsan (17, 74); Haida (2, 80, 81); Halkomelem (72); Hanaksiala (83); Okanagan (116); Oweekeno (83); Nlaka’pamux (4);Okanagan (115); Sahaptin (86); Secwepemc (65); Squamish (66); Tagish (117); Tanaina (105); Tlingit (2, 80); Tsimshian (80); Unspecified (5, 91, 104); Wet’suwet’en (107)Skin Wash Infusion or decoction of roots used as a general wash for acne, skin disease, dandruff, etc. Alutiiq (70); Comox (108); Gitxsan (109); Sechelt (72); Sekani (89); Tlingit (16)Sores (Swellings, Cuts, Boils, Burns, and External Infections) Inner bark, or infusion of, used externally as a poultice or wound dressing or rubbed over sore, dried inner bark pulverized with pitch or burnt to ash and mixed with oil or grease (sometimes salmonberries and dog feces) and applied externally, berries pounded into a paste and applied externally, decoction of root applied externally, and sliver of bark placed in wound to prevent infection. Alutiiq (67, 70, 94, 102); Carrier (71); Eyak (68); Gitxsan (17, 74, 109); Haida (2, 3); Hanaksiala (83); Kwakwaka’wakw(113); Makah (84); Nlaka’pamux (93); Nuxalk (98); Sechelt (99); Tanaina (105);Tlingit (2, 3, 6, 16, 103, 118); Tsimshian (80); Unspecified (26, 91); Wet’suwet’en (74)Stomach Trouble / Pains, Ulcers Infusion or decoction of inner bark or paste made from berries taken internally. Gitxsan (17); Haida (2, 75, 76, 77); Hanaksiala (83); Kwakwaka’wakw (110, 113, 114); Nlaka’pamux (64, 93); Nuxalk (76, 77, 79); Squamish (66); Tanaina (105); Tlingit (2); Unspecified (26, 91)Tonic Infusion or decoction of inner bark or sometimes roots, inner bark chewed, and bark ash infused. Ditidaht (73); Gitxsan (17, 74); Haida (2, 77); Halkomelem (72); Nlaka’pamux (64, 93); Nisga’a (75); Nuu-chah-nulth (119, 120); Oweekeno (83); Tlingit (2, 16); Sechelt (99); Unspecified (91, 104); Wet’suwet’en (107)Unspecified Use, General Sickness Unspecified. Alutiiq (67); Carrier (121); Ktunaxa (122); Gitxsan (75); Nlaka’pamux (4); Nuxalk (88); Oweekeno (83); Quileute (123); Sechelt (99); Tlingit (124); Tsimshian (3)Venereal Disease Decoction prepared from inner bark and whole stems both alone and in mixtures with a variety of other plants. Gitxsan (95); Haida (80); Tlingit (16, 80, 103); Tsimshian (80); Unspecified (91)Vision / Blindness Infusion of inner bark taken internally, inner bark applied externally with pitch, and decoction used as an eyewash to reverse the effects of cataracts. Haida (80); Hanaksiala (83); Tsimshian (80); Tlingit (80)Weight Loss Infusion of de-spined stems. Nlaka’pamux (4, 64)
Among all of the traditional medicinal uses of devil’s club (Table 1), its most widespread is for the treatment of external and internal infections, including tuberculosis. The efficacy of many of the treatments is undoubtedly related to devil’s club’s significant antibacterial,7,11 antimycobacterial (active against bacteria in the genus Mycobacterium),10,11 antifungal,8,11 and antiviral properties.9,15 Devil’s club is also commonly used by many cultural groups to treat arthritis, rheumatism, respiratory ailments, and as an emetic and purgative. It is also used as an aid in childbirth (post-partum), for internal hemorrhaging, as an analgesic, to treat stomach and digestive tract ailments, broken bones, fever, dandruff, lice, headaches, and as a treatment for cancer. Several parts of the shrub, including inner bark, inner bark ash, whole stems, roots, berries, and leaves, are used in a variety of ways to effect these treatments. However, the most common type of preparation is as an infusion or decoction of the stem inner bark.
