Today, a tonic for an herbalist is an adaptogen. There is no one better than herbalist, David Winston who knows about adaptogens. He even wrote a book about Adaptogens.
The Chinese and Tibetans have used adaptogens for centuries. So have the North American Native Indians, The more common ones are Panax ginseng, Ashwaganda, Siberian Ginseng and Rhodiola.
I have many of these herbs when constituting a formula for a patient. I also use adaptogenic herbs in tablet and capsule form. I also use adaptogens as herbal tea infusions.
I have been intrigued by the Alma fruit as a possible adaptogen and Morinda root. I only came across Morinda root when I started to have low back pain, and I went to Chinatown. I was given the formula,
Ba Ji Tian. Knowing more about Chinese Medicine now than in the past, this root is used for deficient kidney Yang patients.
This root is used for lack of libido, low back pain, male and female infertility problems and urinary frequency. I have much use for this herb in my daily patient population of men and women. I have now used it for asthma patients.
As a tea ( which I love making teas) 1-2 tsp of dried root in 10 oz of water, steep 45 min and take 4oz of the tea three times a day. When you are ingesting any home-made herbal teas, you do not worry about the taste. You can always add a little wild flower honey ( 1/8 to 1/4 tsp) to the cup
Until tomorrow...