Herbal Remedies for Menopause

Supporting women through the Change of Life

Between the ages of 40 - 60 women undergo a change of life as their fertility declines and their monthly cycles stop. This natural cycle of life manifests differently for all women. Besides the physical changes, women also may find themselves going through life changes. This may include new interests and a new direction or purpose in life. This time can be challenging yet positive and enlivening. 

I want to give voice to the powerful and positive transition that can happen during this time. This article, however, is more focused on the physical changes that some women experience and how to assess these changes individually from a traditional herbal perspective. I’ll be drawing mainly on a differential diagnosis from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), however my goal is that those with no understanding of TCM will walk away better understanding the nuances involved during this change of life. My overall goal is to help people move away from treating symptoms to addressing patterns and underlying imbalances. 

Let’s begin by defining a few terms. The term menopause is often used in common language to describe many years of this transformative experience. The term menopause literally means the stopping of the monthly cycles. Thus menopause refers to a particular moment in time, the last menstrual cycle. Menopause is officially declared one year after the menstrual cycle has stopped. 

Perimenopause refers to the years leading up to the last menstrual cycle. Some women experience more noticeable changes during this time including erratic menstrual cycles, fatigue, hot flashes etc. 

Post menopause refers to the time after the last menstrual cycle and is declared a year after the last cycle. 

In Japan these peri-menopausal years are referred to as konenki translated as the “renewal years.” I think the english language could certainly use some better terminology for this transition. For this article I’ll use the term menopause as it is used colloquially. 

In recent years a lot of sensitivity has gone into reframing menopause, not as a disease, but as a natural process. “Hallelujah!” say many women as this is obviously important to recognize. However it is just as important to recognize that the severe symptoms that some women experience during this time should not be ignored or dismissed because it’s “natural”. 

We understand that menses is a normal cycle for most woman. It’s not a disease. However, heavy bleeding, severe pain from cramping, tender breasts and mood swings are not “natural”. These are symptoms of dis-ease and should be addressed.  

The same is true for perimenopausal symptoms. The cessation of menses is normal. Excessive menstrual flow, hot flashes and night sweats, mood swings, hair loss, insomnia, fatigue and irritability are not “natural”. Instead they are symptoms of an underlying imbalance and should be addressed. 

This article was originally published in the Plant Healer Magazine. This quarterly pdf publication continues to amaze me with its incredible diversity and depth of information. If you love herbalism, you'll want to subscribe today!
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Common menopausal complaints

In the western world many women experience the following during this time of transition: hot flashes, erratic menstrual cycles (both in length of cycle and length and flow of bleeding), lowered libido, increased headaches, dryness (notably dry vaginal tissues), insomnia, palpitations, irregular heart beat, fatigue, hair loss, bone loss, mood changes and changes in memory. 

The most common treatment for these in western medicine is hormone replacement therapy otherwise known as HRT. There is a lot of debate about HRT in the alternative health world, but this is beyond the scope of today’s article. 

Some practitioners of western herbalism approach these menopausal complaints with a western medicine mindset. They give herbs that contain phytohormones with the goal of balancing a woman’s hormones. Black cohosh, wild yam, and vitex are mainstays of these types of protocols. 

There are many excellent resources for this type of approach. Amanda McQuade Crawford, Aviva Romm and Jillian Stansbury are herbalists who write and lecture about using herbs for their phyothormone content. 

This article is going to focus on evaluating the individual and assessing common patterns associated with menopausal complaints. 

Proactive solutions

Of course the best ways to ensuring a breezy time of transition is living a consciously healthy life well before the time of transition appears. Furthermore actively consulting with someone trained in traditional herbal medicine can help correct imbalances before they are pathologies. Traditional herbal medicine excels at recognizing imbalances before they are entirely problematic. Prevention is key and women in their 20’s and 30’s who are actively engaged in creating vibrant health for themselves will benefit from this foundation for the rest of their lives. 

It is often touted that other cultures have less menopausal complaints than the women in our western culture. Diet and lifestyle are frequently the reasons given for this difference and many reasons are given in a soup du jour attitude. One study claiming increased amounts of soy in the diet the reason that asian cultures have less menopausal complaints. Another study showing dietary seaweed is the reason women in other cultures have an easier transition. Another study shows that cultural perceptions are the reason. 

I think we will be hard pressed to find the reason. Furthermore, we hopefully realize by now that there is no one diet or lifestyle for the whole population. Approaching people individually and constitutionally from the beginning of life will help us recognize and correct imbalances easily to promote a lifetime of vibrant health. 

Addressing menopausal complaints

Easily half of the people I see in my herbal practice come to see me because of menopausal complaints. 

In this article I will cover the three most common patterns that I see. Please keep in mind that these patterns are portrayed in a very broad and general way. There are many many distinctive patterns involved with this life process and much more specific ways of looking at it through particular organ meridians. A great resource for these are Healing with the Herbs of Life by Lesley Tierra. 

Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Excess 

Let’s begin with a pattern that is more excessive in nature. This is by far the easiest pattern to address! 

An excess pattern has many signs of true heat. 

