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Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a very familiar spice/herb to most people.  Often, I find that people are surprised to see it in cut bark form for use in a tea, however, as it is most familiar in powder form.  It has a long history of medicinal use and was shipped from the Spice Islands to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, and China in earlier times as part of the spice trade.  The inner bark of the Cinnamomum spp. is used and is transported in rolls.

A sweet, spicy, warming herb, I often use the bark in tea blends for its flavor and also because of its beneficial effect on inflammation and blood sugar.  It increases insulin sensitivity of cells and can help decrease blood sugar spikes after a meal.

It is also a drying herb, so it can help decrease diarrhea and the associated fluid loss, as well as helping to slow or stop bleeding, and to help lessen mucus congestion of the lungs and sinuses.  A tincture (liquid extract) can be used to slow or stop postpartum hemorrhage, dosed frequently.  It can also help with sluggish or weak digestion, especially when the gastrointestinal tract tends to be more “cold and damp”.  One way to tell if someone has more of a “cold” digestive system is if they have a harder time digesting cold foods, such as raw vegetables versus cooked and warmed vegetables.

For these effects, Cinnamon can be taken in tea, tincture, capsule, or powder form, with dosing information ranging from 1 tsp in tea, to a 1/2-1 tsp powder, and 15-30 drops tincture.

The tincture and essential oil of Cinnamon are both very antimicrobial and antiparasitic. Cinnamon essential oil is only for external use in an essential oil diffuser or diluted a lot in an oil carrier for topical use, as it can cause damage to the skin and mucus membranes when used straight (neet), in a bath, or ingested. The tincture is safer for internal use, and is often best as a small part of a blend.

Cinnamon bark is in quite a few of our herbal preparations, including our Blood Sugar Balance Tea, Herbal Chai Immuni-Tea, Holiday Joy Tea, Tummy Tea, Sinus Support Drops, Blood Sugar Balance Drops, and our Stress Drops.

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Astragalus root

Astragalus root

A medicinal plant whose use comes to us from Chinese medicine, its Latin name is Astragalus membranaceus and it is a member of the Fabaceae family, also known as the legume/pea family.  The root is the part that is used, and it is considered a quintessential immune tonic or immune modulator.  This means it can help with immune system weakness, when someone regularly gets sick with viral or bacterial infections or takes a long time to recover, or immune hyperactivity, when someone has an autoimmune illness such as rheumatoid arthritis.  In Chinese medicine, it is considered a tonic herb that can increase vitality and longevity.
Its primary actions that have been borne out in traditional use, clinical practice, and/or laboratory research are that astragalus is: immune modulating, adaptogenic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, cardiotonic, diuretic, hypotensive, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, cancer preventive, tissue regenerative, and protective against drops in white blood cell count during chemotherapy or radiation.

Based on the above actions, this herb is used in cases of immune weakness due to chronic stress, because it has a protective effect on the adrenal glands, heart, liver, and kidneys and can help decrease chances of immune weakness when under stress.  It can act as a prophylactic against the common cold, upper respiratory tract infections, and other viral infections.  It is also potentially protective against a compromised immune system during cancer treatment, and because of its antitumor, heart & liver protective effects, and its antioxidant properties, astragalus is often useful for someone diagnosed with or at risk for cancer, improving chances for recovery and longevity.  Astragalus may also be useful as a hypotensive, because of its heart tonic and diuretic actions.

Astragalus is used medicinally in a decoction, meaning that the root is cooked/simmered in water or broth for a certain length of time, usually a minimum of 20 minutes; as a tincture, or powdered in capsules.  Traditionally, the root slices were added to soups/stews in fall and winter and cooked in the broth, then removed and the soup and broth consumed.  This is a great way to get the health benefits of astragalus root into your diet.  At Herban Wellness, I sell astragalus root in small cut-root form for decoctions/teas and the root slices (they look like tongue depressors) for decocting or adding to soups/stews.  I also sell the powder that can be added to food.  Generally speaking, you need to consume this herb regularly for several weeks to help strengthen a weak or debilitated immune system.  The general dose for prevention is 1 Tbsp of herb/16 oz or so of water, simmer for 20-30 minutes, strain, and drink in a day.  Add 3-4 root slices to a pot of soup, beans, or rice, and pull out of the food before consuming. For healing and more acute situations, double or triple the dose, taking 3 Tbsp per day, simmered in 24 ounces of water.