In addition to ethnographic accounts of medicinal uses, there are also numerous sources that describe spiritual applications of devil’s club. These include purification and cleansing; protection against supernatural entities, epidemics and evil influences; acquisition of luck; to combat witchcraft; as ceremonial and protective face paint; and in rituals by shamans and others to attain supernatural powers (Table 2). Two of the most widespread spiritual uses are bathing with a devil’s club inner bark solution for personal protection and purification, and its use, particularly the spiny or de-spined aerial stems, as an amulet for protection against a variety of external influences (Table 2). External and internal cleansing involving the use of devil’s club “was, and is, of paramount importance” to many of the cultural groups throughout devil’s club’s range.4 The inner stem bark of devil’s club has also often been used in solution to wash down fishing boats, fishnets, and to purify a house after an illness or death, and, as charcoal, to prepare protective face paint for ceremonial dancers (Table 2). John Thomas explained that amongst the Ditidaht, and many other neighboring groups, devil’s club is considered sacred and “along with red ochre paint is considered to be a link between the ordinary, or profane world, and the supernatural, or spirit world.”4 Although it is useful for the purposes of this paper, an explicit division between medicinal and spiritual uses of devil’s club does not reflect traditional conceptions of health and healing4,16,17 and most “medicinal” applications of devil’s club are inextricably linked to “spiritual” applications of the plant, particularly its use for cleansing and purification. Devil’s club also figures significantly in the traditional narratives of many cultural groups throughout its range.14
Table 2: Summary of Spiritual Uses of Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus)
Spiritual Uses Cultural Linguistic Group (and References)
End Bad Weather Unspecified Eyak (102); Tlingit (16)
Luck Wood retained for luck, bark used in bath, and rubbed on body, and fresh bark chewed. Eyak (102); Gitxsan (17, 109); Haida (125, 126, 127); Haisla (83); Hanaksiala (83); Tlingit (16); Tsimshian (83, 128); Wet’suwet’en (74)
Contemporary Use in the Herb and Dietary Supplement Industry
Many of devil’s club’s uses in herbal medicine parallel its most commonly documented traditional uses (Table 1). Overall though, the modern commercial applications of devil’s club in the North American herbal market are for treating a smaller number of health problems and lack the spiritual practices associated with traditional use. Western herbalists report that the roots of devil’s club (and to a lesser extent the inner stem bark) are a strong respiratory stimulant and expectorant18,19 and recommend their use for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions,18,20 as well as to treat eczema, sores, and a number of internal and external infections.21 Devil’s club is also commonly recommended for the treatment of type II adult onset diabetes,18,22 a use of devil’s club that is also extensive in indigenous communities. However, since there is considerable risk and uncertainty associated with such therapy, such recommendations should be viewed with caution.21 In one notable case, devil’s club is recommended as a pancreatic tonic that is purported to help lower blood sugar levels by increasing the efficiency of insulin production in the pancreas.22 In this and other similar cases it is unclear if the reasoning given is based on the clinical evidence, which is equivocal and conflicting.21 Early clinical research on devil’s club, inspired by its widespread use by indigenous peoples for adult diabetes, reported that a white precipitate isolated from extracts of devil’s club “root bark” exhibited a hypoglycemic effect in lab hares.23 Subsequently, in experiments involving two human subjects, Justice2 presented some additional evidence to support the hypoglycemic activity of devil’s club’s root and stem bark. However, additional work by Piccoli et al.,24 Sturr et al.,25 and Thommasen et al.26 using extracts from “root bark,” and research by MacDermot27 using a decoction of stems, provide data that do not substantiate the hypoglycemic activity reported previously. Since devil’s club is still widely, and increasingly, used as a treatment for late onset type II diabetes and is listed in a recent review of antidiabetic plants,28 additional research and more rigorous clinical trials are required to validate and characterize or to disprove hypoglycemic properties in devil’s club.