• Hot flashes. In particular these hot flashes are intense. Lots of heat and lots of sweating is involved. This is the person who has to change their clothes after a hot flash or change their sheets after having night sweats. 
• Loud voice, red tongue and possibly a red face, not just red cheeks, but the whole face (important distinction). 
• A lot of thirst.
• Fast pulse
• Possibly frequent headaches or headaches associated with menstruation. 
• Excessive menstrual flow. They keep bleeding and bleeding, going through many pads and tampons in one day. 
• This pattern often has heat in the digestive tract as well this may manifest as cold sores, mouth ulcers, sensitivity to spicy foods, ulcers, irregular bowel movements. 

To address an excessive pattern

There are two main strategies with type of pattern. First we want to use cooling therapies (herbs and lifestyle). Often referred to as eliminating and draining this include many of our bitter herbs. 

Herbs I frequently recommend for this: 

Fresh chickweed (Stellaria media)

Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale)

Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Rose (Rosa spp.)

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Motherwort (Leonorus cardiaca)

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)

Secondly we want to support the adrenals using adaptogen herbs. We don’t want these to be too heating in nature. 

Herbs I frequently recommend for this include

Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica)

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)

Milky oats (Avena sativa)

Astringent herbs can be applied for this pattern as well. Rose (Rosa spp.) and schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) are ones that I frequently use. 

Deficiency

Deficient patterns are what I see more commonly in people I work with. This pattern is much harder to correct. In general it is always easier (in terms of duration and type of treatment) to eliminate and drain than it is to nourish and build. 

Deficiency patterns usually arise after many years of draining the system through bad diet, excessive stress, improper movement etc. If a menopausal woman is showing signs of deficiency after 48 years of not nourishing herself, it’s going to take some time to correct this! 

Deficiency patterns include: 

• Hot flashes with little sweating
• Lethargy, fatigue, especially from 3-5 in the afternoon. This person may start off strong and then peter out quickly. 
• Red cheeks and/or red nose (not a red face) 
• Heat in the soles of feet, palms of hands or chest
• Tinnitus
• Cold hands and feet
• Pale tongue, slow or weak pulse
• Sore lower back, weak knees
• Copious and clear urination

To address a deficiency pattern

In this pattern we want to nourish and build and many times restore moisture as well. Here we are thinking about moisture building herbs (demulcents and blood builders) and adaptogen herbs. 

My favorite herbs for this include 

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)

Ashwagandah (Withania somnifera)

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)

Dang gui (Angelica sinensis)

As always, diet is important to address as well. Although we all have different needs, people with deficiency patterns benefit from focusing on cooked vegetables, grains (if tolerated), organic and pastured raised meats, and warm foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are usually contraindicated along with iced drinks and fruit juices. 

Liver Qi stagnation

Liver Qi stagnation is a Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern that is frequently seen in today’s populace. This pattern can be in addition to either of the patterns above. 

Symptoms include 

• poor appetite
• mood swings
• quick to anger
• irregular menstrual cycle
• cysts that come and go, fibroids
• digestive complaints
• wiry pulse
• tongue may have curled edges or red edges
• alternating diarrhea and constipation
• fatigue and lethargy
• difficulty swallowing

The classic formula for this is a Chinese formula, Xiao yao san. It is made up of 

Bupleurum 6-9 grams

Dang gui 6-9 grams

White peony 8-12 grams

Poria 9-15 grams

Dry-fried atractylodes 3 grams

Baked licorice 3-6 grams

Mentha 1-3 grams

Fresh ginger 1-3 grams 

In western herbalism, liver moving herbs would be indicated, dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), calendula (Calendula officinalis), St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) etc. I have the most experience with the above formula. 

Dryness vs. Dampness

Most women I see during this transition have symptoms of dryness. Dry skin, dry mouth, dry hair, dry vaginal tissues (very common complaint). Dryness can manifest “false heat” symptoms. These include red cheeks or red nose, heat in the soles and palms and chest, night sweats, anxiety, dry stools, thirsty, scanty and dark urine. 

Using moisturizing and building herbs like shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), prepared rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa), marshmallow (Althea officinalis), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) etc, can help to balance the moisture in the body. Likewise healthy fats and oils can be optimized in the diet. Lots of high quality olive oil and coconut oil can be added to the diet. Fish oil and evening primrose oil can be supplemented. 

For administering these herbs I especially like using them as powders stirred into ghee and coconut oil and if appropriate for the individual, a little honey. Decoctions also work well. 

For symptomatic treatment of dry vaginal tissues a vitamin E capsule can be pricked and then inserted vaginally at night, and as needed. 

Signs of dampness may include edema, loose stools, thick coating on tongue, swollen tongue, heavy vaginal discharge and nausea. For these women we want to remove dampness using eliminating and draining herbs such as nettle or dandelion leaf. 

Conclusion

My hope is that this article helps the reader to understand that there are no herbs for “menopause” and no herbs for “hot flashes”. Instead we want to evaluate the individual and then come up with a customized analysis (excess, deficient, stagnancy) and then a customized plan based on that analysis. In this way we work with people and we do not diagnose or treat diseases. 


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Animal Rights, My Wrongs

When I contemplate the suffering involved in animal food production, as shown by Paul McCartney in the film below,  I feel great remorse for having spent about 14 years of my adult life in a paleo haze, devoted to the dark practice of eating and promoting the eating of animals. I consider my choice particularly irresponsible since I knew a more enlightened path.  

