A herbalist's approach to management...

As discussed in the last issue, long term stress has an impact on many parts of the body and body systems, but especially the nervous, endocrine and immune systems resulting in the breakdown of physical and emotional health. It is of little value treating the consequences or symptoms alone, as they will keep reoccurring and with increasing severity.

A careful and detailed medical and lifestyle history must be taken to identify the cause of the presenting problems eg. Longstanding anxiety and stress can result in the debilitating symptoms of IBS. Therefore, by using herbs to ease anxiety and modulate the action of the adrenal glands and their release of adrenaline, the IBS symptoms will ease.

Herbs are generally used in a specially formulated mix to relieve the symptoms but the main components will address the underlying cause. Lifestyle and dietary changes may also be suggested and necessary as part of a management plan to achieve optimum health.

The normal functioning of the adrenal glands is crucial in the management of stress related/induced conditions. Many herbs act as adrenal tonics – gently supporting and strengthening their functioning. These glands have many functions including the release of adrenaline for a fight or flight reaction, the production of corticosteroids, which have many actions including anti-inflammatory action. They also have a role in the immune response and release hormones such as oestrogen (in small quantities).

Herbs from the ginseng family eg: Panax ginseng, Korean ginseng, American ginseng and Siberian ginseng (although the latter is not a true ginseng) have a modulating action on the glands and tend to have a stimulating action. They can increase energy levels but should be used with great care in very debilitating conditions where the sufferer is chronically exhausted but can be used in a later part of the management strategy.

Adrenal tonics are gentler in their action and more suitable in exhausted states. Such herbs include Borage, Licorice, Milk vetch, Ashgawanda and Gotu cola. Gotu cola and borage also help the nervous system and therefore useful when emotional health has been affected. Many herbs have more than one pharmacological action in the body and therefore when carefully selected can produce more than one desirable effect. Chamomile calms the nervous and digestive systems and helps in some allergic conditions. Lemon balm is calming to both systems, slightly stimulates the liver, is anti-depressant and anti-viral. Both these herbs are very useful in IBS especially when induced or aggravated by stress.

Milk vetch and Siberian ginseng aid recovery of the adrenal glands and help modulate the immune response a deep level (gently). Some stress herbs such as valerian and mistletoe relieve anxiety but also act on blood vessels and therefore also gently reduce blood pressure on a physical and emotional level.

Herbs that act on the hypothalamus and pituitary (in the brain) such as Vitex agnus castus have an indirect action on the adrenal glands and other endocrine glands via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Using herbs which have an effect on this axis can have far reaching effects on most body systems.

Understanding and addressing the cause of disease and ill health is crucial to a successful and optimal functioning of body and mind.

Article by Sue McCrea BSc (Hons) MNIMH, MCPP, RGN, RM, RHV. Medical Herbalist.

For further information log on to:

The National Institute of Medical Herbalists - www.nimh.org.uk and

www.phytotherapists.org/practitioners.htm