Notable commercial applications of devil’s club that depart from traditional use include marketing strategies portraying devil’s club as “Pacific ginseng,” “Alaskan ginseng,” or “wild armored Alaskan ginseng.”12,13 In these cases, and on occasion when devil’s club is promoted under its standardized common name, products are marketed on the basis of purported adaptogenic and tonic properties. Suggestions of its use as an alternative to ginseng parallel those of eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim., Araliaceae), formerly called “Siberian ginseng.” Devil’s club is increasingly used as a ginseng substitute in marketed herbal formulas and is considered to have significant potential in U.S. and Asian markets in this role.12 Although devil’s club is used as a tonic in some traditional medicinal applications (Table 1), its properties as an adaptogen are by no means its most distinct. The belief of some herbalists that devil’s club can be readily substituted for ginseng, with similar effects and benefits, has not been demonstrated empirically. Indeed, devil’s club’s emetic and purgative properties are often what some first-time users highlight when describing their experience with the plant (possibly due to ingestion of relatively high doses). Furthermore, any pharmacological and therapeutic similarities devil’s club shares with ginseng are not well documented, and a number of authors stress that these plants should not be used as if they were the same.19,21 Additional applications that are unconnected to traditional indigenous use and appear to have no empirical basis include treatment for hyperthyroidism, for impotence, and as a phytoestrogen.21
Another notable divergence between traditional and contemporary commercial applications of devil’s club relates to the plant parts used. Most of the devil’s club products currently available commercially, including devil’s club teas, tinctures, capsules, and formulas that contain devil’s club, contain “root bark” as the main ingredient. “Root bark” is also one of the most common plant parts sold as a crude drug. Unlike the traditional use of devil’s club, which primarily involves inner bark of the aerial stems (Table 1),14 the commercial use of devil’s club “root bark” seems to be driven by perceived superior potency of roots. Like the marketing of devil’s club under alternate common names that equate it with ginseng, the sale of devil’s club “root bark” appears also to be an attempt to highlight devil’s club’s relationship to ginseng, since the root of the latter is used medicinally. Any therapeutic advantage of the roots over the stem bark, like the marketing of devil’s club as a ginseng substitute, appears largely unsubstantiated by research, much of which has been conducted using stem inner bark. Furthermore, the commercial harvesting of devil’s club roots in preference to stems has some important conservation implications. Devil’s club is a shallow rooting, long-lived, clonal shrub that expands vegetatively through the layering of horizontal, or decumbent stems, and rarely by seedling.1 Like many medicinal plants, devil’s club is not currently cultivated in any significant quantity and is almost exclusively wild-harvested. Although devil’s club can be wild-crafted sustainably,14,29 the large-scale harvest of its interconnected clonal fragments may have an adverse impact on the persistence of populations.
Phytochemistry and Biological Activity
