I think wow it’s hard but lemon balm is my girl. I love the taste and I genuinely feel better after drinking it.
I also love calendula, Rama and chamomile.
I’m legitimately obsessed with lemon balm. I carry a lemon balm and lavender tincture in my purse at all times as a rescue treatment for anxiety/panic attacks.
I make it myself, it’s super easy. Just a standard folk method tincture, about 90% lemon balm 10% lavender, then with a bit of honey mixed in after straining to make it palateable. I take it by taking about half a dropper full and holding it under my tongue.
I find it helps calm me and short circuit panic attacks. But I also made a habit of conditioning (like, Pavlov’s dog classic conditioning) myself using lemon balm and lavender tea with honey at night while doing a calming routine. The idea was to build that mental association with peace and calm with the taste and smell, and then use the tincture to trigger that conditioned association, give me a strong taste stimulus to reset my mind and ground me, and then there’s the actual calming effects of the herbs on top of all that.
Yes, the tincture is made with alcohol, sorry for not specifying. The ABV you use depends on whether you’re using fresh or dried herbs.
You can use vegetable glycerin instead of alcohol to make a glycerite, but I understand for that the kind of home extraction method I’m talking about here isn’t quite as effective. I’ve never bothered with it, because I don’t need to avoid alcohol.
I do the same thing! I use several different essential oils to evoke specific mental states. The magician does the same as part of preparing for the other stuff of which I don’t particularly subscribe to.
I love lemon balm so much, I usually make a tea from it. My grandpa always used to serve vanilla ice cream with strawberries and fresh lemon balm, it’s the ticket on a hot summer day
Lemonbalm legit works as well as benzo's for me, its crazy how well it works Iv always felt i must be sensitive to it, chamomile doesnt do anything for me unfortunately but it tastes nice.
I make a tea from the dried leaves, if you have a benzo tolerance it might not be as effective for you, if you only take them ever once in awhile it could work well. In anycase its cheap and worth a try.
I use it as a base for tea. So I’ll do like lemon balm, rose and chamomile or some variation but I honestly have misplaced my tea supplies which is difficult to talk about so I’m missing the support!!! I have major depression and anxiety and I swear when I drink lemon balm I feel better all around ! It’s just my go to! Sorry I didn’t answer that off the gate !
I also make an calendula salve that I swear is so helpful ! I just use it for eczema for me and my family
Red raspberry leaf. I had debilitating cramps after an IUD became embedded where it shouldn't have, and after drinking a tea of raspberry leaf and motherwort for only a couple of months, the pain is reduced by probably 75%. I knew it could help, but I had no idea how much.
Hey on a side note , if you have a copper IUD, you should be taking zinc and b12 at a minimum to counter act the excess copper. Maybe you already do.
I was with a girl who had one she started getting twitches from some deficiencies.
I think there’s more but zinc and b12 seem to be the most important. Having a copper bar in you is really not good for you. It’s a pretty new tech. But if people are going to do it then they should at least supplement and detox a lot.
Oh, that's interesting. I actually had it removed after this and...had the issue taken care of over a year ago. But this could have been a deficiency for a while.
This is interesting. I drank red raspberry leaf tea once when I was 38 weeks pregnant and I started shaking uncontrollably. My partner and I say that’s when I entered another dimension to give birth lol. But anyway I’ve been scared to drink it ever since then! My menstrual cramps have been awful lately, maybe time for another chance.
Start low and go slow, as they say. It's worth a shot if you're careful! I've had a similar uncontrollable shaking with other herbs, and I'm still not sure what it's about. Hopefully the tea could help your cramps too, though.
This is also my savior. I have awful monthly issues and red raspberry leaf tea is the only thing that helps the pain and allows me to feel somewhat human during that time.
Red raspberry tea works for sure. Along with fermented blackberry leaf tea, I took it for a while for my bad cramps postpartum and it helped tremendously.
Ehh, let's say a cup for 2-3 days before my period, which is when the cramps would start up. I grow my own raspberries, so I was able to harvest it myself, and then just used a small handful of fresh leaves for each cup. Sorry I can't be more precise, but I tend to treat these things intuitively.
I have been harvesting as much as I can early in the spring, which is the optimal age for the leaves. I prepare some fresh and dry the rest with a dehydrator. I lightly boil (30-60 seconds) the leaves in a pot, then strain, cool and keep the tea in the fridge.
I referenced a few pages like these: [https://www.dailyharvestdesigns.com/blog/2015/4/4/raspberry-leaf-tea-harvesting-drying-and-brewing](https://www.dailyharvestdesigns.com/blog/2015/4/4/raspberry-leaf-tea-harvesting-drying-and-brewing)
[https://thelittlegreenshoot.com/raspberry-leaf-tea/](https://thelittlegreenshoot.com/raspberry-leaf-tea/)
Mine was the first tincture I made, fresh turmeric root with black peppercorn. Has us 90% pain free. That was my aha moment, I always believed in this but that sealed the deal.
Not at all! I took 4 oz of fresh turmeric root that I bought at the store, chopped them into pieces and put them in a pint mason jar. I added a heaping tablespoon of whole peppercorns. I filled the jar with vodka. Then it has to sit for 6 weeks in a cool dark place, I shook it everyday. After the 6 weeks is up strain out all the material, I use a mesh strainer with a flour sack towel over it. Put the remaining liquid back in the pint jar and write the date on it. Keep that pint jar in a cool dark place. My family has been taking 20 drops morning and night, for the adults. My daughter takes five drops diluted in a little water, at least once a day.