Although I started college (more than 30 years ago) on a pre-medical track, I did not feel I had found the my path until I started studying philosophy.  Philosophy consists of pursuit of meta-knowledge, i.e. knowledge of the nature and limits of knowledge systems, and an investigation of the general features of experience.  Philosophy includes aesthetics, which investigates how we know and identify beauty; logic, which investigates the nature of sound reasoning; epistemology, which investigates the nature of knowledge (how do we know that we say we know?); ethics, which investigates the nature of good or benevolence; and metaphysics, which investigates the most general and universal features of the world, such as time, space, and causality (whereas the sciences investigate the features and behavior of phenomena occurring in time and space).   .

Although I studied all the major philosophers of West and East, I chose to specialize in Asian philosophy, particularly Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta (the pinnacle of Hindu thought), and Taoism, because they rejected mere speculation in favor of practical experimentation to awaken awareness, relieve suffering and bring humans to full florescence of their latent powers, and in so doing had come to a scientific understanding of reality and the human mind centuries in advance of the mainstream of Western culture. 

The ethics of Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, and Taoism emphasize the principle of non-violence (Sansrkit: ahimsa).  The leading exponents of these systems maintain that because all sentient beings have equal capacity to feel and desire to avoid pain and suffering, all have an intrinsic value and right to life and liberty, and none exist to serve human desires.   The first precept of Buddhist ethics is “Cherish all life,”  human or not.  The Taoist classic of Lieh-tzu includes this teaching story:

“Once a man held a huge banquet with a thousand guests.  When someone presented a gift of fish and fowl, the host said appreciatively, ‘Heaven is generous to the people indeed, planting cereals and creating fish and fowl for our use.’  The huge crowd of guests echoed this sentiment.” 

“A youth about twelve years old, however, who had been sitting in the most remote corner of the banquet hall, now came forward and said to the host,  “It is not as you say, sir.  All beings in the universe are living creatures on a par with us.  No species is higher or lower in rank than another, it’s just that they control each other by differences in their intelligences and power; they eat each other, but that does not mean they were produced for each other.  People take what they can eat and eat it, but does that mean that heaven produced that for people?  If so, then since mosquitos bite skin and tigers and wolves eat flesh, does that not mean that heaven made humans for the mosquitos and created [human] flesh for tigers and wolves?” [Emphasis added]

Lieh-tzu (Translated by Thomas Cleary, in Vitality, Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook)

This passage rejecting an anthropocentric view of nature predates Darwin by centuries.

Asian philosophers universally accept the idea that every action has a consequence of quality similar to the action––simply, like causes like; as ye sow, so shall ye reap; or, in modern Western parlance, what goes around, comes around––as a basic law of action (Sanskrit: karma) and reaction, or cause and effect.  Thus, actions that arise from ignorance (darkness), carelessness, hatred, and cruelty, which create suffering, will cause darkness and suffering to grow in the life of one who performs them; and actions arising from wisdom, compassion, and mindfulness, which relieve suffering, will cause enlightenment and happiness to grow in the life of one who performs them.
 

Based on the understanding that all sentient beings desire and value life and liberty, and that infringing upon the life and liberty of others inevitably brings suffering to oneself,  Buddhist, Taoist, Jainist, and Vedantist sages have promoted animal rights and vegetarian diets for millennia.  When I first adopted a vegetarian diet in my 20s, it was primarily because I saw the truth of this reasoning.

Some of the prominent philosophers of the West had the same moral insight. 

This insight did not escape distinguished British philosopher Jeremy Bentham who wrote the following in his Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, ch. XVII:

    "The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been witholden from them but by the hand of tyranny. The French have already discovered that the blackness of the skin is no reason why a human being should be abandoned without redress to the caprice of a tormentor. It may one day come to be recognized that the number of the legs, the villosity of the skin, or the termination of the os sacrum, are reasons equally insufficient for abandoning a sensitive being to the same fate. What else is it that should trace the insuperable line? Is it the faculty of reason, or perhaps the faculty of discourse? But a full-grown horse or dog is beyond comparison a more rational, as well as a more conversable animal, than an infant of a day, or a week, or even a month, old. But suppose they were otherwise, what would it avail? The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?"

Discrimination against animals based on common differences between humans and animals fails as a guideline because there are humans that lack some of the distinctive characteristics that supposedly make humans more worthy of respect than other animals.  For example, infants, mutes, and some demented humans lack speech, and infants and some mentally impaired individuals have less reasoning ability than healthy cows, chickens, or pigs.

If any one maintains that it is morally acceptable to enslave or kill any non-human animal for the purpose of running experiments or harvesting body parts because that animal doesn’t have some characteristic of healthy adult humans, like reason or speech, then this person must also deem it morally acceptable to intentionally enslave and kill any human being who lacks reason or speech, such as a mentally impaired mute child, or elderly people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease, for the purpose of running experiments or harvesting body parts.  Conversely, if you accept that it is morally wrong to enslave or kill any mentally impaired or mute human for the purpose of running experiments or harvesting body parts, then you logically must also accept that it is morally wrong to enslave or kill any other animal for the purpose of running experiments or harvesting body parts.

Further, this perspective fails to justify treating dogs and cats differently from cows, pigs, and chickens.  Dogs and cats lack some of the unique characteristics of humans, yet many people believe it is wrong to use dogs and cats for experiments or food.  Why eat chickens but not dogs? Why the favoritism?  What makes one species more deserving of respect than another?