Phytochemical information on the active constituents of devil’s club is somewhat confounded by varying taxonomic treatments of the genus Oplopanax. Most authorities treat Oplopanax as a genus made up of three species: O. elatus Nakai in Russia and Korea;30 O. japonicus (Nakai) Nakai in Japan;31 and O. horridus in North America.32 Throughout this paper we have adopted this treatment and refer to O. horridus in this strict sense when employing the common name devil’s club. However, there are other authorities that treat all three as subspecies of O. horridus.33,34 Since most research has been conducted on either the Russian or Japanese species (or subspecies) of Oplopanax, with little published descriptive phytochemical work on devil’s club, it is unclear if many of the active constituents commonly cited as components of devil’s club are actually present in North American devil’s club, or only in the Russian and Japanese species. For example, Moore18 lists nerolidol, torreyol, dodinene, busnesol, dodecenol, cadene, and cerdrol as constituents of devil’s club. However, since this research was conducted on Oplopanax elatus [O. horridus ssp. elatus]35 it is unclear if it is applicable to the North American populations of O. horridus [O. horridus ssp. horridus].
Another group of compounds also commonly cited as constituents of devil’s club (O. horridus) are saponins (triterpenoid glycosides).36 Although a number of triterpenoids have been described from O. elatus and O. japonicus,37-44 to date none have been described from North American devil’s club. Although it is likely that North American devil’s club does contain some of the same compounds as these close relatives, presently the only published report to support this describes glycosidal principles of a possible saponin-like nature.25 There is also no evidence that devil’s club contains a specific group of saponins known as the ginsenosides as is often claimed and used to assert its adaptogenic properties and therapeutic similarity to ginseng.18 Additionally, none of the saponins described in devil’s club relatives O. elatus and O. japonicus are ginsenosides (saponins with dammarane type triterpenoid aglycones45). According to Zhuravlev and Kokyada,46 O. elatus and a larger group of Russian Araliaceae species (including E. senticosus< do not contain ginsenosides, but rather saponins that have aromatic triterpenoid aglycones.
The earliest, and some of the only, published descriptive phytochemical work that has been conducted on the North American devil’s club is by Kariyone and Morotomi,47 who described a sesquiterpene (equinopanacene) and a sesquiterpene alcohol (equinopanacol) in O. horridus. In more recent phytochemical investigations on O. horridus, Bloxton et al.48 reported a number of sterols and four sesquiterpenes, one of which (spatulenol) is novel to the genus. Kobaisy et al.11 described two novel and three previously described polyenes, one of which (oplopandiol) has recently been synthesized.18 These acetylenes all display significant antimycobacterial and antifungal activity49 and most are active against common bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. These compounds are also active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium, both of which can cause significant clinical tuberculosis, particularly virulent in immuno-compromised hosts, AIDS patients being especially vulnerable. Notably, these pathogens are also responsible for the epidemic status of tuberculosis in Canada’s indigenous population.50 Since many strains of M. tuberculosis and M. avium are also resistant to the most commonly used antimycobacterial drugs, there is considerable interest in the potential of devil’s club in tuberculosis therapy. Extracts of devil’s club inner bark also partially inhibit a respiratory syncytial virus.9
In other research, immunologist George Luciuk has claimed that devil’s club has anti-microbial effects on upper and lower respiratory tract infections15. In related investigations on the Russian species, Me et al.35 reported that essential oils derived from O. elatus show antifungal activity against five pathogenic species: Microsporum gypseum, M. lanosun, Trichophyton gypseum, T. purpureatum, and Epidermophyton floccosum. Aihua et al.51 also report that O. elatus shows anti-mycotic action against a number of common pathogenic fungi. Additionally, a sesquiterpene, a sesquiterpene alcohol, and a sesquiterpene ketone have been isolated from >O. japonicus; a derivative of the latter is used in Japan in commercial preparations to treat coughs and colds.52

