Education

Lena Kian, ND

Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals, Volume 2: Circulation and Respiration

Dr Jill Stansbury, a naturopathic physician and leading expert in botanical medicine, has utilized her 30 years of clinical experience to compile a complete reference guide and collection of comprehensive herbal formulations for healthcare professionals. This is the second volume of a 5-volume set, which focuses on cardiovascular, circulatory, and respiratory conditions. It is a great resource for any healthcare practitioner wanting to research and formulate tinctures specific to these systems.

Dr Stansbury has done a superb job, in a total of 3 chapters, of covering these systems by examining specific conditions and mechanisms involved. Chapter 1 discusses the foundational considerations in the art of creating effective herbal formulations. The practitioner will find a specific exercise called “The Triangle” helpful in achieving this goal. The triangle consists of the horizontal base, which correlates with the leading or directing herb, acting to tonify and restore the affected system. The 2 sides of this triangle correlate with the specific and synergist herbs, respectively. A specific herb is selected based on its action on the specific pathology involved, while a synergist herb takes underlying factors into consideration and acts to complement the actions of the specific herb (eg, for hypertension, Rauwolfia might be the specific herb selected; however, if the patient has insomnia and stress as underlying factors, synergistic herbs are chosen accordingly). Chapter 2 discusses the creation of herbal formulations for cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, and pulmonary conditions, and Chapter 3 discusses herbal formulations for respiratory conditions.

Chapter 2

In Chapter 2, the reader will find a thorough discussion of hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and chronic hypertension, including the use of botanicals that act to inhibit vascular proliferation and platelet aggregation, protect endothelial function, and enhance vasodilation. The herbs Angelica sinensis (considered a “blood mover,” from a TCM perspective) and Allium sativum are known to have these cardioprotective properties and should always be considered in anti-hypertensive formulas. I found Dr Stansbury’s all-purpose tincture for hypertension particularly helpful, as it reflects a multifactorial approach by including botanicals that act as vasodilators, nervines, and lipid-lowering agents, as well as protecting and restoring endothelial function. This chapter also offers a full series of formulas for congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and peripheral and cerebrovascular insufficiency. The practitioner will find formulas for capillary fragility and varicosities, Raynaud’s syndrome, lymphedema, iron deficiency anemia, and even hemochromatosis, impotence, and sleep apnea.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 discusses unique formulations for respiratory conditions, such as various types of coughs (ie, coughs from post-nasal drip, dry coughs, spastic coughs, moist coughs, etc). This chapter begins with topical applications, including instructions, for lung complaints, such as a topical lung plaster, mustard poultice, and liniment massages, which can be very soothing and provide pain relief to the patient when there is chest pain secondary to coughing, aches from the flu, or lung infection. Tinctures for respiratory rhonchi, stridor, dyspnea, hemoptysis, pneumonia, pleuritis, allergic rhinosinusitis, and acute bronchitis are discussed. I particularly appreciate the lengthy discussions about chronic respiratory conditions, including COPD and cystic fibrosis, which Dr Stansbury approaches with a multi-factorial perspective. In the case of the tincture for cystic fibrosis, the primary affected organs are considered (including hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic), as well as inflammatory pathways and cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Overall, this is a great reference book for both beginning and advanced healthcare professionals who work with any patient suffering from various cardiovascular, circulatory, and respiratory conditions. Practitioners will find this book to contain precisely formulated and highly applicable herbal recipes that are useful in everyday clinical practice.

Just the Facts

• Title: Herbal Fomularies for Health Professionals, Volume 2: Circulation and Respiration
• Author: Jill Stansbury, ND
• Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
• Available from: www.chelseagreen.com
• Pages: 220
• Style: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2018
• MSRP: $44.95