Nocturnal Herbalist: Recent Episodes
Marcos Patchett
Herbalism, traditional astrology, Cacao, pharmacology, and evidence-based medicine: an eclectic brew for your aural pleasure.
Wild swimming in winter (or cold showers) as popularised by Wim Hof and others seem to help poor circulation, inflammatory disorders, depression and many other issues. In this Livestream I discuss my thoughts on these practices and show and tell some of the little herbal hacks I use to help recover from cold exposure!
LINKS:
Cold water swimming benefits – detailed research paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7730683/
Clear instruction video on ice water hand and foot training for poor circulation, Reynaud’s, and (potentially?) reducing neuropathic pain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzg7dfllzvM
The original VICE documentary on Wim Hofhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaMjhwFE1Zw&t=42s
Research paper on the many biological activities of Cayenne (chilli) pepper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432674/
Angelica root – traditional medicinal uses https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Angelica+archangelica
Wood Betony: traditional uses https://eattheplanet.org/wood-betony-a-fascinating-herb-with-many-benefits/
Wood Betony’s plant family (Stachys) – interesting phytochemistry research paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7601302/
Rosemary – general research papers
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905578/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6325740/
ADDENDUM - I couldn't find the specific reference I saw years ago describing Angelica's ability to improve circulation through the heart - but it seems likely to be the coumarins in the root, which have Calcium-channel blocking activity and act as vasodilators. I recall reading that extracts could specifically increase blood flow through thecoronary arteries, if I find the reference I will post it! https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pca.2800030108
Many people experience low mood and motivation in the colder, darker months of the year. In this Livestream I talkabout Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD from a herbalist's perspective, and riff on a few plant-based and practical remedies.
LINKS:
The most extreme form of “winter blues”:seasonal depression aka SAD general info: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder
Cold water for SAD and depression? Basic overview of potential benefits of cold water immersion for mental and physical health: https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/cold-water-swimming-why-an-icy-dip-is-good-for-your-mental-and-physical-health
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) general info: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/st-john-wort
Sage (Salvia officinalis): pharmacological review https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5634728/and traditional uses https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sages-05.html
Ginseng (Panax ginseng) as an antidepressant https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6869450/
Many people espouse dietary beliefs which are perceived asrigid or extreme. In this livestream I mull over some thoughts on diet dogma, where it comes from, and some of the positives and negatives of food-focused beliefs.
LINKS:
The "Rawlicious" video which got me thinking aboutthese topics this week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw4lP6UK4-U
My favourite YT nutrition channel - balanced and wellresearched, Nutrition Made Simple https://www.youtube.com/@NutritionMadeSimple
IBS, IBD and endometriosis are common ailments with very different causes, frequently associated with suffering and loss of quality of life. In this livestream I discuss some approaches that may be beneficial for dealing with these issues.
LINKS:
IBS: need for simultaneous mind + gut treatment (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10496425/
IBS overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534810/
IBD overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470312/
Endometriosis overview (very technical/medical language) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567777/
Herbal and plant therapy in patients with IBD (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367210/
Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) review (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478785/
Wild Yam general info (website) https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/wild-yam
Yam (Dioscorea spp.) pharmacological investigations https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7393038/
Endometriosis and mental health 2-way links – American Psychiatric Association https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2020.4b10
Herbalist Jim McDonald’s excellent Calamus article https://www.herbcraft.org/calamus.html
All medicines (including herbal medicines) can cause "sideeffects" to varying degrees. In this Livestream I discuss a recent personal Adverse Drug Reaction to the generally wonderful Reishi mushroom(Ganoderma lucidum), and some protocols I follow as a medical herbalist for minimizing unwanted drug interactions when using herbal medicines alongside prescription drugs.
LINKS:
Reishi medicinal uses: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92757/
Case history of eosinophilia caused by Reishi: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8758446/
Reddit account case of raised eosinophils after Reishi: https://www.reddit.com/r/MushroomSupplements/comments/jjb9ja/eosinophil_and_basophil_count_elevated_while/
In ancient times it was common to use herbs in conjunction with astrology or other forms of divination to treat illness. This was often done by first using gentler internal medicine for a few days or weeks to adjust the perceived imbalance (known as “digesting the peccant humour”), before administering a more drastic treatment in an attempt to jump-start the body back to health (“purging the humour”). In this livestream we’ll take a meander through some of the Renaissance herbal formulas and treatment strategies for different ailments and symptom patterns, looking at them through both a traditional and a contemporary pharmacological lens.