Favorite Herbs for Digestion-Part I

If you had just a couple of bitter herbs to help with digestion, what would they be and why?
One of my favorite bitter herbs is the common weed Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) a member of the asteraceae family. This plant is a great example of how food really is medicine because the root, leaf and flower are all edible! Dandelion is cooling, bitter in taste and is great for people with afiery pitta constitution like myself. Dandelion is very easy to identify and can be found in lawns, fields, and even deep in the woods making it a great option if you don’t want to buy it!
Dandelion is great a great go-to herb for mild digestive issues. It’s commonly used to treat nausea, constipation, to stimulate appetite and improve overall digestive processes. Dandelion root contains up to 40% inulin, a prebiotic dietary fiber also present in onions, leeks, bananas, artichoke, asparagus, and a host of other fruits and vegetables. Inulin supports digestive health, and may have anti-tumor, antimicrobial, hypo-lipidemic, and hypoglycemic properties. Dandelion is rich in potassium, & iron and vitamins A, C,D and B complex vitamins making it a key contributor to your overall health. This plant has so many nutritional bases covered placing it on the top of my listof digestive herbs!
There are many ways to use dandelion in herbal medicine and in life. In my practice, I use this plant as a bitter, liver tonic, in formulation with other herbs, to support nutrient deficient clients with inflammatory patterns associated with digestive problems, skin diseases, cardiovascular health deficiencies, and/or to support healthy weight loss. Dandelion can be administered in the form of a tincture, tea, powder or capsule to suit your lifestyle, budget and taste.
Maybe you are familiar with, Dandy Blenda coffee substitute made of dandelion root, chicory root, beet root, barley and rye. I pinky swear that it really tastes like coffee and it’s packed with nutrients. Calm down, I’m not asking you to quit coffee but if you were considering decreasing your coffee intake or if you just wanted to add a nutritious boost to your daily cup of joe this is something to consider. I happen to use Dandy Blend but there are many others available onlineand at your local health food stores. You can easily make your own dandelion root coffee at home if you are feeling inspired with dandelion root, chicory root, cinnamon, and coconut milk. Delicious dandelion recipesare available online offering fun ways to eat your greens and to enjoy your medicine so give it a try and let us know what you think!
While dandelion is generally considered safe when consumed in amounts available in food, it should not be ingested by people with obstructed bile ducts or other serious diseases of the gall bladder. The plant may cause an allergic reaction when applied topically to people who are allergic to plants from the asteraceae family such as ragweed and daisies.
Hops (Humulus lupulus)
Hops is a member of the cannabaceae family of plants and is native to Europe and parts of Western Asia where it grows in the wild. A bitter tonic with antispasmodic properties makes it useful for people with digestive issues like dyspepsia, indigestion and loss of appetite, menstrual cramps, and anxiety but has many uses. As a night owl, I enjoy the hypnotic and sedative properties and use it in combination with other herbs and sometimes alone as a natural sleep remedy. Phytoestrogens found in in the plant have been shown to relieve hot flashes in menopausal women. Personally, I use hops with a little chamomile, wild yam, and cinnamon in a tincture during my menses when my digestion is out of whack, and I’m anxious and crampy. So much goodness in one plant!
Hops is a fantastic bitter tonic if you like the taste of bitters. Then again, I’m convinced enjoying bitter flavors is an acquired taste, kind of like yogurt, weird at first but super tasty in the end, especially since the benefits far outweigh the initial taste. If hops sounds familiar, it may be because it’s a key ingredient in beer and has been for centuries. The resin in the hops contains chemically unstable polyphenolic principles: humulone and lupulone and is responsible for the distinct taste and aroma.
Other ways to enjoy the calming benefits of hops minus the bitter taste is by adding it to an herbal bathto promote restful sleep or putting hops under your pillow with lavender. You can make your own bath salts with 1 teaspoon of dried lavender, 1 teaspoon of hops, (½ teaspoon if using essential oils) mixed in 1 cup of epsom salts and store in a glass jar. Add the ingredients to a bath pouch or stocking and enjoy a warm 20 minute calming bath before bed. Give it a try, let us know what you think!
Herbs are powerful but everything is not for everybody all the time. Hops is contraindicated and should not be used by people suffering from depression. Hops should be used with caution during pregnancy and/or if you have estrogen dependent tumors.

Herbs to aid in gas and bloating.

I often get gas and feel bloated when I eat quickly. Can you recommend anything for this?
Yes, you have a number of options but first:
Why this happens. When food is not broken down properly before it reaches the large intestines, excess gas is created due to the existence of undigested food.
Steps to prevent or alleviate gas. I always recommend people sit down when they eat and take a couple of moments to calm themselves down. Even giving yourself a mantra like “I am calm and my body can easily digest and assimilate all that I eat” helps the body prepare for food intake by creating enzymes and stomach acid.
HERBS are a great help here. Herbs known as bitters help the gall bladder release bile needed to breakdown fats and emulsify your food. There are great products on the market like Urban Moonshine’s bitter spray. Carminatives like fennel or anise will help to relieve both gas and bloating as does ginger. A nice after dinner tea would be anise or fennel, chamomile and peppermint or ginger.
Digestive enzymes. This is helpful for many people in reducing gas and spasms in the gut. There are many brands out there that are excellent but I use the Enzymatica product line. Another good thing to take before eating is apple cider vinegar. Take 1-2 tablespoons in water before meals to aid in digestion.

