Bindweed Medicine

I decided each time I enter the garden I must start with a morning glory walk. Yesterday I pulled a bucket-full. Once, I heard a bit of plant wisdom: one should not pull any unidentified weed. Better to have more intimacy with one's microcosm before going through and changing things. I have a long ways to go before I can truthfully follow such guidance.

Recently I came across the book Invasive Plant Medicine by Timothy Lee Scott, who is an acupuncturist and herbalist living in Vermont. He dedicates a couple chapters to the politics of "invasives", one which is titled "The Intelligence of Plants". He discusses 24 specific plants including barberry and dandelion -- a couple of my favorites -- blackberry, english ivy and scotch broom - restoration ecologist's nightmares - and bindweed - the gardener's bane.

I am fascinated by this book's portrayal of bindweed and now I don't know what to believe! I wonder if I should experiment with medicine making or what.

Convolvulus arvensis of the Morning Glory family, came to North America in the 1730's, and was sold as an ornamental, medicinal plant. In TCM no species have ever been used. In Ayurveda, a couple species have been used as a brain tonic, tranquilizer, blood purifier, for uterine bleeding, ulcers and venereal diseases. In Western medicine, bindweed has been used for internal bleeding, fevers, as a purgative and laxative.

Contemporary pharmacology regards bindweed as a purgative, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cholagogic (bile stimulant) and tranquilizer. Studies have demonstrated the plant's efficacy in reducing tumor growth, decreasing the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestines, reducing different types of stress, and as antimicrobial.

Beyond the human body, bindweed serves in phytoremediation! It cleanses chromium, copper and cadmium from soil. It can survive areas full of heavy metals and assists in the degradation of fuel oil - for example in the Prestige Oil Spill of 2002. Calystegin compounds found in the roots feed rhizosphere bacteria with carbon and nitrogen.

Considering the ever deepening toxicity of our planet, plants like these we will need to turn to and honor for their ability to adapt. I can only wonder at the power of all these other plants in the book, the ways they serve us without our even knowing how to identify them outdoors. Our relationship to bindweed will surely shift in the time to come. For one, I need to reconsider merely stuffing them in the yard waste bin.

Spring Cleanse

In time for Full Moon March 5, Spring holiday March 21, and the reality of an early Spring I am contemplating safe cleanses to organize for myself beyond the intake of herbs -- to address body-mind and mind-heart. I happen to be serving at a vipassana meditation retreat March 5-8, which is perfect timing.

First of all I need to follow up on the ideas I explored with "purity herbs" giving preference to bitter tonics, liver tonics, and alteratives - particularly of plants naturalized in Seattle. I plan to drink a decoction of barberry, chicory, dandelion, oregon grape, burdock and yellow dock as often as possible - if not daily. Also making a tincture of these plants with brandy (pictured here).

In Vasant Lad's book, Ayurvedic principles for staying balanced in Spring involve reducing heavy, inflammatory, congestive foods (like dairy and various forms of protein) and increasing bitter, astringent foods and herbs, as well as juice fasts. This would be the perfect time of year to explore a raw food cleanse (but keep it simple). Lad also promotes taking ginger fennel tea and morning walks. Personally, I am aiming for 70 percent fresh, preferably in-season produce like leafy greens, nettle, lettuce, and so forth. Because I am so fortunate to buy from the store I have many more options before me. It can be really hard to lay off comfort foods but it is worth it for stronger health.

An important question is, what is the point of detoxification, or what is being cleansed out of the body? Another book I recommend is Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life by Claudia Welch (De Capo Press, 2011). Welch claims hormonal balance is the mirror that reflects optimal health, because imbalance is the first stage of disease. Toxic buildup, or ama in Ayurveda, which derives from sluggish digestion and environmental toxins, will manifest as chronic inflammation, digestive/elimination problems, exhaustion, and so forth. Or simply "unwholesome" particles interfering with vitality of tissue states, which may produce countless symptoms. Detoxification opens blocked channels allowing deeper ama to leave the body.So not overeating, and only eating when hungry; eating fresh, whole foods; paying attention to what you are eating while you are eating. Gentle exercise, meditation, Sleep, herbs to encourage restful sleep, herbs to tonify digestive and eliminative organs. herbs to infuse massage oil for self massage. All wonderful self care practices.

