Schisandra Lovin'

An herbal ally for whole body resilience + hormonal health

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Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)

Oh, schisandra, what a great herbal love.

I know, not as popular as say, dandelion or nettles,

but to me,

           schisandra is just as essential for our apothecaries. 

Perhaps you're familiar with this plant already, maybe you think of schisandra as an adaptogen, or as a lung tonic, or even as an herb to contain and replenish fluids in the body...

or maybe you're completely new to this beautiful herb. 

Either way, this episode will help you to get to know this plant - which is not commonly thought of as a hormonal or sexual health herb - in a new light.

Truly an herbal ally for transitional times in our cycling years and beyond.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• why schisandra is one of my favorite herbs 
• how Schisandra's taste tells us about the medicinal properties
• schisandra's traditional and modern energetics and actions 
• how schisandra is viewed from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective
• modern applications of schisandra for whole body health
• some updates on recent research and clinical trials on schisandra
• when you might incorporate schisandra into your hormonal health protocols
• how schisandra is especially supportive for perimenopause + post-menopause

Resources:

• Free guide to learn how to track your cycle + symptoms so you can understand what's going on in your body and support yourself more effectively with herbs and natural therapies
• Episode 2: What is herbal medicine?
• Episode 17: How stress messes with your hormones
• Episode 32: Motherwort love: An herbal ally for every season of your womb
• Episode 37: Easing into menopause
• Deb Soule video - Schisandra in her Rockport, ME garden
• Joe Hollis video - Schisandra at Mountain Gardens Herbs in western NC

References:

Bensky, D., Clavey, S., & Stöger, E. (2004). Chinese herbal medicine materia medica (3rd ed). Seattle, WA: Eastland Press, Inc.

Braun, L., & Cohen, M. (2015). Herbs & natural supplements: An evidence-based guide, volume 2 (4th ed). Sydney, Australia: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Easley, T., & Horne, S. (2016). The modern herbal dispensatory: A medicine-making guide. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

Kuhn, M., & Winston, D. (2008). Herbal therapy and supplements: A scientific and traditional approach (2nd ed). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Li, Z., He, X., Liu, F., Wang, J., & Feng, J. (2018). A review of polysaccharides from Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera: Properties, functions and applications. Carbohydr Polym, 184, 178-190. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.12.058

Nowak, A., Zakłos-Szyda, M., Błasiak, J., Nowak, A., Zhang, Z., & Zhang, B. (2019). Potential of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. in human health and nutrition: A review of current knowledge and therapeutic perspectives. Nutrients, 11(2), 333. doi: 10.3390/nu11020333

Park, J., Han, S., & Park, H. (2020). Effect of Schisandra Chinensis Extract Supplementation on Quadriceps Muscle Strength and Fatigue in Adult Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(7), 2475. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17072475

Park, J., & Kim, K. (2016). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Schisandra chinensis for menopausal symptoms. Climacteric, 19(6), 574-580. DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2016.1238453

Pferschy-Wenzig, E., Pausan, M., Ardjomand-Woelkart, K., Röck, S., Ammar, R., Kelber, O., Moissl-Eichinger, C. & Bauer, R. (2022). Medicinal plants and their impact on the gut microbiome in mental health: A systematic review. Nutrients, 14(10), 2111. doi: 10.3390/nu14102111.

Winston, D. (2003). Herbal therapeutics: Specific indications for herbs and herbal formulas (8th ed). Broadway, NJ: Herbal Therapeutics Research Library

Yang, K., Qiu, J., Huang, Z., Yu, Z., Wang, W., Hu, H. & You, Y. (2022). A comprehensive review of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. and Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils. J Ethnopharmacol, 284, 114759. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114759.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Trusted sources for bulk herbs:

LARGE COMPANIES 

• Mountain Rose Herbs (affiliate link) - globally-sourced organic and wild-crafted herbs
  
• Mountain Rose Herbs (not an affiliate link)
• Pacific Botanicals - California-grown and globally sourced herbs
• Banyan Botanicals - Ayurvedic herbs

REGIONAL, FARM-BASED COMPANIES

• Zack Woods Herb Farm (VT)
• Healing Spirits (NY)
• Sawmill Herb Farm (MA)
• Oshala Farm (OR)
• Meetinghouse Farm (ME)
• Sonoma County Herb Exchange (CA)

Learn to track your cycle and listen to your own body wisdom - Track Your Cycle Simply in 3 Easy Steps Guide (click here)  

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