Arnica for bruises and muscle strains

My athletic kids often have bruises and muscle strains. Any herbal suggestions?
Yes! Your herbal go-to for bruising and muscle strains is the topical use of the herb, Arnica (Arnica spp.). I first learned about the medicinal use of this beautiful, yellow, subalpine flower from my intrepid outdoor friends, Jane and Chuck, who gather it annually from the mountains of western Colorado. They are part of a long tradition of folks who’ve recognized and valued the anti-inflammatory effect of Arnica on bruises and injured muscles, tendons and ligaments. But how this herb heals, noticeably reducing swelling and pain, has not been well understood. It seems to affect white blood cells, but also there is new research revealing that one of the ways it may work is by increasing fibronectin, a protein in your body that is critical for wound healing. Pretty cool for a little yellow flower!
To me, Arnica is a staple of the natural home medicine cabinet. Every home medicine cabinet and first aid kit should be stocked with a high quality, topical cream, salve or oil that contains Arnica as a primary ingredient. You will find that applying this topical remedy will reduce pain and speed healing of bruises, sore muscles and strains. In our home, we apply it to all manner of bonks and bruises, sore feet, tweaky knees, overworked quads and strained ankles. It’s worth a try for carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, arthritic knees, or any musculoskeletal pain that comes from overuse or overexertion. Rub into affected area nightly, or 2-4 times per day if needed.
Cautions: do not apply it to broken skin! If your strain or bruise is accompanied by a wound on the skin, wait until that heals, before using Arnica. And, please, stop using it if it irritates your skin. Also, i
ts important to note that internal use of herbal Arnica is NOT recommended
because of evidence that it can be toxic when ingested (this is also why you should wait until skin abrasions heal before using it, lest it enter your bloodstream).
Therefore, I only recommend use of herbal Arnica as a topical remedy. When you shop for Arnica creams you will find that some are herbal formulas, that utilize an extraction of the plant’s healing phytochemistry into an oil, and some are homeopathic formulas. I prefer the topical herbal preparations because my clients have found them to be more effective.
Confusingly, there is a homeopathic tablet of Arnica, and that is actually a great addition. The homeopathic arnica tablets (taken orally) are very safe, because they do not contain the same phytochemical found in an herbal preparation.
So, if you or your family members get bumps, bruises, strains?
Topical: Topical herbal Arnica cream or salve (do not use on broken skin!) Here are two nice formulas – a simple oil from Avena Botanicals or this salve from Galen’s Way, which incorporates other botanicals.
Internal: Homeopathic Arnica tablets (do not use herbal arnica internally!) The homeopathic tablet preparation IS safe and is a great addition; Boiron is a quality brand and is easily found online or at your heath food store. Please,
do not use herbal Arnica internally
!
As an herbalist, considering a plant’s natural habitat is always of interest to me. I love that Arnica naturally grows near the mountains and I like to think the strength of the mountains is passed on to those who use it and find relief. I hope this wonderful plant finds a place in your medicine cabinet!
Note: Because Arnica species are so helpful, in some parts of the world they have been overharvested and are now under special protection; in the U.S and Canada they are classed on the United Plant Savers “to watch” list, one step away from “at risk”. I will always try to recommend products that meet high ethical and quality standards, but for more information on choosing herbal products that are also sustainably cultivated and harvested, please check out The Sustainable Herb Project and United Plant Savers.
Image source: Source: http://vitamedica.com/wellness-blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Arnica-Montana-Plant.jpg

It’s “back to school” soon, how can I support my children through herbs or supplements?

