Right now, the Mogollon foothills are lit up in the orange glow of Wild Sunflowers, all mixed in with the lingering lilac shades of Beeweed and the low white blooms of Dune Evening Primrose. We’ve been having morning showers, a distinctly winter moisture pattern, but what the hell… Rain is rain, and we’ll take all we can get.

The beavers have two new ponds we’ve been enjoying swimming in… it’s a wonderful thing to lay on your back in the cool water on a hot day and watch the first yellow Cottonwood leaves spiral lazily toward you. The seasons are shifting again, and every moment is sweet.

1 cup good quality green olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
1/4 cup chopped parsley or watercress
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. Return to room temperature before serving.

I notice my RSS subscription number has about quadrupled in the last few months (I think there’s nearly 400 of you last time I looked), so I wanted to do a quick overview for new readers. This isn’t comprehensive, just a few tidbits for your reading pleasure. Soon, there will be a companion website where all this stuff is organized, but this’ll work for now.

In case you’ve missed my previous posts discussing Beebalm (Monarda spp.) for vaginal and urinary tract infections in the past, take note now. I’ve just finished working with four different cases of said infections, in varying degrees of severity (including one long term UTI) that cleared up completely within a couple of days. This is in addition to lifestyle changes (including copious amounts of water, improved hygiene and fewer carbs/refined sugars in most cases) but was clearly the turning point in each case. Considering how many women suffer from these painful, sometimes debilitating, infections, it’s worth taking note. If the infection is chronic, then mucus membrane tonics need to also be considered. And if the infection backs way off but still won’t quit, I usually add some Alder to the mix.

Another resoundingly effective treatment has been with Goldenrod liniment/oil for muscular cramps. This has a wide range of external uses, from eyelid twitches to severe uterine cramps to separated muscles. I make a pain liniment with Goldenrod and Cottonwood/Poplar as primary ingredients that’s so effective and popular with clients that I can hardly keep it stocked . Again, take note, these are incredibly common plants that are easily used by anyone.

Evening Primrose (Oenthera spp.) tea/infusion/tincture is an effective, very nourishing and fairly tasty tonic for the female (and probably male too) reproductive system, very nice for making cramps more manageable. It’s a gentle, sweet little plant that also has a variety of applications for the GI system and lungs, among other things.

Monkeyflower (Mimulus spp.) is a wonderful spirit lifting nervine that can be just great for doom and gloom depression, and a decided lack of joy in life. Just amazing with Milky Oats for depression from burnout.

There’s lots more, but these are very useful therapeutic tips you may not see elsewhere. If you want to know more about these plants and what I’ve written about them, be sure to utilize that handy search box over there to the left.

P.S. The fiddling’s coming steadily along, I’m still working on House of the Rising Sun and have added In the Pines, and Cold Rain & Snow. I do love my Old-Timey tunes. I’m currently learning from sheet music but I hope to get over that soon and learn by ear instead.

Yesterday I came across a gorgeous field full of Dune Evening Primrose, Ambrosia spp. and Orobanche cooperi. While it’s not uncommon to see small stands of Orobanche here and there, I’ve never seen so many in one place. They peeked up from between the taller plants, all beautiful and strange in their purple flowered parasitic glory. Pulled from the ground, they rather resemble a purple tinged asparagus in many ways especially since they have small scales instead of leaves. I use the whole plant, especially the fleshy (and flesh colored) roots. It’s not very common, especially outside the SW, so I follow Michael Moore’s advice and only gather one out every four visible.

This lovely plant goes by a host of sometimes unlovely common names such as broomrape and cancer root. It has a host of traditional uses including for infection, wound treatment and as a lung tonic, nervine and treatment for various reproductive imbalances. Scientific research indicates that a close relative is remarkably active against gram positive bacteria.  It has sometimes been used as a potato like food as well. The taste and uses seem to be somewhat dependent on what the plant is parasitizing. In this particular case, they were attached to the abundant Ambrosias populating the riverside meadow. Expect to see lots more on this lovely herb in the near future.

The Evening Primrose are having a wonderful year, and everywhere I turn I spot either a white or yellow flowered variety, especially near the river. It’s been great to have Darcey’s help this August with all the harvesting and processing of plants and I’m sure going to miss her when she heads home this coming Monday.

Somewhere between guests, gatherings, harvest season and my usual manic work-pace I’ve had the rather odd (yet insistent) 5urge to add yet another piece of pie to my plate, so to speak. I’ve taken up the fiddle. Back in the old days, I used to play piano, flute, guitar, pennywhistle and assorted other noise makers. Now I’m teaching Rhiannon the mandolin and myself the violin. I definitely don’t have time for this but it sure is fun anyhow. I’m a sucker for old-timey, traditional american music and while I listen to tons I’ve just finally decided I need to do a little of it myself. Wolf very sweetly (and quickly) found me the perfect (and cheap!) instrument and so I already know a few songs. Well, that’s if Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star counts as a real song and now I’m working on the Aran Boat Song and House of the Rising Sun. I’ve progressed past the killing-the-cat sounds and have moved into the sawing phase. Thankfully it’s a big canyon and so far I haven’t driven the family or interns completely mad While I’m learning, we’ll just watch The Red Violin a lot and remind ourselves what the violin CAN sound like in the hands of a capable musician. And one of these days I hope to get my paws on a five string viola/violin that has the full range of both instruments, from that rich deep lower end all the way up into the soprano sweetness of the high end.

I’m way overdue for the mountains, so we’re hoping to head up that way sometime this weekend if I can work up the nerve to drive the switchbacks in the high mountains. Blackberries are calling me!

WILD FOODS WEEKEND: August 28th-31st
Collecting & Feasting On Plants Of The Southwest
(for men, women & families)

Join the delight-filled Loba, Wolf and myself at our enchanted wildlife sanctuary, for 2 days of deep presence and connection to nature… learning to identify, gather, preserve and prepare some of the many wild foods of the mountainous and riparian Southwest. You’ll arrive Thursday Noon and leave Sunday, sleeping in riverside tents and cozy cabins, and feasting on wild fare that you help to gather and cook.  Learn about ecological restoration and sense of place while becoming intimate with the spirits and uses of plants like stinging nettle, dock, clover, lamb’s quarters, dandelion, acorns, wild grape leaves and grapes, and wild olives.  Learn to dry, salt-cure, and grind on an ancient stone metate as the herons croak and eagles soar overhead!  Sliding scale donation, with no one turned away for lack of funds.

For more information, read Wolf’s inspiring Wild Foods article.

To attend, please download, fill out and return the event Registration Form: wild-foods-weekend-reg.doc

Thanks Much!   -Kiva Rose

If you are interested in participating in either branch of this study, please contact Robin at robin@robinrosebennett.com (www.wisewomanhealingways.com) and/or Mischa at wildcarrotherbs@gmail.com (www.wildcarrotherbs.com)

The potential participant form will be e-mailed or mailed out to you upon request.

They are also teaching a class on Wild Carrot at the Women’s Herbal Conference in Peterborough, NH, August 22-24 (www.sagemountain.com)

Latin Name: Avena sativa, Avena fatua
Common Names: Milky Oats, Wild Oats, Catgrass
Taste: Sweet
Energetics: Neutral to Sl. Warm, Sl. Moist
Actions: Nervous and endocrine resorative, relaxant and stimulant nervine, antispasmodic

This vibrant green grain has slowly but surely become a very important (and lately, necessary) ally for me. Infinitely useful in our burned out, mentally overworked and emotionally underfed culture, I find myself dispensing this sweet herb on regular basis. Personally, this has been an important helper in restoring some of the diminished elasticity and “bounce backness” of both my physical and emotional wellbeing.

I should be clear that I am specifically speaking of the Oat tops, harvested in their milky stage (in other words, the unripe seed when full of a white milky fluid, before they become “oats”) and preserved fresh, usually in alcohol. Oatstraw and dried Oat tops are lovely, but they’re a different medicine (to be discussed here sometime in the near future).

This year I was able to harvest a bit of my own and also ordered some from the wonderful Zack Woods Herb Farm. And to top it off, Darcey often has a great abundance of Wild Oats in her Sonoran bioregion and has generously offered to harvest some for me next spring.

