Herbal formulations to use now and have on hand
None of these things should be considered treatment for COVID-19. The are immune and wellness support to support the body the best that we can.

Land of Milk and Honey Active support tincture $40 - The "active" stock formula that I have created for people to use includes diaphoretic herbs to clear excess heat, herbs that thin mucus and encourage expectoration, and immune modulating herbs. Same idea as shared above but in Western herbalism terms.  I am looking at herbs from both traditions, Western Herbalism and Chinese herbalism; herbs like Chinese Skullcap (Huang Qin) and Andrographis. No single herb is the answer as they need to balance each other. Our herbs that are strong lung antiseptics happen to be warming so they must be balanced with cooling herbs. Drying herbs must be balanced with moistening herbs. Each herb is chosen for multiple reasons and while I would love to share my thinking in choosing each one, it crosses the line in terms of making medical claims for herbs. Unfortunately only when I teach do I feel that I can completely share all that each herb can truly do. But know that a lot of thought has gone into this and I already have people using formulas to support their body.  Because information is every evolving I have already made several different stock formulas of this with different herbs varying slightly so I am not listing ingredients here. I will say that for some formulas I have included elderflower and if that is of concern to you just let me know and I will make a formula without it for you. For current clients I am also willing to create a custom formulation, provided that I am still able to work at that time.

Herbalist and Alchemist Herbal Relief Throat Spray $12 - Spray this directly in the throat to reduce sore throat and germs in the throat. Echinacea angustifolia, Collinsonia (Collinsonia canadensis), Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), Myrrh ( Commiphora molmol),Osha (Ligusticum porteri), Propolis and essential oils

Herbalist and Alchemist Compound Mullein Oil (aka ear oil) $11 -  Certified Organic Olive Oil, Mullein flowers (Verbascum thapsus), St. John's wort fresh flowers (Hypericum perforatum), Garlic fresh bulb (Allium sativum), Tea Tree essential oil, White Sage herb, Vitamin E

Essential Oils  (limited quantities, varying prices) - Pine, Silver Fir, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Cedar, Breathe, Tea Tree, Orange, Lemon, Ginger, Mandarin

Feeling well but still wanting to do the best you can right now?

Hopefully for many of you, you are not quite "there" yet in terms of needing that level of active support and there is still time to build up the body's immune system now.  Please re-read the 1st newsletter I sent called Supporting Your Body in Difficult Times.  Beyond active self-care these are the things that I recommend.

Land of Milk and Honey Herbs Proactive support tincture $40 - For those who would like to be more proactive I have made a "proactive" support blend. That blend includes immune building herbs to strengthen the weiqi of the body and moderate the immune response. Again I am pulling on herbs that have historically been used for this such as Astragalus (Huang Qi) and Elder, Cat's claw, Huang Qin (Chinese Skullcap), Reishi, Bupleurum, and Licorice.

Elderberry  $8, $15, $27 - There has been much debate about elder which I shared previously.  Most of the herbal community feels very comfortable with their understanding of it as an immune modulator. The information regarding cytokine storms is extrapolated from a study that was in vitro and not in vivo and we all know that herbs work differently in the body to activate immune response that can no be replicated in a petri dish. And honestly, every year the cytokine storm fear  raises its head when influenza season comes around and we have not seen cytokine storms happening to the thousands of people who take elderberry for influenza.  As I mentioned though I feel elderberry alone is an option in prevention and early stages, I DO NOT think it is enough and appropriate to be using solely should you be become ill. A bit in a formula when ill I do think is a good idea though as in the past it has been associated with deceasing viruses' ability to replicate.

Jade Wind Screen teapills $18 limited quantity- Traditional Chinese remedy to build Wei Qi - Yu Ping Feng San Wan (also known as Jade Wind Screen Formula) is traditionally used to strengthen the body's overall defenses. The formula replenishes qi/energy and helps consolidate the body's defense system.  Astragalus membranaceus root, Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome, Saposhnikovia divaricata root, Activated carbon, Botanical wax, Talcum. - Huang qi, Bai zhu, Fang feng, Activated carbon, Botanical wax, Talcum.

Herbalist and Alchemist Immune Adapt tincture $45 - Codonopsis root (Codonopsis lanceolata), Eleuthero root (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Reishi mushroom and mycelium (Ganoderma spp.), Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinensis), Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus), Bai-Zhu Atractylodes root (Atractylodes macrocephala), Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) , Ligustrum berry (Ligustrum lucidum)

Herbalist and Alchemist Immune Adapt Capsules $45 - Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus), Eleuthero root (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinensis), Bai Zhu Atractylodes rhizome (Atractylodes macrocephala), Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Ligustrum berry (Ligustrum lucidum) and Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa)

As our community continues to battle this illness I will continue to provide support as I can, unless I become quarantined myself. Please do not wait if you would like something I have mentioned or if you need a refill on your regular herbs.  
Be well my herbal family!  Remember to take care of you emotional and physical health during this time!

