A Herbalist perspective on Immunity.
As we discussed in the last article, viruses have a pronounced relationship with the nervous system & the “ego” or “I-organization”.
From a herbalist perspective, we have many herbs that help to support the nervous system & help relaxation and the regenerative processes
From our tea collection, I will list the two most relevant blends & ingredients to support the above mentioned:
- I love, Organic Heart Chakra Tea (Organic)-Short listed in the 2021 Great Taste Awards
- Chamomile Dream (Organic)
- Lemon Verbena (Organic)
We will discuss these in more detail further into the article.
The “I- organization” regulates the immune system – the immune system representing and protecting the boundaries between the “I” & the environment.
What does this mean from a physiological viewpoint?
Your body basically has 2 types of nervous systems (see graph1 below):
The sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous system.
In a nutshell your sympathetic nervous system is the “fight & flight type” nervous system, preparing the body for intense physical activity, but reducing your slower, more long-term regenerative body processes. Stress, fear, shock & panic initiate the sympathetic nervous system responses, which are described below.
I would argue that as a society today, we predominantly live in our sympathetic nervous system, as we feel under pressure to live up to all the demands of daily life. Acute or chronic stress can trigger an overactive sympathetic nervous system, resulting in high oxidative stress.
The immune system functions at its best in the parasympathetic state so when it switches to a sympathetic state, the body is vulnerable to disease.
Chronic release of hormones such as cortisol, catecholamines, and neuropeptides due to stress also has a negative effect on the immune system. This also impacts our sleep cycle and circadian rhythm.
Your parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is involved in regenerative processes, such as muscle building, repairing the body, alongside producing hormones related to tissue repair & uplifting mood (melatonin), stimulating the digestive organs and organs responsible for eliminating waste products of the body. More commonly known as the ‘rest and digest’ system.
So how can we move our nervous system to a parasympathetic state?
In the waking hours, it is important to have good quality periods of being relaxed, ie disconnecting from stress & worries.
This can be done by grounding your body & mind, being aware of the present moment, and letting go.
Tea is a wonderful tool for this, as it is enjoyable, social, rehydrating, and sensory.
Try our 7 day tea meditation here
Tea can act as a reminder for that “me” time, and herbal infusions (largely caffeine-free) generally support the shift into the parasympathetic nervous system. Contrary to coffee and tea from the Camellia sinensis plant which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.
A beautiful quote by Okakura Kakuzo describes this rather poetically:
“ Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the mundane facts of everyday existence. It inculcates purity and harmony, the mystery of mutual charity, the romanticism of the social order.”
Effective digestive processes are only initiated when we are in a relaxed state of mind. Too often, we don’t give the necessary time and attention to our food. This also means food is not properly assimilated (the process of proper food assimilation is also important in not putting on weight) – thus the quality of food and the quality of time & attention given is hugely important.
I remember my grandparents, who always included bitter foods (or drinks!) before the meal to stimulate the digestive organs. After the second world war, food was a luxury, and I remember them being consciously grateful for it.
I can see this at the present time, where family life has a more central role again, home-made food having a more central role.
In today's highly processed food culture, we have almost completely banned bitter-tasting foods from our menu. So start today- It's super easy to include small quantities of bitters in our salad for example, i.e. chicory, fresh young dandelion leaves, mustard greens.
Good quality sleep is also key for the parasympathetic nervous system to act regeneratively – so anything that interferes with the length or quality of sleep should be looked at
From a herbalist perspective, we have many herbs that help to support the nervous system & help relaxation and the regenerative processes
From our tea collection, I will list the two most relevant blends & ingredients to support the above mentioned:
- I love, Organic Heart Chakra Tea (Organic)
- Chamomile Dream (Organic)
- Lemon Verbena (Organic)
‘I love’ Organic Heart Chakra Tea
One of my personal favourites, this is a relaxing & uplifting organic herbal infusion with soft floral tones. It also contains herbs that stimulate and support the digestive process.
Contains: Chamomile flower, Fennel, Cinnamon, Lemon Verbena, Rose Petal, Star Anise, Cardamon, Lavender flower
Chamomile (German) is a relaxing, soothing, slightly bitter herb. It acts both to promote digestive processes, reduces inflammation & spasm, and helps to calm an overstimulated mind with gentle pain-relieving (analgesic) qualities. Here it is important to choose good quality organic Chamomile flowers. Lower quality Chamomile is very bitter and has a slight “mouldy” taste.
Fennel is a sweet and soothing herb- useful for urinary, digestive & respiratory complaints.