The plants are quite easy to grow if you can just keep the critters out of them, I lost about 3/4 of my crop this year to the beasties but still managed to get enough for some tea and tincture. In case you don’t want to buy some huge amount (100 lbs or so) of seed, you can look for organic catgrass seed, which is just Oats. You can get it cheap and in small amounts this way. If you live in a very warm climate, the milky heads may be ready sometime near the beginning of May, but this year here in the mountains ours matured at the same time as Vermont’s did, about a week ago. In general, they tend to be closer to the beginning of July, but we’ve had abnormally cool nights this year in New Mexico.

Milky Oats’ most remarkable actions tend to be seen in exhaustion. It is a profound restorative for the nervous and endocrine systems which are so easily depleted by a stressful lifestyle and bad diet. It’s no replacement for proper nutritional therapy but an excellent therapeutic agent for the process of healing. It seems to directly provide a special sort of “nerve food” for the body, to rebuild the nervous apparatus in a way that is both nutritional and yet more.

Avena is quite helpful helpful where there is mental and physical exhaustion along with inability to focus, heart palpitations, loss of libido, irritability and potential addiction issues. This isn’t a random list of symptoms, it’s a real pattern that’s worth keeping in mind.

Ellingwood may have described it best in his overview of Avena:

Its selective influence is directly upon the brain and upon the nutritive functions of the organism, increasing nerve force and improving the nutrition of the entire system. The influence of a single full dose is promptly felt, similar to the influence of any active stimulant, but more permanent. It is a stimulant, sedative and direct nutritive tonic, apparently restoring the wasted elements of nerve force…

It is a remedy of great utility in loss of nerve power and in muscular feebleness from lack of nerve force.

In the overworked conditions of brain workers–ministers, physicians or lawyers—in the general prostration from great anxiety and worry…

With these, there is so-called nervous dyspepsia, atonicity, in fact, of the entire gastrointestinal tract. There is heart feebleness with some irregularity; there is cool skin and cool or cold extremities: there is melancholia, irritability, peevishness, vagaries of thought, morbid desires and fancies, usually accompanied with autotoxemia which demands persistent elimination. With these avena is directly indicated.

In sexual neurasthenia it is the remedy par excellence, as it has a selective influence upon the nerve structure of the genito-urinary apparatus…

In conjunction with cactus, or apocynum, as these remedies are indicated, it will be found of much service in the treatment of weak heart, and the resulting complications.

In addition, there is also often an underlying sense of depression, a deep dark hole that can be felt through the anxiety and exhaustion. A slow but steady lessening of interest in life, often due to the simle lack of energy needed to maintain such interest and activity, although sometimes complicated by a deep seated emotional sadness, feelings of loss and unresolved grief. Tucson herbalist Charlie Kane states that:

There is some difficulty in describing what Wild oats actually does; it is not an overt sedative, nor is the plant overtly stimulating, but this does not detract from the fact that if you are physically and emotionally “rode hard and put away wet” the plant imparts a sense of stability.

Depressive states arising out of pushing through workload on the job or at home are lifted. The edginess and frayed-end feeling of kicking nicotine, opiate or alcohol habits is also lessened. As Michael Moore succinctly puts it, “This is crispy critter medicine”.

This is also a wonderful remedy for any case of great grief from loss. A teacher of mine, when faced with huge grief from the untimely loss of a loved one, found the only way he could stay afloat (and alive) was by juicing and drinking large amounts of fresh Milky Oats (he also found that Elderflower tincture helped a great deal). In addition, Henriette Kress says:

Milky oats is the single best herb for sudden loss, be it from the tsunamis in Asia or from cancer in somebody close to you. I recommend it both for those who are directly affected by the loss and sorrow and for those who stand beside them, frustrated by their sheer helplessness.

While Milky Oats is a classic overall nerve restorative and relaxant, it does have some very specific indications. Perhaps foremost is when someone’s nerves are so deeply burnt out and hypersensitive that they can’t stand to be touched. Even when they want a hug, the stimulation of intimate contact will make them feel like pulling their hair out. I have vividly experienced this myself and also observed several times in clients. Skullcap is also quite specific for sensory hypersensitivity but Milky Oats excels where the sense of touch is the most sensitive aspect. Skullcap and Milky Oats also combine exceptionally well for a great many cases of nervous exhaustion.

Ashwagandha and Milky Oats is another favorite combo of mine, especially for adrenal burnout with insomnia, nervousness, inability to focus, lack of libido and sensory hypersensitivity. They also combine nicely with Nettle Seeds when there’s exhaustion to the point of chronic fatigue and ongoing lack of vital energy. 4And then there’s the wonderful Peaches ‘n Cream formula, a tasty combo of Peach twig and Milky Oats that is fabulous for overheated, red-faced, can’t relax type A people who really need some nourishment and chill out time.

While material doses of a dropperful can be useful and certainly safe with such a gentle herb, I find that I often use closer to seven to ten drops at a time. It’s best repeated quite often (a min. of three times per day) and used steadily over a period of at least several months. The only side effect I’ve ever noticed is the tendency to bring on mild hot flashes in some people, that effect seems to lessen of a period of taking the herb so it may just be a symptom of an initial increase in vital force. It could potentially be too moistening for some individuals, but where it is clearly indicated it is unlikely to cause any adverse effects.

Resources

Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West by Michael Moore
Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest
Medical Herbalism by David Hoffmann
The Earthwise Herbal by Matthew Wood
The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism by Matthew Wood
Notes from Materia Medica lectures by Matthew Becker (NAIMH)
Class notes from Charles Garcia
Henriette’s Herbal
Hard Rock and Milky Oats by Angie Goodloe

A few days ago, five of us wandered up the arroyo to gather Beebalm and Evening Primrose - Darcey and I stopping to taste nearly every little Artemisia plant and Ptelea tree. There’s so much richness right now, that it’s hard to describe it. Everything is green, growing and blooming. Of special note was the single Chokecherry tree we found with nearly ripe berries. Since we hardly ever get any Cherries here we (and especially Rhiannnon) were very excited and we have plans to visit frequently until they’re fully ripe so that we can get a few before the bears raid it.

The CoffeeBerries and Manzanita berries have a growing blush, and we’re getting ready to head up the mountains for Blackberry harvest. And soon the Prickly Pears will be purple, fat and ripe as well. This morning I gathered a few small bunches of aromatic American Pennyroyal (Hedeoma) to dry for tea.

The days are busy but beautiful, I hope to be a bit more present in the near future with some new ~amazing~ flax gingerbread and donut recipes, and some new plant monographs as well, so be on the lookout.

Amber’s overview of digestive health and bitter herbs

Sasha’s adventures with Vervain

Darcey Blue’s exploration of Black Walnut

Susan Belsinger’s extensive paper on the benefits of bitters and ways of using them, hosted here on The Medicine Woman’s Roots.

Sarah’s musing on the releasing properties of bitters.

Tammy’s impressions and understandings of Goldenrod. 

Bitters Differentials

I’ve already discussed some of the benefits and actions of bitters in a previous post, and here I want to provide some hints on telling when a particular plant might be more appropriate than another in any given situation. I’ve provided my assessment of energetics, basic actions and specific indications. As usual, I have not chosen a large number of herbs, preferring to focus on the remedies I know well. In this way I’m able to provide a better sense of the chosen plants even if there’s not a huge variety. All those represented here grow in the canyon or somewhere nearby, and make up my understanding of the archetypal bitters of this place.

Moonwort/Western Mugwort (Artemisia ludoviciana and spp.) - Cool, dry - Liver Relaxing
This is perhaps my personal favorite of the bitters, its aromatic intensity teaming up with a profoundly bitter taste for an effect on the gut that is both protective and stimulating. Especially good for when the digestive juices dry up due to stress and the belly shuts down, leaving all your food fermenting and churning in your gut. Also very useful for those with hepatitis and other forms of hot liveredness (yes, I made that word up) or gallbladder congestion that manifests as an inability to digest food, bloating, looking a bit greenish yellow around the gills and a frontal headache.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - Cool, dry - Liver Relaxing
An intensely diuretic bitter with a talent for cooling and relaxing the overheated livers of those affected by solvents, hepatitis and alcoholism. It’s also a prime choice for those with digestive problems related to high blood pressure, water retention, gout and other overly anabolic leanings.

