YIN AND YANG

Dark/Light, Cold/Warm, Internal/External, Chronic/Acute, Wet/Dry, Deficiency/Excess

THE FIVE ELEMENTS

-Also called the Five Phases or the Five Transformations.

-The Traditional Chinese element system.  Many other cultures had similar systems.

WOOD- Liver, Gall Bladder, eyes, tendons, anger, kindness, Wind, sour

FIRE- Heart, Small Intestine, tongue, blood vessels, anxiety, propriety, Heat, bitter

EARTH- Spleen/Pancreas, Stomach, mouth, flesh, pensiveness, faith, Damp, sweet

METAL- Lungs, Large Intestine, nose, skin, grief, righteousness, Dry, pungent

WATER- Kidneys, Bladder, ears, bones, fear, wisdom, Cold, salty

MATERIA MEDICA – Common Herbs and Edibles

BURDOCK Arctium lappa  bitter, slightly sweet, cool; 

lungs, large intestine, stomach, kidney, liver;  alterative, diuretic, diaphoretic, nutritive

CHICKWEED Stellaria media  sweet, mildly bitter, cool, moist;  lungs, stomach; 

demulcent, emollient, expectorant, antitussive, antipyretic, alterative, vulnerary

DANDELION Taraxacum officinale   cool, bitter, sweet; 

liver, gallbladder, spleen, stomach, kidney, bladder, heart; 

alterative, cholagogue, diuretic, tonic, nutritive

HAWTHORN Crataegus spp.  sour, sweet, slightly warm;  heart, spleen, stomach, liver;

digestant, cardiac tonic, emmenagogue, nervine

NETTLE Urtica urens  bland, cool;  small intestines, bladder, lungs; 

diuretic, anstringent, tonic, hemostatic, galactagogue, expectorant, nutritive

PLANTAIN Plantago spp.  bland, somewhat bitter, cool; 

bladder, small intestine, gallbladder, skin; 

diuretic, alterative, anti-inflammatory, aperient

RASPBERRY Rubus idaeus  mild, bitter, cool;  spleen, liver, kidneys, reproductive;

hemostatic, astringent, mild alterative, parturient, uterine tonic, nutritive

RED CLOVER Trifolium pretense  sweet, salty, cool;  blood, liver, heart, lungs;

alterative, antispasmodic, expectorant, antitumor

WILD CARROT Daucus carota  neutral, sweet, pungent;

lungs, spleen/pancreas, liver, kidneys, large intestine, bladder;

diuretic, bactericidal, hypotensive, anthelmintic, contraceptive

YARROW Achillea millefolium  warm, bitter, spicy;  lungs, liver, skin, blood;

diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, carminative, hemostatic, astringent, antispasmodic, stomachic, antiseptic

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CLASS TWO

It is important to understand the nature of the herbs and the nature of the individual.

WARM – Warming herbs tend to increase metabolism and circulation.  They warm and stimulate the body.  Generally, they are considered yang.

            Calamus, Elecampane, Cayenne, Thyme, Wild Ginger

COOL – Cooling herbs relax and cool the body.  They counteract conditions of inflammation and infection.  They are generally considered yin.

            Chickweed, Dandelion, Plantain, Boneset, Mullein, Echinacea

NOURISHING – contain vitamins, minerals, and other constituents; also nourish energy

            Burdock, Chickweed, Dandelion, Nettle

TONIFYING – strengthens and balances the body and/or specific body systems

            Burdock, Chickweed, Hawthorn, American Ginseng, Partridge Berry, Reishi

ALTERATIVE – blood purifiers and tonics 

Burdock, Dandelion, Red Clover, Reishi

ASTRINGENT – constricting and binding to tissue 

Yarrow, Red Raspberry, Oak

CARMINATIVE – relieves gas and promotes digestion 

Wild Carrot, Calamus, Thyme

CHOLAGOGUE – promotes the flow of bile into the small intestine

            Dandelion, Barberry

DEMULCENT – sooth and protect inflamed tissue 

Plantain, Marsh Mallow

DIAPHORETIC – induces sweating (cleanses skin and reduces fever)

            Warm:  Wild Ginger, Yarrow, Hyssop, Sage, (Peppermint)

            Cool:  Boneset, Catnip, Peppermint, Burdock Seed, (Yarrow)

DIURETIC – increases urination 

Dandelion, Plantain, Wild Carrot, Goldenrod

EMETIC – induces vomiting *this materia medica does not include “classic” emetics like

