5 Life-Changing Herbs That You Should Know About

There is a tincture or tea for just about anything, if you ask a Herbalist like Carolina Brooks. She’s an expert when it comes to healing tonics and uses herbal medicine alongside nutritional therapy. Carolina shares 5 of the most powerful herbs for positively influencing your everyday health.

To live in London is to live a fast-paced life. Everyone I see suffers from low energy, stress, sniffles and some level of digestive disturbance. If I could choose 5 herbs from my dispensary that could make significant changes for everyone, these would be my choices:

Turmeric

Turmeric is my favourite! An Indian spice which has been widely recognised for thousands of years for its significant medicinal properties. Best combined with black or long pepper and eaten with food containing fats for better absorption, this spice has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective and cancer-fighting properties.

Buy fresh roots and juice or add dried turmeric to almond milk, coconut oil, cinnamon, garam masala and grated ginger for a sleepy night-time drink.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb, which helps us build our resilience to stress. Rhodiola itself comes from an extreme mountainous region of Siberia and was originally used by Russian cosmonauts to improve endurance. It can improve energy levels, focus and concentration. Best taken as part of a personalised tincture mix or in a supplement. My preferred brands are Biomedica (a practitioner-only brand) and Viridian.

Nettle

Nature’s anti-histamine grows voraciously across most of Britain, which makes it easily available when foraging. Rich in iron, magnesium, other minerals and high in vitamin C, you can use nettle in any recipe that calls for steamed greens or make a delicious nettle pesto with cashew, olive oil and lemon juice. This is a great herb for anyone prone to anaemia, and for anyone who suffers hay fever and skin conditions as it’s a blood cleanser.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle has been used for over 2000 years to treat liver and gall bladder disorders. It helps to protect the liver by boosting glutathione levels. Glutathione is the body’s own natural detoxifier, which protects the body by recycling antioxidants. I recommend taking milk thistle tincture in warm water about 20 minutes before meals to stimulate bile flow and aid with digestion. Definitely drink this regularly around the Christmas party season, it helps to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol.

Rose

Unassumingly potent, strongly antimicrobial and wonderfully uplifting: rose is known by most herbalists as the herbal hug. I often use this in sleep tincture mixes but it can even be drunk as an aromatic water as it is a great digestif (Pukka do the best rose water, in my experience). You can also use it on your face to tighten pores and reduce any redness of inflammation.

Carolina is a London-based registered and fully qualified Nutritional Therapist, Herbalist & Naturopath at Anthrobotanica who specialises in stress and weight management with a focus on those working in a high-pressure corporate environment.

www.anthrobotanica.com