Oregon Grape Root (Mahonia spp.) - Cool, dry - Liver Stimulating
These golden tinged roots are incredibly, mouth frighteningly bitter. They’re so bitter they’ll convince your gut and your mouth to secrete copious digestive juices and enzymes RIGHT NOW. Excellent for people with a pattern of dry mouth, gum disease, low blood pressure, constipation, dry skin, bloating and a red tongue with white-yellow fuzzies. It’ll often totally right the constipation in small doses while completely bypassing the need for harsh laxatives. Oregon Grape Root stimulates a lazy, overtired liver - perking it up with a gentle nudge (or sound kick, depending on what you need) and is a good non-diuretic bitter for those have low blood pressure, are very dry or otherwise need to avoid excess urination. It’s also quite lovely at clearing heat and removing infection throughout the body, from toothaches to bladder infections.

Yarrow (Achillea spp.) - Cool/Warm, Dry - Liver Stimulating
Another fragrant bitter, though gentler than Mugwort. It excels where there are signs of heat with dryness, pelvic congestion, bloating and feeling of stuckness in the belly. It often works quite nicely for various forms of food poisoning (as do Mugwort and Oregon Grape Root). Although, it can taste and seem quite innocuous, I have sometimes had Yarrow activate digestion where nothing else would work.

Blisswort/Skullcap (Scutellaria spp.) - Cool, Dry - Liver Relaxing
Not all Skullcaps qualify as truly bitter, but the Scutellaria of the Canyon borders on nauseatingly bitter. Intensely relaxing, anti-spasmodic and digestively stimulating. Skullcap is a great remedy for those have digestive issues related to tension or anxiety. This can be especially helpful for women (or men) recovering from eating disorders, the nervine properties serving to relax food fear and allow them to be chill enough to listen to their bodies and focus on the experience of eating. Especially good people who tend to get edgy, reactive and even hostile when anyone expects them to eat, or stop eating.

Vervain (Verbena and Glandularia spp.) - Cool, Dry - Liver Relaxing
Much of what I said about Skullcap as a nerve relaxant and digestive stimulant also applies to Vervain. Its unique abilities shine in people who are prone to compulsive, hormonally motivated food cravings, especially those women with who have a hard time with the second part (post-ovulation) of their menstrual cycle. Their PMS often manifests as the need to “bathe in blood” and go on a feeding frenzy. They’re easily irritated, and may actually bite you if you come any closer to their chocolate. Vervain cools down an overheated, tense liver that feels like it’s tied in knots and the tension is radiating out into their bodies and lives.
Cottonwood/Poplar

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) - Warm, dry - Liver Stimulating
The bitterness and aromatic qualities of this plant seems to greatly vary depending on spp., location and time of harvest. Nevertheless, it’s a wonderful digestive tonic that not only stimulates the juices but like all aromatic, also moves energy (and wind) through the body when it is stuck. Nice where there’s extreme fatigue, some edema and bloating. A very nice kidney remedy as well.

A Favorite Bitters Formula (Keep in mind I didn’t say it tasted good, I only said it worked )
3 Parts Mugwort
1 Part White Horehound
1 Part Orange Peel
1/2 Part Skullcap
1/2 Part fresh Ginger

Bitters, Beverages with Moxie

Arthur O. Tucker
and
Susan Belsinger

Many of our pre- and post-prandial tipples have a long, distinguished history as herb mixtures to cure ailments.  For example, Benedictine dates from about 1510, when the Dom Bernardo Vincelli at Fécamp, France discovered an “elixir” to revive tired Benedictine monks, and he even claimed that it cured local fishermen and peasants of malaria.  We know that Benedictine today contains lemon balm, arnica, hyssop, maidenhair fern, vanilla, cinnamon, myrrh, coriander, nutmeg, cardamom, “artemisia,” pine cone, angelica root, aloe, mace, saffron, and grain seeds.

Digestives & Bitters

Even before Imodium®, and even before Alka-Seltzer®, digestives (digestifs) were concocted with herbs to aid in digestion.  The most popular digestives were alcoholic bitters, which usually included angostura bark [Angostura trifoliata (Willd.) T. S. Elias, alias Galipea officinalis Hancock], cinchona (quinine) bark (Cinchona spp.), bitter gentian root (Gentiana lutea L.), and/or quassia chips (Quassia amara L.) as the principal component(s).  Bitters, as defined by Dick in his Encyclopedia of Practical Receipts and Processes in 1872 (at the height of the popularity of bitters) “are considered as tonic and stomachic, and to improve the appetite when taken in moderation.  The best time is early in the morning, or an hour before meals. An excessive use of bitters tends to weaken the stomach.  They should not be taken for a longer period than a fortnight at one time, allowing a similar period to elapse before again having recourse to them.”  Today, among the many bitters on the market, the Czech Republic gives us Becherovka; France gives us Amer Picon, Dubonnet, Punt è Mes, and Suze; Germany gives us Underberg; Hungary gives us Unicum; Italy gives us Amaro Montenegro, Campari, Cynar, Ramazotti Amaro, and Fernet-Branca; Denmark gives us Gammel Dansk; the Netherlands give us Boonekamp; and Trinidad gives us Angostura.  The United States used to have Abbott’s Aged Bitters, which were made by C. W. Abbott & Co. in Baltimore, Maryland 1865-ca. 1956, but we still have Peychaud’s Bitters, which are made by the Sazerac Co. in New Orleans.  Many of these are not drunk by themselves but rather mixed with cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages to add zest.  Some people even cook with them (see Recipes) to add that Je ne sais quoi!

These bitters or digestives are distinguished from medicinal bitters, which are really theriacs.  Theriacs originated from the beginning of the third century B.C., perhaps associated with the Alexandrian School.  Originally formulated to counteract the bites of venomous creatures, theriacs became general antidotes for poisons, venoms, or ailments.  The most popular theriac today is Swedish bitters, which are composed of (in one commercial recipe that we examined): senna leaves, angelica root, saffron, camphor, myrrh, medicinal rhubarb, aloe, carline thistle, zedoary root, mace, sugar, calamus, fraxinella, marshmallow, tomentilla, purging agaric, English walnut hulls, and burnet saxifrage.  This recipe also had an envelope labeled “terra pip.,” a clay, and a black block labeled “theriak” that appeared to be raw opium!

“You got moxie, kid” (The Sting, Universal Studios, 1973)
On July 16, 1885, Dr. Augustin Thompson of  Lowell, Massachusetts trademarked Moxie as a carbonated soft drink.  The label accompanying the trademark filing noted:

“MOXIE NERVE FOOD, has not a drop of Medicine, Poison, Stimulant or Alcohol in its composition, but is a simple starchy plant grown in South America and the only positive nerve food known that can recover brain and nervous exhaustion, and loss of manhood, at once, unaided.  It has cured paralysis, softening of the brain and mental imbecility.  It gives a durable, solid strength and makes you eat voraciously.  The tired, sleepy, lifeless feeling disappears like magic.  Will not interfere with the action of vegetable medicines.  Dose a wineglassful four times a day.”

Other elaborate claims were made for bitters in the 19th century.  For example, The Book of Health by Robertson and Wilcox in 1843 says of their wine bitters formulated after Dr. John Thomson: “The wine bitters are a very pleasant restorative for debilitated people and convalescents.  Very useful in dyspepsia, sick-headache, heart-burn, sinking, torpid feelings, and when-ever a tonic is required.”  With the proliferation of mislabeling, false advertising, filth in manufacturing, and unregulated use of potential poisons, the FDA (then called the “Bureau of Chemistry” under the USDA) presented to Congress the Federal Food and Drugs Act, passed in 1906.  Subsequently, Moxie was marketed exclusively as a delicious and refreshing drink.

Dr. Thompson issued several versions of a story that a “Lieut. Moxie” observed natives in South America drinking a decoction of “a starchy plant much like our asparagus,” but Lieut. Moxie seems to have never existed.  Maine has Moxie Lake, Moxie Pond, etc., all apparently derived from an Indian word meaning “dark water.”  Alternatively, the Algonquin word “maski,” meaning medicine, may have inspired Dr. Thompson.  Moxie was so popular that it became part of the President’s English, meaning energy or courage.  Until the 1920’s, Moxie outsold Coca-Cola, but vacillating sugar prices, changing tastes, and the Great Depression all cut in to the market for Moxie.  Moxie continues today as America’s “oldest continually sold commercially marketed carbonated drink.”  The rights to Moxie are owned by the Armstrong family of Monarch Beverages, Atlanta, Georgia (which also owns rights to Dad’s Root Beer).  Sales of Moxie are concentrated in New England, particularly Maine.  Look for the distinctive orange label!
Moxie was originally made with bitter gentian root, cinchona, sassafras [Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees], and wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens L.), but since the FDA banned sassafras in 1960, it has been eliminated from the formula.  Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge were some the most famous advocates of Moxie.  The original posters had advertising slogans that encouraged “LEARN to Drink Moxie.”  Free Moxie candy was even distributed to encourage consumption of the beverage.