Turmeric and peppercorn make a fantastic anti-inflammatory, yes my main benefit is being pain-free. By being pain-free I'm able to exercise more, do more things around the house etc. inflammation sucks lol
Edited to add: I'm 40, everything hurts LOL I have arthritis in my knees I have a back injury, all of that pain is gone, at least by 90%. I went from taking ibuprofen daily to taking ibuprofen maybe once a week if that.
Using too much curcumin + piperine ( the active components of tumeric and black pepper ) can cause liver damage. But you're probably okay because its a tincture.
There are medical reports of people with liver damage from taking these pills.
Thank you for the information! I'm going to cycle it with plantain as well, that tincture just finished and it seems to be working really well for breakthrough pain 😀
Hi, I just started really supplementing consistently with tumeric and black pepp about four or five days ago.
About how long did it take for you to notice the pain relief benefits? I’m desperate for some relief, my auto immune disease has been wrecking me.
Plantain… Plantago major and lanceolata.
I have 2 smallish kids (8 and 5) and we’re outside pretty much all of the time. After I had just started my studies, my 5yo stepped on a fire ant hill, I immediately looked down and quickly found some broad leaf plantain. I chewed up a couple leaves and plastered that mess all over my kid’s ant bites… within seconds her tears dried up and she looked at me with wide eyes and said “it doesn’t hurt anymore”. I was SOLD at that moment, and haven’t looked back.
Yes! I was mowing one day and got bit by some infernal creature. Pain was worse than a hornet or wasp. Luckily, I had plaintain everywhere. It didn't take all the pain but it did diminish it by half.
yeah this is my favorite too. I just made an oil for summer.
1 oz Plantain leaves
1 oz yarrow
.5 oz calendula (I would have done 1oz but ran out)
.2 oz lavender
it works like magic for everything.
I discovered this when I was a very little kid -- maybe 6? I had read somewhere that plantain leaf helps heal wounds and I tried it and was shocked it worked! I have passed this on to my own kid.
Mugwort. I’ve used it fresh, dried, and tinctured. It helps reduce fever, pain, and cramping. Helps a lot when I include it in tea for recovering from a cold. When eaten raw, it seems to stimulate digestion. It’s a good seasoning for savory dishes. Also makes a great addition to an Epsom salt soak for sore feet.
It is supposed to help with those on the ''Lucid Dreaming'' path. One makes a sachet stuffed with fresh Mugwort and the smell ''cues'' the dreamer into lucidity.
Holy basil! A holy grail for managing stress and lowering cortisol. My pulse wouldn’t go below 85 for months until I tried this herb. My pulse now hangs around 65, which I would have thought to be impossible with my anxiety. It really helps to manage stress and extreme emotion (very helpful for ptsd).
I adore Holy Basil with my entire being! I take it in many forms, tea, tincture, capsules. The adaptogenic effects are excellent for my Vata nature and becoming too stressed out and ungrounded. It’s amazing for the nervous system, digestive system, cardiovascular system and more.
Do you eat fresh holy basil? Holy cow it tastes amazing. I got it for the first time fresh this last year in my CSA box and cooked with it daily for several months and I just fell in love with the taste of it fresh. It's DELICIOUS
I love valerian but it gives me brain fog the next day. I took it daily for a long time to help with sleep (which it did!) and it took me a while to connect the dots. I've switched to chamomile which doesn't seem to give me the brain fog hangover.
i didnt know this! as they are so common i didnt really think much of them. i use PLENTY of oregano in my cooking so good to know ive been getting in a good amount of antibiotics
I've had a sinus infection and have been using oregano oil every day for it since ive been sick...I'm almost totally over it in 4 days. Usually I have it for a month and have to take antibiotics for at least 2 weeks to get over the worst part. I legit am just coughing up and blowing out the junk in my face and lungs now because its at the end stage. I am blown away with how quickly the oregano oil squashed it.
Kava. I have tried literally half a dozen different medications/ substances to help deal with my anxiety and NOTHING works as quickly and as reliably as kava.
Love kava. On Saturday I make a bowl of it nice and strong and drink it throughout the night. Feels great, I feel good the next day too.
Be aware of its potential effects on the liver and do not mix with alcohol or Tylenol. That said, I've been drinking kava for ~10 years with zero issues.
Works wonders for me too. I tried all kinds of natural and some pretty scary Rx’s. I take GAIA brand Kava. The active component in Kava are the Kavalactones. A lot of brands have 10-20% kavalactones, requiring you to take a significantly large dose (mg). With the Gaia you can take one pill at 75mg Kava…if I remember correctly. I take this, along with NAC and Magnesium Threonate at night. I’ve been able to get off of all my sleep meds.
The Kava doesn’t make you sleepy, or doesn’t me anyway. It does more just to slow down the wheels turning in my head. I take it in the mornings when needed too.
I used to drink it in Hawaii. We'd pass the coconut shell, drink, clap our hands, shout a phrase (which now evades my memory), and excuse ourselves to slide around to the garage quite frequently. Peppery taste. Very mellow. The music, companionship, and good will was most of the fun!
I'm lucky enough to have St.John's Wort growing all over my backyard, and I've learned to love the taste and the benefits! Down to zero depressive episodes in the last 3 months which is AMAZING for me. I drink a tea with 1.5 tsp of dried st John's every other day.
2nd favorite is Goldenrod. It grows everywhere and gives teas such a nice, lightly sweet and grassy summer flavor. It's a mainstay in nearly every tea I drink now!
