Herbs and medicinal plants are truly nature’s gift to us; they can contribute in many ways to increased well-being. Here we share information about how they are prepared, which herbs you can choose, and about our various brands specializing in herbs.
Adaptogens – stress management or more energy?
Several herbs help with both stress management and increased energy, which may seem strange, but that’s because they are so-called adaptogens.
Adaptogens help create a state of balance in the body and make the body more adaptable to different situations. They support the body in managing stress, promote stability, but can also provide energy.
You could say the herb finds its way to what you need most. Yes, it’s actually a miracle that nature has given us.
Feel free to read more about adaptogens.
Which herb should I choose?
It can be difficult to know which herbs to use to feel your best.
The choice of herbs should be adapted to your needs and challenges where you are in life. If you only read descriptions or articles about different herbs, it can feel like you need them all.
After over 15 years of experimenting, we have a tip to share: the herb or herbal blend you feel most drawn to is often exactly what you need right now.
We have done many medical tests, kinesiology treatments, and various analyses over the years, and this simple truth is what most often holds true, even though it is very educational and beneficial to regularly visit a skilled nutrition therapist.
Summary of Health Aspects
If you’re wondering where to start looking, here is a brief summary of common herbs/plants and the health aspects they are most used for.
Nettle is one of our favorites among wild plants.
Dandelion | Liver | Gallbladder | Digestion | Lymph | Circulation
Nettle | Energy | Kidneys | Skin | Joints | Nervous System
Red Clover | Hormones / Hot Flashes | Nervous System | Skin | Bone Health | Energy
Milk Thistle | Liver | Gallbladder
| Yarrow | Hormones | Genital Area| Bacteria/Fungi
Sage | Invaders | Blood | Immune system | Flu | Anti-aging
Thyme | Invaders | Respiratory | Bacteria | Intestines | Cough
Peppermint | Digestion | Fever | Headache | Stomach Cramps
Meadowsweet | Gastritis | Digestion | Heartburn | Gallbladder | Pain Relief
Lady's Mantle | Menstrual Cramps | Diuretic | Astringent | Connective Tissue
Elderflower | Invaders | Flu | Allergies
Lemon Balm | Relaxation | Sleep | Invaders
Burdock | Blood | Liver| Skin
Olive Leaf | Invaders | Heart | Antioxidant
Oregano | Invaders | Bacteria/Fungi | Antioxidant
Chamomile | Relaxation | Antispasmodic
Bladderwrack / Blåstång | Thyroid | Joints
Turmeric | Joints | Antioxidant
Licorice Root | Digestion | Recovery | Respiratory
Horsetail | Skin & Hair | Minerals | Bone health
Hibiscus | Blood pressure | Antioxidant
Marshmallow root | Mucous membranes | Diuretic | Stomach issues | Skin | Cough
Plantain | Skin
Prostate
Uva Ursi / Bearberry | Urinary tract | Bacteria
Pau D’arco | Invaders | Immune system | Fungi
Eyebright | Ögon
Raspberry leaf | Hormones | Menstrual cramps | Pregnancy
Ginger | Digestion | Nausea | Joints
Cranberry | Urinary tract
Artichoke | Liver | Digestion | Diuretic
Wormwood | Invaders | Digestion | Hydrochloric acid
Clove | Invaders | Pain relief | Digestion
Mullein / Great Mullein | Respiratory tract
Anise / Fennel / Cumin | Digestion | Antispasmodic
Propolis | Immune system | Invaders | Antioxidant
Tulsi / Holy Basil | Relaxation | Sleep | Blood | Balance
Moringa | Nutrition | Sleep | Blood
Immune system | Balance | Antioxidant
Immune system | Relaxation | Balance | Meditation
Astragalus | Immune system | Blood | Balance | Anti-aging
Rhodiola/Rose Root | Relaxation | Counteract fatigue | Balance
Ginseng | Energy | Mental performance | Balance | Desire
Siberian Ginseng / Russian Root | Energy | Immune system | Balance | Focus
Schizandra | Liver | Nervous system | Balance | Skin | Concentration
Ashwagandha | Relaxation | Energy | Balance
Lion's Mane / Hedgehog Mushroom | Brain | Immune system
He Shou Wu | Brain | Immune system | Blood | Yin Energy
Energy | Focus | Physical endurance
Maca | Energy | Desire | Physical endurance
Gynostemma | Energy | Anti-aging | Balance | Immune system
Immune system | Heart | Energy
NOTE!
- Herbs are good to alternate and take in cycles.
- It is important to find a health program that works for you right now, and be open to the fact that it may change a few months later in line with the seasons, life situation, and other changes inside and around us.
How are herbs prepared?
How an herb is prepared depends on which substances you want to extract from the plant.
Herbs for tea
Herbal tea is a common way to use herbs for well-being.
Whole, dried herb is the closest you can get to a freshly picked herb from a garden, but it lasts much longer. If you have the opportunity to pick yourself, you can dry the herbs on a large towel, a sheet, a drying tray, or in a drying oven.
Herbal tea is suitable to make with plants rich in essential oils (plant extracts) such as peppermint, lavender, lemon balm, and rose. Simply put: the plants that have a strong scent.
Herbs for tea need to steep for about 10-15 minutes.
Infusions
You can also make infusions from dried herbs. Infusions are made to extract as many minerals as possible from the plant. For example, nettle infusion provides a lot of magnesium. Good herbs for infusions are nettle, raspberry leaf, red clover, dandelion leaf, and lady's mantle.
The herb then needs to be steeped in boiled water for 2 to 8 hours depending on whether it is leaves, flowers, or bark.
An alternative to this can be making vinegar from an herb or root.
Vinegar made from fresh plants provides both minerals and vitamins. Good plants for this include turmeric, garlic, chili, rosemary, horseradish, comfrey root, and ginger.
Liquid extracts
Extracts provide a convenient, fast way to get potent active compounds from a plant. They are usually taken one or several times a day with a little water or directly in the mouth depending on the herb.
We offer liquid extracts with droppers or liquid extracts in capsule form. The liquid formula is then packaged in plant-based capsules for easy consumption.
Medicinal mushrooms
Medicinal mushrooms are offered as dried whole mushrooms, a piece of the mushroom such as the fruiting body, or as extracts. These mushrooms have significantly increased in popularity over the past 10 years as awareness of their health benefits has grown.
There are water and alcohol extractions, but often both water and alcohol are used during extraction, and as a result, all bioactive components remain.
Our favorite brands
Gaia Herbs
Produces full-spectrum herbal formulations to access all the beneficial compounds in a plant. They add no artificial ingredients and are rigorously quality tested at every step. Finding such fine liquid herbal extracts in capsules is rare.
Nature's Answer
Has been producing top-quality herbal extracts since 1972. Their alcohol-free extracts are made using a cold Bio-Chelated proprietary extraction process, resulting in a holistic, balanced, and advanced botanical fingerprint extract in the same synergistic ratios found in the plant itself.
Global Healing
Produces herbal extracts of exceptional quality in a unique way. Feel free to watch this video about how they do it. The result is some of the finest and most effective herbal extracts available on the market today, which we are proud to offer.
Dragon Herbs
Offers amazing herbs, plants, and mushrooms that they have carefully selected. Every Dragon Herbs product is a work of art and science, tempered with love and respect. Every ingredient is very carefully chosen.
The goal of Dragon Herbs is to use the ancient knowledge from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to help modern people balance and strengthen ‘The 3 Treasures’ to live a long, happy, and fulfilling life.
More information is available about medicinal mushrooms.
Good luck and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the herbs!