-Kate

What now?

So you are feeling like you are coming down with something but aren't really sure. Maybe it is body fatigue or a tightness when you breathe.   While I hope many of you take me up on the offer of my "proactive" and "active" blends what do you do if you don't have those on hand or much else and you can only send someone to the grocery store?

Garlic - By now you have likely heard me reiterate again and again my love for garlic.  Any garlic capsules at the store will do, start taking 2 pills 3 times a day (not on an empty stomach.) If you have real garlic then crush it and chop it up, set it aside for 10 minutes for the allicin in it to activate. Then take with a spoonful of honey. Is it maybe gross?  Maybe? But how badly to do you want to fight this thing?

If you want to take garlic to the next level and you have prepared I would suggest buying the garlic oil that I have on hand, Herbalist and Alchemist Garlic Oil because it has antimicrobial essential oils in it.  Use it as a nasal oil It feels a bit funny at first but if you have something lingering in your sinuses, a few drops of oil placed in the nostrils and snorted in while laying on your back does wonders for knocking germs back.  The use of infused oils in this way is very common in Ayurveda.  I do this often right before bed so that I don't taste the garlic all day. It feels a bit funny and you will eventually feel the garlic running down the back of your throat. Simply imagine it killing everything in its path. If you aren't quite up for that then massage it over your sinuses on your cheeks it will be absorbed through the skin and into the sinus area.

Ginger - A ginger bath is an easy home remedy. The goal is actually to help activate the immune system by increasing your body heat and then allowing the ginger to support the body in diaphoresis (opening of pores to allow excess heat to escape).  We need to remember that a fever is one way that the body fights a virus, so artificially lowering a fever is often no longer recommended in in mainstream medicine. Take a 3-4 inch chunk of ginger and cut it into coins, no need to peel. Place in a covered stock pot with a quart of water and steep for 30-40 minutes. Strain and add to a bath, have you or your child sit in it for 20 minutes. Wrap up and go to bed!  If you can't take a full bath consider at least a foot bath. While taking care of those toes in a foot bath, consider massaging the sinus areas and the pad of the foot where the lungs are located in reflexology. See the image below.

Essential oils - What oils do you have on hand? While some are better than others such as tea tree, eucalyptus, fir and pine family oils, and frankincense, keep in mind that all oils have some degree of antimicrobial properties.  If you have someone ill in your house begin a regular schedule of diffusing. If you have oils but no diffuser then do it old school. Place a pot of hot water on the stove and add a couple drops of oil. Drape a cotton towel of your head and have the person who is ill inhale deeply for several minutes. Don't over do it, just a few minutes.  Be careful not to burn yourself or child.  When they are done keep the water simmering to help cleanse the air in the house.  (If you have a cat, keep them out of the space you are diffusing in. Essential oils can lead to kidney and liver failure in cats.) 

Hydrate - Your body is working hard right now and it needs optimal fluid to do its job.  We call the lungs the delicate organ because the lungs don't like to be too wet or too dry. If the body is lacking enough moisture the lungs will dry out and will not be able to properly cleanse themselves. Take sips of warm water, tea, or broth as often as possible.  Besides hydraing the body, drinking a bit of hot water regularly washes germs in your throat out of your respiratory tract and into your stomach to be dealt with.  A neti pot would also assist in this clearing of germs from your upper respiratory tract!

Qi Gong - Do Qi Gong for the lungs. Good qi movement and breathwork supports the lungs ability to operate optimally and get the energy that it needs to heal. I shared this video in my first newsletter but it is worth sharing again.  I am just as human as everyone else in getting lulled into a feeling of "too busy" to do this. but honestly we all have 15 minutes if we really want to make it a priority. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3noqRBgxWM ​

Immune Support Suggestions
I would like to share additional information regarding each immune support topic from last week. If you have not read the March 13, 2020 blog, please do before reading this.

#1 Hygiene - One tool many of you have in your tool kits are essential oils.  Do not use them excessively but put them to good use now.  They will be especially helpful if someone in your house is diagnosed with COVID-19.  Even now as you are still going out to the store and on errands they can be very helpful. Use them to make a hand sanitizer easily by adding 10-20 drops of oils like Tea Tree and Frankincense to a 1 oz spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol and a bit of aloe vera gel.  Hand washing IS best but you will find times when you are out and about that you may want to sanitize immediately (think grocery store carts and PIN pads!)  
 
