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If you are new to Ayurveda and herbal medicine, it

If you are new to Ayurveda and herbal medicine, it is sometimes tricky to know which herb to start your herbal journey with - the choice can be overwhelming! I often suggest that students begin by getting to know one of the tridoshic herbs – these are herbs that help balance all three doshas.

Gotu kola (also known as Centella asiatica, Hydrocotyle asiatica, Indian pennywort or Brahmi) is a traditional Ayurvedic tridoshic herb which is also a rasayana (rejuvenating tonic) for pitta. It is a wonderful herb for aiding healing by increasing blood flow to the damaged area, but interestingly it also reduces blood flow to malignant tumours by preventing angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels). It is helpful in anaemia, varicose veins, venous insufficiency and oedema. Gotu kola can also relieve nervous indigestion, acidity and ulcers, as well as many skin conditions. Gotu kola is a remarkable herb for the brain. It aids memory and concentration, and relieves symptoms associated with declining cognitive function, Alzheimer’s Disease, ADHD, autism and stroke.

Gotu kola is one of two herbs, the other being Bacopa, that are referred to as ‘Brahmi’ because of their sattvic qualities. Applying brahmi oil (the dried herb infused in coconut oil) to the skin is an effective way to calm inflammatory, pitta type skin issues and can help with hair loss associated with high pitta.

There are two other incredible herbs that are worth mentioning since we’re discussing pitta. Chamomile is a brilliant anti-inflammatory, it calms the mind and reduces hypersensitivity to pain. It is very useful for people who are easily inflamed mentally and emotionally. Manjishta (Rubia cordifolia, Indian madder) is one of the best Ayurvedic herbs for the lymphatic system, for treating inflammatory skin problems, reducing bleeding, curbing heavy periods as well as being an excellent remedy for diarrhoea.

What was the first herb that you really got to know?
(Cont’d below)

It was so lovely to catch up with my Living Wisdom

It was so lovely to catch up with my Living Wisdom students via Zoom today. We started by talking about tridoshic herbs such as gotu cola, manjishta, chamomile and of course triphala, before looking at preparations that can be made now for detoxing when the weather warms up.

I’ll be sending out the recording to any student who couldn’t make it today, do keep an eye out for the date for the next call!

#ayurveda #ayurvedaeveryday #ayurvedic #ayurvedicmedicine #ayurvediclifestyle #ayurvedicherbs #ayurvediccourse #ayurvedaonline #herbalist #herbalistsofinstagram #healingherbs #zoom

The daisy (Bellis perennis) is a hardy little plan

The daisy (Bellis perennis) is a hardy little plant that flowers for most of the year in lawns and other grassy areas. It is known as poor man's arnica as it has anti-inflammatory and astringent qualities and can be used for bruises, burns, knocks, falls and shock.

You can make a daisy salve at home by putting 225mls of olive oil in a heat proof dish with as many daisy flowers as you can fit in the dish still covered by oil. Gently heat over a pan of simmering water for 2-3 hours, then strain through muslin, return to the heatproof pot and add 25g beeswax. When the wax has melted pour the mixture directly into a jug and then into small clean storage jars. Label the jars clearly with date and contents.

You can also make a simple tincture by covering fresh daisies in vodka or gin, then leave them to steep for 2-3 weeks. Drain through a seive or muslin and decant into clean bottles and take 1/2 tsp 3x daily when needed.

The flowers are fragrant and make a lovely addition to salads, however the leaves are more bitter and astringent and have traditionally been used as an aid to digestion and to treat digestive issues.

In Ayurveda bitter and astringent tastes pacify both pitta and kapha, reduce water retention, support liver function and reduce inflammation.

#daisy #bellisperennis #inmygarden #eatweeds #arnica #foraging #herbalist #herbalistsofinstagram #ayurveda #ayurvedaeverday #ayurvedic #ayurvedicmedicine #ayurvedicherbs

Nettle soup is a wonderful meal to make in the spr

Nettle soup is a wonderful meal to make in the spring using the very first of this year’s growth. Here in the Cotswolds we are going from glorious sunshine to snow and back again within minutes, so something warming is very welcome! There are lots of delicious recipes available and I have shared links to some in my stories in case you’d like to try them.

Nettle (Urticaria dioica) is high in micro-nutrients, phytochemicals and vitamins, making a nourishing ingredient in our food. But it has additional beneficial properties, and the leaves, seeds and roots have all used in herbal medicine for many generations.