Angostura

Herbal sleuthing isn’t just for China Bayles, in fact the more herb enthusiasts we meet, the more we realize that most of us have an investigative nature.  After all, we have the nose in common—following a scent in one way or another.
Angostura Bitters has been a recent case and we had to put on our detective hats more than once to solve the mystery of just which member of the Gentianaceae is used in this secret formula.  Why we even had to pull out our magnifying glasses à la Sherlock Holmes just to read the label on the bottle!  Extracting information on the extracts proved to be another dead-end.

Starting at the source, upon first inquiry at Angostura International in New Jersey, the secretary transferred Susan to the vice president of the company, Jerry Bongiovanni.  Jerry answered a few of her questions, and gave her some history, but he couldn’t answer our burning botanical questions, especially since the recipe for Angostura bitters is secret, and so he suggested that Susan call Trinidad, which is where bitters are produced.  He did however give Susan a few tips on how he and his family use bitters, which we found fascinating.  Number one use, Jerry’s favorite is on top of vanilla ice cream!  Susan noted this suggestion with some skepticism and queried further.  His son who is a chef uses it in diet sodas to mask the Nutrasweet (aspartame) flavor and aftertaste.  His daughter who has an intolerance for highly acid food, puts a few drops of bitters in her orange juice.  A good detective saves every clue—we filed every morsel of this culinary data—and savored it later on.

Susan called Trinidad and asked for publicity as per instructed; she believes she baffled them.  After some determination Susan was turned over to the laboratory.  It seemed like everyone that she spoke to was guarded, not forthcoming with information.  Might they think she was on some sort of espionage mission?  One of the chemists told her to please FAX her questions to him and he would see to it that they would be answered, if possible (by the way his favorite use of bitters was on vanilla ice cream too).
So Susan sent her FAX—a  list of thirteen questions—along with a letter of intent and a statement that she wasn’t after their secret formula.  She understands proprietary rights, she just wanted some facts.

Chief chemist Vidia Doodnath replied to her FAX with five answers.  Approximately 160,000 cases of Angostura bitters are bottled annually.  Gentian root is obtained from Europe.  There have been slight modifications in the original recipe used.  The extracted flavors are left to stand for more than three months before further processing.  This process goes on throughout the year.  The manufacture of bitters was started in Trinidad when Dr. Seigert had to leave Venezuela because of the civil war there.  Susan also requested and was given permission to reprint the label from the Angostura bitters bottle, and Sra. Doodnath FAX’d copies of both the local label from Trinidad and the USA label to her.

However, Susan’s leading question, which she asked back in New Jersey and to the West Indies, “Was the gentian used in their product Gentiana lutea?” was not answered. From our research in all of our herbal texts, plant sources, and cookbooks, as well as the public library system we found that there are about 400 species of gentian.  All of the material suggested that G. lutea was the herb we were after, but Angostura International wouldn’t confirm this.  As Susan explained in her letter of intent, she was writing this article for an herb magazine and needed plant specifics—she had to persist in finding the facts.

Susan was lamenting about this elusive information to an herbal cohort of ours, who just happened to have been an investigative reporter early in his life.  You tell this guy “No” or “You can’t” and he’s on the case like a bloodhound.  His voice became excited and he started giving me all kinds of advice on how to sniff out sources and find leads.  In delving further into the literature, we found that the suspected G. lutea was indeed the species used in making bitters.

Angostura was also the name of a city in Venezuela, which was renamed Ciudad Bolivar in 1846.  Dr. Johann G.B. Siegert was a young army surgeon when he went to Venezuela and was appointed Surgeon General of the military hospital in Guyana by Simon Bolivar.  It was there, after four years of research and experiments with the tropical herbs of his new country, that he developed the formula for bitters in 1824.  Known then as Dr. Siegert’s aromatic bitters, as it became more widely recognized, he renamed it Angostura aromatic bitters after the town in which he lived.

Angostura is also the name of a wild tree from Venezuela, sometimes called cusparia, and a tincture made from the bark is used as a bitter tonic, an antidiarrheal and febrifuge. Angostura bitters are made without any angostura bark whatsoever.

The formula for Dr. Siegert’s Angostura bitters has been kept a secret, and how it works, the company claims, is a mystery.  The bitter flavor is derived from gentian root and other extracts.  One of our published sources reports that some of the principal flavoring ingredients are cinnamon, clove, lemon and bitter orange peel, galangal, ginger root, and tonka beans.  These extracts when combined with distilled water, alcohol, and lots of sugar help to tame the bitterness of the gentian root.

Bitter Gentian

The stereotypical gentian is a rather small alpine with a bell-shaped blue flower and rather small, linear leaves.  Bitter or yellow gentian, Gentiana lutea L., in contrast, has yellow flowers with petals cut to the base; the leaves are ribbed, large and strap-like; and it grows to over 6 feet when blooming.  At the table of polite, sophisticated gentians, bitter gentian is that rather coarse buffoon from the country!

In spite of the coarseness of bitter gentian, we value it for its roots, which are loaded with seco-iridoids.  The bitterness of these compounds is defined as the reciprocal value of the dilution of an extract still found bitter.  The principal bitter compound is amarogentin (bitterness 58,000,000), but the roots also contain gentiopicriside (bitterness 12,000).  Gentian root extract is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) at 71.80 ppm in nonalcoholic beverages to 199.2 ppm in alcoholic beverages.
Bitter gentian is harvested from wild plants in France, Spain and the Balkans.  Small-scale plantations also exist in France and Germany (where it is protected).  Little has been published on the cultivation of bitter gentian, but Bartlett writes in Gentians of 1981: “Moist meadows and mountain slopes form this plant’s natural habitat, particularly non-calcareous and unmanured soils.  In the garden it grows best in deep, moist, well-drained borders—it is too large for the rock garden.  Like other moist meadow plants it requires full sun to survive.  Propagation by seed is best, as the large, deep roots do not divide or transplant well.”  About three years are required from seed to flowering size, wherein the roots contain 0.05-0.33% amarogentin.  Grieve writes in A Modern Herbal in 1967: “The rhizome and the roots, collected in autumn, and dried.  When fresh, they are yellowish-white externally, but gradually become darker by slow drying.  Slow drying is employed to prevent deterioration in colour and to improve the aroma.  Occasionally the roots are longitudinally sliced and quickly dried, the drug being then pale in colour and unusually bitter in taste, but this variety is not official.”

To Bitter or Not to Bitter?

Bitters are an acquired taste, but so is a preference for Guinness Irish Stout beer!  The use of bitters to promote digestive health dates back over 2000 years to the Greek physician Dioscorides, and perhaps even further.  A group in France lead by Claude-Alain Calliste has found that  that bitter gentian extract shows strong hydroxyl scavenging activity in vitro.  Another group in Japan lead by Kyoko Isiguro found that gentiopicroside displays some anti-leukemia activity in mice and inhibits the growth of Staphyllococcus aureus.  Quassia extracts exhibit both antiviral and antileukemic activity.  Cinchona extracts have some antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-tumor activity.  The alkaloids from angostura bark also display activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In the U.S., colorectal cancers are the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancers and rank second among cancer deaths.  It is hoped that further research will shed light on whether bitters may help in lowering this statistic!

Recipes

by Susan Belsinger

All of this fact-finding began because I like bitters and I use them in cooking on a regular basis.  I feel that bitters enhance the flavors of certain foods.  Many years ago, I took a cooking class with the French chef and cookbook author Madelaine Kamman.  Along with her kitchen politics, Madelaine gave us a tidbit of advice that I have put in many a pot.  Madelaine tasted the soup that she was cooking, held up a little bottle of Angostura bitters and said something to the effect of, “If what you are cooking tastes like it needs a little something else, add some of these.”  Following her recommendation, I went out and bought a bottle of bitters and has been enjoying them ever since.

