Your Community Herbalist

09/21/2025

Yesterday, Dr. Joseph Mercola published an article on the estrogen - serotonin - histamine connection and how the overabundance of estrogen in our bodies can cause an imbalance of serotonin and histamine.
Here’s a simple, estrogen-clearing lentil kale soup recipe that is high in fiber, cruciferous veggies, and plant protein — everything we want for supporting estrogen metabolism.

🥣 Lentil Kale Soup
Ingredients (4 servings)

1 cup dry green or brown lentils, rinsed

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small potato, diced (optional for extra body)

1–2 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp paprika (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of ½ lemon (optional, at the end for brightness)

Instructions
Sauté aromatics: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.

Add spices: Stir in cumin, turmeric, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Add lentils & broth: Pour in lentils, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil.

Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25–30 minutes, until lentils are tender.

Add kale: Stir in chopped kale and cook 5–7 more minutes until wilted.

Finish: Taste and adjust seasoning. Add lemon juice if desired for brightness.

Serve: Enjoy hot, with optional sprinkle of flaxseed or fresh herbs.

Tips
Make it ahead: This soup keeps well in the fridge 3–4 days and freezes nicely.

Boost estrogen clearance: Add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed on top before serving.

Protein boost: Stir in a scoop of plain plant-based protein powder after cooking if desired.

09/20/2025

https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/news/news-cnm-blog/blog/2020/07/16/the-energy-of-foods-in-chinese-medicine/

August 27, 2025July 16, 2020The Energy of Foods in Chinese MedicineShare this article:Learn how to balance your diet to improve healthOver in the West, we assess food based on its nutritional value and structure, taking into account how much protein, fat and calories it contains. However, in Chinese...

09/20/2025

Unknown until yesterday is the fact that new members of the YCH Signal group cannot see the files library. I apologize for this oversight and will be pinning a link to an encrypted cloud-based library for your benefit.

09/20/2025

Chlorine dioxide is a fantastic substance! Versatile and effective, it should be in every refrigerator. Order on my website.

👋 Welcome, new readers!

09/13/2025

Walk-ins welcome!

09/12/2025

09/08/2025

Late-Summer Energetic Diet Recipe: I don't advocate for vegan diets, but there's a time for vegan meals. Here’s a recipe made with buckwheat flour and fits with a late-summer energetic diet based on Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Earth element season, nourishing spleen and stomach with grounding, slightly sweet, yellow/orange foods.

🌿 Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes for Late Summer

Ingredients (2 servings)

1 cup buckwheat flour (light or dark, depending on your taste)
½ cup oat flour (gentler, balances buckwheat’s intensity; can grind rolled oats)
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed (mixed with 3 Tbsp warm water – flax “egg”)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon (warming, helps spleen energy)
Pinch of sea salt

Wet ingredients

1 cup water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (lightly activates baking powder)
1 Tbsp maple syrup (or date syrup)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional, adds earthy balance)

Seasonal Add-ins / Toppings

Steamed or grated late-summer fruits/veg: pear, peach, apple, or yellow squash/zucchini (gently sweet, moistening, spleen-friendly)
Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds for crunch and Earth-element nourishment
Drizzle of tahini and date syrup instead of heavy syrup, for mineral-rich balance

---

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix flaxseed + water. Let sit 5 minutes to gel.
2. In a larger bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine plant milk, vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Add flax mixture.
4. Pour wet into dry, stir gently until just combined (batter should be pourable but not thin—add a splash more water if too thick).
5. Heat a skillet on medium, lightly oil. Pour about ¼ cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and edges set (2–3 min), flip and cook another 1–2 min.
6. Serve warm with late-summer fruits, seeds, and a light drizzle of tahini-date sauce.

Energetic note:

* Buckwheat strengthens digestion and clears dampness.
* Oats and sesame nourish Earth energy.
* Warm spices and gently sweet fruits harmonize spleen/stomach.
* Avoid heavy, cold, or overly sugary toppings to stay in balance with the season.

Pictured: Served with stewed cherries, walnuts and tiny pinch of cloves.

09/07/2025

Rosa rugosa — medicine at its peak.
When the rose is still in bud, like this vibrant Rosa rugosa, it holds the most fragrance and medicinal strength. In Chinese medicine, we often say the qi of the plant is most concentrated before full bloom—when the petals are still closed, preserving their vitality. Harvested at this stage, the buds can be dried and brewed into a gentle tea that moves Qi, harmonizes the Liver and Spleen, eases emotional tension, and supports women’s health.

Modern research also shows that rose buds are especially high in polyphenols and flavonoids—powerful antioxidants that help protect the heart and reduce oxidative stress.

Many people know Rosa rugosa as the “Beach Rose” of Cape Cod, and sometimes even call it invasive. But in truth, it’s simply a hardy, resilient shrub. It does grow bigger each year and naturally spreads, just as many garden plants do—but it’s totally manageable. With a little trimming, it stays beautifully in place, giving you blooms, fragrance, pollinator support, and medicine.

A rose in bud is not just beauty paused—it’s nature and healing at their peak. 🌹

09/07/2025

Here's a fairly complicated case study, as we see internal coldness combined with surface heat. They're not all this complicated.