The Philosophical Basis of Animal Rights

In his essay The Animal Rights Position, distinguished American philosopher Tom Regan writes:

“The other animals humans eat, use in science, hunt, trap, and exploit in a variety of ways, have a life of their own that is of importance to them apart from their utility to us. They are not only in the world, they are aware of it. What happens to them matters to them. Each has a life that fares better or worse for the one whose life it is.”

“That life includes a variety of biological, individual, and social needs. The satisfaction of these needs is a source of pleasure, their frustration or abuse, a source of pain. In these fundamental ways the nonhuman animals in labs and on farms , for example, are the same as human beings. And so it is that the ethics of our dealings with them, and with one another, must acknowledge the same fundamental moral principles.

“At its deepest level, human ethics is based on the independent value of the individual. The moral worth of any human being is not to be measured by how useful that person is in advancing the interests of other human beings. To treat human beings in ways that do not honor their independent value is to violate that most basic of human rights: the right of each person to be treated with respect.

“The philosophy of animal rights demands only that logic be respected. For any argument that plausibly explains the independent value of human beings implies that other animals have this same value, and have it equally. And any argument that plausibly explains the right of humans to be treated with respect also implies that these other animals have this same right, and have it equally, too.

“It is true, therefore, that women do not exist to serve men, Blacks to serve whites, the poor to serve the rich, or the weak to serve the strong. The philosophy of animal rights not only accepts these truths, it insists upon and justifies them. But this philosophy goes further. By insisting upon and justifying the independent value and rights of animals, it gives scientifically informed and morally impartial reasons for denying that these animals exist to serve us.

“Once this truth is acknowledged, it is easy to understand why the philosophy of animal rights is uncompromising in its response to each and every injustice other animals are made to suffer. It is not larger, cleaner cages that justice demands in the case of animals used in science, for example, but empty cages; not “traditional” animal agriculture, but a complete end to all commerce in the flesh of dead animals; not “more humane” hunting and trapping, but the total eradication of these barbarous practices.

“For when an injustice is absolute, one must oppose it absolutely. It was not “reformed” slavery that justice demanded, not “reformed” child labor, not “reformed” subjugation of women. In each of these cases, abolition was the only moral answer. Merely to reform absolute injustice is to prolong injustice.”

In his essay “But for the Sake of some Little Mouthful of Flesh…”  Regan explains why none of the differences between humans and other species can morally justify our using those species as mere tools to satisfy our  desires:

“Whatever one’s religious beliefs, each of us can agree on a number of plain facts. Humans belong to one biological species (Homo sapiens); all other animals belong to other biological species. Perhaps it will be suggested that this is why killing humans is, while killing “food animals” is not, wrong.

“No thoughtful person will accept this response. As a piece of logic it is indistinguishable from defenses of the worst human prejudices. Consider the racist: “Only members of my race really count; people who belong to other races aren’t our equals.” And the sexist: “Only members of my sex really count; others really aren’t our equals.” Both prejudices rest on the same error. Both take some biological fact (one’s race or sex) and make that fact the basis of moral preeminence. but no members of a given race are better than another just because they belong to that race, and no members of a given sex are better just because of the sex they are. Biological facts (race and sex, for example) are not the foundation of morality.

“This is no less true of species membership than of other kinds of biological classifications. We humans are not morally preeminent just because we belong to the species Homo sapiens. People who believe that we are preeminent for this reason are called “speciesists.” Speciesists purvey as much truth as racists and sexists. A speciesist can justify slaughtering animals at least as much as a white racist can justify lynching blacks.”

Despite having been enlightened by these philosophers, thus having an ethical foundation for meat-free eating, and knowing meat is not nutritionally necessary, I fell back into believing that humans need to eat other animals to meet our nutritional needs.  Why?

The Trap

I have previously written that during the last few of about 12 years of eating a vegan diet, I noticed some challenges with my health.  Some people have taken me to task on this point, because to them this admission means that I know that a vegan diet does not support good health, and that I will eventually give up on it again.

I have pondered this considerably and realized that three things adversely affected my vitality during that period. 

First,  as I believe I have mentioned elsewhere, I did not ensure that I was meeting my B12 requirements by consistently eating B12 fortified foods or taking supplements.  During that time I ran some nutrition analyses of some of my typical diet records, so I know that on many days I ate no vitamin B12, and that I did that for more than 3 years.  I mistakenly relied on daily intake fermented foods of highly variable B12 contents, and species of brown algae (sea vegetables like kelp) that I later learned only supplied analogues of B12.  I avoided B12 fortified foods, and erroneously believed that the B12 in supplements or fortified foods was 'unnatural.'  Hence, it seems likely that by the end of those years, I was somewhat B12 deficient (although I don't have blood work to prove it; I was barely making economic ends meet and didn't have a budget for blood work during those years).

Second, during the latter seven of those mostly vegan years I lived in Seattle, Washington, after having lived in northern Ohio and southern Michigan for more than 20 years prior.  Several years after I left Seattle, I had my first blood test for vitamin D and it showed I had inadequate levels.  Thus, I had inadequate sun exposure and, unbeknownst to me, was vitamin D deficient during most of the years that I was eating a vegan diet.