Why bitter and astringent? Bitter compounds, such as iridoids and sequiterpenes,stimulate the gall bladder and liver and therefore digestion. And depending on the plant, may be anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, sedative, analgesic, laxative, anti-tumor and antibiotic, Astringent compounds expel excess fluid from tissues like a diuretic, enhancing cell wall strength to withstand foreign particle invasion. A way of purifying cells through the body. Both TCM and Ayurveda recommend avoiding too much bitter or astringency which may dehydrate the body - so my heavy preference for these tastes will not last beyond a couple weeks.Through it all I am trying to stay well hydrated.

   

Red Clover

Over the last couple weeks immunity in my upper respiratory cavities compromised. Illness lingers because I thought I was not sick enough to rest more - and after I stayed out late swing dancing, I came home with the beginnings of bronchitis. The whole illness has been confused, swinging from throat irritation to congestion in the nasal cavities, to slow, heavy lung activity. I was not sure whether I was experiencing allergies or a cold. Today I called in sick to work, so I may rest, walk in the sun, and drink fluids.

In case I am dealing with mild allergies from onset of early spring (camellias flowering two months early) I am drinking tea with red clover, red sage and stinging nettles. Red clover, Trilfoilium pratense, is used for cancer prevention, indigestion, high cholesterol, whooping cough, cough, asthma, bronchitis, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Red clover is also a source of nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C (a nutritive). It appears to be a common ingredient in many herbal flu blends described on the internet. Red sage, Salvia officinalis is carminative, anti-spasmodic, anti-microbial, astringent, and anti-inflammatory. This may help tonify upper respiratory cellular function, while fighting any viruses present and soothing inflamed tissue. With phenolic acids and flavonoids, red sage is mildly antibacterial and antioxidant as well. 

Stinging nettle is an astringent, diuretic, tonic, antispasmodic/anodyne (pain killing), rubefacient, styptic (stops bleeding), anthelmintic (expelling worms), nutritive, alterative, anti-rheumatic, anti-lithic/lithotriptic, haemostatic, stimulant, expectorant/decongestant, febrifuge (reducing fever), kidney depurative/nephritic, galactagogue, hypoglycemic, and anti-histamine. A lot of stuff! Since it is also a diuretic - and I have been taking more of these lately - I need to be mindful to consume extra water. Too much drying action has been interfering with my ability to move congestion out of my system, and I have felt a simple need to drink water constantly. I always know an infection is present when I feel dehydrated despite drinking a normal amount of water. As an astringent,tonic, alterative,expectorant, and febrifuge - as well as being nutritive - perhaps I should just avoid food and drink stinging nettle tea all day.

***

Lunar new year is in a couple days and to honor that I started a new tincture with herbs a friend mailed me from Colorado. He sent red clover, goldenrod and hops. All plants I can harvest in my home town but somehow they sound more delicious from another state, handpicked by a friend. 

Tinctured together the plants are anti-inflammatory and diuretic. Goldenrod and red clover are good for upper respiratory ailments like allergies, asthma, cold and flu, bronchitis and cough. Combined with hops, humulus lupulus, which is tonic, nervine, diuretic and an anodyne --  the anxiety of being sick may be reduced as well as general aches and pains, and flushing illness out of the system. At least I will have the tincture prepared for next time.

Sattva - Purity

I'm still jiving on The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad, and I've dedicated this next full moon cycle, the month of February to eat foods traditionally regarded as "sattvic". A sattvic diet is composed of whole foods filled with "life force", and contributes to a sense of inner balance, peace and non-harming. To partake of these foods properly one needs to honor them by eating slow, and being grateful. I have not eaten vegetarian for many years, however I'm curious how this choice will impact my day to day mindset. I believe it will be a way of cultivating deeper self-love, therefore (we'll see) my ability to love others. Read more about my motivations here.

Lad specifies which types of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, dairy and herbs to consume -- which I'm experimenting with. I'm fascinated how some fruits, vegetables and herbs might not qualify. I suppose within each category, the "safe" or mild tasting foods would be regarded as sattvic. For herbs and spices, Lad lists cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, ginger, licorice, nutmeg, parsley, rose, saffron, tulsi, and tumuric. I thought I'd give preference to these in my cooking and tea making. It's really easy to forget this commitment without putting it in the forefront of my visual memory, i.e. keeping the list in my back pocket constantly.