Because this herb seems to strengthen and tonify the immune system over time, it is generally not taken or recommended for acute infections.  It is mostly used for chronic immune and adrenal weakness and to strengthen and protect organ systems over time.

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Sleep & Relax with Herbal Nervines

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Nervines are a category of herbs that act on the nervous system, helping to soothe, restore, and sedate the Central Nervous System (CNS) or the nerves of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).  Herbs in this category exist on a continuum, from herbs that calm but don’t affect alertness (good for those who feel “stressed” and tense, and who may experience symptoms of anxiety during the day) to those that sedate and promote sleep (good for those with insomnia, trouble falling or staying asleep, a busy mind and tense body when laying in bed).  Many herbs can do both. When taken in small amounts, these help relax and calm anxiety (valerian is a good example) but when taken in larger amounts, they make you sleepy and very relaxed.
Some nervines include: Lemon balm, Oat pods, Chamomile, Passionflower, California poppy, Valerian, Hops, St. John’s wort, Linden flowers, Skullcap, and Kava root.
Many others abound, since herbs do seem to have a particular affinity for the human nervous system.  Since many people suffer from issues such as insomnia, anxiety, muscle tension, and stress (an all-encompassing word), these herbs can come in very handy.  For other nerve-related issues such as tingling or numbess of the skin, damaged nerves from car accidents or other tissue trauma, and digestive irritability, nervine herbs can also help restore nerve tissue, reduce nerve tingling, pain, or itching, and calm and soothe stomach or head aches.
Nervines most commonly used for their sedative and sleep-promoting properties: Valerian, Wild lettuce, Jamaican dogwood, Hops, and Nutmeg (fresh grated). 
Antispasmodic herbs for muscle tension, cramping, and overall pain during the day or night may benefit from Wild lettuce, Jamaican dogwood, Crampbark, Skullcap, Betony (aka Wood betony), and Kava root, and dosing is individualized.
Antidepressants (mood stabilizing and elevating) herbs include: St. John’s wort, Damiana, Holy basil, Rhodiola, Ginseng, Vervain, Mimosa, and Lemon balm (mild). Many of these are also useful for nerve healing and nerve pain. 
Sleep can be a challenging activity to pin down for some people, as critical as it is for so many functions in the body. The reason for this is that many systems in the body, when out of balance, can cause sleep disturbance. The endocrine system is particularly important, and when hormonal changes such as menopause occur, this can interfere with sleep. Adrenal health can also play a big role, as the constant state of fight or flight many people operate from, can make it hard to calm down and find a relaxed state when sleep is in order. If cortisol levels get thrown off, this can also impact sleep. In addition, melatonin levels can be affected by light exposure into the evening hours, especially now that so many people are looking at their computer or phone screens right up until sleep time. Blood sugar imbalance can also affect sleep, so what you eat at night and when you eat, can also affect sleep quality. Liver health can also be a contributor, as the liver does a lot of its “dumping” at night and if it’s not functioning properly because of numerous factors, this can lead to sleep disturbance. As you can see, there is a lot of troubleshooting and balancing needed in order to support healthful, restful sleep for some people,
Adaptogens help with adrenal health and regulating the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis) and help with long term stress support: Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng), Schisandra, American Ginseng, Holy Basil, Ashwaganda, Devil’s club, Rhodiola. Most of these should not be taken at bedtime, with the exception of Ashwaganda and possibly Holy basil, but should be taken in the morning and early afternoon. 
Some of our products to support sleep and relaxation: 
Get Sleepy Tea is formulated to help relax the body and tense muscles, calm the mind, and promote sleepiness and the body’s ability to drop into deep, restorative sleep.  A tea can be a relaxing ritual to get into before bedtime, comforting and warm. This is best for trouble falling asleep and calming a busy mind at night.
Contains: Lemon balm, Skullcap, Chamomile, Orange peel, California poppy, Passionflower, and Valerian.
Sleep Well Drops is a tincture blend (extract in alcohol and water) of Passionflower, Hops, Valerian, and Skullcap.  These herbs in particular can help you get a more consistent, restful sleep.  A tincture can be ideal for those to whom tea doesn’t appeal, or who do not wish to consume a cup of fluids before bed, which can interfere with sleep.
Chill Out Tea is a relaxing blend of herbs formulated for daytime or evening use because they don’t necessarily make you tired or reduce mental alertness.  This blend is great for anxiety, stress, tension, and to help the body relax and reduce muscle pain and spasm.  It also contains herbs that help restore and soothe the nervous system and can help reduce mental chatter and an overactive mind. Some customers drink it for a similar feeling to having a glass of wine to relax in the evening.
Contains:  Lemon balm, Oat pods, Kava root, Lemon verbena, Linden, Skullcap, and Rose petals.
Sleep Thru is a capsule blend made by Gaia Herbs that helps lower cortisol production at night, while supporting overall adrenal health, and calming the nervous system. This should be taken for at least a month, an hour before bed every night.
Contains: Ashwaganda, Magnolia bark, Passionflower, and Jujube date.
As you know, we can customize herbal formulations in tea, tincture, and powder form. There are also options in the essential oil realm, using the benefits of aromatherapy for your nervous system, endocrine system, and grounding.
In summary, herbal nervines are very effect for falling asleep. With issues of staying asleep, it could also be an adrenal imbalance (cortisol spike) – think of Ashwaganda at night, or other adaptogens during the day to regulate;  liver stagnation – think of artichoke leaf, dandelion root, milk thistle morning and night for a month; blood sugar balance (eat protein and vegetables with evening meal; inadequate nutrients (especially minerals such as Magnesium, B- vitamins, and Calcium). 
Here’s to restful, restorative sleep!