As an aromatic, digestive stimulant, it relieves flatulence & abdominal distension. Energetically it transforms cold in the upper digestive tract. With its additional sweet, moist qualities, Fennel is also a soothing urinogenital restorative. Like Aniseed, Fennel is also a soothing expectorant herb for the respiratory system
Cinnamon has spicy-sweet qualities with a soothing effect. Drunk hot it will act as a dispersive diffusive diaphoretic (ie making you sweat) for cold and flu onsets. It is effective for thermic conditions involving insufficient arterial circulation, in particular when it involves fatigue, debility, palpitations, and cold skin, and extremities. Clinical trials have also shown Cinnamon to balance blood sugar levels
Lemon Verbena is a wonderfully uplifting, gently aromatic herb with digestive soothing & nerve-calming qualities. The lemon notes are soft and floral rather than sour. It is anti-viral and anti-bacterial in nature.
Rose flower is the quintessential uplifting & relaxing herb. It has cooling, calming, astringing and decongesting qualities. As a bitter, it helps “heat in the liver”, specifically anger & irritability (from a 15th-century textbook). As a symbol for love, its scent is deeply nurturing, with love-promoting and comforting qualities.
Lavender has a gentle, calming action – slowing heart rate, calming the mind and soothing the emotions. Lavender flower essentially harmonizes opposites. Working through the nervous and cardiovascular system, Lavender is an excellent example of a remedy possessing the potential to both cool/sedate because of its bitter taste, and warm/stimulate because of its pungent taste. Compassion and gentleness are the keynotes for Lavender
Cardamom has warm, pungent, bitter & sweet energies that contribute to its essentially gastrointestinal stimulant effect. It is a mucolytic remedy for resolving catarrhal conditions of the digestive and respiratory systems. It has shown antiallergic actions, particularly for food allergies. Cardamom is distinguished from other spice remedies by its nervous/cerebral
Chamomile Dream
Today we present you one of our most beloved blends which is an amazing option for all the family.
Contains: Chamomile flowers, Oatstraw, Limeflower, Fennel Seed and Rose Petals.
This Award-Winning soothing, caffeine-free blend not only tastes great but also has a relaxing and calming effect. It is a perfect option before bedtime.
Enjoy our unique, aromatic blend safe in the knowledge that all these herbs are certified organic.
Chamomile comes from the flowers of daisy-like plants that are part of the Asteraceae Family and are found in many regions around the globe. This amazing and unique herb has a sweet, woody, herbal scent with a fruity undernote and a distinctive floral, earthy flavour.
Chamomile Tea benefits are primarily due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and relaxing properties. For these reasons, Chamomile has been used as a herbal remedy for centuries in many areas of the world. In some cultures, it is a custom to bathe newborn babies for the first time in Chamomile water, a ritual which is thought to have both therapeutic properties and symbolic meaning.
Oatstraw Soothing and relaxing this herb is rich in silica, calcium and magnesium and helps to replenish and nourish after episodes of fatigue..
Limeflower A sweet tasting herb known to alleviate anxiety, regulate blood pressure and reduce muscle tension.
Fennel not only tastes great but also has a relaxing and calming effect. It is a perfect option before bedtime. It’s a sweet and soothing herb- useful for urinary, digestive & respiratory complaints. As an aromatic, digestive stimulant, it relieves flatulence & abdominal distension. Energetically it transforms cold in the upper digestive tract. Like Aniseed, Fennel is also a soothing expectorant herb for the respiratory system
Rose Petals is the quintessential uplifting & relaxing herb. It has cooling, calming, astringing and decongesting qualities. As a bitter, it helps dispel “heat in the liver”, specifically anger & irritability (from a 15th-century textbook). As a symbol for love, its scent is deeply nurturing, with love-promoting and comforting qualities.
Organic Lemon Verbena
Simple, individual herbs can be refreshing and tasty alternatives to tea blends. They allow us to truly savour and experience the individual character and potency of each herb individually. Lemon Verbena is one of these shining stars that stands very well on its own!
Lemon Verbena is a wonderfully uplifting, gently aromatic herb with digestive soothing & nerve-calming qualities. The lemon notes are soft and floral rather than sour. It is also a potent anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Very useful allrounder and perfect for an uplifting morning boost and midday refresher. Great at quenching thirst as well! As we slowly immerse ourselves back into office environments and are indoors more frequently throughout the winter months with central heating drying the air. This is a great choice!
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Warm regards, Joerg and Karin Mueller, Master Teablender & Medical Herbalist (BscHons)