Nonetheless, the suggestion of sprinkling Angostura bitters on our ice cream did raise my eyebrow, but hey, for the sake of research I was willing to experiment.  Three drops of bitters on one scoop of vanilla ice cream.   Hmmm, I could barely taste them and what was that flavor reminding us of?  A few more dashes and we surmised that the taste was vaguely reminiscent of eggnog.  How could that be?  I found that we needed a drop for each bite to be sure of what we were tasting—well why not?  Brandy has a harshness like bitters, though not as strong, there are spices in eggnog and spice extracts in the Angostura.  I concluded that this was indeed a good flavor combination, bitter and sweet; and I would recommend trying this experiment.

The reason that the ice cream/ bitters combination works is because one is sweet and the other is bitter, and these opposites compliment one another.  Bitterness is a large part of taste, but our bitter tastebuds are underdeveloped.  On our tongues, we have the sensory traits for tasting sweet, sour, salt, and bitter.  Most of us have overdeveloped our tastes for sweet and salt, we use and enjoy some sour, but use very little bitter.  By adding bitter and/or sour tastes to a dish or menu, your palate will be better balanced.  This will give you new taste sensations, stimulate your palate and appetite, as well as give you a new awareness of flavor.
Take coleslaw for example—it is an American culinary institution—and it covers all four taste sensations.  Cabbage, carrots, and sometimes sugar give sweetness, sour is introduced by vinegar, salt is added to the cabbage and the dressing, and bitter is provided by a little grated onion, celery seed, and it is also present in the paprika, which is both sweet and bitter; a delicious blending of all four elements of taste.  I usually add a few dashes of bitters to the dressing for coleslaw.  Bitters can actually “bring out” the flavors in a dish.

I find when a sauce, soup, dressing, or a pot of beans need “a little something”, a few drops of bitters usually does the trick, but too much is reminiscent of cough syrup.  Since bitters are a strong flavoring agent, you might want to use just a dash or two to begin with.  A teaspoon will give you a strong flavor—so don’t use too much—you can always add more.  I especially like the taste of bitters in beans; I rarely make a pot without adding bitters and they always go in bean soup.  Soups and stews improve in flavor when bitters are added towards the end of cooking.  The aromatic properties of bitters enhance dressings, sauces, and dips, especially those that are mayonnaise and dairy-based.   Deviled eggs, egg, potato, chicken, or tuna salad, bean or vegetable dips with sour cream, herb or vegetable cream cheese spreads, white or cheese sauces, and marinades are all enhanced by a few dashes of bitters.

These aromatic bitters are well-known to bartenders throughout the world, since they are used to mellow or add tang to the Manhattan, Old-Fashioned, many aperitifs and cocktails, especially rum drinks.  A few dashes of bitters in soda or seltzer water quenches the thirst and improves the appetite.  Bitters are being used more and more in the food industry to add flavor to foods.  They are being used in soups, sauces, gravies, puddings, dairy products, and baked goods.

In my investigative mode, I’ve tried bitters on ice cream (best on vanilla), in my orange juice, pineapple juice, tomato juice, lemonade, beer, tomato sauce, tomato soup, gazpacho, potato soup, and straight off the palm of my hand.  I liked them all.  Tasting it straight, upon first split second of taste the Angostura bitters taste sweet, before the bitter takes over.  I’ve actually come to enjoy about six to eight drops in soda water over ice for a drink to quench the thirst.  I also drink this quite often in the evening (without the ice) as a nightcap especially if I have eaten late, or too much.  Here are a few old tried and true recipes using bitters and a few new ones inspired by my recent findings.  I hope that I have tantalized your tastebuds so that you’ll try taking the bitter with the sweet.

Rupert’s Rum Punch

When I visited Jamaica many years ago, I stayed at a memorable place called Scotch on the Rocks.  The house came with a cook named Wilby, and her husband took care of the garden and made a batch of this rum punch everyday.  While teaching me how to prepare this libation, he told me that this is a medicinal drink and that using the bitters would prevent a hangover.  So far it has worked.  Using Wray & Nephew 126 Overproof rum gives this drink a special flavor.  It is unlike any rum that I have ever tasted.  It is worthwhile to seek it out–I have my local liquor store order it for me. You can substitute any other overproof rum or even a dark rum of good quality.  At first taste the bitters seem heavy, but the flavors will mellow on the palate after a few sips; if you are new to bitters, perhaps you should use about half the amount called for.  You can always add a few more drops.  You can use orange juice and limeade made from frozen concentrate, but it won’t have the same fresh taste.

Makes 6 to 8 drinks
2 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
2 1/2 cups fresh limeade
1 1/4 cups overproof rum
1/4 cup Grenadine
20 to 24 shakes Angostura bitters
Halved lime slices
Ice cubes
Soda water, optional

In a large pitcher, combine the orange juice, limeade, rum, and Grenadine and stir well.  Shake in the lesser amount of bitters, stir well and taste.  Add the rest of the bitters if desired.  Refrigerate the punch until ready to serve.  It can be made in the morning and refrigerated all day.

Fill pretty glasses with ice, pour the rum punch over the ice and garnish the glass with a slice of lime.  Add a splash of soda water to each glass, if desired, and stir.  Serve immediately and think of the sun setting over the Caribbean.

Quick Black Beans

These beans are good to prepare when you are hungry and don’t have a lot of time.  Serve them as a side dish, over nachos, or roll them up in soft tacos or burritos with some grated cheddar.

Serves 4

15 ounce can of black beans or 2 cups cooked black beans with some liquid
2 to 3 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped red or yellow onion
2 to 3 serranos or jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
About 6 to 8 dashes Angostura bitters

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the onion and chiles for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the garlic, stir and cook for another minute.  Add the beans, cumin, and the smaller amount of bitters and stir.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  Taste for seasoning; add a few more dashes of bitters or a little salt, if necessary.

Sesame Garlic Twists

These tasty twists disappear quickly, so make a double batch if you are having a crowd.  Serve them as an appetizer with cocktails or as an accompaniment to soup or salad, or just as a snack.

Serves 4; makes about 30 twists

1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold water
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

In a food processor, combine the unbleached and whole-wheat flours with the salt and pulse to mix.  Add the butter pieces and process until it is a coarse meal.  With the motor running, add the water and process until it just starts to come together.

Turn the dough out and knead until it comes together, gathering up all the little pieces.  Flatten the dough into a round and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 F and lightly butter 2 baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator; if it is hard let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes.  Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is less than 1/4-inch thick.

Press the garlic through a press onto the dough and spread it around evenly.  Sprinkle the dough with 2 teaspoons of the sesame seeds.  Fold half of the dough over the other half to form a semi-circle sandwiching the garlic and sesame seeds in between.  Roll the dough out until it is about 1/8-inch thick into a rectangle about 9 or 10 by 12-inches.

Add the remaining sesame seeds and the bitters to the melted butter and stir well.  Brush the butter mixture over the dough.  Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over the dough.  Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1/4-inch strips, about 9 or 10-inches long.

As you transfer the strips to the baking sheets, hold them by each end and twist them a few times.  Place the twists on the baking sheets, pressing down each end so that they don’t untwist.

Bake the twists in the center of a hot oven for 15 minutes, changing racks halfway through baking.  Remove the twists from the oven when they are light golden brown and cool them on baking racks.
Serve warm or at room temperature.  Store the twists in tightly closed containers for a few days.

Three Bean Salad

This is a healthy, good-tasting salad to make all year round, but seems especially good in cold weather when we miss the fresh produce of summer. In season, use fresh green beans, but when they’re not available, make this with your home-canned beans or use frozen ones.

Serves 8

About 1 pound topped and tailed green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
10 ounce can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
10 ounce can kidney beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
1/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
1/4 cup olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh savory, or 1/2 teaspoon dried savory, crumbled
About 5 dashes (3/4 teaspoon) Angostura bitters

Cook the green beans in lightly salted boiling water until crisp tender; about 3 to 6 minutes depending on the beans.  Drain them.  Rinse and drain the chickpeas and kidney beans if they are canned, drain them otherwise.  Combine all of the beans in a bowl, add the onion and toss well.

