And other problems with herbal information

Does anyone remember the horrible, teeth cracking yellow dock cracker recipe?

I tried it. It was terrible.

And it was the only recipe I could find. All search hits for a yellow dock cracker recipe gave me the same terrible recipe.

Did anyone actually try this recipe? Did they just cookie-cut and paste?

I gave up. Yellow dock seeds make terrible crackers.

Since then I’ve seen adventurous herbalists figure out how to integrate yellow dock seeds into everything from brownies to banana bread.

So what was the deal with the ubiquitous yellow dock cracker recipe? I heard Paul Bergner refer to it as “cookie-cutter herbalism.”

Cut and paste, instead of cook and taste.

Mullein is Rarely Mucilaginous

I believe Paul’s cookie-cutter reference was about people saying mullein is mucilaginous.* Because many books, many people say mullein is mucilaginous.

*Mucilaginous (or demulcent) is a word to describe the soothing sliminess created by polysaccharides). Something that is mucilaginous or demulcent has a moistening effect on tissues.

Paul then went on to say, “go make yourself a hot cup of mullein leaf tea* and tell me what it feels like.

*Herbal tea made for medicinal purposes from a soft part of a plant, like mullein leaf, is called a hot infusion and is made by soaking the herb in hot water for 20 minutes or more. Some herbalists will soak them for hours to make very strong, often bitter, infusions.

The hot infusion of mullein leaf will invariably leave a dry feeling on your tongue.

Now I’m not saying that mullein doesn’t contain moistening polysaccharides. But there are a few things happening here:

1. Mullein leaf is warming and drying. It acts as an astringent and counter irritant* in the lungs, meaning that it tones and warms the tissues, increasing circulation while drawing moisture to the tissues. This is how mullein leaf improves wet and dry coughs. It gets things moving supporting the body’s need to cough that gunk out.
2. A hot infusion or tincture of mullein leaf is going to draw out the tannic acids and other astringent qualities more than the polysaccharides. The infusion will feel toning and stimulating. It feels almost prickly to me.
3. A cool infusion of mullein leaf feels more moistening (mucilaginous) and less drying (astringent) because the cool water will draw out more of the polysaccharides and less of the tannic acid.
4. The flowers of mullein are much higher in polysaccharides than the leaves.

*Counter irritants create a healing response by gently irritating tissues to increase the healing aspect of the inflammatory response. Common drug store products with this quality are Icy Hot and Tiger Balm.

So I wonder when people say “mullein leaf is moistening” do they actually work with herbs or are they just using the cookie cutter?

When I taste a hot infusion of mullein leaf, it feels warming and a bit irritating (very irritating when I don’t actually need it), which is a sign of a counter irritant.

Non-Herbalists (and Non-Humans) Writing Herbal Books

I referenced a certain herb book to an herbal friend and she laughed saying, that person “isn’t an herbalist.”

What?

Why would a non-herbalist write a book about herbs? Well, someone who perhaps likes the idea of being an herbalist but isn’t actually an herbalist. This person was exactly that, it just happens that my friend actually knew him, otherwise I would’ve never known.

Another herbal friend of mine ended up writing a book started by another person when a publishing company realized the first person didn’t actually know enough to write the book.

People can easily write herbal books (or generate them through AI) without actually having any experience. These are the people who are going to commit cookie-cutter herbalism without even knowing it. Because they aren’t actually working with the herbs, or they are using AI which can’t taste, smell, or feel herbs.

Yellow dock crackers anyone?

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash

Just Google It

A lot of people out there don’t want to pay for an herbal classes or consultation because they can just google it. Here are some common problems googling herbalism.

“Everyone should take dandelion (or whatever herb is trending).”

1. Anyone who says this is missing some knowledge about foundational concepts in herbalism. Dandelion isn’t for everyone, here’s why:
2. Some people have allergic reactions to dandelion flower because dandelion is related to ragweed.
3. The latex (not the same latex in gloves) in dandelion can be irritating to the stomach lining in certain people causing gastric discomfort.
4. Dandelion is a diuretic and shouldn’t be used with other diuretics, like those used to lower blood pressure.
5. Some people simply shouldn’t use diuretics.
6. Bitter herbs shouldn’t be used regularly without signs of heat.

“I googled (insert disease, ailment, condition here) to see which herbs are good for it.”

Although this seems like a useful way to learn about herbs, it’s actually backwards and only works for someone who already understands the foundations of herbalism, specifically the concept of differential diagnosis, which in herbalism means knowing how to match an herb to a person. Another example is buying a new book, and going straight to the index to look up your ailments instead of reading how the writer uses herbs. Here’s why:

1. Look up diarrhea. I quickly found three herbal approaches to diarrhea: marshmallow, blackberry root, or black pepper mixed with white flour. Yes, all three have the potential to support a person suffering from diarrhea, but the herbal actions for each of these herbs is different and applies to different situations. Marshmallow is mucilaginous, blackberry root is astringent, and black pepper is hot and antimicrobial while the flour acts as a plug.
2. Look up diabetes. You might find stevia, it’s sweet but won’t spike blood sugar. As a person who is trying to prevent diabetes in myself (it runs in the family) I actually avoid sweet stuff. Although stevia is super sweet with no calories, it is sweet in an unsatisfying way and actually triggers sweet cravings. So instead I use protein or bitter formulas to counter sweet cravings.
3. Look up headaches. If you find willow bark because it’s a source of aspirin, take a step back. Yes, it’s true that aspirin can be made from willow bark. But willow bark doesn’t have the same action as aspirin. Aspirin in a single chemical while willow bark contains a hundred or so other chemicals that have their own actions. So willow bark tea might be helpful for some people having flu-like symptoms, it doesn’t have the same blood-thinning actions sought after in aspirin.

Finding the Right Answers

If you’re not an herbalist, you’re going to hate this.

The right answer to the question, “what herb is good for (fill in the blank)?” is always “it depends.”

It depends on:

1. symptoms
2. patterns
3. energetics*
4. body type
5. age
6. height and weight
7. sensitivity
8. drug-supplement-herb interactions
9. life style
10. dietary habits
11. season
12. environment
13. which herb I actually have

*Energetics in herbalism refers to physical qualities, specifically temperature, humidity, direction and whether the herb stimulates or relieves tension. Energetics is one of the foundational thought processes in all herbal traditions throughout the world.

I can hear my students below chanting “it depends, it depends, it depends.”

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Me (in the gray shirt, black pants) with some of my favorite students. I am sharing these thoughts to encourage people to learn directly from experienced herbalists. And also to illustrate why I primarily teach in-person, hands-on classes. I want people to actually taste, touch, and smell the herbs and make them into different preparations so they can feel the difference, so if you like the info, join a class with me, subscribe or become a paid subscriber so I can write more often.

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