            Lobelia but at high doses with lots of water Calamus or Cayenne could be used

EMMENAGOGUE – promotes menstruation

            Hawthorn, Blue Cohosh, Wild Ginger

EXPECTORANT – expels mucus from lungs and throat

            Warm:  Elecampane, Hyssop, Thyme

            Cool:  Chickweed, Colt’sfoot, Mullein

LAXATIVE – promotes bowel movement 

Plantain, Butternut

NERVINE – calms tension and nourishes the nervous system 

Hawthorn, Blue Vervain, Lemon Balm, Peppermint, Valerian, Reishi, Skullcap

OXYTOCIC – stimulates uterine contraction and assists labor

            Raspberry, Blue Cohosh, Partridge Berry, Wild Ginger

VULNERARY – promotes the healing of wounds

            Plantain, Marsh Mallow

The Five Flavors

SOUR (wood) – cleanses the liver; usually cooling and stimulates digestive enzymes

BITTER (fire) – cooling and detoxifying; dries dampness; cholagogue

SWEET (earth) – nourishing; tonifies the stomach, spleen, and pancreas

PUNGENT (metal) – stimulating; removes stagnation; counteracts mucus; carminative

SALTY (water) – regulates water; affects kidneys and bladder; nourishing

MATERIA MEDICA – More Common Herbs

BARBERRY  Berberis vulgaris and spp.  bitter, cool;  liver, gall bladder;

cholagogue, alterative, antiinflammatory

BLUE VERVAIN  Verbena hastata  bitter, cool;  nerves, lungs, liver, skin;

diaphoretic, diuretic, nervine

BONESET  Eupatorium perfoliatum  bitter, cool; liver, lungs, skin;
diaphoretic, febrifuge, expectorant, laxative

CALAMUS  Acorus calamus  pungent, warm, aromatic;  heart, liver, spleen, stomach;

stimulant, carminative, antispasmodic, expectorant, emetic

CATNIP Nepeta cataria  pungent, bitter, cool;  lungs, liver, nerves, skin;

diaphoretic, sedative, nervine, carminative

COLT’S FOOT  Tussilago farfara  bitter, sweet, cool; lungs;

expectorant, antitussive, demulcent, anti-inflammatory, astringent

ELECAMPANE  Inula helenium  sweet, pungent, bitter, warm; lungs, stomach, spleen;

tonic, carminative, expectorant, diuretic, antiseptic, astringent, stimulant, vermifuge

GOLDENROD  Solidago odora and spp.  pungent, bitter, cool;  kidneys, bladder;

diuretic, astringent, diaphoretic, antiinflammatory

MULLEIN  Verbascum thapsus  cool;  lungs, stomach, ears;

expectorant, demulcent, entispasmodic, antitussive, astringent, anodyne, vulnerary

TURKEY TAIL  Trames versicolor  sweet, cool;  immune system, kidneys, liver;

antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, tonic

The Yin and Yang of Herbal Properties 

(Some Examples of Yin, Yang, and The Paradoxical)

SWEET – warm/full/yang sweet – Elecampane                                

     cool/empty/yin sweet – Raspberry (fruit)

                 American Ginseng is yang (gives energy) and yin (is cooling and moist)

PUNGENT – cool pungent - Peppermint

                      warm pungent – Calamus, Thyme, Wild Ginger

                      Wild Carrot has a neutral thermal energy, but is somewhat more yang

TONIC – yang tonic – generally quite stimulating, these are not in our materia medica

                        Burdock and American Ginseng tonify yang in some sense

                yin tonic – Chickweed, Nettle, American Ginseng, Solomon’s Seal

            nerve tonics (yin/calming) – Blue Vervain, Lemon Balm, Skullcap

            digestive tonics (yang/strengthening) – Burdock, Elecampane

DIAPHORETIC – (see warm and cool lists on previous page)

EXPECTORANT - (see warm and cool lists on previous page)

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CLASS THREE

The following pathologies can affect the whole body and/or specific organs or functions.

DEFICIENCY- state of weakness; energy, nutrients, or proper moisture may be lacking

            Herbs that correct deficiency are generally tonics with high nutrient levels.

EXCESS – states of mucus congestion, too much heat, etc., generally from dietary excess

Herbs that correct excess generally have detoxifying properties.

HEAT – hyperfunction and inflammation; Herbs that correct heat are cooling.

COLD – hypofunction, low energy, weak immunity; Herbs that correct cold are warming.

WIND – a quality of other disease states characterized by change, rapid onset, etc.

