Raspberry Leaf has long been known as an herbal ally for female bodies because of its action in strengthening pelvic floor muscles and the uterus. It supports the normal function of relaxation and contraction. This action makes it useful for childbearing as it may shorten labor and can decrease childbirth complications. It is also beneficial for menstrual disorders.
Raspberry leaf is cooling and astringent so can be used to sooth the digestive system in cases of diarrhea (especially in infants), colic, constipation, indigestion, and abdominal pain. It is a gentle, all-purpose remedy for digestive problems and can be used safely even in pregnant women and very young children.
Raspberry leaf can be made into a nourishing tea containing significant amounts of Vitamin C and other powerful antioxidants. These can help reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The tea contains a high amount of fiber, which helps with balancing blood sugar.
Sip a cup of nettle tea daily to enrich liver yin and blood while gently clearing heat. Nettle Leaf harmonizes the blood by clearing and enriching. Nettles are packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, C, K, and several B vitamins. They’re also an excellent source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, making them a natural way to support bone health, energy levels, and overall vitality.
Traditionally used for joint health, nettles contain compounds that help reduce inflammation in the body. This makes them a popular natural remedy for arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Nettles support healthy urinary function by acting as a gentle diuretic, promoting kidney activity and helping the body flush out toxins. Their high chlorophyll content also supports liver health, making them a valuable ally in cleansing routines.
Nettles’ natural antihistamine properties can help reduce the severity of allergy symptoms without causing drowsiness. Use for seasonal allergies along with quercetin, NAC, and Chinese herbs.
This is the time of year to harvest nettles! Fresh nettles can be steamed or sautéed, similar to spinach, and dried nettles make a soothing herbal tea (or you can throw a handful into a pot of soup). Just remember, always handle fresh nettles with leather or other impermeable gloves to avoid their sting, which disappears once cooked or dried and harvest before they flower and set seed, while they are young and tender.
Cinnamon Twig Formula is a very widely used classic formula, and a formula that I talk about a lot. It is gentle and flavorful, and is useful for the very initial stages of a cold or flu – wind cold invasion – with mild symptoms such as sneezing, aversion to cold and wind, mild sweating, feeling slightly feverish, lack of thirst or headache. I find it to be helpful for 75-80% of my patients to treat the earliest stages an exterior condition.
I have Cinnamon Twig Formula – Immune Booster – in ready-to-go-to-your-medicine-cabinet jars available at my office. These concentrated granules are easy to use – just add hot water and stir and you have a lovely warm cinnamon twig tea.
Cinnamon Twig formula is not just for colds with sneezing, it can be used as a base formula for many conditions, including emotional vulnerability, palpitations, abdominal pain, joint pain, cold hands and feet, hot flashes, when the pattern fits.
The cinnamon twig type often has an aversion to wind on the neck, is sensitive emotionally and may flush and perspire easily. Words can be winds too, so when our surface qi is not harmonized and able to defend us, words can invade as wind cold and the symptoms could be emotional or involve palpitations. Of course there are many formulas to treat emotional symptoms and palpitations, so pattern differentiation is required.
Most of the herbs in the formula help the digestion (fresh ginger, dates, licorice, and also cinnamon twig and white peony root), while a couple harmonize the surface (cinnamon twig and white peony root). It’s made up of mostly food type herbs, and is pretty yummy for a Chinese medicine formula. If you find it is easy to catch a cold after being exposed to cold, try this, it is pretty yummy with honey or mixed into your oatmeal. We get our Qi from our digestion – when we have plenty of Qi, we have enough to send to our surface. Therefore nourishing the middle (digestion) helps harmonize the surface.
Functions: Treats exterior wind cold, harmonizes the nutritive and defensive Qi & nourishes the middle.
To release the exterior: prepare the herbs with hot water and drink, followed by a warm bowl of porridge or soup. Wrap yourself up with some blankets until you have a slight sweat. At that time, change into warm dry clothes and discontinue the herbs.
Once the cold/flu goes deeper and there are symptoms such as sore throat, thirst, high fever, cough, different formulas are appropriate. Discontinue the use of cinnamon twig when symptoms progress beyond the sniffles and early symptoms avoid.
I have Cinnamon Twig Formula in ready-to-go-to-your-medicine-cabinet jars available at my office. The concentrated granules are easy to use – just add hot water and stir and you have a lovely warming tea.