In a small bowl, make the vinaigrette.  Combine the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic, savory, and bitters and stir well with a fork.  Pour the dressing over the beans and toss them well.  Taste for seasoning and adjust with a little more vinegar, bitters, salt, or pepper.

The salad can be served immediately, but it is best if allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.  After this time stir and taste for seasoning.  If prepared ahead, refrigerate and allow to come to cool room temperature before serving.

Cole Slaw with Bitters

There is nothing better to accompany a bowl of baked beans and hot corn bread, than a creamy, yet tangy slaw.  Use a small, firm, fresh cabbage to make this tasty salad, bitters give a whole new taste to slaw.

About 1 1/4 pound cabbage, cored and thinly shredded
2 medium carrots, grated
1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into very thin strips about 1-inch long
Salt
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour half-and-half or sour cream
1/3 cup nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 dashes Angostura bitters
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
About 1 tablespoon rice wine, white wine, or herb vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper; sprinkle lightly with salt and toss well.

In the blender or food processor, combine the onion, dill, mayonnaise, sour half-and-half, yogurt, mustard, paprika, bitters, and sugar and process until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well.  You can taste for seasoning at this point, but it is best to refrigerate for at least an hour and then taste for seasoning.

Refrigerate the slaw for at least an hour before serving; it can be made in advance.  Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, mayonnaise, paprika, sugar or vinegar.  Let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Vanilla Flan with Bitters

I was inspired to make this vanilla-scented flan with bitters, after I tasted vanilla ice cream with Angostura bitters sprinkled on top.  I found it to be a pleasant flavor combination.  This smooth flan is complimented by the bittersweet caramel.  Making caramel is quite a simple process, but you need to take care when working with hot caramel because it can stick and burn.

Serves 8
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
5 large eggs or 4 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons Angostura bitters
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place 8 ramekins or custard cups in a pan large enough to hold them.
Melt 1 cup of the sugar in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat.  With a wooden spoon, stir until the sugar has no lumps and it is a pale amber color.

The caramel will continue to cook in the pan for another minute, so remove the pan from heat, place the pan in the sink, and stir for about 30 seconds. When liquid is added to hot caramel it will foam up, so carefully stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the bitters.
Immediately, and with care, begin to pour the caramel into the molds, one at a time, swirling the caramel around the sides and bottom.  You must work quickly because the caramel hardens fast.

Pour the milk into a nonreactive saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot, but do not scald or boil.  Remove from heat and add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and whisk to dissolve.  In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add about a cup of the hot milk to the eggs, whisking well.  Add the egg mixture to the hot milk and whisk well.  Stir in the vanilla, remaining bitters, and salt.

Pour the flan mixture into the prepared molds and place them in the pan that will hold them.  Pour enough hot water in the pan so that it is at least an inch deep.  Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the flan from the hot water to cool on racks.  When room temperature, refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours, until well chilled.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the molds and invert onto individual serving plates.  If the flan is not letting go of the mold, let it sit out for a few minutes, or you can hold the mold in warm water for 30 to 60 seconds.

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Derrick himself is a resolute voice of dissent in a culture of compromise, and we could all stand to take a lesson in courage and conviction from him. His previous books include Culture of Make Believe and A Language Older than Words among others. This newest volume by him includes interviews with notable (and subversive) writers such as Vine Deloria, Thomas Berry and David Abram.

I’m including a small excerpt here of Derrick and Wolf’s discussion about Home and what it means. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, it’s available though PM Press.

DJ: How did you know this was the place you needed to be?

JH: Finding our home, like finding our destiny, is a matter of getting in touch with our intuition and instinct. And then learning to trust it, and follow it. You can’t pick a home by comparing the facts and maps in some atlas, anymore than you can find your “medicine animals” by drawing cards from a deck. Home, like adventure, is something that becomes possible whenever we suspend our plans and criteria, and feel our way to where we most belong. It’s not only the place our souls need, but also the place that most needs us. It isn’t where you lay your head, it’s where you pledge your heart.

The events leading me to find, buy and preserve the Sanctuary have been nothing short of miraculous, convincing me without a doubt that I was meant to be here serving this place and teachings. And anyway, we can sense where we belong in the compass of our bones. Whenever we leave will feel like we’re going the wrong way. And when we turn back, we know in every cell of our being that we’re headed in the direction of home.

As a youngster I preferred multiple affairs to lasting commitments, variety of experience over depth. I tried to love every place I traveled through in the same way, finding the “goddess” in each, promising to none. Coming here was the end to that, the moment of pledging allegiance, of marrying the land, entering into a reciprocal agreement that demands as much from me as it gives…

In about ten minutes though, you’ll know you were bitten by the insane, mind consuming itc accompanied by a sense of numbness and pain that starts to spread from the bite site outwards, often affecting a large majority of the body. Not only that, it can last for days (usually about 48 hours). Allergic reactions are possible but rare, even in people sensitive to other bug bites or stings. Not so much fun. I’d discovered some time ago that using Larrea topically greatly reduced the duration of symptoms from 48 hours to more like 4 hours, much better.

But then one day I couldn’t find my Larrea after Wolf got bit. I was pulling my little wooden chest of tinctures apart in panic as the pain and itching rapidly spread from his toe to his calf. Finally, I gave up on finding the Larrea and grabbed the Peach (Prunus persica) twig/flower tincture. I knew it worked on many hyperimmune situations as well as in lots of bug bites but didn’t know how it would work. After smearing the tincture all over the bite site and giving a 1/3 of a dropper internally I waited to see if anything would happen or if the venom would continue on its merry way.

In about ten minutes I asked him how it was doing. He looked up from his work, peered down at his foot and looked rather incredulous. It had evidently receded back down just into the toes. In fifteen more minutes, it was gone except a linger sense of numbness that cleared up in about three hours. I thought maybe it was a fluke, but we’ve repeated the results a couple more times now. One application and quick resolution. Very impressive.

One day not long ago I found myself using Peach in the morning to calm my nerves, Peach in the afternoon for a venomous insect and Peach in the evening for mild altitude sickness in a pregnant guest, all with great results. A very very useful little plant.

As an aside on those bad little bugs, the most dangerous part of them is not the bite but the fact that they sometimes carry a parasite that can result in Chagas disease, an potentially deadly form of Sleeping Sickness in the Americas. To help avoid contracting the parasite, be sure to wash your hands after touching them (and keep your hands away from your mouth, eyes and other mucus membranes in the meantimes) and try to catch the bug at once so it doesn’t have a chance to excrete on or near the wound it’s just inflicted upon you (you know how parasites love feces). And now that I’ve freaked you out good and proper, I’ll tell you I had rattlesnake for supper last night too.

~More lovely Peach Pics from Wikipedia until I take my own~

This post contains some of my ramblings and ponderings about this very special plant. This isn’t an all-compassing portrait of the herb but rather notes from my own experience plus research and the wise words of other herbalists. Being such a complex plant, I expect my opinions and experiences to grow and possibly change in the coming years. I hope that my explorations expand your own horizons and inspire you to cultivate and work with this beautiful being.

While I am rarely enamored of plants that come from further away than the catron county line, I have become steadily more infatuation and interested in the Winter Cherry, better known as Ashwagandha. A common plants in parts of India, I have discovered that it also thrives right here in New Mexico.

My many Ashwagandha babies are doing remarkably well. Actually they might be doing better than anything else in my little weed patch, with only the bountiful Sages anywhere near as fecund and vital. This nightshade family member thrives in our somewhat sandy soil and soaring temperatures. It’s very drought resistant but certainly appreciates a good daily drink. I started with six small plants purchased from Richter’s and then planted a few packets of seeds as well. I do believe that every ~single~ seed sprouted and is now growing like manic tomatoes towards the sun. I have to tell you, I’m impressed with their vitality and drive. They’re beautiful too, with their smooth green leaves and delicate, golden flowers. So far the only problem has been the slugs, which I’ve never had before but the plants are still growing in spite of them.

Ashwagandha has been quite the darling of alt. medicine headlines these last few years and is widely touted as the “Indian Ginseng” and as a primary adaptogen. Whatever the hype, I find Ashwagandha to be quite remarkable on many levels. One, it will actually grow here, and that’s a miracle in itself. Two, the roots can be used for medicine after a single season. Three, it’s one of the only calming adaptogens appropriate for individuals with anxiety. In fact, many people successfully take it to combat insomnia stemming from tension coupled with exhaustion .

