My favourite herbal medicines to discuss are a wide-ranging group of herbs that are very safe and super nutritious. Tonic herbs are full of life-giving and life building nutrients. They help to build vitality and provide protection. These herbs work on many different levels; the organ systems and immune systems often benefit as well as our deep energy or essence (called jing in the Chinese medical system).
These herbs are a perfect example of how we can take our health into our own hands. These plants are readily available, the benefits are grounded in solid science and traditional wisdom, and they promote deep health.
I believe it’s through having a relationship to plants like these that we can all begin to return to a more holistic and earth-based view of health. Check out the video to learn more about how to promote overall health with these every day powerful plants.
Nutrient deficiencies are very common and can lead to all kinds of problems over time. So herbalists turn to tonic herbs that are nutritive as a way to provide a power-packed whole foods solution. You can think of herbal medicine of this type as a healthy foundation to all the other more specific herbs. Generally, plants in this category can be used more casually and regularly to support the bodies overall functioning.
Nutritive Herbs
The nutritive herbs are so powerful because they deeply support us. They work efficiently and they build up areas of weakness through nutritional support. They oftentimes support immunity, the digestive function, and they provide a level of preventive care.
There are so many plants in this category I absolutely love, so look out for more videos on these type of herbs soon, but today I’m going to stick to 2 really accessible plants. You can use both of these herbs in a number of ways but really, one of the best ways to get all of the nutrition is to just include them in your food. You can also buy the dried herbs and simply use these herbs in a tea. And you could blend them together for a nutritive tea boost that way
Nettles
Nettles are super nutritious and super safe. This is truly a plant medicine that can be used as a food. You can harvest nettle mostly in the spring, but you can also buy it dried or in capsules. If you’re using the dried plant you can simply make a tea out of it. I like to make a nettle pesto with fresh spring nettles. You can find the recipe for that over on my blog. I’ll also include a link below. Nettles are incredibly high in a form of calcium that is very easily absorbed by the body in comparison to other foods that have forms of calcium that are harder for the body to absorb. They’re also high in magnesium, silica, and potassium. Nettles are diuretic, so they’ll make you pee more frequently. Because of this make sure to stay hydrated when using nettles.
Calendula
You’ll find Calendula in many gardens. These flowers are super high in antioxidant carotenoids. It’s also an anti-inflammatory herb that provides a soothing effect on the gut. Use the dried petals in a tea or the fresh petals in a salad. If you pick off the flower heads regularly, the plant will flower with more blooms. If you’re purchasing the dried herb make sure you purchase dried herb that still has an orange color. Overtime calendula will lose its potency leading to a dull looking herb.
I hope that goes you some ideas on how to include more nutritious herbs in your life! Let me know in the comments below if you enjoyed the video.