No, not bipolar just prone to depression and anxiety. I love st.Johns because it doesn't have any other mental or physical side effects or dramatically alter your mood. It's subtle, but it absolutely works for me. I frequently get depressive episodes lasting a week or more st least once a month or so. Since taking st John's starting in January, I haven't had an episode since March.
American Skullcap (scutellaria lateriflora) - anxiety GONE. I went through a weird period of having random panic attacks (which I suspect was from a huge dose of iodine) and this stuff saved me from mental hell. I didn't find that it knocked me out (although some people get drowsy) but my quality of sleep on the stuff is great.
I’m shocked I don’t see it praised more on here, it completely changed my life in terms of panic attacks and general anxiety. I have turned at least two other people on to it who have found it extremely helpful as well. Love it!
I didn’t realize there were two different kinds of Skullcap and I bought the Chinese version. Realized my mistake and bought the American one which should be here in a few days. Excited to try it after seeing so many positive experiences.
Blue Butterfly Pea flower (organic) for pain and relaxation--as a tasty tea (hot or cold), and as a bath soak. It makes a beautiful indigo color that turns violet when an acid (lemon juice, e.g.) is added.
Also red raspberry juice powder (organic), for nausea, by the heaping spoonful.
I mean.... cannabis.
It was incredibly effective during covid. I remember feeling like... fine despite being terribly sick. Otherwise, it's a good all arounder.
This is my only remedy for life-long debilitating migraines. Can't swallow my own spit without throwing up, but a little inhale of some cbd, and it's almost instant pain relief.
Ginger
I'm allergic to aspirin and have some mild cross-reactivity with Pepto (bismuth subsalicylate), so if I have an upset stomach, ginger is my go-to. I also just like the taste of it, especially if mixed in slightly sweetened form like golden milk
This is the FUTURE (if these greedy, old, dinosaurs will just die off). They cost us all 30-40 years of legitimate research that could be helping everybody.
It's so universal I use it in for a wide range of things. I take a little nib of it when I feel stressed or under the weather. I add it to floor washes too . When I expect to be nervous or agitated. To dominate an interview LOL
Honestly CBD flower or hemp flower. It takes me 10 herbs to not even get the effects and treatment from CBD. I make tinctures from CBD flower or buy distillate. My second favorite herb would be ginkgo biloba.
This! Neem has been a staple in my life. Not only for birth control, but for bug bites, rashes, infections, skin scare, lymphatic system. It’s just an amazing plant
I take one pill 2-3 times a day and it kills the sperm. You can also use it as a plan b or even as a form of abortion just like mugwort. But women and men who are actively trying to conceive shouldn’t take it. Because for men it can lower the sperm count and women it kills sperm and can also cause miscarriages for women who are already pregnant
Strong calendula tea for gargling when I have a sore throat, chewing on cloves for numbing tooth pain + red raspberry leaf for my period cramps (altho i use a tea blend for period pain now, but red raspberry leaf initiated that shift)
& my daily medicine, cannabis + psychedelic mushrooms: truly the earth's gift to her children
Sceletium tortousum.
It's such an incredible anti-depressant and anxiolytic due to its astonishing ability to increase circulating dopamine, serotonin, and epinephrine.
Nettle has always been a go to when I feel like I need a cleanse or I've been eating too many rich fried foods. It's always help me reset and feel more human.
Then of course Tulsi which for me can work as an antidepressant, something to uplift me, great for connection, or a post work relaxant.
Fennel is my best friend. It works better than anything I’ve ever used to help with stomach pain/discomfort and related anxiety. Fennel oil, fennel fronds, fennel seeds, fennel bulbs, fennel pollen. I even have a tattoo of fennel flowers on my arm! All the fennel, please.
Runner up is calendula. My skin loves her.
I love Damiana for making me feel like a sexy thang lol. But honestly, have had so many moments of feeling blessed that I have yarrow on hand - I have a rambunctious dog who is regularly getting scratched up, has torn a few toe nails off, etc. so mostly the yarrow has been going to him to assist with good healing :)
Lemon balm is amazing but I am also a huge fan of ashwaganda, tulsi, nettle leaf and lavender. I use these as teas mostly but sometimes I use a lavender oil sold at Sprouts as CalmAid to mellow myself out. I am pretty sure it made me fall asleep hard last night.
Cleavers helped me shed water weight and facial puffiness I didn't realize I had until I started using it for general lymphatic health. I could visibly see the benefits after about a month.
Agree with Ashwagandha for sure, wish I discovered it sooner really changed my life for someone whom looking back, had very bad Anxiety most of my life but not really knowing what it was all those years. Gotu Kola also, if I had Gotu Kola during my School Years, I probably would've gotten Straight A+'s LMFAO
Mugwort and holy basil, holy basil is a stress adaptogenic,
In other words, it helps your body.
Mugwort helps me sleep like a baby.
Oh and turmeric has antihistamine effect, it will immediately relax you.
Mugwort Is bitter but if you put it in hot sauce, it actually tastes pretty good, I like to consume my herbs completely like a goblin with rice. 🍚
I'm a weird lil chaotic goblin but I also put passionflower in with it to help all the effects.
This is a difficult question to answer. I mean, I have a favorite family for sure. But one single plant… imma go with damask rose, Rosa damascena. Smoke it, tincture it, hydrosol it, eat it. Ugh. So so good.
A couple come to mind: coltsfoot honey, for my son’s asthma when he was a toddler, horseradish that cured my husband’s chronic sinusitis and lemon balm for me. They have all had a profound impact on my family and convinced us to treat our various ailments first and foremost with herbs.
I spent long periods of time without health insurance, and trying herbs out of desperation taught me what potent medicine they could be. Now herbs are my first go-to for many things.
