Comments on: Terms of the Trade: Adaptogen http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html Traditional Western Herbalism with Kiva Rose Fri, 11 May 2012 17:26:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Susan http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-12464 Susan Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:18:22 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-12464 I like your approach on this subject. All healers must keep in mind the individuality of the client! I have a difficult time getting some of my clients to appreciate this. I constantly get requests for "instant" - can you do something for my friend who has...". I try to explain, I do not want to suggest anything for a person, with whom I have no direct contact, and I prefer it to be a one on one meeting. The "one size fits all" approach seems to be engrained in our American Psyche. Thanks again, for sharing your knowledge. Green Blessings, Susan I like your approach on this subject. All healers must keep in mind the individuality of the client! I have a difficult time getting some of my clients to appreciate this. I constantly get requests for “instant” – can you do something for my friend who has…”. I try to explain, I do not want to suggest anything for a person, with whom I have no direct contact, and I prefer it to be a one on one meeting. The “one size fits all” approach seems to be engrained in our American Psyche. Thanks again, for sharing your knowledge. Green Blessings, Susan

]]> By: Kiva Rose http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4578 Kiva Rose Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:54:00 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4578 :) Most people with an excess constitution don't need eleuthero, as it is a supplementing tonic. People who need supplementing are those who are deficient... this is the great benefit of understanding energetics (whether TCM or Ayurveda or Traditional Western Herbalism) because we can see better what's called for in a given situation. :)

Most people with an excess constitution don’t need eleuthero, as it is a supplementing tonic. People who need supplementing are those who are deficient… this is the great benefit of understanding energetics (whether TCM or Ayurveda or Traditional Western Herbalism) because we can see better what’s called for in a given situation.

]]> By: Anita Fiouris http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4576 Anita Fiouris Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:44:54 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4576 I hadn't thought of it that way but I see what you mean. Thanks SO much for the insight. In a person with a warm, excess constitution would Eleuthero be beneficial to take earlier in the day, thus allowing time to "burn off" that energy and still have it's benefits later or best to avoid it all together? I hadn’t thought of it that way but I see what you mean. Thanks SO much for the insight. In a person with a warm, excess constitution would Eleuthero be beneficial to take earlier in the day, thus allowing time to “burn off” that energy and still have it’s benefits later or best to avoid it all together?

]]> By: Kiva Rose http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4570 Kiva Rose Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:21:10 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4570 My thoughts are that it's not terribly useful to prescribe a category of plants (especially one as broad as adaptogen) for a category of people (the elderly). No matter what the age of the person, they still have individual constitutions and thus need to be considered one at a time for herbs, foods etc. Adaptogens are often considered a general panacea by the alt medicine market, but they're NOT, they're extremely useful where they are specifically appropriate. And while Eleuthero may improve quality of sleep, given to a person with a warm, excess constitution (or just someone with a lot of deficiency heat) it may also keep them up all night (ask me how I know, heh). It just very much depends on the person and the particular plant. Thanks for reading. My thoughts are that it’s not terribly useful to prescribe a category of plants (especially one as broad as adaptogen) for a category of people (the elderly). No matter what the age of the person, they still have individual constitutions and thus need to be considered one at a time for herbs, foods etc. Adaptogens are often considered a general panacea by the alt medicine market, but they’re NOT, they’re extremely useful where they are specifically appropriate.

And while Eleuthero may improve quality of sleep, given to a person with a warm, excess constitution (or just someone with a lot of deficiency heat) it may also keep them up all night (ask me how I know, heh). It just very much depends on the person and the particular plant.

Thanks for reading.