DAMPNESS – sluggish, heavy feeling, circulation, and digestion;  Bitter dries damp.

DRYNESS – results from heat or deficient yin; Yin tonics, demulcents, etc. moisten.

MATERIA MEDICA – The Herbal Garden

CAYENNE Capsicum anuum hot, acrid; kidneys, lungs, spleen, stomach, heart;

stimulant, astringent, carminative, hemostatic, antispasmodic

CHAMOMILE Matricaria recutita (German) Anthemis nobiles (Roman)

bitter, spicy, aromatic, neutral;  liver, stomach, lungs;

calmative, nervine, antispasmodic, anodyne, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, carminative

ECHINACHEA Echinacea purpurea and spp. bitter, pungent, cool;

lungs, stomach, liver, immune system;

alterative, vulnerary, stimulant, antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral

HYSSOP Hyssopus officinalis pungent, warm;  lungs, stomach, colon, bladder;

stimulant, carminative, astringent, diaphoretic, expectorant, stomachic

LEMON BALM Melissa officinalis sour, pungent, cool; lungs, liver, mind;

diaphoretic, calmative, antispasmodic, carminative, emmenagogue, stomachic

MARSH MALLOW Althea officinalis cool, sweet;

intestines, lungs, stomach, kidneys, bladder

tonic, alterative, diuretic, demulcent, emollient, lithotriptic, anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, laxative, expectorant, antispasmodic

PEPPERMINT Mentha piperita pungent, bitter, cool;  lungs, liver;

diaphoretic, aromatic, carminative, calmative, alterative

SAGE Salvia officinalis pungent, astringent, warm;  lungs, stomach, skin;

diaphoretic, carminative, stimulant, antispasmodic, estrogenic, antigalactogogue

THYME Thymus vulgaris and spp. spicy, warm;  lungs, liver, stomach;

expectorant, antitussive, antispasmodic, carminative, stimulant, emmenagogue, antiseptic

VALERIAN Valeriana officinalis pungent, bitter, warm; liver, heart, mind;

nervine, antispasmodic, carminative, stimulant, anodyne, hypotensive

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CLASS FOUR

-In diagnosing look at overall and specific.  Assess constitution and condition.

-Assess Yin and Yang and the Five Elements. (heat/cold? deficiency/excess? –where?)

-The condition of specific body functions is reflected in the face, pulse, tongue, etc.

-Use your intuition.

CONSTITUTION- individual’s overall type; genetics; indicates disease tendencies

FACE – red indicates heat; pale indicates deficient, dark indicates stagnation

MERIDIANS – indicate pathological energy; check whole meridian and special points

PULSE – rapid and exterior indicates heat/excess; deep and weak indicates yin/chronic

TONGUE – red indicates heat; paleness indicates deficiency; look at overall, moss, etc.

MACROCOSM/MICROCOSM – the whole is reflected in the part, the part in the whole

MATERIA MEDICA – Native Woodlands

AMERICAN GINSENG Panax quinquefolium sweet, bitter, (cool); lungs, spleen;

chi tonic, yin tonic, demulcent, stimulant, rejuvenative, alterative

BLUE COHOSH Caulophyllum thalictroides acrid, bitter, warm, toxic;

liver, reproductive system;

emmenagogue, antispasmodic, diuretic, diaphoretic, anthelmintic

BUTTERNUT Juglans cinerea bitter, cold; colon

laxative, purgative, alterative, astringent, anthelmintic

OAK Quercus alba and spp. bitter; spleen, stomach, intestines;

astringent, styptic, hemostatic, antiseptic, nutritive

PARTRIDGE BERRY Mitchella repens bitter, cool; uterus, liver;

tonic, parturient, astringent

REISHI Ganoderma lucidum, G. tsugue and spp. warm, sweet; whole body, immune;

chi tonic, kidney tonic, nervine, alterative, amphoteric, antitumor

SKULLCAP Scutellaria lateriflora bitter, cool; nervous system;

sedative, nervine, antispasmodic

SOLOMON’S SEAL Polygonatum officinale sweet, cool; lungs, stomach;

yin tonic, chi tonic, nutritive, expectorant

WILD CHERRY Prunus serotina and spp. acrid, warm; lungs, spleen;

antitussive, sedative, astringent, carminative

WILD GINGER Asarum canadensis spicy, bitter, warm; liver, heart, lungs;

emmenagogue, stimulant, diuretic, carminative

Please have respect for our native plants!!!  Harvest only when there is plenty to take.