Turmeric, hawthorn berry, hibiscus, motherwort, lemongrass and nettles are my among my favorites depending on need. Though nettles is such a good base for most complaints/needs
Slippery elm, chamomile, and turmeric are my trusted go-tos. I made a twice daily chamomile tea with slippery elm added when I was going through a bout of panic attacks that really messed up my stomach and it helped so much. Turmeric always helps reduce inflammation and just makes me feel generally better.
Holy basil. Let's just say I was able to stop taking my prescription BP pill because of it! Not a doctor, not giving medical advice, but it works for me.
Camellia sinensis, or specifically green tea. That is the plant that helped me lose weight, get clearer skin, and overall be healthier in terms of general health.
Ginger, chop into pieces put it in a plastic bag and stick it in your freezer and chew a chunk and drink it down with some water. Every morning your gut will thank you.
Tough to pick just one! Especially since often times herbs shine brightest in combination… but Chinese licorice root has been my #1 for 20 years.
Food poisoning, vomiting, general digestive tonic, decoct with fresh ginger for common cold/flu, combine with cinnamon or use alone to stabilize blood sugar, heck I’ve even made a heavily concentrated decoction that I used as a sweetener for baking. In strong doses it can have similar effects to prednisone and I found it hugely helpful when I was curing my ulcerative colitis. Licorice will forever have my praise lol
Gingko is one I love to use regularly. Recently tried Burdock tea and was amazed at how much it helped with skin issues and overall wellness. Definitely going to add it more regularly.
I think wow it’s hard but lemon balm is my girl. I love the taste and I genuinely feel better after drinking it. I also love calendula, Rama and chamomile.
I’m legitimately obsessed with lemon balm. I carry a lemon balm and lavender tincture in my purse at all times as a rescue treatment for anxiety/panic attacks.
Omg that tincture sounds incredible !!! I would love to have that ! I’m so thankful it works for you too! There’s just something about it !!
I make it myself, it’s super easy. Just a standard folk method tincture, about 90% lemon balm 10% lavender, then with a bit of honey mixed in after straining to make it palateable. I take it by taking about half a dropper full and holding it under my tongue. I find it helps calm me and short circuit panic attacks. But I also made a habit of conditioning (like, Pavlov’s dog classic conditioning) myself using lemon balm and lavender tea with honey at night while doing a calming routine. The idea was to build that mental association with peace and calm with the taste and smell, and then use the tincture to trigger that conditioned association, give me a strong taste stimulus to reset my mind and ground me, and then there’s the actual calming effects of the herbs on top of all that.
Brilliant truly !!! Thank you so much for sharing !
Thanks for sharing. Do you add any alcohol in the tincture at all?
Yes, the tincture is made with alcohol, sorry for not specifying. The ABV you use depends on whether you’re using fresh or dried herbs. You can use vegetable glycerin instead of alcohol to make a glycerite, but I understand for that the kind of home extraction method I’m talking about here isn’t quite as effective. I’ve never bothered with it, because I don’t need to avoid alcohol.
Do by chance sell it?
Hey! Did you know you are doing ritual magick?
No, I didn’t realize that. But now that you mention it that makes sense with the very limited bits I’ve read about it.
I do the same thing! I use several different essential oils to evoke specific mental states. The magician does the same as part of preparing for the other stuff of which I don’t particularly subscribe to.
I love lemon balm so much, I usually make a tea from it. My grandpa always used to serve vanilla ice cream with strawberries and fresh lemon balm, it’s the ticket on a hot summer day
Lemonbalm legit works as well as benzo's for me, its crazy how well it works Iv always felt i must be sensitive to it, chamomile doesnt do anything for me unfortunately but it tastes nice.
how do you consume the lemon balm? i would LOVE an effective alternative to benzos
I make a tea from the dried leaves, if you have a benzo tolerance it might not be as effective for you, if you only take them ever once in awhile it could work well. In anycase its cheap and worth a try.
I rip it right off the plant.
Same!! I’m lemon balm crazy! I also just love to eat it raw in salads and sandwiches. So good 😊
Going to do that now !
what do you use the lemon balm for?
I use it as a base for tea. So I’ll do like lemon balm, rose and chamomile or some variation but I honestly have misplaced my tea supplies which is difficult to talk about so I’m missing the support!!! I have major depression and anxiety and I swear when I drink lemon balm I feel better all around ! It’s just my go to! Sorry I didn’t answer that off the gate ! I also make an calendula salve that I swear is so helpful ! I just use it for eczema for me and my family
I think I need to try lemon balm !!!!!
SAME.
Red raspberry leaf. I had debilitating cramps after an IUD became embedded where it shouldn't have, and after drinking a tea of raspberry leaf and motherwort for only a couple of months, the pain is reduced by probably 75%. I knew it could help, but I had no idea how much.
Hey on a side note , if you have a copper IUD, you should be taking zinc and b12 at a minimum to counter act the excess copper. Maybe you already do. I was with a girl who had one she started getting twitches from some deficiencies.
Goddamnit I’ve had this thing in me for like 8 years why did no one tell me this before
Thank you for the nutrient relationship low down
I think there’s more but zinc and b12 seem to be the most important. Having a copper bar in you is really not good for you. It’s a pretty new tech. But if people are going to do it then they should at least supplement and detox a lot.
Oh, that's interesting. I actually had it removed after this and...had the issue taken care of over a year ago. But this could have been a deficiency for a while.
I gotta look into this, I know I’m iron deficient but it might be a couple other things too. Thanks!
