Hoffmann, David. An herbal guide to stress relief. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, 1991, c1986. 192 p. ISBN 0-89281-426-8. Index and Bibliography.
In twelve chapters, this herbal guide instructs and advises the person who suffers from physical or psychological illness due to stress in their daily lives. The first chapter, The Role of Herbs, provides support for healing from the holistic point of view. He further elaborates by examining the subject, giving: a definition of stress, how to recognize it as a factor in disease, how to control it, and why a person who suffers the symptoms of psychological and physical reactions to stress should utilize a number of therapies in addition to herbal treatments. He then presents chapters on Managing Stress-Induced Illness and How to Kick the Habit (Antianxiety drugs). The last two chapters are How to Prepare Herbal Remedies and Herbs Used for Stress Control. The Index presents all herbs and people mentioned in the text as well as all healing modalities, relaxation techniques, diseases and disorders, and Bach flowers.
Holistic medicine places herbs in the context of healing, next to other modalities. It recognizes that “holistic medicine uses therapeutic approaches that mobilize the person’s innate capacity for self-healing…” p. 35. Part of Hoffmann’s mission is to provide a path of insight that the reader may take towards understanding stress and the conditions in which it proliferates. His philosophy on the use of herbal medicine enthusiastically decries a mindless return to the social and cultural context that generates stress on an unhealthy level. In other words, he wants you to realize the extent to which you can control the damage inflicted by stress at spiritual, psychological, bodily and medicinal levels. So the reader gains a foothold in the vast arena of healing techniques, he offers a procedure for managing stress that incorporates the use of bodywork (yoga, dance, etc.), counseling (psychotherapy, desensitization, etc.), and social support networks.
Hoffmann believes the person using psychotherapeutic drugs has suffered a collapse of the nervous system. He assures us that we can withdraw from the damage of stress-causing situations, make changes to our lifestyle and expectations, add in good habits, and become less dependent on psychotherapeutic medicines. He also says that both anti-anxiety drugs or herbal medicines serve the same psychological purpose: “… it cannot be stressed enough…” that a holistic approach using herbs “… helps people come off drugs and alleviate the need for psychotherapeutic support,” but does not “… replace those drugs with herbal nervines.” p. 145. And the fact is—herbal medicines are known as helpful in reducing dependency on anxiety-reducing medicines.
For stress-induced illness, Hoffmann’s approach offers herbal remedies in addition to the panel of healing modalities mentioned briefly above. Beginning with Allergies and Asthma, and progressing to Blood Pressure, Diseases of the Digestive System, Headaches and Migraine, Hyperactivity in Children, Insomnia, Pain, Skin Diseases, Stress Problems of Women, Post Natal Depression, and Menopause, specific herbs are mentioned along with a short description of why the remedy is important for treatment of stress.
The forty four herbs outlined in Herbs Used for Stress Control may or may not include all of the herbal remedies mentioned under stress-induced illnesses. This materia medica of herbal medicine for stress and stress-related problems includes carefully chosen herbs that are safe to use. Herbal actions of these herbs (the ways they react in the body) are empirically proven and well-known in Western herbalism. Most of these herbs are associated with such actions as analgesic anodyne, antispasmodic, hynotic, nervine, sedative, stimulant or tonic. Surprisingly, many of the herbs also have other medicinal actions such as anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, aromatic, demulcent, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, etc. This is due to the multiple healing actions of many herbs and also to the fact that bodily reactions to stress call for treatment of the whole body.
For daily use, and in cases where stress reactions have not gone deep into the body tissues, the author encourages the use of Bach flower remedies. “They are not used directly for physical illness, but for the person’s worry, apprehension, hopelessness, fear, irritability, and so on.” p. 50. Here he makes the list of 38 Bach flower remedies available and a short description of the energy in each one.
Two herbs mentioned the most for use in stress are Skullcap, as a nervine tonic, sedative and antispasmodic; and Valerian, as a sedative, hypnotic, antispasmodic, hypotensive, and carminative. As Valerian has the stronger action of the two, it may be too much for some people who would prefer a lesser sedative action. Cases of stress may be helped by Lavender, Melissa, Passionflower, and others. Among those herbs mentioned for allergies are Elderflower, Eyebright, Nettles and Peppermint. As Michael Moore has indicated, it’s not necessary to have a whole bunch of herbs at your disposal, but it’s good have a few well-trusted ones.
Although this book is more than two decades old, it is still in print, and otherwise available at public libraries, etc. Originally published by Thorsons, Rochester, VT, in 1987 under the title, Successful Stress Control, an herbal guide to stress relief: gentle remedies and techniques for healing and calming the nervous system.
Follow
