Nocturnal Herbalist

Wild swimming in winter (or cold showers) as popularised by Wim Hof and others seem to help poor circulation, inflammatory disorders, depression and many other issues. In this Livestream I discuss my thoughts on these practices and show and tell some of the little herbal hacks I use to help recover from cold exposure!   LINKS: Cold water swimming benefits – detailed research paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7730683/ Clear instruction video on ice water hand and foot training for poor circulation, Reynaud’s, and (potentially?) reducing neuropathic pain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzg7dfllzvM The original VICE documentary on Wim Hof https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaMjhwFE1Zw&t=42s Research paper on the many biological activities of Cayenne (chilli) pepper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432674/ Angelica root – traditional medicinal uses https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Angelica+archangelica Wood Betony: traditional uses https://eattheplanet.org/wood-betony-a-fascinating-herb-with-many-benefits/ Wood Betony’s plant family (Stachys) – interesting phytochemistry research paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7601302/ Rosemary – general research papers https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905578/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6325740/   ADDENDUM - I couldn't find the specific reference I saw years ago describing Angelica's ability to improve circulation through the heart - but it seems likely to be the coumarins in the root, which have Calcium-channel blocking activity and act as vasodilators. I recall reading that extracts could specifically increase blood flow through the coronary arteries, if I find the reference I will post it! https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pca.2800030108

Many people experience low mood and motivation in the colder, darker months of the year. In this Livestream I talk about Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD from a herbalist's perspective, and riff on a few plant-based and practical remedies. LINKS: The most extreme form of “winter blues”: seasonal depression aka SAD general info: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder Cold water for SAD and depression? Basic overview of potential benefits of cold water immersion for mental and physical health: https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/cold-water-swimming-why-an-icy-dip-is-good-for-your-mental-and-physical-health St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) general info: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/st-john-wort Sage (Salvia officinalis): pharmacological review https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5634728/ and traditional uses https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sages-05.html Ginseng (Panax ginseng) as an antidepressant https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6869450/

Many people espouse dietary beliefs which are perceived as rigid or extreme. In this livestream I mull over some thoughts on diet dogma, where it comes from, and some of the positives and negatives of food-focused beliefs.   LINKS: The "Rawlicious" video which got me thinking about these topics this week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw4lP6UK4-U My favourite YT nutrition channel - balanced and well researched, Nutrition Made Simple https://www.youtube.com/@NutritionMadeSimple

IBS, IBD and endometriosis are common ailments with very different causes, frequently associated with suffering and loss of quality of life. In this livestream I discuss some approaches that may be beneficial for dealing with these issues. LINKS: IBS: need for simultaneous mind + gut treatment (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10496425/ IBS overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534810/ IBD overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470312/ Endometriosis overview (very technical/medical language) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567777/ Herbal and plant therapy in patients with IBD (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367210/ Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) review (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478785/ Wild Yam general info (website) https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/wild-yam Yam (Dioscorea spp.) pharmacological investigations https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7393038/ Endometriosis and mental health 2-way links – American Psychiatric Association https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2020.4b10 Herbalist Jim McDonald’s excellent Calamus article https://www.herbcraft.org/calamus.html

All medicines (including herbal medicines) can cause "side effects" to varying degrees. In this Livestream I discuss a recent personal Adverse Drug Reaction to the generally wonderful Reishi mushroom(Ganoderma lucidum), and some protocols I follow as a medical herbalist for minimizing unwanted drug interactions when using herbal medicines alongside prescription drugs.   LINKS: Reishi medicinal uses: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92757/ Case history of eosinophilia caused by Reishi: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8758446/ Reddit account case of raised eosinophils after Reishi: https://www.reddit.com/r/MushroomSupplements/comments/jjb9ja/eosinophil_and_basophil_count_elevated_while/

In ancient times it was common to use herbs in conjunction with astrology or other forms of divination to treat illness.  This was often done by first using gentler internal medicine for a few days or weeks to adjust the perceived imbalance (known as “digesting the peccant humour”), before administering a more drastic treatment in an attempt to jump-start the body back to health (“purging the humour”).  In this livestream we’ll take a meander through some of the Renaissance herbal formulas and treatment strategies for different ailments and symptom patterns, looking at them through both a traditional and a contemporary pharmacological lens. LINKS: Books: Richard Saunders’ “The Astrological Judgement and Practice of Physick” (1677). https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Astrological_Judgement_and_Practice.html?id=w2cBzeCZUGUC&redir_esc=y Richard Burton’s “The Anatomy of Melancholy” https://gutenberg.org/files/10800/10800-h/10800-h.htm The “angina experiment” is described in “Meaning, medicine and the ‘placebo effect’” by Daniel Moermann https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/meaning-medicine-and-the-placebo-effect/C189929ABE972E5D4C7FE32008EE8838 Plants: Borage https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16807-0_46 Chicory https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3860133/ Polypody https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327886800_ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL_STUDIES_OF_Polypodium_vulgare_Linn_A_COMPREHENSIVE_REVIEW Hellebore https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1934578X231201053 Rhubarb https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7448319/