The leaves have many qualities including astringent, expectorant, diuretic, antihistamine and anti-inflammatory and are used for skin problems, colds, kidney stones, allergies and fevers. The seeds are rejuvenative and anthelmintic and are used for adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism and worms. The seeds are anti-prostatic and help with prostatitis.

From an Ayurvedic perspective nettle has light, dry and penetrating qualities with astringent, bitter, sweet and salty taste. Particularly useful at this time of year for removing excess kapha after winter and reducing pitta in preparation for the increased heat or spring and summer. It is an excellent rejuvenative and nourishing tonic, increases ojas, clears ama and excess pitta and kapha from the rasa and rakta dhatus.

The extract is from my book ‘Dispensing with Tradition’, a guide to using western herbs from an Ayurvedic perspective, which is available from www.annemcintyre.com.

How do you add nettles to your diet - let me know if you have any delicious recipes!

#herbalist #herbalistsofinstagram #seasonalfood #nettles #urticadioica #ayurveda #ayurvedalifestyle #ayurvedaeveryday #ayurvedic #ayurvedicmedicine #foraging #frommykitchen #nettlesoup #nettletea #ayurvedicherbs #eastmeetswest

I have made some changes to my social media recent

I have made some changes to my social media recently and I thought it might be worth reintroducing myself. So, hello, I am Anne McIntyre and thank you for following me!

I am trained as both a medical herbalist and an Ayurvedic practitioner and I have been in clinical practice now for over 40 years. I work from a clinic (in the picture) based at my home in the rural Cotswolds where I also have my beloved spiral herb garden (which has been featured on BBC’s Gardener’s World no less!). The first-hand experience that I have gained from my patients, and their responses to their treatment, has shaped the way my practice and teaching has developed over the last four decades, just as my passion for gardening has inspired my use of local and traditional Western herbs with an Ayurvedic perspective.

I have always loved teaching and I run a number of courses, both from home and at other venues. These range from an afternoon herb walk around my garden through to seasonal herbal medicine making and practical Ayurvedic apprenticeships (if you are interested in these they can be found on www.annemcintyre.com).

However, one of the frustrations I constantly battle with is that there are only so many hours in the day! I would love to be able to reach everyone who would like to learn more about managing their health through Ayurveda and medicinal herbs - and this is why I have written my online courses (you can find them on www.learnlivingayurveda.com). My newest course, A Beginner's Guide to Ayurveda, is the same price as an hour's consultation with me (£95) and over nine lessons I go through the principles of Ayurveda so that you can learn how to keep your body and mind in balance by making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle - and of course adding herbs to your daily routine!

I don’t want to turn this into an essay so I will stop now, but rest assured that I am going to be sharing more herbal and Ayurvedic information with you in the future.

Anne x

#ayurveda #ayurvedalifestyle #ayurvedaeveryday #ayurvedicmedicine #ayurvedic #ayurvedicherbs #herbalist #herbalistsofinstagram #eastmeetswest #aboutme #hello #naturalhealing #herbs

I took this photo of pulsatilla in my garden durin

I took this photo of pulsatilla in my garden during the gloriously sunny day we had yesterday. As well as being a welcome sight in any spring garden, when dried it has medicinal uses too. I have listed some of its uses below and if you swipe through the photographs you will see more information taken from my book, Dispensing with Tradition.

Ayurvedic indications are it clears ama from the srotas, excellent medhya herb, calms anxiety due to excess vata, relaxes muscle tensions and spasm, relieves uterine cramps, period pain, inflammation, infections, reduces fevers, catarrh, bleeding and skin problems.

In herbal medicine it is used for insomnia, anxiety, nervous exhaustion, muscle tension, hyperactivity, depression, nightmares, PMS, post-natal depression, menopause, spasm, colic, asthma, varicose veins, colds, inflammatory conditions, skin conditions and diarrhoea.

NB You should avoid external contact with the fresh herb/plant as it can cause skin irritation. The fresh herb shouldn’t be taken internally, with painkillers, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

#ayurveda #ayurvedaeveryday #ayurvedalifestyle #ayurvedic #ayurvedicmedicine #ayurvedicherbs #ayurvedicpractitioner #herbalist #herbalistsofinstagram #pulsatilla #pasqueflower #spring #mygarden #growyourown #herbalhealing #naturalhealing #naturalremedies

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© 2021 Anne McIntyre.