This is a common question since back to school obviously results in an increase in both stress and exposure to pathogens or “bugs”. Be sure to keep up on the basics, including regular hand washing, going to bed early, eating well (lots of fruits and veggies!) and staying hydrated. Try making regular bone broths and using broth in recipes instead of water wherever appropriate — soups, cooking grains, etc. You can add medicinal herbs to your broth such as astragalus, shiitake mushrooms and seaweed. A nutrient dense broth naturally supports the immune system. Also, consider adding probiotics to your child’s diet. One great way is to rotate various fermented foods, a little sip or bite provides a ton of good “bugs”. For herbs, elderberry is a wonderful choice to help children fend off viruses. Gaia and Honey Garden both make delicious, high quality elderberry syrups that children love. Or, you can purchase bulk elderberries and make a strong decoction (gently boiled tea) and add raw honey which is naturally antimicrobial and improves flavor. If it’s hot where you live, try making the tea into beautiful purple ice cubes or popsicles! You can add some cherry juice concentrate for flavor and to support sleep. Additional tea herbs that are safe for kidsand helpful for fending off colds and flus are: astragalus, lemon balm, elder flower, chamomile, catnip and rose hips. If your child won’t drink tea then get creative! Try an herbal bath or get your child involved in the medicine making process — add honey and have a tea party together. Echinacea is also very helpful but not so tasty as a tea, it is best delivered as a tincture or glycerite. Finally, if your child is running cold try warming them up with some ginger or cinnamon. If they’re running hot, try cooling them down with some peppermint or spearmint.

Fire Cider or should I say ‘Fyre’ Cider?

Fire Cider is an old recipe brought to new life by the doyenne of herbal medicine, Rosemary Gladstar. (Unfortunately a company recently trade marked the name ‘fire cider’ so now no one but they can use it–terrible!!!).   Anyway, this warming formula was often used when there was too much mucous in the nasal or respiratory passages, but it was also used when bouts of rheumatism and arthritis flared up or when someone just wanted to warm themselves up in the cold winter months.  Generally, it is made in September so it’s ready by November. This recipe is based on a quart mason jar but as always in the folk tradition, you can modify it any way you wish.

Ingredients:

  • Ten cloves of garlic – peeled, mashed and finely cut
  • ½ cup of freshly grated horseradish*
  • ½ cup of grated organic ginger root
  • Spicy peppers: Jalapeño, Serrano, Habanero, and Cayenne — the amount will depend on which one you use you and your spice tolerance.   One can substitute ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • Enough organic apple cider vinegar to fill the jar
  • Raw honey to taste

Optional ingredients:

  • Juice of one lemon and zest
  • ½ teaspoon of paprika powder
  • One teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • One medium onion finely chopped

Other things you will need:

  • Quart mason jar
  • Wax paper
  • Cheese cloth or cotton sack
  • Bowl

* If you have never grated horseradish, please be careful! It is very pungent and should be done in a well-ventilated area.

Directions:

Place all the vegetables in the mason jar and cover them with organic apple cider vinegar. Cover the jar with the wax paper and the put the lid on tightly. Be sure to label it with the date and the ingredients, or note it elsewhere. This is important for refining your recipe the following year. Traditionally, the cider is then buried in the ground where it is cool and dark –just remember to note where you buried it! Of course the more modern storage is simply a cool, dark place in your home or apartment.

Let the cider sit for at least four weeks. When you are ready, pour the contents into a bowl or another jar through a cheese cloth or cotton sack. It is important to squeeze all the juice out of the vegetables so press firmly. One this is done, you can compost your “mark” or the vegetables that made your fire cider. Then, take the strained cider and put it back in the mason jar and add the honey –slowly– to taste. Be sure to shake the jar well each time you add the honey.

How to use fire cider. Fire cider can be taken straight–just shake the bottle well and pour out a teaspoon full–you can take it several times a day. Of course it can be mixed with water or juice to temper the taste although some even use it as a condiment.