Third, during those years I also dealt with some of the most challenging events of my life, including getting married (which eventually ended), starting Chinese medical school, incurring a large debt, taking leave from Chinese medical school (due in part to financial difficulties), making several long-distance moves of residence, and barely making economic ends meet for more than five years running.

These types of events are well-known to place above-ordinary stress on a person and affect his/her health, and to cause or exacerbate problems with digestion, sleep, skin health, and immunity.

I wasn't suffering from a meat deficiency, I was suffering from an excess of stressful events, inadequate sun exposure and vitamin D, and probably inadequate B12. 

So why did I come to the conclusion that I needed to eat meat? 

In the years that I have adhered to a meat-free diet, I noticed that whenever I or any other vegetarian had any health challenge crop up,  non-vegetarians would automatically take this as an opportunity to suggest to the vegetarian that the problem arose from meat deficiency.  Non-vegetarians seem to generally assume that there must be some important nutrient provided only by meat, the lack of which makes vegetarians susceptible to the same problems that non-vegetarians get. 

The thought process seems to go something like this:  If a meat-eater experiences a period of fatigue or gets a series of respiratory viruses, it is simply because he got run down by life events or had contact with virus carriers; but if a vegetarian feels fatigued or gets a series of viral infections, its because his diet lacks some nutrient supplied by meat, and this has weakened his metabolism and immune system. 

The general social difficulty of maintaining a vegan diet in the U.S. also can leave a person eating a vegan diet with a steady source of doubt as about his/her choice.  When many people around you doubt the sanity or safety of your choice, few support it, some actually demean it, and most people react defensively or aggressively when you declare it, you have little support and much opposition to your choice, which tends to make the vegan doubt the healthfulness of his/her path.

In short, a vegan operates in an environment saturated with unconscious carnism, which is the dominant cultural ideology that maintains and constantly attempts to 'remind' everyone that eating the flesh of (some) animals is normal, natural, and necessary.  The vegan thus constantly receives the message that his/her choice is abnormal, unnatural, and nutritionally deficient.

It is hardly any surprise then that many people who attempt a vegan diet eventually give it up and adopt the dominant view that eating meat is normal, natural, and necessary.  This does not prove that eating meat truly is normal, natural, or necessary, any more than the fact that many otherwise rational Germans supported and participated in the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany proves that persecution of Jews is normal, natural, or necessary.  It only proves that most people will cave in to and justify the dominant ideology, even if it involves inflicting suffering on others, when they don't understand the process by which ideology shapes their perceptions and actions. 

Finally, any person attempting to follow a vegan diet in the midst of meat-eaters will also have to constantly dodge the pleasure trap.  As explained by evolutionary psychologist Doug Lisle in the video below, we are hard wired to seek as much pleasure as possible with the least effort possible. 

The nervous system constantly monitors the environment to increase energy intake (pleasure, gain) while minimizing energy expenditure (loss, pain). If the organism detects an odor or flavor that gives it pleasure, and the opportunity cost of obtaining the food is low, the body will naturally move toward that food.  If ingested, the system rewards the consumer with a sense of pleasure that reinforces the habit of consuming the food. The situation is the same as when someone tries a drug like cocaine, which delivers so much pleasure for so little effort that the individual might choose to forgo food in favor of cocaine.

Generally, animal products have a higher energy-density (due primarily to greater fat and lesser water content) and so deliver greater momentary pleasure than whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. Animal products light up the pleasure center more than those whole, unrefined plant foods, and this can fool the consumer into believing that meat is good for health because it delivers more pleasure than boiled brown rice.

Thus the pleasure trap, carnism,  the social difficulty of eating a vegan diet, and frequent contact with non-vegetarians who blame the vegetarian’s every complaint on lack of some mysterious nutritional property of meat all conspire to sow doubt in the mind of even a very well-informed vegan and cause him to question his choice to avoid animal foods when he has no other explanation (such as stress or sunlight deprivation) for any challenges.

I was one of those well-informed individuals who got started questioning my choice to avoid animal products when some health care providers I consulted and books that I read suggested that people need to eat some meat in order to maintain health.   Knowing that my diet may not have had sufficient B12, irrationally committed to avoiding what at the time I wrongly thought were ‘artificial’ B12 supplements, not knowing I was vitamin D deficient, and ignoring the fact that I was run down by stress,  I decided that I needed to eat animal products.  Those products themselves provided the pleasure trap, and, drunk on blood,  I went from vegan to ovo-vegetarian to omnivore to Zone to paleo, and eventually, like any addict in a drug-induced haze, I developed sophisticated (but factually incorrect) arguments to justify eating flesh and used those arguments to push and encourage others to do the same. 

I feel much remorse for my part in promoting the slaughter of animals and by extension damage to the ecosystems on which we depend for life support.  More importantly, I feel remorse for following my head detached from my heart, which knew the better way. 

Wildcrafting IV: Before You Harvest

Before the harvest…Know your plants

The first and most supreme rule of wildcrafting:

Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt,
know you are harvesting the plant you think you are harvesting!

If you have one iota of a doubt, do not ingest the plant.

But before I continue, if you've missed the earlier posts in this Wildcrafting series, then here they are:

Wildcrafting Part I - Introduction
Wildcrafting Part II - Why Wildcraft?
Wildcrafting Part III - Tools of the Trade

This article assumes you already know how to identify plants. If you don’t, here are a few general suggestions and other resources to guide you.