This is interesting. I drank red raspberry leaf tea once when I was 38 weeks pregnant and I started shaking uncontrollably. My partner and I say that’s when I entered another dimension to give birth lol. But anyway I’ve been scared to drink it ever since then! My menstrual cramps have been awful lately, maybe time for another chance.
Start low and go slow, as they say. It's worth a shot if you're careful! I've had a similar uncontrollable shaking with other herbs, and I'm still not sure what it's about. Hopefully the tea could help your cramps too, though.
Honestly I love the taste of raspberry tea so much. It’s become the staple tea!
This is also my savior. I have awful monthly issues and red raspberry leaf tea is the only thing that helps the pain and allows me to feel somewhat human during that time.
This was going to be my answer , it’s amazing how much my period changed from TEA, like it’s just a stupid cup of tea how is it doing that
Red raspberry tea works for sure. Along with fermented blackberry leaf tea, I took it for a while for my bad cramps postpartum and it helped tremendously.
What was your dosage?
Ehh, let's say a cup for 2-3 days before my period, which is when the cramps would start up. I grow my own raspberries, so I was able to harvest it myself, and then just used a small handful of fresh leaves for each cup. Sorry I can't be more precise, but I tend to treat these things intuitively.
How do you prepare this? I have raspberry plants.
I have been harvesting as much as I can early in the spring, which is the optimal age for the leaves. I prepare some fresh and dry the rest with a dehydrator. I lightly boil (30-60 seconds) the leaves in a pot, then strain, cool and keep the tea in the fridge. I referenced a few pages like these: [https://www.dailyharvestdesigns.com/blog/2015/4/4/raspberry-leaf-tea-harvesting-drying-and-brewing](https://www.dailyharvestdesigns.com/blog/2015/4/4/raspberry-leaf-tea-harvesting-drying-and-brewing) [https://thelittlegreenshoot.com/raspberry-leaf-tea/](https://thelittlegreenshoot.com/raspberry-leaf-tea/)
Mine was the first tincture I made, fresh turmeric root with black peppercorn. Has us 90% pain free. That was my aha moment, I always believed in this but that sealed the deal.
Mind sharing the technique?
Not at all! I took 4 oz of fresh turmeric root that I bought at the store, chopped them into pieces and put them in a pint mason jar. I added a heaping tablespoon of whole peppercorns. I filled the jar with vodka. Then it has to sit for 6 weeks in a cool dark place, I shook it everyday. After the 6 weeks is up strain out all the material, I use a mesh strainer with a flour sack towel over it. Put the remaining liquid back in the pint jar and write the date on it. Keep that pint jar in a cool dark place. My family has been taking 20 drops morning and night, for the adults. My daughter takes five drops diluted in a little water, at least once a day.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I’ve tried turmeric supplements in the past for general inflammation but will need to give this tincture a try!
You are more than welcome! Hope it works for you.
Wow, bless your heart for sharing this. 🫶✨ I’m also going to give this a try for my inflammation. Thank you!
Happy to help! I hope it works as well for you as it has for us 😀
Thx !
You're welcome!
I would love to make this. Do you mind sharing which alcohol you used?
Just the cheapest vodka I could find, it was 80 proof 40% alcohol.
is the benefit the pain free or what do you mean?
Turmeric and peppercorn make a fantastic anti-inflammatory, yes my main benefit is being pain-free. By being pain-free I'm able to exercise more, do more things around the house etc. inflammation sucks lol Edited to add: I'm 40, everything hurts LOL I have arthritis in my knees I have a back injury, all of that pain is gone, at least by 90%. I went from taking ibuprofen daily to taking ibuprofen maybe once a week if that.
Using too much curcumin + piperine ( the active components of tumeric and black pepper ) can cause liver damage. But you're probably okay because its a tincture. There are medical reports of people with liver damage from taking these pills.
Thank you for the information! I'm going to cycle it with plantain as well, that tincture just finished and it seems to be working really well for breakthrough pain 😀
What is too much? I take turmeric everyday. Around 1g of organic powder.
Hi, I just started really supplementing consistently with tumeric and black pepp about four or five days ago. About how long did it take for you to notice the pain relief benefits? I’m desperate for some relief, my auto immune disease has been wrecking me.
Plantain… Plantago major and lanceolata. I have 2 smallish kids (8 and 5) and we’re outside pretty much all of the time. After I had just started my studies, my 5yo stepped on a fire ant hill, I immediately looked down and quickly found some broad leaf plantain. I chewed up a couple leaves and plastered that mess all over my kid’s ant bites… within seconds her tears dried up and she looked at me with wide eyes and said “it doesn’t hurt anymore”. I was SOLD at that moment, and haven’t looked back.
I had a roofer get poked by a wasp. I handed him a leaf and told him to chew it and put the paste on the wound. He was mind-blown.
I need to remember this.
Works for poison ivy too.
Yes! I was mowing one day and got bit by some infernal creature. Pain was worse than a hornet or wasp. Luckily, I had plaintain everywhere. It didn't take all the pain but it did diminish it by half.
where do yall live where plantain is just growing around 🤣
it grows so much that it was called White Man’s Footstep! it is wildly prolific.
You may be thinking of the kind that is a 🍌. Plantain is also a broad leafed weed that grows in non tropical places.
Man, I was trying to figure out why they thought that was funny. Lol! So glad for the clarification.
yeah this is my favorite too. I just made an oil for summer. 1 oz Plantain leaves 1 oz yarrow .5 oz calendula (I would have done 1oz but ran out) .2 oz lavender it works like magic for everything.