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Is a Cleanse in your New Year Resolutions?

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What is a Cleanse? This is the time of year many people think of as an opportunity to start anew.  A cleanse or detox can mean many things and can be strong or gentle in its action and can involve dietary changes or not.  Primarily, a cleanse involves targeting the primary elimination organs or channels through which our body gets rid of excess nutrients, toxins, or other waste products.  It can involve removing solid foods from the diet, or eating only unprocessed, easy to digest foods for a period of time, and usually involves supplementing fiber to help “sweep” the intestines, some liver and kidney stimulating herbs, and possibly plant-based laxatives. Most people hear the word “cleanse,” and think “run to the bathroom,” but that does not have to be the case and, in fact, I prefer not to have a cleanse involve intense laxatives or overly strong diuretics, so you can actually function in your day to day life. This is also easier on your body!
Why Cleanse? Often, people experience increased energy, better digestion, and perhaps better sleep and mental clarity after doing a cleanse for a week to a month.  So, if you’re feeling sluggish, tired, have slow digestion, etc., or even if you just feel like you have over-indulged lately and would like to start fresh, a cleanse can be a great way to begin a new routine.
Where’s My Liver? Most people have at least a vague idea that they have a liver, kidneys, and a colon; some know where they are and what they do.  When we get to talking about things like the “lymphatics” and the gallbladder and spleen, few people know their function or location.  So, just in case you really wanted to know, your liver is located just over and to the right of your midline, tucked partially under your right rib cage.  It is involved in too many processes to mention here, but is the primary filter in the body, so that means it packages, metabolizes, and neutralizes many things we intake and produce.  It helps filter the blood, removing bacteria and old red blood cells from the blood as it passes through the liver, it metabolizes many hormones including insulin, it detoxifies harmful chemicals, alcohol, and pharmaceutical or other drugs, and much more.
How Can I Support My Liver? Stress, inflammation, and exposure to chemicals and taking many recreational or pharmaceutical medicines all take their toll on the liver.  Sometimes avoiding all of the above can be hard to do, so in lieu of that, many medicinal herbs are excellent for the liver.  Eating bitter salad greens (such as dandelion leaves and arugula), taking herbs in capsule, tea, or liquid extract form such as burdock root, artichoke leaf, milk thistle seed, and dandelion root, are great ways to stimulate the liver to release toxins and many also act as gentle diuretics by stimulating the kidneys, while promoting the flow of digestive juices.  Also, eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods and herbs, as well as avoiding processed food, excess alcohol, and food additives, pesticides, etc. can help make the liver’s daily job a little easier.
Herban Wellness Cleanse Kit:  I have formulated and a packaged a gentle cleanse kit that is designed to last 5-7 days, and will work best when combined with dietary changes.  Below is a copy of the information I include in my “Cleanse Guide”
The main organs you want to target during a cleanse are the liver, kidneys, colon, skin, lungs, and lymphatic system.  Herbs and foods can do that, including fiber blends, liver & kidney herbs such as dandelion root and artichoke leaf, spleen and lymph tonics such as red root and calendula, and fresh lemon juice for the liver. Drinking lots of water/fluids is essential.
Our Cleanse Kit at Herban Wellness contains:
Our Fiber Blend for moving “debris” through the intestines, along with the liver protective and detoxifying effects of powders of milk thistle, burdock root, and beet root.
Our Rebalancing Cleanse Support Tea for encouraging movement and gentle detoxification of the liver, kidneys, skin, and lungs, while aiding in healthy circulation.
Our Detox Drops tincture blend is for more targeted detoxification of the liver, kidneys, skin, spleen, & lymphatics.
Modifying your diet in a variety of ways depending on your desired results or the intensity you’re after gives your body more of a chance to repair and restore. Use with the herbal support for optimal results.  Follow for 1-2 weeks.
Options for dietary cleansing:

  • Eliminate processed & packaged foods from your diet, along with fried foods, processed sugar, alcohol, all meat except cold-water fish, dairy, soy, and eggs – all of which are more difficult to digest and are some of the most common sources of allergens.
  • Eat only whole grains, some nuts & seeds, vegetables, and some fruit.  For example, eat only cooked brown rice, quinoa, or oats, freshly steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, zucchini, etc., along with optional fresh veggies or fruit juices and fruit smoothies and some low-sugar fruits such as grapefruit, lemons, and pears.
  • Eat only raw or lightly cooked fruits and vegetables, including fresh juices, smoothies, salads, lightly sautéed veggies, etc. for several days to a week or two.
  • Do a liquid diet, where you only consume fresh vegetable and fruit juices, herbal teas, vegetable broths (preferably home-made), and fresh lemon or lime juice in water, etc. for two or more days.

Other beneficial cleanse practices:

  • Steam saunas and/or hot baths to aid in detoxification through the skin.  Essential oils can be inhaled or bathed in to enhance detoxification, including juniper berry, rosemary, grapefruit, and eucalyptus.
  • Dry skin brushing, using a natural-bristle brush for exfoliating the skin, increasing circulation and lymphatic movement.
  • Mild to moderate exercise that includes deep breathing to aid in healthy elimination through the lungs, including yoga or running/walking briskly outside in clean air.
  • Herbal teas, tinctures, or capsules for a laxative effect if you want more movement through the colon

Please read about my own Short 5-day Cleanse in my blog article here that gives a complete menu and routine for a 5-day cleanse, which you could easily modify and add to for a longer cleanse. 
What do I Eat?
Some menu ideas for a clean diet during a 1-2 week cleanse

Breakfast:

  • Smoothie with almond/rice milk, flaxseed oil, ground flax seeds, fresh/frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, black berries), green powder (chlorella, spirulina, etc.)
  • Sprouted-grain, wheat-free toast or rice cake with raw almond butter
  • Hot cereal (multi-grain, steel-cut oats, quinoa, or amaranth) cooked in almond/rice milk with sunflower, sesame, or flax seeds sprinkled on top.  Use a small amount of honey, stevia, or fruit to sweeten
  • Granola (low sugar) soaked in almond/rice milk for a few minutes to make it more digestible