Taking a look at the ingredients.

Garlic. By now most people know the healing properties of garlic. Garlic (Allium sativum), which is in the onion family, is both warming and drying and thus used in many formulas to help with the afflictions of the respiratory system. Juliette de Bairacli Levy, a famed French herbalist, once said that garlic was one of the most powerful antiseptic herbs ever. Indeed, research has shown the constituent, allicin, to have high levels of antimicrobial activity. Garlic is also an effective an anti-inflammatory, a circulatory enhancer, a liver protector, a worm eradicator and has even been shown to reduce hypertension! (Braun & Cohen).

Horseradish root. Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana), is one of the oldest known herbs and is originally one of the five bitter herbs of the Bible. Known for its pungency, the mustard oil within horseradish gives it is drying and heating properties and thus, its use in many respiratory and sinus formulas. Horseradish is also a circulatory stimulant and the peroxidase enzymes have been shown to assist in wound healing. According to Sauer’s Herbal, the Pennsylvania Dutch used this common condiment to expel kidney stones (Weaver). Finally, Horseradish has been shown to lower cholesterol and has helped with various inflammatory disorders (Braun & Cohen).

Ginger root (Zingiber officinale). Pulling out my very first herbal book ever (purchased 1978), Jethro Kloss, in Back to Eden says this about ginger. “…prevents griping, good for diarrhea, colds, la grippe, chronic bronchitis, dyspepsia, gas and fermentation, cholera, gout and nausea….” (Kloss). Scientific research not only corroborated much of what Kloss wrote in 1939 but went on to find that ginger has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunomodulation, hepatoprotective, anti-fibrotic properties as well (Braun & Cohen).

Cayenne pepper. The use of cayenne pepper dates back over 7000 years where we believe it was first discovered in Mexico. However, we know that cayenne was a popular herb in the Ayurvedic tradition as well. Along with its heating properties, cayenne is also both stimulating and drying which is why it was used in many instances of respiratory illness, and as a peripheral circulation stimulant. It contains vitamin A, C, B complex, E and, pantothenic acid. Due to the oleorisein content, cayenne acts as a catalyst for other herbs and the capsaicin helps to increase the body’s metabolism. (Standard Process). Jethro Kloss waxes on about cayenne calling it “one of the most wonderful herb medicines we have” and said it was used as much externally (for wound healing) as it was for its internal properties (Kloss).

Apple cider vinegar. We know that vinegar has been around since at least 5000 BC where Babylonians used date vinegar to preserve food, and as a medicine. Apple cider vinegar has been used in this country for hundreds of years as a preservative, a natural medicine, a condiment, and even as a cleaning/disinfecting agent.  Apple cider vinegar contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, as well as dietary fiber, and because of these nutritive values along with its preserving qualities, apple cider vinegar makes a great liquid to hold the juices from the fire cider’s vegetables.

Honey. Before you write off honey as just another form of sugar, consider this. In 2012, the International Journal of Biological Science published a study on honey (Honey-a novel antidiabetic agent), the findings of which demonstrated its beneficial effects. These advantageous effects included such areas as the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the gut microbiota, the liver, and the pancreas. It also concluded that honey is able to help reduce blood glucose levels and that it might be useful in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. But early makers of fire cider probably only knew that it was a great preservative and that it tasted good!

So, now that you know how good everything that goes into fire cider is, why not trying making some? Every year, you can continue to perfect it until you make your own signature fire cider.

References:

Herbs & Natural Supplements: An Evidenced Based Guide, Braun & Cohen

Int J Biol Sci. 2012;8(6):913-34. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.3697. Epub 2012 Jul 7.

Honey–a novel antidiabetic agent.

Back to Eden, Jethro Kloss

Standard Process literature

Sauer’s Herbal Cures, William Woys Weaver

Common Herbs for Natural Health, Juliette de Bairacli Levy

Apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com