• Consult two or more field guides when identifying a new plant.
• Know about any look-a-likes that might be mistaken for the plant you are seeking.
• If in doubt, visit a local nursery and ask someone knowledgeable about local plants to verify what you’ve found.
• Native Plant Societies exist in almost every state and they often have free meetings and outings where you could meet other interesting plant people and ask for help.
• HerbMentor.com offers a course, Learning Your Plants, a Botany course for herbalists. 

Queen Anne’s Lace is a member of the Apiaceae family. Beginning foragers might easily confuse other members of this family and harvest a dangerous plant like poison hemlock instead.

Know how to ethically harvest that plant

Once you have positively identified the plant, research how to sustainably harvest it.

• A few questions to research before harvesting:
• Is it an endangered species?
• How does it reproduce?
• How can you make the least negative impact on this plant and ecosystem?
• Is there a way to propagate the roots to keep the plant alive?
• How can you spread the seeds so they germinate well?
• How can you positively impact this plant and the ecosystem?

Later in this series we’ll discuss some plant parts, but there are many exceptions to general guidelines. It’s best to know each plant well before you harvest. You can use the resources in this series and ask specifics in the HerbMentor.com forums about specific plants.

Harvest from healthy eco-systems

Now that you have correctly identified the plant you want to harvest and you know how to harvest it sustainably, make sure the area you are gathering from is healthy.

You are looking for vibrant, healthy plants surrounded by a variety of other healthy plants.

In general, stay 50-100 yards from roadsides, railroad tracks, golf courses, and other areas that have been sprayed with chemicals. Avoid areas around old houses and barns where lead paint may have been used. Old orchards may also be problematic, as arsenic and other contaminants were routinely sprayed as pesticides.

Different chemicals stay in the soil for different lengths of time. If you are in doubt about the land where you are considering harvesting, move on.

Don’t be tempted by plants near railroad tracks!

The two photos above are ones that I recently took along one of our favorite trails. We've never seen it sprayed until this year and it was a devastating find for us! This is a very typical example of what recently sprayed areas will look like. 

Harvest with consideration for others

Wildcrafting can mean everything from harvesting weeds in public places to helping native plant populations expand. Most people don’t mind that you might be removing dandelions from their sight, but they won’t appreciate you harvesting wildflowers growing next to their favorite trail.

When thinking about harvesting, consider the other people and creatures who will be using the same space. If harvesting in a location that’s visible to others, be prepared to answer questions and help educate others about what you are doing. It may be a great opportunity to explain how pruning a choke cherry tree will make it stronger.

On the other hand, you may not want that kind of interaction while you are harvesting. For privacy and other reasons, you may want to find places to harvest that are away from trails and or popular attractions. In this case, be aware of the impact you are making on a place where people rarely visit. Do all that you can to minimize your impact.

In consideration of others, harvest away from the trail.

Think about how much you need

Out of respect for the plants and your own time, harvest conservatively.

Make a list of the ways you want to use the plant, and how much is needed for each use. Do you want to dry a pound for tea? Infuse some in vinegar, oil or alcohol? Make wine? Jelly? Dinner?

Think about  how much plant material you will have time to process, and how much medicine you can use. Home medicine makers often make a quart of tincture at a time, when a pint might last for years.

When just starting out you might have to guess on quantities, but over time you can get a better idea of the ratio of harvest to product. Use the downloadable worksheets included later in this series to record how much you harvested, how much you used, and how much product resulted.

Know the ecosystem’s limits

Balance the amount of plant material you want to harvest, with the amount you can ethically take from a given stand. A common guideline you will see referenced for wildcrafting is to take one plant for every ten plants you see. This simple guideline may be easy to remember, but masks the complexity involved in ethical wildcrafting.

Instead, think about the specific plant you want to harvest in relationship to its ecosystem. Before harvesting any plant, ask yourself “How can my interactions with this place increase the vitality of the ecosystem?”

Weeds grow fast and abundantly. It would be silly to limit a dandelion harvest to one in ten or twenty plants; instead, I may harvest 18 out of 20 plants.

Some plants have been so over harvested that even if you found ten growing in one area you still shouldn’t harvest any. (Goldenseal and false unicorn root come to mind.)

Echinacea is another plant that has been sadly all but disappeared from the wild.

However, even though weeds are often found in abundance, we still want to ensure the health of the stand of plants we are harvesting from, increase the vitality of the habitat they live in, and take other measures so that we can continue to harvest these weedy wonders for many generations to come. So although we may harvest these plants more vigorously we still have the same goals of creating health and abundance wherever we go.

On the other hand, native plants found in the wild are often intricately involved in the ecosystems they inhabit. They may feed and shelter insects and animals in their ecological community, or play an important role in erosion control. They may grow very slowly.

 Lady’s Slippers (Cypripedium montanum). A rare and beautiful plant growing near our cabin.

This does not necessarily mean you should not harvest native plants. In areas that have not been tended in a long time, they may be overgrown and need to be thinned as part of a fire prevention program, or to encourage more growth. For example, in the absence of appropriate wildlife, willows may grow together too thickly, clogging streams and stunting each other’s growth.

My point here is that there really isn’t any general guidelines for the harvesting of plants. Instead I encourage you to get to know the individual plant in order to harvest it sustainably.

When harvesting wild plants, always know whether or not the plant is endangered.