Lunch & Dinner:

  • Salad with spinach/lettuce topped with bell peppers, cucumber, avocado, beets, walnuts, carrots (whatever vegetables you desire), optional  grilled salmon/chicken, etc. and drizzled with flax seed oil & fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
  • Soup with carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, sweet potato, onions, garlic, barley, lentils… etc. in a vegetable soup base
  • Lightly stir-fried vegetables (broccoli, peas, bell peppers, onions, etc.) and tempeh/fish/chicken in olive oil & a little soy sauce (wheat free) served over quinoa or brown rice
  • Coconut milk curry (unsweetened) with vegetables and brown rice/quinoa
  • Corn tortillas (lightly heated, organic) served with black beans, fresh salsa, lettuce, avocado
  • Nori rolls with brown rice, cucumber, carrot, avocado, bell peppers, etc., served with ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce (wheat free) & miso soup
  • Salad/fresh rolls with rice paper wraps, lettuce, carrots, beets, etc.
  • Cucumber, tomato, onion salad tossed with flax oil, lemon juice, and kalamata olives
  • Home-made nut burger/nut loaf grilled and served with a slice or tomato and avocado on top
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Herbs for Digestive Health

Digestion is so critically important to how to we break down and assimilate nutrients. There are a variety of things that can happen to disrupt digestive balance, including stress, inflammatory or allergenic foods, toxins we knowingly or unknowingly ingest, acidic foods or drinks, and much more. There are many herbs that can help offset digestive symptoms that arise, as well to help heal damaged tissue, reduce inflammation, increase production or release of important digestive compounds (such as digestive enzymes and bile), help feed the beneficial flora, and reduce pathogens (such as excess yeast growth and parasites).
Herbs such as Slippery elm bark and Marshmallow root are useful for coating and soothing the digestive tract starting with the throat and esophagus, the lining of the stomach, and on into the intestinal tract.  Therefore, they are useful for acid reflux and any kind of gastritis. They both absorb excess fluid, and provide a mucilaginous moistening property as well, so therefore can be useful for chronic diarrhea and for constipation.  They are also both useful for cooling and healing the mucosal lining after food poisoning, food allergies, or other inflamed digestive issues.
Other herbs are what herbalists call “carminatives,” helping to relax the nerves of the digestive tract, act as local antispasmodics for intestinal muscle spasms and pain, and help relieve gas and bloating. Herbs like Fennel seed and Peppermint are two of the most commonly known in this category.  Catnip as a tea or tincture is another good herb to use, but most people will be surprised by this one! Catnip also is helpful if the indigestion is stress-related, as it helps relax the nervous system as well. These herbs are also great for consuming post-meals to promote better digestion.
Herbal anti-inflammatories for the digestive tract include Yarrow, Meadowsweet, and Ginger. These herbs can be employed when there is known inflammation and for generally supporting the health of the digestive tract when there is inherent weakness present and food intolerance or sensitivities. Meadowsweet is also beneficial for acid reflux and inflammation of the stomach lining in general.
In addition, a category called herbal “bitters” includes herbs that contain principles that taste bitter on the tongue and, as a result, stimulate the Vagus Nerve which in part activates digestive function including the release of gastric fluids, bile, enzymatic release by the pancreas, and generally stimulates movement of the digestive tract.  Taken 10-15 minutes before eating, these herbs, such as Gentian root, Artichoke leaf, Wormwood, and Oregon grape root, can overall improve digestive function and therefore the assimilation of food, especially when taken on a consistent basis.  These herbs can also be used when you have occasional digestive stagnation, such as a feeling that food is not moving well out of the stomach. These herbs are also useful for stimulating bile production and flow from the liver and bile release from the gallbladder, therefore helping with fat digestion and assimilation. Interestingly, these are the herbs to be employed also if someone no longer has a gallbladder, as they can help stimulate the liver to produce more bile, now that its holding vessel (the gallbladder) is no longer there to store bile.
Finally, there are herbs that contains antibacterial, anti yeast/fungal, and anti-parasitic compounds, helping to prevent and treat these infections. These herbs include Goldenseal root, Yarrow, Black Walnut hulls, and Wormwood, to name a few. Wormwood, as its name implies, is very specific for intestinal worms, but can help with dispelling other parasites as well. Black walnut hulls are a broad-spectrum anti-parasitic herb, as well as helping reduce yeast and fungus. Goldenseal and Yarrow are more specific for fungus and bacteria imbalance. Oregano leaf extract and the essential oil diluted in oil in capsule can also be very effective against a wide range of intestinal pathogens.

