Body system: Nervous system & sleep

  • Rhodiola

    A hardy Arctic and mountain root that Scandinavian, Siberian and Russian folk medicine have long used for endurance, cold winters and recovering strength. Today it's one of the best-known "adaptogens" for everyday stress and tiredness.

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    Berberine

    Berberine is the bright-yellow compound behind some of the oldest bitter remedies in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, from Indian barberry to Chinese goldthread. Today it is one of the most-studied plant compounds for metabolic health, and one of the most interaction-prone, so it is worth reading the safety section first.

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  • Lion’s Mane Mushroom

    Lion's mane is the shaggy white "monkey head" mushroom of Chinese and Japanese tradition, eaten as a delicacy and used for centuries to support the stomach and, more recently, memory and mood. Here's what tradition says, what the early research shows, and who should be careful with it.

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  • Reishi Mushroom

    Reishi is the glossy "mushroom of immortality" of Chinese and Japanese tradition, prized for over 2,000 years as a calming, strengthening tonic. Here's what traditional medicine uses it for, what the research says so far, and who should be careful with it.

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  • Ginseng (Asian and American)

    Ginseng has been the prized "root of strength" in Chinese medicine for centuries, and American ginseng was a woodland medicine of Indigenous peoples before it became a major export to China. Here's how the two ginsengs differ in tradition, what modern studies show for energy and fatigue, and who should be careful with it.

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  • Valerian

    Valerian has been the classic "sleep root" since the days of Hippocrates and Galen, and it's still one of the most-used herbs for restless nights and nervous tension. Here's how tradition uses it, what the research on sleep really shows, why it can take a few weeks to work, and who should skip it.

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  • Peppermint

    Peppermint has settled stomachs and freshened breath since ancient Egypt, and today it's one of the few herbs with solid research behind it, especially for an irritable gut. Here's how tradition uses the leaf and the oil, what the studies show, and who should skip it.

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  • Lemon Balm

    For more than two thousand years, lemon balm has been the herb people reach for to “gladden the heart” and calm a racing mind. Here's how tradition uses it for nerves, sleep, digestion and cold sores, what the research shows, and why people with thyroid conditions should check first.

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  • Chamomile

    One of the oldest and gentlest herbs in the world, with more than a million cups of its tea drunk every day. Here's how tradition uses chamomile for nerves, sleep, digestion, mouth and skin, what the research shows, and the one allergy to watch for.

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  • Licorice Root

    One of the oldest and most widely used herbs on earth, licorice root is the sweet "harmonizer" of Chinese formulas and a soothing tonic in Ayurveda. Here's what traditions use it for, what the research shows, and why it's one herb you need to respect.

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    The full guide, with how to use it and the safety notes, is in the Remedies Vault.

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