First, check with the United Plant Savers (UPS) to see their rating. This is a phenomenal resource when it comes to understanding current plant populations. Then, learn more about your local plant populations. Some plants like goldenseal and false unicorn root are practically extinct in the wild and should never be harvested. UPS hasLomatium dissectum on an ‘at risk’ list, in my valley it is incredibly abundant. I have no issue with harvesting one root a year. However since I know it is an at risk herb I harvest with awareness and record information the plant populations in the area where I live. (You will see how to do this later in the series.)

Chocolate tips (Lomatium dissectum)

When beginning to wildcraft there is a certain amount of watch and learn. Harvest conservatively your first year and record your actions. Where did you harvest? How many plants were there? How many did you harvest? What parts did you harvest? What methods did you use to harvest? The next year (or, with some weeds, even later on in the same season), visit your harvest area again to see the results. Is the area still healthy? Can you visibly see the impact of your harvest?

Get to know the ecosystem in order to best tend it. If you can, visit your harvest areas regularly throughout the year, even when you aren’t harvesting. With careful observation you may decide to take a year off from harvesting a particular area. You may see that every berry is stripped in that area, indicating that birds and other animals rely strongly on the foods there.

Later in this series you will see downloadable worksheets that include all of these questions. Whether you fill the sheets out completely, or use them as guidelines for thinking about what you are going to do, the point is to understand the considerations that go into sustainably harvesting from the wild. Create a method that works for you and ensures the health of the places where you harvest.

Get Permission

Once you have correctly identified your plant and have a healthy stand to harvest from, you need to make sure you have permission to do so.

Always ask before harvesting on private land. Don’t be afraid to ask land owners for permission to harvest-many people will welcome some extra weeding or tending of their wild lands. You can explain that while harvesting the elderberries from their backyard, you’ll also prune off the old branches and clear away surrounding debris.

If you plan to harvest on public land, be aware of restrictions and necessary permits. Contact the appropriate local, state or federal agency to find out how to proceed. (For example, in order to harvest seaweed in Washington state you need to have an annual permit, which costs around $20.)

Can you see the mullein leaves? This gardener was thrilled to have me harvest the mullein from her garden.

Use what nature (and humankind) discards

By following the cycles of nature we can sometimes have a bountiful harvest gifted to us. I always go out into the forest following wind storms. When I lived in western Washington I could easily gather all the cottonwood buds I needed from branches felled after a wind storm. In the forests where I live now, I harvest ridiculous amounts of pine needles for basketry when the squirrels fell needles in their quest for cones in the fall. Recently felled trees are a great way to get copious amounts of bark without hurting the tree.

Human development (sometimes sadly) can also provide abundant plant supplies. My mentor lives in a house that was built by her parents. When it was first built it was surrounded by forests. Slowly, housing developments have encroached. When a large tract of forest was set for development, we visited the area regularly before it was bulldozed into flat land. We harvested extensively and even moved some plants back to her yard. Although this was a sad experience for everyone involved, harvesting there gave us time to interact with the place and give further life to the area.

Be realistic about time

Wildcrafting takes time. Time to locate the plant, time to harvest, time to return home, time to process the plant, and time to clean up. Ethical wildcrafting involves more than the time to harvest. Be realistic about what you can achieve: It is a waste of time and plants to harvest a bunch of burdock roots, and then leave them in your fridge to mold.

Remember to take time to enjoy the experience

Be present and stay connected

Which do you think makes better food and medicine? Mindfully walking through the park or forest, noticing various plant species along the way; enjoying the changing weather, hearing the birds call out; finding your harvesting area, taking time to connect with the world around you; carefully harvesting plants, consciously choosing ways to support the health of the area; bringing home these plants to then process them into delicious foods, wines or medicines? Or, rushing to an area, realizing you only have 30 minutes on your lunch break, ripping up plants at will, stuffing them into your bag and then rushing back?

The answer is obvious. It’s easy to get whirled up in our busy lives and act unconsciously even if we do have the best intentions in mind.

Be mindful while you harvest, and leave time to connect with the plants.

Wildcrafting gives me a deep sense of connection. My mentor taught me to be respectful of the places I harvest by bringing  a small bag of offering herbs with me whenever I set out to harvest. Before harvesting, I sit with the largest plant in the stand. I say thanks and I give my offering of cedar, sage, and sweet grass to this plant. When I harvest, I leave the plant where I made my offering untouched.

There is no one way to connect or give respect to the plants we interact with. Some people sing songs, some say special prayers and some leave clippings of their own hair in exchange. Over time you will form your own ways of connecting and giving back. Listen to your own wisdom, and find what is meaningful to you.

This series of articles was originally written for  www.herbmentor.com

Wildcrafting Part V: Harvesting Guidelines

Wilcrafting Part VI: Resources

Raising HDL not a sure route to countering heart disease

Raising HDL not a sure route to countering heart disease

Some proponents of low carb, high fat, and meat-based diets promote the idea that a high HDL protects against cardiovascular disease.  They like this idea because diets rich in meat and fat typically raise total cholesterol levels and LDL levels, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating fat and protein raises HDL (while also raising total and LDL cholesterol), so proponents of high fat, high meat diets like to think that this elevated HDL protects them from the negative effects of elevated LDL and total cholesterol.

