Tonic Herbs

by Nathaniel Whitmore

The word “tonic” has been almost completely removed from conventional medical vocabulary. “Tonic” is almost a synonym for “snake oil,” which is a phrase that has come to describe a medicinal preparation that is not effective or is sold as a scam. (Snake oil is still sold in certain parts of the world and is a potent source of omega fatty acids. Today flax oil, hemp seed oil, current seed oil, evening primrose oil, fish oils, and the like are popular sources of supplementary omega fatty acids.) The modern understanding of tonics is a sharp contrast to traditional systems of medicine that valued tonics above all other medicines.

In Chinese medicine, for example, there are three categories of herbs. The tonics are considered to be “Superior Herbs.” The other two categories are “Inferior Herbs” and “Poisons.” Poisons are very strong medicines that have a great potential for toxicity and side effects. Modern medical practices prefer poisons, utilizing those drugs that are fast acting, direct, and of obvious effect. Foxglove, for example, is considered to be a very poisonous plant. A relatively small dose could kill a person by stopping their heart. It is precisely because of its cardioactivity that it is also valued as a drug (digitalis, a common heart medication).

Traditional herbalists try to avoid the use of strong herbs in favor of nourishing tonics. The use of strong herbs is considered to be damaging to health (the harmful side effects to many common medications are well-known) while tonics are generally safe. Also, the use of tonics can be a manageable investment of time and money, while the symptomatic treatment of disease can be very costly. Preventative medicine requires effort, but it saves on money, stress, and time in the long run. Healthy foods, exercise, and the use of tonic herbs help to keep the system healthy, making poisonous medicines unnecessary. I find it ironic that so many people cannot find the time to do things that are healthy and help prevent disease, such as cook wholesome foods, take long walks, read books about the wonders of spiritual life, plant a garden, and relax with loved ones; and so come to the point when health is so far damaged that to avoid suffering or even death, they must pay dearly in time and money. Likewise, I find it ironic that so many people pay hundreds of dollars towards health insurance every month, in case of accident or disease, but are unable to do the simple things on a daily basis that prevent accidents and diseases from happening.

Walking in the woods and picking tonic herbs is one of the most important things you can do for your health, and it costs nothing, except time. But it seems that so much of our time is filled up with working (so that we can pay for health insurance, for one thing), that there is little time for picking or growing herbs.

For those rare birds out there that might have some time and the inclination to learn about the wild tonic herbs available, I would like to discuss a few of the important tonic plants and mushrooms available to you. Tonics work in a variety of ways. In general, they are normalizing, regulating, and restoring to body functions; some with particular infinities with specific body systems. Some are tonics for the lungs, some for the cardiovascular system, some for the nerves, some for the immune system… Many tonics are generally beneficial for the whole system. Tonics are gently cleansing and detoxing (but herbs that are strongly cleansing are usually not considered tonics). When herbs are used as foods, they provide valuable nutrients and are considered to be nutritive tonics.

The following are a few tonics that can be found locally in the wild and represent a range of body-system affinities:

• AMERICAN GINSENG is one of our most valued wild herbs. Like some other Ginseng species, it is used as whole body tonic. It is especially strengthening for the lungs, replenishing their function and fluids.
• BURDOCK is a common pest of animal farmers and pet owners, who notice this plant’s seed heads tangled up in their animal’s hair. The root is used as a vegetable or boiled into an herbal decoction. It is strengthening and normalizing for digestion in particular and the whole body in general. It cleanses the blood and removes inflammatory conditions.
• DANDELION has highly nutritious edible leaves, a root that benefits the liver, and edible flowers that are said to benefit the pancreatic function. The individual parts can be used for specific reasons (the leaves make a good diuretic infusion, for example) or they can be used alone or as a whole plant for a general tonic action. Dandelion aids in the elimination of toxins.
• HAWTHORN produces an edible berry that is often used in medicinal preparation as a cardiovascular tonic. A true tonic, Hawthorn provides a range of benefits for the heart, blood vessels, and the blood itself.
• HEN-OF-THE-WOODS is a wild mushroom of the autumn season that is gaining recognition as an anticancer medicine. It can be used for treatment or prevention. It is considered a choice edible and is a very enjoyable way to take an immune-boosting medicine. The Japanese name is “Maitake,” which means “dancing mushroom.” The name supposedly comes from the dancing for joy that one would perform when finding a mushroom that could weight up to fifty pounds and be worth its weight in silver. (The Japanese emperors apparently valued their tonic herbs that much.)
• STINGING NETTLE is a common springtime vegetable tonic. The highly nutritious young plants can be eaten up to the point that the stems get tough. The stinging quality is easy removed with a little bit of cooking.
• TINDER POLYPORE is a common hoof-shaped conk (woody shelf mushroom). It can be boiled into soup stock or beverage to be used as a lung tonic. The name comes from its use in fire starting. Another common name, Ice Man Polypore, refers to it being found on Oetzi, the prehistoric man found preserved in the Alps. “Polypore” refers to the spore-producing underside of the mushroom that, like all conks, contains many little holes.
• VARNISH POLYPORE is one of the most valued tonics of Chinese medicine. It is used to tonify the kidneys, the mind, and the immune system among other things. It is considered a whole body tonic of great importance in cultivating longevity. Like other polypores it is usually prepared by boiling.

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