In reality, this really is an intensely multi-faceted and useful herb, so much so that it has been called a near panacea by a number of practicing herbalists. While it certainly has constitutional subtleties it’s true that it can be used in a wide variety of situation with all kinds of people, and specifically wherever there is deficiency with nervousness. For a sampling, check out Michael Tierra’s overview of its uses:

Ashwagandha is specific for a wide range of conditions including arthritic inflammation, anxiety, insomnia, for respiratory disorders including emphysema, asthma bronchitis and coughs, for insomnia, nervous disorders, gynecological disorders, especially functional female infertility, male infertility and impotence. Ashwagandha can be used for a wide variety of conditions ranging from wasting diseases such as TB and AIDS to all chronic upper respiratory diseases; being rejuvenative, it can be used for degenerative symptoms attendant to aging or mal-development and growth; for neurological diseases including general anxiety, nervousness, depression and insomnia; weak digestive fire; fluid retention caused by lowered body metabolism and last but certainly not least, for low sexual libido.

Of course, its effects (as with all remedies) will be most profound when it is particularly suited to an individual. Great Lakes herbalist jim mcdonald has some excellent and insights on its specific indications that are worth taking to heart:

ashwangandha is exceptional for when your adrenal burnout isn’t something that’s happening, but has happened (maybe awhile ago). You’re exhausted, but you can’t sleep, and when you do you don’t sleep deeply; maybe you’re troubled by dreams. You can’t think quite straight, your concentration is shot. You might find yourself more and more irritable. Perhaps your libido has also crashed, or is in other ways unreliable (interested, but can’t focus)

But you’re still doing doing doing, because that’s what you do. And you’ll run yourself ragged before you let burnout stop you.

well, its still very useful before you get that bad, and it’d be a great idea to make use of it earlier rather than later. It really works well in instances that Milky Oats and Nettle work well in, but it’ll help more with sleep and is perhaps more sustaining if what’s stressing you out isn’t going away any time soon.

That’s right on with my experience. jim’s picture essentially describes me on my down days, when I’ve fallen back in the burnout hole. For me, Ashwagandha feels deeply supportive and nourishing to my depleted hormonal processes. It and Monkeyflower are about the only things that help me sleep through the night without me waking up worrying about something I’m too tired to deal with. It seems to increase the quality of energy available for immediate use, switching the body over from a buzzy, strung out feeling to a deeper, more steady stream of energy. I think this is especially vital for those of us who have been stimulant addicts of any kind and are used to (and even enjoy) that jittery speed gained from artificial stimulation. Withania helps to re-aquaint the body with a less-draining, and far more grounded type of energy. It pairs very nicely with Milky Oats for this type of case and if something more cooling is needed to offset Ashwagandha’s warming energy, then use Rose or Peach. For those who are so burnt out as to have no energy left at all, try with Nettle seeds, they work very well together. My favorite personal formula for adrenal exhaustion at the moment (subject to change) is: 2 parts Ashwagandha, 2 parts Nettle, 1 part Peach, and 1/2 part each Lemon Balm and Rose. This is very cooling and calming, and could be made a bit more stimulating and warming with the omission of the Peach and the addition of Rosemary in its stead and a 1/2 part fresh Ginger. If there is also low blood pressure then a part of Licorice root might be nice. It all depends on what’s going on with the individual of course, and the formula must be created to suit that rather than some rote bit of book text.

Besides its incredible usefulness in adrenal exhaustion, I have found it very helpful in the treatment of Lupus. This is especially true when it is combined with Nettle and Elderberry to supplement the kidneys and as an immune system modulator. David Winston also discusses this in his exploration of Withania in his Harmony Remedies:

This herb is one of the Rasayana (rejuvenative) herbs of Ayurveda. It is one of the few calming adaptogens and has traditionally been used for anxiety, bad dreams, mild OCD, insomnia, and nervous exhaustion. It acts as an antispasmodic & antiinflammatory and is very useful for fibromyalgia (with Kava and Scullcap), restless leg syndrome, mild Tourette’s syndrome, and osteo-arthritis. It is an immune amphoteric useful for hyper- and hypo-immune conditions. I find it especially useful for autoimmune conditions affecting the muscles and joints such as rheumatoid arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, polymyositis, and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). It enhances male fertility (sperm count and sperm motility) and, due to its iron content, it benefits iron-deficient anemia. Ashwagandha also stimulates thyroid function. Studies in mice showed significant increases of serum T3(18%) andT4(111%) after 20 days of use.

I have utilized it in many chronic illnesses, including hepatitis C, lupus and cancer. In addition to its amphoteric effect on the immune system, it is also hepatoprotective and has a beneficial effect upon the metabolic system. It should be considered wherever there is nervousness and exhaustion in any chronic disease. It has the capacity to greatly increase vitality, sense of well-being while reducing anxiety and fatigue.

Withania has a long reputation as an aphrodisiac, usually in men. Generally, I take such a label to mean the plant is an overall restorative to the body (especially the endocrine system) which Ashwagandha surely is. However, it also seems to be much more directly stimulating to the libido, sending a lot of energy to pelvic area and perking up even the saddest libido, in men and women alike. This isn’t a universal effect, but seems more frequent in people with wiped out adrenals, chronic fatigue and the resulting “too tired to be turned on” syndrome. It can also cause very interesting dreams of the erotic nature. I’ve seen that about a half a dozen times now, especially in women (but that might be because I work with a higher proportion of women than men). It is popularly dubbed “a man’s herb” which is about as silly as calling Black Cohosh “a woman’s herb”, both are tremendously helpful for both genders. Appropriate use depends much more on constitution and current situation than gender.

I used to hate the taste, abhorred it really. These days I find myself craving it and have actually made a wonderfully tasty Ashwagandha ghee that I use as a condiment. It’s traditional in Ayurveda to add the powdered root to milk and ghee. It also makes a nice honey paste, especially with Rose. The powder is a great addition to many smoothies when blended with Cardamom and dates (this seems to be a universal thing, I’ve had six different herbalists tell me how much they like this combo). And you’ll get more of its wonderful nutritional value if you take the powder as well. I find the decoction is unpleasant, and generally stick with food-like preparations or the tincture, which works quite nicely. While most people figure the tincture dosage by the dropperful I prefer 3-5 drop doses, at least for myself and for others with very sensitive nervous systems.

Like many tonic/adaptogenic herbs, it generally works best taken over the long term. I recommend giving it at least three to five weeks to really soak into the body and influence overall function. It does appear to start affecting the adrenals in a much shorter time, and I’ve seen noticeable improvement in mood, stress capacity and libido in as little as six hours (two doses). It’s very important to use quality root, not mediocre imported three year old powder. I prefer the cut/sifted root because it’s usually more intact and fresh tasting, or have it powdered on demand by a supplier. If possible, buy from a reputable small herb farm like Pacific Botanicals or Zack Woods Herb Farm. I don’t really like buying from anyone though, which I why I’m growing so many this year, and cheerfully sacrificing my scarce water to their thirsty roots.

The leaves also make a lovely salve (if you can get the slugs to quit eating them long enough to harvest some) that can be used as an all purpose healing ointment. More details on that as I get to know it better.

Like all herbs, Ashwagandha has its quirks. Some deficient people find it stimulating rather than relaxing — this is rare, but it does happen. Also, it causes some people sweat more. I’ve not read this, only experienced it and seen it in clients. It may be because of how efficiently the plants switch the body from “fight or flight” sympathetic response to “rest and restore” parasympathetic response, which can indeed amp up the general sweat activity of the body. More importantly, some people find it too “yang” for their temperament. This is usually in people who don’t really need the herb anyway, being of an already robust constitution. This reaction will manifest as fits of anger, jitteriness, and general excessive nervous energy. Also it will sometimes bring on hot flash in people with wacked out endocrine systems, which could include some menopausal women and certainly includes myself (though I am not yet menopausal). Many herbalists consider the herb to actually nourish the kidney yin (vital fluids/moisture) so I’m guessing this is just the warming temperature. I find this to be the most unfortunate side effect, though formulating it with Nettles, Rose, Peach or other cooling herbs significantly helps to moderate the heating effect. All that said, Ashwagandha has a long history of traditional use, and is essentially free of toxicity and safe for even children to take in most cases.