I discovered this when I was a very little kid -- maybe 6? I had read somewhere that plantain leaf helps heal wounds and I tried it and was shocked it worked! I have passed this on to my own kid.
Mugwort. I’ve used it fresh, dried, and tinctured. It helps reduce fever, pain, and cramping. Helps a lot when I include it in tea for recovering from a cold. When eaten raw, it seems to stimulate digestion. It’s a good seasoning for savory dishes. Also makes a great addition to an Epsom salt soak for sore feet.
I’ve got so much excess mugwort right now I’m Chopping it down almost every day. Now I’m thinking I need a big Epsom salt & mugwort bath.
I haven’t tried yet, but I’ve seen recipes for battered, fried mugwort that sound delicious. It seems to be a popular flavoring for Korean cuisine
It is supposed to help with those on the ''Lucid Dreaming'' path. One makes a sachet stuffed with fresh Mugwort and the smell ''cues'' the dreamer into lucidity.
I do think I’ve experienced more lucid and vivid dreams since I’ve started using mugwort regularly
Holy basil! A holy grail for managing stress and lowering cortisol. My pulse wouldn’t go below 85 for months until I tried this herb. My pulse now hangs around 65, which I would have thought to be impossible with my anxiety. It really helps to manage stress and extreme emotion (very helpful for ptsd).
I adore Holy Basil with my entire being! I take it in many forms, tea, tincture, capsules. The adaptogenic effects are excellent for my Vata nature and becoming too stressed out and ungrounded. It’s amazing for the nervous system, digestive system, cardiovascular system and more.
Do you eat fresh holy basil? Holy cow it tastes amazing. I got it for the first time fresh this last year in my CSA box and cooked with it daily for several months and I just fell in love with the taste of it fresh. It's DELICIOUS
Holy Basil is awesome!
In what form do you guys take it?
I take the holy basil supplement from Swanson
Valerian root - soothes the nerves and anxiety and is excellent for sleep. It's so important to me that I always keep some in my purse!
Does it give you weird dreams? It does for me.
Passionflower is great for sleep too. No weird dreams or smell haha
Tried Damiana. Weird dreams, sadly not sexy.
Agree on the valerian! Helped me sleep so deeply in a way I hadn’t before
I love valerian but it gives me brain fog the next day. I took it daily for a long time to help with sleep (which it did!) and it took me a while to connect the dots. I've switched to chamomile which doesn't seem to give me the brain fog hangover.
It always seems to give me intestinal issues - but about a day and a half after I drink it, so it took a while to pin down what was causing it
Garlic and Oregano!!! Garlic is so good for us in SO many ways, but specifically for the women's girlie parts. Oregano is nature's antibiotic!!
i didnt know this! as they are so common i didnt really think much of them. i use PLENTY of oregano in my cooking so good to know ive been getting in a good amount of antibiotics
I've had a sinus infection and have been using oregano oil every day for it since ive been sick...I'm almost totally over it in 4 days. Usually I have it for a month and have to take antibiotics for at least 2 weeks to get over the worst part. I legit am just coughing up and blowing out the junk in my face and lungs now because its at the end stage. I am blown away with how quickly the oregano oil squashed it.
This stuff is the holy grail, for sure. I swear by it. If you can start your oregano oil right when you feel the tickle, you are golden!
Let me also add that I've found that Olive Leaf Extract pretty much cures the herps! I have friends with cold sores that swear by this!!
Kava. I have tried literally half a dozen different medications/ substances to help deal with my anxiety and NOTHING works as quickly and as reliably as kava.
Love kava. On Saturday I make a bowl of it nice and strong and drink it throughout the night. Feels great, I feel good the next day too. Be aware of its potential effects on the liver and do not mix with alcohol or Tylenol. That said, I've been drinking kava for ~10 years with zero issues.
what form of kava do you take?
Works wonders for me too. I tried all kinds of natural and some pretty scary Rx’s. I take GAIA brand Kava. The active component in Kava are the Kavalactones. A lot of brands have 10-20% kavalactones, requiring you to take a significantly large dose (mg). With the Gaia you can take one pill at 75mg Kava…if I remember correctly. I take this, along with NAC and Magnesium Threonate at night. I’ve been able to get off of all my sleep meds. The Kava doesn’t make you sleepy, or doesn’t me anyway. It does more just to slow down the wheels turning in my head. I take it in the mornings when needed too.
Do you find kava compounding or is it only in the hours after drinking a cup that it is effective for you?
You generally redose with a small cup every 15 minutes
Same here, drastically reduced my benzo usage but unfortunately I think it causes skin issues for me
I used to drink it in Hawaii. We'd pass the coconut shell, drink, clap our hands, shout a phrase (which now evades my memory), and excuse ourselves to slide around to the garage quite frequently. Peppery taste. Very mellow. The music, companionship, and good will was most of the fun!
Boula is the cheer I've always heard/used!
I'm lucky enough to have St.John's Wort growing all over my backyard, and I've learned to love the taste and the benefits! Down to zero depressive episodes in the last 3 months which is AMAZING for me. I drink a tea with 1.5 tsp of dried st John's every other day. 2nd favorite is Goldenrod. It grows everywhere and gives teas such a nice, lightly sweet and grassy summer flavor. It's a mainstay in nearly every tea I drink now!
do you have bipolar? I do. type 2. I take mood stabilizers so I can’t take St. John’s Wort but I want to hear about your experience.
No, not bipolar just prone to depression and anxiety. I love st.Johns because it doesn't have any other mental or physical side effects or dramatically alter your mood. It's subtle, but it absolutely works for me. I frequently get depressive episodes lasting a week or more st least once a month or so. Since taking st John's starting in January, I haven't had an episode since March.