"It's been assumed that if a patient, or group of patients, did something to cause their HDL levels to go up, then you can safely assume that their risk of heart attack will go down," said senior author Sekar Kathiresan, director of preventive cardiology at MGH, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and an associate member of the Broad Institute. "This work fundamentally questions that."

This study found that people with 15 genetic variations resulting in naturally elevated HDL had no lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those with lower HDL levels.

Thus, don't believe those who claim that raising your HDL by eating fat and meat will protect you from cardiovascular disease.

Carnism: The Psychology of Meat-Eating

Melanie Joy sheds light on the unconscious ideology underlying the defense of meat-eating as normal, natural, and necessary, in the face of contrary evidence.  Her talk helped me to understand why meat-based diet ideologies (e.g. paleo diet, low-carb diet) are so seductive and capable of luring intelligent people away from plant-based diets, in spite of the lack of a sound scientific basis for meat-based diets.

Wildcrafting Part III - Tools of the Trade

Wildcrafting requires a few tools. Whatever you don’t already have in your home can be bought inexpensively at a local hardware or garden store. Over time, you’ll probably develop a set of favorite tools for the particular plants you harvest regularly. 


In cased you missed earlier posts in this series here they are: 


Wildcrafting Part I - Introduction
Wildcrafting Part II - Why Wildcraft?

Mesh bags

Mesh bags are one of my favorite things to use for harvesting. They are small and light and allow the plants to breath on the trip home. Mesh bags are often sold at natural health food stores or can easily be found at online retailers. If you're crafty you can buy the fabric and make your own!

Brown paper bags from the grocery store are another option, particularly for harvesting large amounts of plants. These are also nice because they stay propped open freeing your hands for harvesting activities. 


If you are harvesting really large amounts of plants then a pillow case bought cheaply at the thrift store might be a better option for you. 

When I first started harvesting plants, I used large Ziplock bags. One day I harvested quantities of red clover from an organic farm several hours from my house. By the time I reached home, all the blossoms had already turned brown, indicating they had molded. If you do use plastic bags to harvest I recommend leaving the bags open if the plants will be left in them length of time.  

Always bring more bags with you than you think you’ll need--you never know what else you’ll find on your foraging adventure. I actually keep harvesting bags in my car because I never know what I’ll find when I am out and about. 

Baskets

I love heading out to the forest with my basket in hand. A basket is especially useful when two hands are needed for harvesting, since it can simply be laid on the ground and the plants dropped into the opening. Thrift sources are a good source for baskets; look for a variety of sizes and ones that are light, with comfortable handles. 

Mullein root and leaves in a willow basket

Pruning shears

Pruning shears are a must for harvesting small branches. With this tool you can make a clean cut that a plant can easily heal from. Never break off branches with your hands as this leaves a scar and opens the plant to disease and insects. If your harvest is bigger than a pruner can handle you may need loppers. 

Scissors

Scissors are necessary for harvesting aerial portions of plants. At a garden store you can find a variety of high quality scissors that may be better than than your kitchen shears. Cleanly clipping aerial portions allows roots to stay in the ground and continue the plant’s life, and allows the plant to heal faster than if it is ripped or torn.

Saw


Depending how how big your harvest is an appropriate sized saw may be necessary. 


Drawknife


A drawknife is a wonderful tool for harvest bark off of large trees. 

Digging stick

A digging stick is often handier than a shovel, which can accidentally slice through roots. We have a fancy iron digging stick inspired by a traditional digging tool called a cuppins. My husband often prefers simply using a strong stick. 

An iron digging stick modeled after a traditional digging tool called a cuppins. 

Appropriate clothing and other safety measures

Be aware of the terrain of the area where you will be harvesting as well as the potential weather conditions, and dress accordingly. Forgetting your hat can mean the difference between a fun wildcrafting experience and a miserable excuse of a day that leaves you burnt and blistered. If you are in an area with ticks or chiggers take the necessary precautions. Be aware of other hazards in your area and be prepared. Never go on a hike by yourself without first telling someone where you will be. 


In the same vein bring adequate water and snacks for your trip. And if you are going out where there are no people be sure to let someone know where you are going and when you'll be back. 

Gloves

Gloves aren’t always necessary but they are good to have along ”just in case”. Sometimes I like to harvest nettles barehanded and sometimes I don’t, and it’s nice to have the option of gloves. I like to wear thin leather gloves often found in the gardening section of stores. 

Record Sheets

Later in this series we’ll have a checklist sheet and a record-keeping sheet. You may want to bring these with you, along with a pen and clipboard. 

Alcohol and other menstruums

No, it’s not that kind of wildcrafting party! When I am harvesting resinous plants, mainly cottonwood buds, I bring along high proof alcohol so that I can rinse the sticky resins from my hands before I get my dirty paws all over the car on the ride home. You can also wear gloves to avoid this. 

Medicine-Making Supplies

Some people like to make their tinctures with the plants as fresh as possible. If that interests you, you may want to bring your medicine-making supplies to the field with you. 

Field Guide

When going out, especially into the wild, I always bring my favorite field guides. This helps me identify exactly which species I am encountering—and you never know when you are going to meet a new plant for the first time. 

This series of articles was originally written for  www.herbmentor.com

Wildcrafting Part IV: Before you Harvest
Wildcrafting Part V: Harvesting Guidelines

Wilcrafting Part VI: Resources