Class Notes from Lesson 7-8 Constitutional

 Lesson 7-8: Adaptogens 7, Oplopanax

Tonics stimulate functions without creating imbalances. Therapeutics are specific treatments for disorders - treats disease state, not constitutional. So, if there is an ulcer or an infection, you treat that first with therapeutics, then you try to treat the cause with herbs for balance, strengthening deficiency and such. Adaptogens are tonics to stress. They do not strengthen constitutional weakness. They mainly work on pituitary and hypothalamus and limbic system. Basically, they calm stress hormones. We are evolutionarily wired to perceive threats before they become dangers and avoid them. In modern, low real/physical threat environments, adaptogens calm this function so we can relax and not physically/hormonally react to every shadow, sound and worry.

I find that two main issues cause major problems for people. 1) Denying that doing bad things is harmful. Concepts of right and wrong evolved over millions of years for the good of people. Denying this causes all sorts of heartache, poverty and danger. It puts you in jail, in debt, destroys families, kills people. Bad actions have bad consequences. Traditional morality (like it or not) is the surest way to avoid life's bad consequences. 2) Pretending that you don't make mistakes... "keeping up appearances". Everyone screws up. We should. We learn from our mistakes. We will lie, cheat and steal. We will say and do stupid things. We will hold mistaken ideas/ideals. We will have a thousand failures in life... some big, most small or moderate. We will be weak. We will get sick. We will have problems in our families. We will drink and in love with the wrong people. The ability to learn from that is a definition of being human. The need to "save face" act like we are in control, avoid embarrassment is often as harmful as denying the reality that becoming a drug addict or a sexual predator is probably going to end up in jail, misery and poverty. Like most of his generation, MM won't go that far... boomers, you know.... "the me generation".... Anyway you can greatly minimize stress by 1) not doing bad stuff, 2) not trying to hide mistakes to the point you are terrified of embarrassment. That is my 2 cents, anyway.

So, oplopanax hortidum... but I'm only finding horridum online...assuming it is the same. Devil's Club. LONG discussion on how it is spikey and weedy. Similar to ginseng. Simulative. Pro-anabolic and moderately cools adrenaline stress. Stimulates thyroid. Increases anabolism and decreases catabolism in liver. Moderates blood sugar especially for metabolic syndrome; not insulin dependent. "Modifies the yo-yos", the ups and downs. Stimulates GI. Strong liver herb, particularly good for liver damaged by toxins.

Here is the link to the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine Course

https://www.swsbm.com/school/