American Skullcap (scutellaria lateriflora) - anxiety GONE. I went through a weird period of having random panic attacks (which I suspect was from a huge dose of iodine) and this stuff saved me from mental hell. I didn't find that it knocked me out (although some people get drowsy) but my quality of sleep on the stuff is great.
I’m shocked I don’t see it praised more on here, it completely changed my life in terms of panic attacks and general anxiety. I have turned at least two other people on to it who have found it extremely helpful as well. Love it!
I didn’t realize there were two different kinds of Skullcap and I bought the Chinese version. Realized my mistake and bought the American one which should be here in a few days. Excited to try it after seeing so many positive experiences.
Blue Butterfly Pea flower (organic) for pain and relaxation--as a tasty tea (hot or cold), and as a bath soak. It makes a beautiful indigo color that turns violet when an acid (lemon juice, e.g.) is added. Also red raspberry juice powder (organic), for nausea, by the heaping spoonful.
Oregano oil. Works great as an antifungal as well as other uses.
I mean.... cannabis. It was incredibly effective during covid. I remember feeling like... fine despite being terribly sick. Otherwise, it's a good all arounder.
This is my only remedy for life-long debilitating migraines. Can't swallow my own spit without throwing up, but a little inhale of some cbd, and it's almost instant pain relief.
Yep. Hate being stoned, so it took forever for me to find this out... But a small dose is life changing for me.
get some CBD/CBG in there. a little THC but more of the others.
Ashwaganda! I am of the neurospicy variety and this helps me so much with anxiety.
+1. This is my favorite too. Makes me feel so clear headed and level. Like a fog getting lifted.
Is there a certain brand you like? In what way has it helped your anxiety? Thanks for sharing!!
Ginger I'm allergic to aspirin and have some mild cross-reactivity with Pepto (bismuth subsalicylate), so if I have an upset stomach, ginger is my go-to. I also just like the taste of it, especially if mixed in slightly sweetened form like golden milk
Cubensis!! The best one! For major depression trauma and ADHD
YES! After a traumatic event, psilocybin was the only thing that could stop my daily panic attacks. I owe it my life.
Yes yes yes! It’s literally my medicine these days. 3 years off psychiatric meds this summer.
I am off depression and anxiety meds because of psilocybin. It has absolutely changed my life.
This is the FUTURE (if these greedy, old, dinosaurs will just die off). They cost us all 30-40 years of legitimate research that could be helping everybody.
Sweet flag
You talking about acorus calamus? Underrated! What do you use it for?
It's so universal I use it in for a wide range of things. I take a little nib of it when I feel stressed or under the weather. I add it to floor washes too . When I expect to be nervous or agitated. To dominate an interview LOL
Honestly CBD flower or hemp flower. It takes me 10 herbs to not even get the effects and treatment from CBD. I make tinctures from CBD flower or buy distillate. My second favorite herb would be ginkgo biloba.
Definitely burdock root & nettle! They give me so much energy & if I ever have a headache I drink those two and it’s instantly gone!
Neem leaf as birth control 😁
Can I spray my neem oil insecticide down there to accomplish this? 😂 jk. But I imagine would keep the husband away. 🤣
This! Neem has been a staple in my life. Not only for birth control, but for bug bites, rashes, infections, skin scare, lymphatic system. It’s just an amazing plant
How does it work for birth control?
I take one pill 2-3 times a day and it kills the sperm. You can also use it as a plan b or even as a form of abortion just like mugwort. But women and men who are actively trying to conceive shouldn’t take it. Because for men it can lower the sperm count and women it kills sperm and can also cause miscarriages for women who are already pregnant
[удалено]
Strong calendula tea for gargling when I have a sore throat, chewing on cloves for numbing tooth pain + red raspberry leaf for my period cramps (altho i use a tea blend for period pain now, but red raspberry leaf initiated that shift) & my daily medicine, cannabis + psychedelic mushrooms: truly the earth's gift to her children
Sceletium tortousum. It's such an incredible anti-depressant and anxiolytic due to its astonishing ability to increase circulating dopamine, serotonin, and epinephrine.
Nettle has always been a go to when I feel like I need a cleanse or I've been eating too many rich fried foods. It's always help me reset and feel more human. Then of course Tulsi which for me can work as an antidepressant, something to uplift me, great for connection, or a post work relaxant.
Fennel is my best friend. It works better than anything I’ve ever used to help with stomach pain/discomfort and related anxiety. Fennel oil, fennel fronds, fennel seeds, fennel bulbs, fennel pollen. I even have a tattoo of fennel flowers on my arm! All the fennel, please. Runner up is calendula. My skin loves her.
Stinging nettle
Lions mane! Completely calmed my nervous system and a person close to me with ADHD symptoms also had dramatic improvement in their life
Can I ask what kind of Lions mane you use and where you get it? There are so many out there….
I used the powder format one from a brand called Rawpowder! made a little ritual to make tea 1-2 times a day with 1-2 tsps of the powder each time.
Chanca piedra. No more gallstones kidney stones!
Chewing thyme, actually helps with cough especially chronic cough. Not the best taste but helps
I love Damiana for making me feel like a sexy thang lol. But honestly, have had so many moments of feeling blessed that I have yarrow on hand - I have a rambunctious dog who is regularly getting scratched up, has torn a few toe nails off, etc. so mostly the yarrow has been going to him to assist with good healing :)
Lemon balm is amazing but I am also a huge fan of ashwaganda, tulsi, nettle leaf and lavender. I use these as teas mostly but sometimes I use a lavender oil sold at Sprouts as CalmAid to mellow myself out. I am pretty sure it made me fall asleep hard last night.