“Side effects” are common with many prescription medicines, and may also occur with plant medicines.  But “side effects” are just unwanted drug effects, and not all side effects are the same: some are dangerous, some are uncomfortable, and some may even be necessary. In this livestream I talk about medication sensitivity, what it means, and what can be done about it. LINKS: Iatrogenesis or medication-caused illness: a review paper – conventional medicine = 5th leading cause of death worldwide https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060929/ Herbal medicine adverse drug reactions systematic review https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/13/1/7 Burdock pharmacology – basic overview (downloadable full text) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47567515_A_review_of_the_pharmacological_effects_of_Arctium_lappa_burdock/link/02e7e5196f0af4e868000000/download Cleavers – phytochemistry and in vitro immune stimulant activity https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6963662/ Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557820/ Tsultrim Allione’s process of “Feeding your Demons” https://www.taramandala.org/programs-overview/long-term-study-pathways/feeding-your-demons/fyd-resources/5-steps-of-fyd/

Life is sometimes Not Fun. But there are things we can do to make it better: perspective shifts, simple actions, and of course medicinal plants. In this fifth livestream I talk about some of the simple approaches I take with clients (and myself) to help stay afloat when you've barely got the energy to bail the water out of the boat anymore.   LINKS: Positive effects of gratitude on mental health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8582291/ Oats (Avena sativa) – a phytochemical overview https://etflin.com/article/90#:~:text=The%20review%20article%20aims%20to%20explore%20plant%20profile%2C,studies%2C%20dosage%20form%2C%20marketed%20formulation%2C%20and%20industrial%20application. Generic paper on Rosa damascena’s medicinal uses (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737971/ Three abstracts of systematic reviews & meta-analyses of Rosa damscena’s utility in mental health issues (depression, anxiety, sleep disorders) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35653142/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34508987/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34405933/ Systematic review of Rosa damascena and PMS/dysmenorrhoea (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8395985/  

Aging causes significant hormonal changes in both sexes, leading to physical, emotional and mental changes, and sometimes significant health issues. In this livestream I discuss some of the ways this can show up, and some herbal strategies and approaches to facilitate positive changes. Links: Book - Graeme Tobyn, "Culpeper's Medicine" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17356964-culpeper-s-medicine Book - Bensky et al., "Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/668275.Chinese_Herbal_Medicine Herbal medicines and menopausal symptoms - overview (journal review article): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5783135/  Phytoestrogens, hormones and health (journal article): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468963/ Phytoestrogens and peri/post-menopausal female sexual function (journal article meta-analysis): [ABSTRACT ONLY - full text behind paywall]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30156931/ Herbs and testosterone: journal review article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8166567/pdf/nmaa134.pdf Flax seed and health (journal review article): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567199/ Anne Reardon's unfortunate Flax seed scaremongering (but otherwise excellent) video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyhCIYjhiM0 A rational response to the flax panic: https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/ask-experts/are-cyanide-levels-in-flaxseed-safe/ Review article on Damiana (Turnera diffusa) [ABSTRACT ONLY - full text behind paywall]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24468305/ Damiana's effects on mice! [ABSTRACT ONLY - full text behind paywall]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30818006/

We all self-sabotage - some more than others. In this Livestream I think out loud about why we do it, and discuss some of the plant allies that may be useful in helping to address it. LINKS: Marisa Peer's interview with Lewis Howes: https://lewishowes.com/podcast/your-thoughts-will-heal-or-kill-you-with-marisa-peer/ Anna Runkle's daily practice: https://courses.crappychildhoodfairy.com/daily-practice Panax ginseng as an antidepressant: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6869450/ Stephen Fulder's "The Book of Ginseng": https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Book-of-Ginseng/Stephen-Fulder/978089281491:6 My book on Cacao: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/about Chamomile research review paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9032859/ Lemon Balm (Melissa) research review paper [paywall :( ]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874116302732