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Passionflower herb

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The vine of passionflower is used for its sedative, antispasmodic, and muscle-relaxing properties.  Passionflower is often used in tea blends, tinctures, or capsules for anxiety, nervous tension, insomnia, heart palpitations and high blood pressure (especially when related to stress and anxiety), and painful menstruation.  For promoting deep sleep, this herb is often combined with Valerian or Hops, because these are both more sedative, while Passionflower can help with insomnia that is anxiety or stress related.
One of the advantages of using Passionflower or a variety of other herbs for anxiety or sleep is that they don’t tend to produce a sense of dullness, grogginess, or otherwise impair mental function.  In research on the anti-anxiety effects of Passionflower, it was as effective as anti-anxiety medication, including benzodiazepine drugs, plus it had the added benefit of not impairing daytime performance and is not habit-forming.
Passionflower is in our Get Sleepy Tea (a great bedtime tea to send you off to a restful slumber) and in our Sleep Well Drops, a tincture blend of herbs including Passionflower, Hops, and Valerian.  We also have numerous capsule combinations for sleep and anxiety that contain Passionflower and often include it in our custom blends for stress, sleep, nervousness, restlessness, and pain.

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Mental Clarity Tea

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When I say the name of this tea, I have had most people respond “I could use some of that!”  Apparently, most of us could use a bit of mental focus and clarity of thought, and why not an improved memory to boot?  Well, I can’t promise or guarantee that this particular blend of herbs will do these things for you, but it can certainly help improve those parameters you’re looking to improve.
By increasing circulation throughout the body, but particularly to the head and brain, and improving energy in a sustainable way, this blend of herbs can help increase “mental clarity” over time, or perhaps immediately when you need a boost during a long or stressful day, or just need to “clear your head”.
Gotu kola is often used to improve mental function, which is does perhaps primarily by increasing circulation.  It also acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps with all types of connective tissue repair and function.  Ginkgo may be the most-recognized herb for memory and focus, and although results are mixed in studies, there is no doubt that it increases circulation and is a powerful antioxidant.  Rhodiola is an adaptogenic root that can help normalize body functions and is best known for increasing energy levels and helping improve recall and retention of information.  As an adaptogen, it somehow acts on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis to balance the body and increase energy and mental function.  Rosemary is another potent antioxidant, cell protective, that increases circulation and is uplifting in its action.  Hawthorn leaf & flower helps improve cardiovascular function and circulation and is antioxidant.  You may notice a theme here.  Finally, peppermint and spearmint add their invigorating scent and taste to open the sinuses and clear the head to complement actions of the other herbs in this mix.
Contains: Gotu kola, ginkgo, rhodiola, rosemary, hawthorn leaf & flower, peppermint, & spearmint.