#2 Adaptogens - Many people are not yet ready to think of this outbreak in the long term view that will be needed.  For those who are not exposed currently and are taking safety precautions, the next most important thing for them is to reduce their STRESS. Stress depletes the body's ability to respond to immune challenges.  As an herbalist we use nervines (herbs that nourish and calm the nervous system) and adaptogens (herbs that strengthen the body's resilience) to help.  Mitigating stress is key RIGHT NOW.  There are a lot of mind/body suggestions out there for calming and I suggested a couple in my last newsletter but if you need additional support for this please reach out.  *Some adaptogens are best not taken when actively ill so make an appointment with your herbalist to discuss your custom remedy and how to proceed if you become ill.

#3 Supporting wei-qi -  Now that you have more time at home implement a daily practice of the Qi Gong routine I shared last week.  Increasing our wei-qi and our lung health is good preventative medicine right now!  

#4 General immune support - Kitchen medicine like eating warm, nourishing soups, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and citrus fruits are part of a healthy lifestyle.  These are things we can all do and should do. Remember that good health doesn't come in a bottle.  All these little choices add up!
 
#5 Immune stimulating herbs - Many people often reach of elderberry and echinacea to boost the immune system. These are just 2 of the more common ones.  Right now there is information floating around stirring up fears about immune stimulants.  I didn't get too deep into this discussion in the previous newsletter and was possibly too vague as people begin to panic when they read about cytokine storms.  First of all understand that every answer is nuanced so when I say that I might "reconsider" elderberry syrup for those who are ill it does not mean stop.  It means reconsider.  I am going to be looking at whether or not they have already been using it as a preventative and how it has been working for them. Has it been enough? Are there better herbs given their particular needs?  Do I need to move on to my next protocol?  There are many herbs for me to choose from and layers in that decision.   Also as I mentioned previously, herbalists walk a thin line in how we practice so sometimes we have to be a bit vague. We can not come right out and make claims like drug companies can.  With regards to elderberry, in particular, in the last newsletter I shared the perspective from the Science and Art of Herbalism program (the Rosemary Gladstar program that I teach here in Omaha).  I have continued to read what a variety of prominent herbalists have shared.  Here I will also share what my first herbal teacher Nicholas Schnell shared on his page recently.

Elder Berry Safety with Acute Viral Infections
There is much mis-information going around that elderberry will cause a "cytokine storm" if taken during an acute infection. This is simply not true and not based on clinical facts. Elderberry is an immune modulator and anti-viral. It can affect IL-6 to some degree. However, calling this a cytokine storm is misleading. Considering it is one of the most researched herbs for viral influenza, I think it creates more confusion in the public.
​
Dr. Eric Yarnell: I already posted about this but here it goes again to quash this nonsense: forget about all the in vitro crap that suggests Sambucus (Elder) would cause a cytokine storm. Look at the human clinical trials in influenza using Sambucus, another disease where we know cytokine storms cause severe morbidity and mortality (PMID 26189369). Sambucus has not caused cytokine storms in influenza, quite the opposite: symptoms improved much more rapidly with Sambucus than placebo (hardly in line with Sambucus causing aggravation and cytokine storms) (PMID 9395631, 15080016).
​

#6 - #7 Immune amphoteric and modulating herbs and alteratives -  I defined these herbs a bit and gave some herbs to consider for my more knowledgeable clients and so that clients understand some of what I am considering in my formulations.  If you do not have the individual knowledge of which of these herbs to choose then if you get to the point of needing these items you might want to schedule a consultation with your herbalist. 

#8  My office and client protocols - I will remain open as long as I feel it is the right thing to do for my family and my community.  Starting next week all appointments will be via Skype or phone.  For refills and pick-ups I ask that you be very specific in your appointment notes so that we have the items ready for you. We would be glad to bring them out to your vehicle if you text us when you arrive.  This is especially helpful if you have children.  We will be sanitizing all touched surfaces should you choose to come in.  We can also mail them to you if you note that on your appointment note.   We will bill via Square for purchases so that we mitigate passage of germs in the payment process. We will not be answering questions and or socializing at herb pick-up time. It will be a quick in-and-out process.  If you have questions and are looking for advice you will need to make an appointment.

I am making available a "pro-active" immune support blend and an "active" immune support blend that can be purchased for $40 for 4 oz. to help people be prepared.  If you are a current client and become ill you can email me and I will make a more specific blend, if applicable, and it will be mailed to you.  I will only be making custom formulations related to immune support for CURRENT CLIENTS.  A current client is someone who has had a consultation with me in the last 2 years.  

I am committed to being here for you as I can but I also acknowledge that at some point myself and my staff may have to quarantine.  Many clients may have very mild symptoms and all of this may see over-reactionary but for some of my clients with immune challenges this is the protocol that is required in order to keep them health! 

I will share a quote that was often said when I was in the Army that I find highly applicable right now.  

"Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail!" - Benjamin Franklin

Be well my herbal family!  Your health and vitality is of the utmost importance to me!

-Kate