The hottest Herbal Medicine Substack posts right now

Plants can be powerful for health, especially when medicine isn't available. They can help fight infections and offer protection against illnesses.
Some plant compounds are effective, like star anise, which works similarly to certain medications. Always check with a doctor before using them, especially if you're on other meds.
Current events like vaccine delays remind us to look into natural alternatives. Researching these plant-based options can prepare us for uncertain times.

Plants can help protect us from infections, especially during pandemics. They're a natural alternative when vaccines and treatments are hard to access.
Some plant compounds work really well against illnesses, sometimes even as good as popular medications like Tamiflu.
It's important to use these plant supplements correctly and talk to a doctor if you're already on medication. They are not meant for long-term use and should be taken when you might be exposed to illness.

Humans have been burning and inhaling plant matter for at least 7,000 years to ingest medicinal and psychoactive plants, but it's important to be mindful of the health risks associated with overconsumption.
Smoking herbs have high bioavailability as the active compounds enter the body quickly, but it's better to use a vaporizer to maximize efficiency and minimize waste.
Various cultures worldwide have a rich history of using herbal smoking for spiritual, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes, showcasing the diverse traditions and beliefs surrounding herbal smokes.

The Mexican Dream Herb, Calea zacatechichi, is known for enhancing dream vividness and helping in lucid dreaming.
Traditional shamans use Calea for ceremonial purposes and other benefits like relief from digestive disorders.
Using Calea can lead to hyper-realistic and coherent dreams by affecting sleep stages N1 and REM, which can help in extracting knowledge from dreams.

Traditional shamans use entheogens to connect with the divine and provide guidance to their communities.
Shamanism is a diverse and broad practice that varies worldwide, encompassing altered states of consciousness and healing.
Neo-shamanism, popular in Western cultures, faces criticism for cultural appropriation and lacks the traditional rigorous training and community acceptance of traditional shamanism.

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Kava is a natural remedy for stress and anxiety, promoting relaxation and social bonding.
Kava is a complex herb with a variety of active ingredients that contribute to its effects on the mind and body.
Kava has a rich cultural history and diverse effects based on its origin, offering different cultivars for various experiences.

Oneirogens are substances that enhance dreaming and have been used for spiritual connection and healing for centuries.
Common reasons people use oneirogens include facilitating lucid dreaming to have more control during dreams and exploring creative inspiration.
The use of dream-enhancing herbs like African Dream Root, Calea, and Blue Lotus Flower can lead to vivid and sometimes lucid dream experiences, each with its own unique effects and precautions.

A compound in Chinese Skullcap called baicalein has shown potential to inhibit the replication of COVID-19 virus in experiments, but more research is needed to understand its effectiveness in humans.
Isolated baicalein was found to be much more powerful than crude extract in inhibiting the main protease enzyme, but only slightly more effective in inhibiting viral replication, suggesting other components in the extract may also play a role.
The metabolization of baicalein in humans to baicalin may reduce its effectiveness in inhibiting COVID-19 growth, highlighting the importance of further studies to determine the actual antiviral properties of baicalin.