Herbs and *your* body

Author

Artemisia O'bi
June 27, 2023

One of my favorite parts of herbal medicine is the depth of personalized care that is available through this interaction with plants. That there were seemingly endless ways to tailor a formula, protocol, and treatment plan for an individual person. The focus is on the unique body and mind.

When we read about herbs, we find all of these different actions in pop articles that tell us what the herbs are supposed to do. While it’s important to know how to ID a plant based on the way it grows and the characteristics it presents, we have to be a little bit more careful when considering its intended effect. It is so important to keep your individual body at the center of your information-gathering.

One example of this that I experienced in my own earlier herbal days and see from time to time revolves around the use of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) and mental health. This beautiful plant has bright yellow blossoms that are hard to miss if you come across them in the wild. Over the past several years, St. John’s Wort has gotten a lot of press for its supposed miraculous uses as an herbal antidote for depression. If you google something like “St. John’s Wort for depression” you’ll find many compelling articles talking about the clinical use of this plant for mental health.

For some people, this plant is helpful, especially when formulated elegantly with other herbs. It can be incredibly uplifting. However, the energetic profile of St. John’s Wort is not appropriate for everyone, and some herbalists propose that this plant is only effective when supporting certain nuanced types of depression. In addition, some research suggests that St. John’s Wort has potentially harmful interactions with particular pharmaceuticals.

I thought of this a few nights ago when I was struggling to sleep. I was experiencing terrible pain along both of my legs near and surrounding the location of the sciatic nerve. In my half-asleep-half-awake state, I got up and reached for a tincture bottle of St. John’s Wort and took 2 dropperfuls (approximately 2mL). In the moment, I remembered reading about St. John’s Wort and sciatic pain. Usually, I will combine herbs into a formula, primarily through teas/decoctions, but in this moment, I went straight for the simple (a single herb). To my delight, the pain subsided very quickly.

Alongside St John’s Wort’s somewhat celebrity status as an herbal antidepressant (which I would not recommend you think of it as - that’s a super reductive way to talk about the plant), this herb also is categorized as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic (pain-relieving), and relaxant botanical.

In my care for myself, I know that St. John’s Wort on its own will not relieve any depressive symptom, tendency, or disposition I may have, but this plant does work well in my body when I am experiencing acute musculoskeletal discomfort.

I encourage you to learn about, read about, and explore herbs while also taking care to consider what you know about your own body. Like most things, there is not a one-size-fits-all model for herbal medicine.

Warmly,

Artemisia

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Reminder: As always, check with your herbalist or Chinese medicine practitioner when exploring how to work with herbs to support your emotional wellbeing. Certain herbs can interact with antidepressant medications, should be avoided during pregnancy, or should be used with caution (or not at all) in individuals with specific conditions.

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