]]> By: Anita Fiouris http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4566 Anita Fiouris Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:27:52 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4566 Thank you Kiva for writing this much needed information! My family and I have been using specific adaptogens daily for about 3 years. The difference in our overall health and most importantly, our sense of well being is utterly amazing. The first thing people always mention when using adaptogens, especially eleuthero, is that their quality of sleep is dramatically improved. As we all know it is unfortunately common for the elderly to be prescribed numerous chemicals that drain them of their vitality. It seems one pill is given to "ward off" some physical issue but that pill weakens another area of the body, so another is prescribed and on and on it goes. Reading the 3 criteria in the formal definition that you provided of adaptogens, it would seem that adaptogens could improve the overall quality of life for the elderly. Russian studies show that, specifically eleuthero, promote better sleep, better stamina and recovery and better intake of oxygen. What are your thoughts about the benefits of a mild daily amount of adaptogens, including eleuthero for the elderly? Thank you Kiva for writing this much needed information! My family and I have been using specific adaptogens daily for about 3 years. The difference in our overall health and most importantly, our sense of well being is utterly amazing.
The first thing people always mention when using adaptogens, especially eleuthero, is that their quality of sleep is dramatically improved. As we all know it is unfortunately common for the elderly to be prescribed numerous chemicals that drain them of their vitality. It seems one pill is given to “ward off” some physical issue but that pill weakens another area of the body, so another is prescribed and on and on it goes. Reading the 3 criteria in the formal definition that you provided of adaptogens, it would seem that adaptogens could improve the overall quality of life for the elderly. Russian studies show that, specifically eleuthero, promote better sleep, better stamina and recovery and better intake of oxygen. What are your thoughts about the benefits of a mild daily amount of adaptogens, including eleuthero for the elderly?

]]> By: Megan http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4395 Megan Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:54:49 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4395 Thanks Kiva! Hoping you'll write more in detail about some more of your favorite adaptogens (like holy basil, licorice, and schizandra -I love saying that word! :-) Enjoyed your previous articles on ashwagandha. The emphasis on not using adaptogens as inflators seems crucial to me. Thanks Kiva!

Hoping you’ll write more in detail about some more of your favorite adaptogens (like holy basil, licorice, and schizandra -I love saying that word! :-)

Enjoyed your previous articles on ashwagandha.

The emphasis on not using adaptogens as inflators seems crucial to me.

]]> By: Kiva Rose http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4385 Kiva Rose Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:52:24 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4385 It very much depends on how your Hep C is manifesting and what your constitution is like.... because the herbs treat the person, not the disease, and every person is different. Potentially, any of these herbs could be used a good hep c regimen. Reishi might be the one I would recommend most universally. And you can read my profiles of Ashwagandha and Nettle seed on my website http://medicinewomantradition.org I don't think I would say that any of these have a general negative effect on the liver (quite the contrary) but they could potentially have negative effect on your overall sense of well-being depending (on whether you're tend more towards cold or hot, have high or low blood pressure, have signs of acute inflammation, etc)... this is why I say it's important to approach each one of these plants individually, rather than as a group. It very much depends on how your Hep C is manifesting and what your constitution is like…. because the herbs treat the person, not the disease, and every person is different. Potentially, any of these herbs could be used a good hep c regimen. Reishi might be the one I would recommend most universally. And you can read my profiles of Ashwagandha and Nettle seed on my website http://medicinewomantradition.org

I don’t think I would say that any of these have a general negative effect on the liver (quite the contrary) but they could potentially have negative effect on your overall sense of well-being depending (on whether you’re tend more towards cold or hot, have high or low blood pressure, have signs of acute inflammation, etc)… this is why I say it’s important to approach each one of these plants individually, rather than as a group.

]]> By: Dave http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4384 Dave Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:33:32 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4384 Do any of the herbs mentioned have an ill effect on the liver, which would be most beneficial for someone with Hep C? Do any of the herbs mentioned have an ill effect on the liver, which would be most beneficial for someone with Hep C?

]]> By: Animá » Heaven & Earth - Rosemary Gladstar Quote & CrossStitch Fundraiser http://bearmedicineherbals.com/terms-of-the-trade-adaptogen.html/comment-page-1#comment-4372 Animá » Heaven & Earth - Rosemary Gladstar Quote & CrossStitch Fundraiser Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:39:24 +0000 http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=570#comment-4372 [...] just finished a post on the Medicine Woman Roots blog about adaptogens, including the nettle seeds that help me stay alert without the negative effects of stimulants.  [...] [...] just finished a post on the Medicine Woman Roots blog about adaptogens, including the nettle seeds that help me stay alert without the negative effects of stimulants.  [...]

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