Herbs, Tinctures and Teas
Herbs, Tinctures and Teas: An Introduction
Any doctor or health practitioner wants to help people. However, there is no one-size-fits all solution that we can give to every person. In certain situations, our medicines are not appropriate or may be too strong for some individuals. Sometimes, we need more tools. I have often recommended herbs to help people with a problem that needs a much lighter dose or gentler effect than some of the heavy drugs we have in our arsenal. I have patients that cannot afford some medications and have been able to recommend herbs to help them occasionally. Incorporating teas and infusions, tinctures, or even just eating or cooking with herbs can have a positive effect on your health. We will build this page more slowly so that we have well-researched references for all the information we put here.
*** It is important to remember that the information here has not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition or disease. Please do your own research and consult with your medical practitioner before changing your diet or adding anything to your health routine, including herbs.
Stinging Nettle
Stinging Nettle: Fighting Inflammation and More
Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD
Edited by: Breanne Brazeale
Stinging Nettle, which has the scientific name Urtica dioica, and is commonly known as nettles, has a long history of folk usage for food and medicine. Historically, folk medicine practitioners have used nettles to help lung issues, aid gut health and address anemia. Nettles are high in vitamins including C and A, minerals like silicon and potassium, as well as fiber and iron. The aerial parts of the plant (the leaves) are used in herbal preparations. Steaming, cooking, or drying removes the “sting.” Nettles make a delicious substitute for greens like spinach and collards in cooked dishes and has a similar nutritional profile.
Pictured above are two close-up images of stinging nettle.
I want to tell a story about my discovery of one use of nettles. Several years ago, a Tuscaloosa family doctor, Dr. Elliot Rampulla, treated me for tendonitis. He specialized in alternative treatments, and one of his focuses was pain management. Dr. Rampulla has unfortunately since passed away in a bicycle accident, but I remember his passion for natural alternatives and the care he provided. One thing I learned from him before his passing was Prolo-therapy.
I had a severe tendonitis in my right arm from trying to take notes by hand during my second year of medical school. The pain lasted for months, and it was so severe I often had trouble sleeping. I tried wearing a band around my arm that helps with this type of tendon issue. It did nothing.
Dr. Rampulla began Prolo-therapy, a procedure in which he loaded a syringe with glucose water and stuck it in my arm all around the painful areas of the tendon. He injected me about 15 times. My daughter Beth, who accompanied me, said my face went white. She thought I was going to pass out! I didn’t, thankfully. He said it would hurt more for three days and then go away. He was exactly right! I had chronic inflammation in my elbow because of overuse, and it was not improving or able to recover. However, when the doctor injected me with glucose, it temporarily increased the injury to the inflamed spot. The science behind this extreme-sounding procedure is fascinating. The injections triggered an enormous inflammatory response, which healed my inflamed tendons.
So where do stinging nettles come in? We can use them like Prolo-therapy. You can take the nettle branch and flog someone many times over a tendon in the same way Dr. Rampulla injected me with sugar water and it will help the inflammation in the tendon heal! I used stinging nettles with one of my patients with nettles who had severe inflammatory arthritis in her wrist from overuse. It significantly reduced the inflammation. Unfortunately, my patient had to continue her job, and the overuse continued, so it did not heal permanently. I have not been able to try it on anyone since then. I have only tried it on wrists and would like to try it on other joints like shoulders or knees. It is important to know that it does sting for a few hours to a couple of days following the treatment, depending on the person.
I got some stinging nettle at an herb conference and planted it in a nursery area near my front door and it has thrived. It can be invasive, so we will move it because it has tried to take over the space. It is important to plant it in an area where you will not accidentally brush up against it. I have an extensive property, so I will find I spot for it where I can keep it tamed! I am happy to give some nettles to anyone who would like to take a few plants home.
Above is a photo of the small nettle seedling I purchased.
Also pictured is my now-thriving nettle patch on my Collinsville farm.
It is important to never attempt treatment like the ones described above without proper care from a trained physician or other qualified practitioner. The things mentioned here on AgroshareMD.com are my experiences and opinions only and are not to be used as a substitute for medical advice from your own care provider.
Passionflower
Written and Photographed by: Breanne Brazeale
Medically Reviewed by: Dr Frannie Koe
Passionflower, maypop, purple passion vine. No matter what you call it, passiflora incarnata is one of my favorite plants. I’ve had a vine growing in my front yard for over seven years, and it comes back faithfully from the roots every spring. I most look forward to late summer and early fall when delicate purple blossoms, almost alien in their intricate appearance, burst forth in profusion.
Above is a close-up photo of a passionflower blossom
Passionflower vines are relatively easy to grow and are native to the southern United States. This drought-tolerant vine usually needs to be trellised because it grows so tall (sometimes up to 30 feet or more!), and it prefers full sun.
Passionflower is relatively low maintenance once established. However, watch out for the passionflower vine caterpillar. Also known as Gulf Fritillary caterpillars, these orange and black spiky caterpillars feed almost exclusively on passionflower vines and can completely defoliate the plant in a short period. The Gulf Fritillary butterflies these caterpillars mature into are beautiful beneficial pollinators, and some people will plant passionflower vines with the sole intent of providing a food source for them. But for an herbalist or plant afficionado, these caterpillars are a pest because they destroy the parts of the vine we want to use!
Passionflowers develop into a tangy, delicious fruit (typically called maypops in the South) that you can cook into jams and jellies, can eat fresh, or bake into treats. My sturdy little vine blooms every year yet refuses to produce fruit. That never bothers me though, because what I am really after are the aerial parts (leaves and flowers).
Pictured above is part of the passionflower vine, currently climbing up one of my elderberries.
My kids love to play with the blossoms. They press them and use them in crafts, weave the bright blooms into flower crowns, and decorate their fairy houses and terrariums with the spectacular flowers. All the flowers they leave behind, along with the leaves, I collect and dry at room temperature on a window screen.
Above is a photo of me picking passionflowers to dry.
After the leaves and flowers are dry, I make an infusion combining equal parts passionflower, chamomile, and lemon balm, all of which I grow at home. I add either a keto-friendly sweetener for me, honey for my kids (please remember not to give honey to children under the age of one), a tablespoon of coconut oil, and collagen powder and stir until combined. Because all the herbs mentioned are gentle and have limited contraindications, we can all enjoy this soothing nighttime drink as a family after a hectic day.
The photo above is my son a few years ago playing with the flowers.
According to well-known folk herbalist and instructor Rosemary Gladstar, passionflower has anti-spasmodic actions, sleep-inducing properties, mild analgesic effects, and a long history of use to help relieve stress, depression, and anxiety (Gladstar 356).
Dr. Andrew Weil, physician and author, and nutritional wellness educator, says that passionflower has been proven to improve sleep quality when taken as a tea one hour before bed. He also recommends the extract for anxiety and emotional health support. It is important to note that pregnant women should use caution or avoid passionflower altogether, as it has active compounds which can stimulate uterine contractions (Weil). There are other contraindications as well, so it is imperative that you contact your physician prior to adding anything, including an herb, to your health regimen. As always, the information shared here is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
References:
Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. Storey, 2008.
Weil, Andrew, MD. “Passionflower.” Dr Weil, 26 Oct. 2022, https://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/herbs/passionflower/