I'm more curious as to which plants of the Pacific Northwest might be considered sattvic, or safe and balancing. Michael Moore's Therapeutic and Use Index delineates a few categories that probably work: alteratives, cardiac tonics, intestinal tract tonics, nervines, and bitter tonics. Tonics - "medicinal substances taken to give a feeling of vigor or well-being" - are theoretically safe to consume every day, right? Some plants include: barberry, burdock, chicory, dandelion, motherwort, oregon grape, red clover, sage, skullcap, valerian, yarrow and yellow dock. I have experimented a little with these plants before and I am currently drinking a tea of chicory, dandelion, and oregon grape. Perhaps now's a time for deepening my study and knowledge of them. As well as to dedicate my year learning them, harvesting and experimenting.

The plants I know less about include barberry, motherwort and valerian. According to Moore, barberry is similar to oregon grape as - alterative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, intestinal and liver tonic, laxative and gall bladder stimulant. All very useful for maintaining digestive health. In addition barberry is particularly useful for treating mouth/gum inflammation, so would be a great addition to yarrow in toothpaste (which I currently need to make more of). Motherwort is described as quite mild as a cardiac tonic, a promenstrual, and for treating shingles, a stress-related nervous system symptom. Perhaps there's a connection between stress and blood health in the case of shingles. Valerian -- I have experienced it as stimulating but I will try again. Other than chamomile I don't really take many traditionally soothing herbs. Valerian is regarded as an analgesic (pain reliever), anti-spasmodic (muscle relaxant), nervine, and sedative. Perfect following intense yoga or hiking I would think.

I didn't do much this time around to celebrate the full moon for medicine making but I did finally bottle oregon grape tincture harvested at Discovery Park, and concocted last fall. Pictured below.

Works Cited

Lad, Vasant. (1999). The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. New York City: Harmony          Books.

Moore, Michael. (2011). Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West. Albuquerque, NM: Museum of New
     Mexico Press.

New Years Cleanse

Most of us are familiar with the toxicity of sugar, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, and so forth. But is straight up avoiding them the answer?

In a book store I recently came across Purify Your Body by Nina J. Diamond (Crown Trade, 1997). In one chapter, Diamond reminds us of the natural toxins existing in herbs and foods we typically consider healthy. For examples hydrazines in uncooked mushrooms, aflatoxin in grains, nuts, oilseeds, turmeric and ginger, canavanine in alfalfa sprouts, lactose in peas, oxalic acid in the chenopods (spinach, beet greens, etc), goitrogins in the brassicas (kale, cabbage, broccoli, etc) and solanine in the nightshades. She lists herbs occasionally recommended for acute symptoms, and due to their potential toxicity, suggests avoiding them altogether: black and blue cohosh, senna, sassafras, pennyroyal, chaparral, goldenseal, ephedra, comfrey and even kombucha! She also discusses toxicity from overconsuming vitamins - in fact you can damage yourself by taking too much Vitamin E, A, D, B3, B6, K beta carotene, copper,selenium, iron and calcium. Everything we consume has the potential to help us or harm us. The buddhist approach of the "middle way" seems applicable here.

So I'm considering how to recreate balance in what I eat this new year, and for the heck of it I did a cleanse inspired by Diamond's "Everyday Antidotes". There were moments I felt yuck, however, these last couple days I've felt more spacious in my body, so my yoga practice has been improved, also I've felt more clarity in my senses. Twas all very fun, almost a game -- and why aren't I practicing this everyday?

1. Drink water (I added lemon)
2. Eat fiber ((fruits and veggies))
3. Take echinacea  (I enjoyed some tea)
4. Eat antioxidants ((colorful fruits and veggies))
5. Take dandelion (again, tea blend I have on stock)
6. Meditation & relaxation
7. Exercise (took a hot yoga class!)
8. Bodywork (lucky me I was able to schedule a massage with Katrina Koleto)
9. Detox skin (citrus rub, dry brush and of course shower)
10. Detox hair (apple cider vinegar before applying conditioner)
11. Essential oils (rose, yay)
12. Vibrational medicine (very grounding group chant I was able to participate in)

Additionally I went through all formerly harvested plants stored in paper bags. Pictured below are calendula and yarrow flowers. Nearly clear of all former projects so I may begin anew.

More articles about potential toxins in health foods (better compare notes!):

"How to Live Healthy in a  Toxic Environment" http://www.naturopathic.org/content.asp?contentid=474

"Eight Poisonous Foods We Commonly Eat" http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/photos/8-poisonous-foods-we-commonly-eat/eaters-beware

"Natural Toxins in Food" http://www.healthy-eating-politics.com/toxins-in-food.html

Garden Renovation

My hope is that all the energy into framing the raised beds and laying down load after load of wood chips will motivate me to spend at least an hour in the garden everyday come Spring. Thank you to Chip Drop for hooking us up with a mountain of free wood chips!