Client Presentation

50-year-old female with itchy, scaly rash that began after mosquito bite.
Rash spreads to both legs and both arms, red and inflamed, with edema at ankle on the leg that bite occured..
Spider veins and neuropathic leg sensitivity.
Key Feature Client reports ecstatic relief from hottest possible showers; normal warm showers feel ticklish and unsatisfying.

Clinical Significance of Hot Shower Phenomenon

Western View Heat overwhelms itch nerve pathways (gate control), depletes histamine, and releases endorphins explains relief and euphoria.
TCM View - Surface Yang/Wei Qi is weak; normal stimuli pe*****te too easily (tickling). Hidden Cold obstructs channels beneath surface Damp-Heat, so body craves strong Yang to unblock Qi and Blood. Relief equals dispersal of Wind and temporary release of stasis.

Pattern Analysis

Root Deficiency - Wei Qi deficiency, Liver Blood deficiency, Cold obstructing channels.
Branch Excess - Damp-Heat + Wind lodged in skin.
Integration - Rash presents as Heat, but deeper Cold + weakness force reliance on external heat for relief.

The hot shower phenomenon is a valuable sign pointing to Cold-stasis underneath apparent Damp-Heat.

Rebalancing Principles:

1. Tonify Wei Qi and Spleen Qi (strengthen surface, reduce hypersensitivity).
2. Nourish Blood and Yin to anchor Wind and moisten skin.
3. Clear Damp-Heat from skin to resolve itching and redness.
4. Move Qi and Blood to support veins and relieve neuropathy.
5. Gently warm Yang to unblock Cold at the root.

Formula Strategy

Base - Central Qi Decoction + Four Substances Decoction
Skin - Dittany Root Bark, Broom Cypress Seed, Sophora Root.
Circulation - Szechuan Lovage Root, Achyranthes Root, Safflower Petals.
Cold root - Tiny amount of Cinnamon Bark

By balancing clearing herbs with Blood tonics and gentle warming/moving medicinals, we address both the itch and the underlying weakness.

Pictured: One - two day's worth of the formula. Two of the herbs, Dittany Root and Broom Cypress are in 5:1 granule form because I don't have the bulk forms in stock. A bulk herb decoction will be made, then strained, and the granules will be added to the tea. The finished tea will be divided into two portions for dosing. To make it two day's worth, reboil to make "yin tea," adding an extra portion of Safflower Petals, Dittany Root and Broom Cypress.

09/07/2025

Late Summer Breakfast Ideas
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the late summer season, which spans from August to the fall equinox in September, is associated with the Earth element and the Stomach and Spleen organs, which are central to digestion and energy production.
To optimize wellness during this time, TCM emphasizes consuming warm, nourishing, and easily digestible breakfasts that support the Stomach and Spleen, particularly during their peak functional hours between 7-11 AM.
This season calls for foods that are sweet in flavor and help strengthen the Earth element, promoting balance and preventing issues like fatigue, bloating, and brain fog.

A cornerstone of a TCM-compliant late summer breakfast is congee (rice porridge), which is highly recommended for its ability to strengthen digestion, provide sustained energy, and enhance hydration.
Congee can be made with white rice, millet, or brown rice, and customized with seasonal ingredients like stewed apples, pears, or berries, which are considered nourishing and supportive of the Spleen.
Adding warming spices such as cinnamon or cardamom can further enhance Stomach function.
For those with dietary restrictions, such as sensitivity to fruits, eggs, or dairy, a savory congee made with millet or barley and topped with sautéed bok choy, dark leafy greens, mung beans, or green onions offers a suitable alternative.

Other suitable breakfast options include warm oatmeal or porridge made with oats, millet, or barley, which are easy to digest and can be prepared with water or rice milk.
These can be enhanced with a small amount of honey or molasses for sweetness, and topped with roasted walnuts or seeds like chia, flax, or sunflower for added nutrients and grounding energy.
For a more substantial meal, a simple bowl of stewed fruit like apples or pears with a pinch of cinnamon and a handful of roasted walnuts provides a balanced, warming breakfast that supports Kidney energy and the digestive system.

It is advised to avoid cold, raw, or overly sweet foods in the morning, as they can weaken the Spleen and lead to digestive sluggishness.
Instead, focus on warm, cooked meals that align with the season’s energy and support the body’s need for nourishment and stability as it transitions into autumn.

Pictured: Rice, oat and quinoa porridge with stewed goji berries and cherries, a touch of molasses, pickled ginger, astragalus, and a pinch of cloves. It was delicious.

09/06/2025

Tylenol has been a driver of nonalcoholic liver disease in adults, as well, when not combined with NAC. I never bought into the shift that said Tylenol good, aspirin bad. Meadowsweet herb is my go-to as it has the active ingredient in aspirin, doesn't have the additives, isn't produced in a lab, and hosts stomach-protective agents, all in a pleasantly tasting plant. I don't yet know about its safety during pregnancy, though. I'd have to research that.

Read, comment and share the X post dedicated to this article here: https://x.com/sayerjigmi/status/1964115504081052047