Caution: Traditional wisdom advises that most supplementing herbs (including Ashwagandha) not be taken during acute illness. While this is a traditional remedy for lactation and pregnancy, I suggest using it in smaller doses during these times. Also, proceed carefully if you have a known allergy of the Nightshade family.

Resources:

Forum writings and personal correspondence with jim mcdonald
personal correspondence with Darcey Blue
personal correspondence with Ananda Wilson
Adaptogens by David Winston
Harmony Remedies by David Winston
Herbal Therapy & Supplements by David Winston and Merrily Kuhn
Women, Hormones & The Menstrual Cycle (Rev. edition) by Ruth Trickey
Notes from an endocrine system lecture by Matthew Wood
Ashwagandha Monograph by Michael Tierra
Adaptogen Chart by Michael Moore

~Withania Flower pic (c) 2008 J. Wolf Hardin~

Here you’ll find indications and specifics for a small number of relaxing nervine herbs. I have not chosen the most popular remedies of commerce but rather the plants I have worked with most intimately and who I have used time and time again. I’m not attempting to give you a huge overview of all the ways they can be used either, instead I’m laying out the ways I have seen each herb excel and pointing out some of the connections and insights I have gained through my relationships with them. Previous posts on specific herbs are linked to in the title heading of that herb. You can find a past incarnation of my Nervine Differentials right here. Some bits of it can be found integrated into this current post, but most of this is new, refined or otherwise changed.

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Vervain (Verbena spp.) - Cool, dry - Flowering tops - Bitter

A lifesaver when you’re so irate and uptight you could dismember the nearest living creature, with tense, tweaked, tied up in knots neck and shoulders. Great for PMS in women who have a harder time with the second half of their cycle and get ~intense~ food cravings. I call the particular feeling and intensity of feeling that are part and parcel of the indications for this herb “the need to bathe in blood” not so much in the sense of being angry or murderous but of having that much intensity, a kind of emotional/bodily tension that’s built up and has nowhere to go, and leaves your hair on end, your hands shaking and the people around you looking at you like you’re a crazed animal. It has the capacity to literally empty the head of all thought and stress where it is specifically indicated. I have personally felt and seen the neck muscles unkink and relax after a two drop dose.

Vervain is one of those funny herbs that effects different people in very different ways, some perceive it as a gentle nervine and others as a mind altering substance. Please be sitting down the first time you try it. Small doses are most appropriate here, if it’s going to work it’ll work in ten or less drops usually. Beside, very large doses can make you nauseous (really really nauseous, very unpleasant). Great for the irritable, restless phase of feverish viruses too, probably best taken hot as a diaphoretic tea for this purpose.

Many of the base indications here come from Flower Essence literature, Michael Moore and Matt Wood, and I have proved and expanded them many times over in the last several years.

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ChokeCherry (Prunus virginiana) - Cool, dry - Bark, flowers - Sweet, aromatic, bitter

Where the stress is centered in the heart/chest region, and threatening to keep you from breathing. A feeling of pressure or constriction around the lungs and heart is common. Heart palpitations or pounding may occur, as well as nervous stomach and shakiness. There’s also often signs of heat such as a red tongue, flushing, sensations of excessive heat and inflammation throughout the body. The symptoms will often have a normally sane, articulate and well managed person ready to climb the nearest wall or down the closest bottle of Valium. Five drop doses are usually quite sufficient to calm, and ten drops will usually stop a full blown set of heart palpitation gently but firmly.

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Rose (Rosa spp.) - Cool, dry - Flowers, leaves, hips - Sweet, sour, bitter

Indicated by feeling deep stress and fear, with an underlying sense of vulnerability, distrust, defensiveness and even paranoia. The person will often act aggressively or defensively (thorns) in order to hide or submerge fear, pain and the resulting stress. Especially appropriate for wounding focused around or deeply affecting sexuality and romantic relationships.

Can be very helpful to those feeling a deep, numbing depression that is once again, underlaid by fear. Rose people are often terrified of abandonment and betrayal, showing that at their deepest level, they are struggling with the balance between vulnerability and boundaries. For the best effect, it often needs to be taken in small doses over a long period of time. Varieties with a strong fragrance and large thorns are often the most helpful in my experience.

All that said, it teams up with Monkeyflower for an excellent kind of rescue remedy for trauma, hysteria and acute stress. It’s action here is more general, being both relaxing and supportive.

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Skullcap/Blisswort (Scutellaria spp.) - Cool, dry - Flowering tops - bitter

For nerves so frayed they’re about to snap, resulting in a very emotionally labile and reactive person. “At the end of their rope” is a very good way of describing it. These people have a tendency to flip out over (seemingly) nothing. They feel as if every sound, touch and bit of light is personally attacking them. Sensory hypersensitivity, as it were. They are exhausted on a deep level and need nourishment in the form of rest, nutrient dense food and nervous system restoratives. Blisswort is a phenomenal restorative especially for those with nervous exhaustion as a result of burned out adrenals.

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Monkeyflower (Mimulus spp.) - Neutral, moist - Flowering tops - Sweet

For sadness and stress accompanied by a sense of joylessness and lack of wonder. A true sunshine remedy that brightens the spirits and can alleviate mild to moderate depression. It has also proven helpful for when someone is wound up on stimulants of any kind, to bring them back to earth from a hyped up, strung out place. Likewise, it can very useful when someone is hysterical to the point of being paranoid, unreasonable and frantic. It won’t sedate them into a stoned out kind of place, merely bring them back to the present moment and solid ground. I’ve also seen it help alleviate chronic insomnia with restlessness and frequent waking.

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Sage (Salvia spp) - Warm, dry (fluids), moist (oils) - Leaves and flowering tops - Aromatic

Nervous exhaustion with shaking, tremors and a sense of chronic inner trembling. Panic attacks with heart palpitations, nervous headaches and a feeling of shaking loose from the body. An excellent nervous system restorative on par with Skullcap and Milky Oats, but quite underused. Also wonderful for waking up the mind, increasing memory and awareness while staying grounded and calm. Even the smell of Sage infused oil is deeply calming and healing for me.

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Peach (Prunus persica) - Cool, moist - Bark, leaf, flower - Sweet, sour, bitter

Milder than Chokecherry, and better suited for overall stress that is felt throughout the body. For those prone to frequent adrenalin rushes, dry tissues and signs of heat. In dry, hot summer a cup of Peach leaf tea is like laying back in the river and just letting the water flow over you. Traditionally used to soften the delivery of bad news, punishment or grief. It takes the stress response down a few notches, allowing for better integration and presence. Well suited for the dryness, hot flashes and tension that often accompanies menopause.

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Evening Primrose (Oenothera spp.) - Neutral - Whole plants - Sweet, peppery

Evening Primrose - Great for food based anxiety in those recovering from eating disorders as well as depression arising from digestive problems (David Winston). I also use Evening Primrose hormonally related anxiety and depression, it’s a very uplifting and calming plant without turning your mind to mush. I also use it in general anxiety and depression accompanied by nervousness and stress. Best of all, it’s intensely nourishing to the whole body, what Matthew Wood refers to as a balsam.

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Elderflower (Sambucus nigra and spp.) - Cool, dry - Flowers - Acrid

For intense grief with accompanying depression and inability to see the magic and beauty of life. Lifts the spirits and opens the eyes to the enchanted in the everyday. I find it both relaxing and strengthening, grounding and magical. Elder’s a complicated plant with many nuanced effects, don’t shortchange it if you don’t “get it” right away.

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Milky Oats (Avena fatua) - Neutral - Milky tops - Sweet

Another great remedy for grief and heart centered pain. An excellent nervous system trophorestorative. Calming, uplifting, gentle and moistening. Damn near perfect for everything. Makes a great base for many many adaptogenic and nervine formulas.

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Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) - cool, dry - leaves before flowering - sour

Cheery but relaxing. Great for children and adults who just can’t (or don’t want to) stop going going going and are wearing themselves (and everyone nearby) out. Works well for SAD for many people, and is nice for many forms of mild depression. I personally use it for panic attacks with heart palpitations where the panic is very buzzy feeling (unlike Cherry where there’s more deep tension). Lemon Balm, Rose and Milky Oats are a great combo for any number of stressful, downer kind of situations.

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