I'm curious about how these frames are going to work out in the long term. Some of the planks are plywood and already starting to bend from rain. I'm also curious about the wood chips, if they will end up being a problem at all. We received them from Emerald Tree Service. I don't know anything about the trees they come from. Big ol' experiment!

Elder & Hawthorn &

This month "Beaver Moon" is in the constellation Taurus, an earth sign ruled by Venus. (There are many interpretations about what this means online.) I love that I've made a recent commitment to make medicines each time the Full Moon comes around - perhaps it will ground me into a workable structure. Tonight I am cooking up an Elderberry Hawthorn Syrup and a tincture of Echinacea root.

Elder (Sambucus) and Hawthorn (Crataegus) are both naturalized to the Pacific Northwest. You can learn to identify them and follow proper harvesting techniques to obtain nature's gifts.

Elder, from the honeysuckle family, is said to be anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer -- treating colds, flus and allergies. The berries help reduce swelling in mucous membranes, such as the sinuses, to relieve nasal congestion. [1] They act by inhibiting enzyme, neuraminidase, which viruses use to penetrate cell walls. They contain flavonoids (antioxidant) as all good, dark berries do, and high concentrations of Vitamin C. Despite being foraged by many species of birds, it's recommended that the berries are cooked. Perfect for making decoctions or syrups! I've used lozenges purchased from the market in previous years and I'm excited to make my own medicine this time.

Hawthorn (rose family) is revered as a heart medicine for humans, as well as an important food source for birds, moths and butterflies. The hawberries also contain flavonoids, one in particular, proanthocyanidin, which plays a role in dilating blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation [2]. What if you already have low blood pressure? What if you happen to love garlic and other herbs that lower blood pressure? Last time I was at the doctors I was told, "Treasure your low blood pressure now, as it's only going to increase as you age". I'm curious how that will unfold. Anyway here I am creating a delicious, antioxidant berry syrup to help me prevent the onset of winter flu (will last a solid 2-3 months, stored in the refrigerator - all winter long).

The recipe was based off one I found from Dandelioness Herbals:

.5 oz Sambucus nigra

.5 oz Crataegus

4 c well water

3/4 c raw honey

I've also created another Echinacea tincture (good for several years):

I've always used Echinacea purpurea (daisy family) to avoid or shorten colds and flus. Yet I recently read in Matthew Wood's book The Earthwise Herbal that Echinacea may be taken to bolster the immune system in cases of putrefaction, functioning as an internal antiseptic. Which is interesting when we consider that the plant was traditionally used to relieve blood poisoning. Putrefaction results when cell metabolism becomes sluggish permitting foreign antigens to invade, causing the breakdown of tissues. In addition to exercise (!) herbal antiseptics like Echinacea (and yarrow, and lavender) can stabilize cell metabolism in order to keep viruses out. 

Echinacea's effectiveness is quite controversial despite how popular it is in natural medicine. In 2009, Echinacea aroused sales of $132 million in the U.S. [3] The herb has an interesting consumer history: In the 1800's, H.C.F. Meyer (dubbed "snake-oil salesman") marketed the herb as a panacea "cure-all". It was later introduced into Germany by physician Gerhard Madaes in the 1930s where it was popularized in Western medicine. Contemporary studies demonstrate mixed evidence: it likely combats various infections, reducing inflammation and attacking yeasts and fungi directly [4]. Yet it's effectiveness doesn't appear much better than a placebo. Still recommendations are made to avoid the plant if you are on immunosuppresants, or are a heavy caffeine taker. More carefully monitored studies need to be conducted. 

My recommendation: know your body, observe your reactions, and stay open in your experiments.      

Works Cited

[1] Ehrlich, Steven D. "Elderberry". May 7, 2013. University of Maryland Medical Center.
     November 6, 2014. <http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/elderberry>.
[2] Hudson, Tori. "Hibiscus, Hawthorn and the Heart". July 2011, Vol 3, Issue 7. Natural Medicine
     Journal. November 6, 2014. <http://naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2011-07/hibiscus-
     hawthorn-and-heart>.
[3] Novella, Stephen. "Echinacea for Cold and Flu". December 22, 2010. Science-Based Medicine.
     November 7, 2014. <http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/echinacea-for-cold-and-flu/>.
[4] "Echinacea". Medline Plus. July 7, 2014. U.S. National Library of Medicine. November 7, 2014.
     <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/981.html>.