Cleavers helped me shed water weight and facial puffiness I didn't realize I had until I started using it for general lymphatic health. I could visibly see the benefits after about a month.
What? That's fascinating! How do you use them? Tincture? Tea? I have so many in my yard, never thought of using them!
I use them in a tincture! But you can put them in food, too. They're very versatile!
As an asthma girlie that grew up without insurance, peppermint has literally saved my life several times.
Blue lotus! That’s my shit, gets me high
I’m with you. Blue lotus baths and tea have been lifting my mood so effectively
prickly lettuce will too. 😌 lactuca virosa.
Oh really now?? Do you smoke if?
Agree with Ashwagandha for sure, wish I discovered it sooner really changed my life for someone whom looking back, had very bad Anxiety most of my life but not really knowing what it was all those years. Gotu Kola also, if I had Gotu Kola during my School Years, I probably would've gotten Straight A+'s LMFAO
Mine is dandelion. It helped balance my hormones, fixed my vision issues and got rid of my chronic bloating
Rosemary. I've used it all my life for cooking, realized how easy it is to grow, now grow it in my garden and always have it fresh.
Mugwort and holy basil, holy basil is a stress adaptogenic, In other words, it helps your body. Mugwort helps me sleep like a baby. Oh and turmeric has antihistamine effect, it will immediately relax you. Mugwort Is bitter but if you put it in hot sauce, it actually tastes pretty good, I like to consume my herbs completely like a goblin with rice. 🍚 I'm a weird lil chaotic goblin but I also put passionflower in with it to help all the effects.
Holy basil, I'm a big fan of all adaptogens but HB is my top pick.
Yarrow tincture in small doses for psycho spiritual effects. Helps me retain energetic boundaries as a highly sensitive person!
This is a difficult question to answer. I mean, I have a favorite family for sure. But one single plant… imma go with damask rose, Rosa damascena. Smoke it, tincture it, hydrosol it, eat it. Ugh. So so good.
This isn’t holy grail or dramatic but the Slippery Elm + Marshmallow root combo has been so helpful. For so many issues. Yay.
Ashwaghanda is my favorite.
This is a wonderful post! I am learning so much! Thank you!
Ginger! She is queen! 👑
Canadibiol
A couple come to mind: coltsfoot honey, for my son’s asthma when he was a toddler, horseradish that cured my husband’s chronic sinusitis and lemon balm for me. They have all had a profound impact on my family and convinced us to treat our various ailments first and foremost with herbs.
I spent long periods of time without health insurance, and trying herbs out of desperation taught me what potent medicine they could be. Now herbs are my first go-to for many things.
Turmeric, hawthorn berry, hibiscus, motherwort, lemongrass and nettles are my among my favorites depending on need. Though nettles is such a good base for most complaints/needs
Nettle tea saved my allergies. Its a miracle :)
Holy basil from ND
Kratom
Me too. Do you have a favorite vendor?
Texas Family Harvest, LSMS, D615 - hang w us over at doublemherbals.com
Wildcraft and DownToEarth are phenomenal
Turmeric and Chamomile
Chaste Tree Berry!
el theanane/magnesium glycomate and pepperment
Huperzia serrata, because it’s allowed us to synthesize Huperzine A.
Eluthero was a pretty big deal for me. It helped me power through some long work days better than stimulants.
ginger and peppermint. struggled with stomach issues for pretty much my whole life and both of these help so much with nausea and digestion issues 🙏🏻
It's not a medicinal plant but I practically get high when I smell basil. 😂
Heal-All Purple flower that looks like bugleweed, but isn't. Also was used as a "Heal-All" back in the day.
Slippery elm, chamomile, and turmeric are my trusted go-tos. I made a twice daily chamomile tea with slippery elm added when I was going through a bout of panic attacks that really messed up my stomach and it helped so much. Turmeric always helps reduce inflammation and just makes me feel generally better.
Garam masala. Hands down.
Dmt. Nothing comes close
Cilantro every time
Holy basil. Let's just say I was able to stop taking my prescription BP pill because of it! Not a doctor, not giving medical advice, but it works for me.
plantain. I am a mosquito magnet. that was my first experience with instant relief, with plant magic. I will love her forever and ever.
Elecampine
Lemon Balm. Hands down
Blue lotus 🪷 💙
Oregano oil - has helped so many things for me
Camellia sinensis, or specifically green tea. That is the plant that helped me lose weight, get clearer skin, and overall be healthier in terms of general health.
Ashwaganda
Ginger, chop into pieces put it in a plastic bag and stick it in your freezer and chew a chunk and drink it down with some water. Every morning your gut will thank you.
Tough to pick just one! Especially since often times herbs shine brightest in combination… but Chinese licorice root has been my #1 for 20 years. Food poisoning, vomiting, general digestive tonic, decoct with fresh ginger for common cold/flu, combine with cinnamon or use alone to stabilize blood sugar, heck I’ve even made a heavily concentrated decoction that I used as a sweetener for baking. In strong doses it can have similar effects to prednisone and I found it hugely helpful when I was curing my ulcerative colitis. Licorice will forever have my praise lol
Ginger
Gingko is one I love to use regularly. Recently tried Burdock tea and was amazed at how much it helped with skin issues and overall wellness. Definitely going to add it more regularly.
weed
Mary Jane :o
Ayahuasca
Oh it’s the devils lettuce, kava and kratom. All herbs all life changing for me.