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Thisdocumentismeanttobeaquickreferenceguideandisnotintendedtobeadetailedglossaryofterms.Furtherresearchisalwaysnecessary/recommendedtounderstandthedepthandscopeofanherbanditseffects.

LegalDisclaimer:It’simportanttounderstandthatherbscaninteractwithsomemedications.Iamnotadoctorandthisinformationisforeducationalpurposesonly.Ifyouhavequestionsaboutyourhealth,pleaseconsultamedicalprofessionaltoverifyifaspecificherbissafeforyoutotake.

HerbalActionReferenceGuideHerbalismhasitsownlanguageandit'sthereforeimportanttounderstandtheterminologywhenresearchingherbs.Everyherbhasan“action”orimpactonthebody-somewillhavemultipleeffectswhileothersonlyslight.Youmayneedtotakeadditionalherb(s)inanothercategorytogetthedesiredresult.Adaptogen/Adaptogenic:Helpsthebodythroughstressfulsituations.Adaptogensdon'tblockthestressresponsebutinsteadsmoothoutthehighsandlows.Herbalistsmayuseadaptogenstoimprovetheimmunesystem,increasestamina,normalizesexualfunctionandhelpdealwithstress.Alterative:Herbsthatgraduallyrestoreproperfunctiontothebodyandincreaseoverallhealthandvitality.Theyfacilitatetheimprovementofthetissue’sabilitytodealwitharangeofbodyfunctionsfromnutritiontoelimination.Herbalistsmayusealternativesforbloodtoxicity,arthritis,andskinproblems.Anticatarrhal:Helpsthebodymoveexcessmucusrelatedtoupperairwayissues.Herbalistsmayuseanticatarrhalherbstohelpreducemucusassociatedwithcoldandflusymptoms.Anti-Inflammatory:Herbsthathelpreduceinflammation.Herbalistsmayuseanti-inflammatoryherbsforpainreliefinadditiontousingotherremediesthataddresstheunderlyingproblem.Antimicrobial:Herbsthathelpthebodyfight/resistpathogensthatattackthebody.Thiscategoryisfurtherbrokendownintoantibacterial,antiviral,etc.Herbalistsunderstandthatsomeherbswillnothaveacompleteantimicrobialimpactontheentirebodybutmayusethemnonetheless.

Antirheumatic:Herbsthatimprovethequalityoflifeforthosewithrheumaticproblems.Herbalistsunderstandthatherbsinthiscategoryarelimitedinscopethanamechanismforacure.However,theycanbeeffectiveinsomecases.Antispasmodic:Herbsthathelpreduceorpreventmusclespasms/cramps.Manyherbsarebothantispasmodicandnervine,whichhelpwithpsychologicaltension.Herbalistsoftenliketouseherbscontainingthesetwoherbalactions,withLavenderbeingagoodexample.Astringent:Herbsorbarksthatarehighintanninssuchasgreentea,rosemary,raspberryleaforwitchhazel.Witchhazel,forexample,hasatighteningeffectontheskin.Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbsinskincareproducts,healingwounds,oraidingdigestiveissues.Bitter:Herbsthatstimulateandreleasedigestiveenzymesthatstimulatedigestion.Herbalistsusebitterstoaidinissuesrelatedtothegutandtostimulateappetite.CardiacRemedies:Thisisabroadcategoryandmayhavedifferentmeaningswithinwesternmedicine.Greatcaremustbetakenandresearchdonetounderstandherbsthataffecttheheartandbloodcirculation.Somecouldbedeadlywhileothershavethedesiredeffectandaresafetouse.Herbalistsusetheseherbstoincreasebloodflow.However,alwaysconsultamedicalprofessionalbeforetakinganyherbforcardiacorcirculatoryissues.Carminative:Herbsthatrelievediscomfortfromexcessgasinthebowel.Herbalistshavefoundthatmanyherbs,suchascarminatives,havemultipleactions.Cholagouge:Herbsthatactasanaturalbodytonic.Theseherbsaidtheliverinfatdigestionandworkasanaturallaxativecleansingthesystem.Herbalistsusetheseherbsasagentlecleanse.Bittersareoftenalsocholagoguesandhepatics,whichcanbeabonus.

Demulcent:Herbsthatarehighinmucilageandsoothe/protectirritatedandinflamedtissues.Herbalistshaveusedtheseherbsforsorethroats,colitis,andurinarytractinflammations.Diuretic:Herbsthataidthebodyingettingridofexcessfluids.Herbalistsoftenusetheseherbstohelpwithwaterretention,edema,kidneystones,orurinarytractinfections.Emmenagogue:Herbsthathelptreatconditionsofawoman'sreproductivesystem.AlwaysconsultamedicalprofessionalbeforetakingthesetypesofherbsandpregnantwomenshouldAVOIDTHESEHERBS!Herbalistsoftenuseherbstostimulatemenstrualflow.Expectorant:Herbsthathelpexpelmucusintherespiratorysystem.Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbstohelpwithsymptomscausedbycolds,congestionsorflusymptoms.Hepatic:Herbsthathelptheliverinmanyways,includinghelpingtoincreasebilecontent.Bittersandcholagoguesallactashepatics.Herbalistsusethesetypesofherbsformanyreasons,includinghelpingwithliverdiseases.However,pleasedoadditionalresearchandconsultamedicalprofessionalifyouhaveliverdisease.Hypnotic:Herbsthatarenervineremedies,whichhelptoinducedeepsleep.Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbstoaidininsomniaorstress-relatedsymptoms.Hypotensive:Herbsthataidinreducingelevatedbloodpressure.Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbswithotherremedies.Pleaseconsultamedicalprofessionalbeforeusingthesetypesofherbsforhighbloodpressure.Nervine:Herbsthatstrengthenandnourishthenervoussystem.Herbalistsoftenusetheseherbsaswellasothersthattreatthewholebody,heart,andmind-notjustthebrain.

Stimulant:Herbsthatexciteorenlivensphysiologicalactivity.Herbalistsoftenusetheseherbstostimulatecirculation,whichcanhaveawarmingeffectonthebody.REFERENCES:HerbalAcadamyIntrotoHerbalismUnit1–HerbalActionsHoffmann,David,FNIMH,AHG(2003)MedicalHerbalism:TheScienceandPracticeofHerbalMedicine,HerbalActions483-519