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Head Ease Tea

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A general pain-relieving and antispasmodic blend of herbs, this tea is designed to help relieve mild inflammation and cramping or spasm of muscles and/or nerves.  Headaches have complex origins and can be a symptom of a larger problem, but occasional headaches from being tired, sick, stressed, tense, etc. can be helped with remedies other than the over-the-counter pain medications.  Chronic headaches may also be helped, although deeper causes need to be sought as well.
Meadowsweet is described in greater depth in another blog entry, so please refer there for more information, but suffice it to say here that it is in this tea blend as an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving herb.  Two other herbs, feverfew and motherwort, have a long history of being used for headache relief, and in the case of feverfew in particular, migraine relief.  This effect on migraines is most noted when feverfew is consumed daily for a period of weeks (6 or more), when the severity and frequency of migraine headaches often decreases.  Some, however, notice its effects pretty immediately upon consuming this herb.  Peppermint is vasodilating and antispasmodic, both of which can relieve the spasm around blood vessels in the brain or vasoconstriction which can cause/contribute to headaches.  Licorice is antiinflammatory and has a sweet, harmonizing taste in the tea, helping to offset the bitter taste of feverfew and motherwort.  Lemon balm relaxes the nervous system, helping to relieve anxiety and tension.  Black haw is a great antispasmodic for smooth muscle cramping, such as in the case of menstrual cramps or  intestinal cramping.
Contains: Meadowsweet, Peppermint, Licorice, Feverfew, Lemon balm, and Motherwort.

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Ginger root

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A classic and familiar herb in many culinary and medicinal traditions, ginger is a good example of the confluence of medicine and food.  The benefits of ginger have long been known in Indian and Chinese systems of medicine.  In India, it was even known as a “universal medicine”.  A digestive aid that calms nausea, warms, and promotes digestion, ginger is also known for its overall anti-inflammatory effects.  Ginger root acts as an anti-inflammatory (or, more appropriately, an inflammation regulator) partly by to normalizing prostaglandin action, and therefore helping to regulate the inflammatory cascades of the body.  It also acts to inhibit the enzyme COX-2 (cycloxygenase-2) which when overactive/overstimulated in people can lead to multiple inflammatory issues including arthritis.  Ginger root also has compounds that inhibit the formation of thromboxanes and therefore can reduce platelet formation helping to keep a healthy blood viscosity.  Ginger can also reduce pain by reducing prostaglandins that sensitize pain receptors.
Therefore, ginger root taken in therapeutic doses, can be a useful alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and acetaminophen, without the side effects such as gastritis/ulcers.  In fact, ginger root contains at least 17 compounds that have an anti-ulcer action.
Of the 477 compounds that have so far been identified in ginger root, many have varied desirable effects on inflammation.  It is the whole root that seems to work, as much as some would like to find the “active compounds”.
Primary actions of ginger: anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, circulatory stimulant, warming, digestive, blood thinner (inhibits platelet aggregation), diaphoretic
Primary uses: sluggish or weak digestion, nausea, motion sickness, joint inflammation, arthritis, head aches, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, colds & flu to help break a fever and induce sweating

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Balanced Energy Tea

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This tea is the original Herban Wellness store blend, combining the healing properties of gunpowder green tea with two stand-out herbs from Ayurveda (an ancient Indian system of medicine) – holy basil and gotu kola.  The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea are combined with the stress-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and nervine properties of holy basil and gotu kola.  Holy basil is said to be both uplifting and calming, while the mild caffeine in green tea gives an energizing lift.  Lemon verbena adds its digestive and nervous system support with its lovely lemon flavor complemented by lemon peel to round out the tea.  Ginger warms, stimulates circulation, and adds  digestive calming and anti-inflammatory effects.
Holy basil (aka Tulsi) is a revered herb in the Hindu religion and is placed on altars as a plant that helps bridge between the mind & spirit.  Taken as a tea or tincture, this herb has many benefits as a digestive and nervous system support tonic, as well as acting as an “adaptogen”, acting on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis as a stress-relieving and protective herb.
Gotu kola is another powerful herb from India that helps with circulation throughout the body and to the brain, acts to help repair connective tissue including joints & tendons, is anti-inflammatory, and helps lower the stress response.  It is used for chronic venous insufficiency, circulatory issues, chronic injuries, to help with mental focus and nervous system weakness, and in combination with other herbs for stress and anxiety relief.
This tea blend is a great morning or afternoon tea and tastes excellent served hot or iced.
Contains: Green tea, holy basil, gotu kola, lemon verbena, lemon peel, & ginger root.

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