Energetics and Constitutions
Many folks will tell you they’ve tried herbs before but they didn’t work for them.
There can be lots of reasons for this..
One of them could simply be because that specific herb just didn’t work for that person. There are a lot of herbs that can help support your body in the same way. If one doesn’t work for you, you may need to try something else.
Or maybe the dosing wasn’t right. Most of the time the dose taken is very small and may not have been enough to do the job. While starting small and working up is a good idea, just make sure you take enough to feel an effect then stick with that amount
If you don’t already know your herb well, be sure to research it thoroughly. The majority of the herbs you will use for a home remedy are completely safe, but there are a very few that are considered “low dose”. Always know the herbs you’re using.
But most of the time the issue is because the herb’s energetics were not matched appropriately to the person’s constitution.
Just like a person’s constitution, a plant has energetics.
Herbal energetics
Herbal energetics refers to how the herbs make us feel.
These energetics are usually described in terms of temperature and moisture.
They can be warming to hot, cool to cold.
In many cases you know instinctively the energetics of a plant. We know that cayenne pepper is hot. It doesn’t necessarily change our temperature, but it makes us feel hot.
And we know cucumber or watermelon is cooling. When we eat a cucumber or watermelon it makes us feel cooler. Again, not changing our temperature, just making us feel cooler.
Plants are also drying and damp.
Usually hot herbs are drying, but not always. Ginger and cayenne can be drying.
And conversely in many cases, cooling herbs are moistening or damp, but again, not always. Aloe vera is very moistening as well as cucumber and watermelon.
It’s hard to put herbs in a box and say it “is” this or that. There tends to be a lot of gray area and wide ranges.
There are a few that run more to the neutral side. Not real hot and not real cool or cold. It’s something near the middle. Or not real dry and not really moistening, again more towards the middle.
Your constitution
You probably already know your constitution.
Do you have dry skin more times than not?
Do you often have damp palms and feet?
Are you the person always wearing a coat when no one else is? Or are you wearing shorts when everyone else is wearing a coat?
That’s how you determine your constitution.
And this is something that can change over time. It can change from season to season or with age. As we age, our bodies change, our hormones change and sometimes that will change our constitution.
Choosing the Right Energetics To Match Your Constitution
When you’re choosing an herb, you want to not only look at the constitution of the person, but the nature of the issue or illness. That issue or illness has it’s own constitution that you’ll probably want to factor into the equation.
You want to create a balance. If you are treating a hot person, injury or illness, use a cooling herb.
You don’t want to try to fix a dry, hot sore throat or heartburn using hot herbs. You’ll want to use soothing and moistening herbs for these hot conditions.
The same as you don’t want to treat a dry scaly rash with a drying herb. Try finding something moisturizing, like aloe or even some cucumber along with an herb that is good for treating the skin like calendula.
If you have an herb you know works well, but it doesn’t work with your constitution, add to it an herb that will work with your constitution. Balance the remedy to help it work with your constitution.
Because there are so many herbs and plants that can do the same thing, there are usually a variety of plants to choose from.
Giving a person that’s already hot and dry, a hot and dry herb will only exacerbate his problem.
Say you have a cough that makes your throat feel like it’s on fire. You’ll want to use a cool moistening tea or infusion. Something with soothing marshmallow and a little bit of licorice, to add to the moistening effect and add a touch of sweetness. Or maybe try a spoonful of honey, to soothe and coat your dry throat. Honey is moisturizing and has antibacterial properties to help fend off any secondary infections.
Or if you have a fever that makes you chill and shiver, a nice hot cup of tea made with something like rosemary or thyme or a rosemary and sage blend would be wonderful. Both of those will warm the body and help you relax as well as help support the fever process, getting you to the other side of it in a much more efficient manner.
I love lemon balm and grow a ton of it to have on hand all the time. So I tend to drink a lot of it. Lemon balm is drying and my constitution leans to the dry side too. If I don’t add something moisturizing to it, like marshmallow root or oat straw, my sinuses will really dry out and so will my skin.
Sometimes you can tell the energetics just by tasting an herb or plant. But there are plenty where you won’t know the difference for a while. It’s easy enough to experiment and try to figure it out though. Just drink a cup and sit and see how you feel. Then note it. This is probably the best way to remember those things.
Are herbal energetics a new concept for you? I hope it helps you get the most from your herbal remedies the next time you use them.