LINKS:
Books:
Richard Saunders’ “The Astrological Judgement and Practice of Physick” (1677). https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Astrological_Judgement_and_Practice.html?id=w2cBzeCZUGUC&redir_esc=y
Richard Burton’s “The Anatomy of Melancholy” https://gutenberg.org/files/10800/10800-h/10800-h.htm
The “angina experiment” is described in “Meaning, medicineand the ‘placebo effect’” by Daniel Moermann https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/meaning-medicine-and-the-placebo-effect/C189929ABE972E5D4C7FE32008EE8838
Plants:
Borage https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16807-0_46
Chicory https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3860133/
Polypody https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327886800_ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL_STUDIES_OF_Polypodium_vulgare_Linn_A_COMPREHENSIVE_REVIEW
Hellebore https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1934578X231201053
Rhubarb https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7448319/
“Side effects” are common with manyprescription medicines, and may also occur with plant medicines. But “side effects” are just unwanted drugeffects, and not all side effects are the same: some are dangerous, some are uncomfortable, and some may even be necessary. In this livestream I talk about medication sensitivity, what it means, and what can be done about it.
LINKS:
Iatrogenesis or medication-caused illness: a review paper – conventional medicine = 5th leading cause of death worldwide https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060929/
Herbal medicine adverse drug reactions systematic review https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/13/1/7
Burdock pharmacology – basic overview (downloadablefull text) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47567515_A_review_of_the_pharmacological_effects_of_Arctium_lappa_burdock/link/02e7e5196f0af4e868000000/download
Cleavers – phytochemistry and in vitro immune stimulant activity https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6963662/
Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557820/
Tsultrim Allione’s process of “Feeding your Demons” https://www.taramandala.org/programs-overview/long-term-study-pathways/feeding-your-demons/fyd-resources/5-steps-of-fyd/
Life is sometimes Not Fun. But there are things we can do to make it better: perspective shifts, simple actions, and of course medicinal plants. In this fifth livestream I talk about some of the simple approaches I take with clients (and myself) to help stay afloat when you've barely got the energy to bail the water out of the boat anymore.
LINKS:
Positive effects of gratitude on mental health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8582291/
Oats (Avena sativa) – a phytochemical overview https://etflin.com/article/90#:~:text=The%20review%20article%20aims%20to%20explore%20plant%20profile%2C,studies%2C%20dosage%20form%2C%20marketed%20formulation%2C%20and%20industrial%20application.
Generic paper on Rosa damascena’s medicinal uses (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737971/
Three abstracts of systematic reviews & meta-analyses of Rosa damscena’s utility in mental health issues (depression, anxiety, sleep disorders) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35653142/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34508987/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34405933/
Systematic review of Rosa damascena and PMS/dysmenorrhoea (full paper) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8395985/
Aging causes significant hormonal changes in both sexes, leading to physical, emotional and mental changes, and sometimes significant health issues. In this livestream I discuss some of the ways this can show up, and some herbal strategies and approaches to facilitate positive changes.
Links:
Book - Graeme Tobyn, "Culpeper's Medicine" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17356964-culpeper-s-medicine
Book - Bensky et al., "Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/668275.Chinese_Herbal_Medicine
Herbal medicines and menopausal symptoms - overview (journal review article): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5783135/
Phytoestrogens, hormones and health (journal article): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468963/
Phytoestrogens and peri/post-menopausal female sexual function (journal article meta-analysis): [ABSTRACT ONLY - full text behind paywall]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30156931/
Herbs and testosterone: journal review article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8166567/pdf/nmaa134.pdf
Flax seed and health (journal review article): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567199/
Anne Reardon's unfortunate Flax seed scaremongering (but otherwise excellent) video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyhCIYjhiM0
A rational response to the flax panic: https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/ask-experts/are-cyanide-levels-in-flaxseed-safe/
Review article on Damiana (Turnera diffusa) [ABSTRACT ONLY - full text behind paywall]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24468305/
Damiana's effects on mice! [ABSTRACT ONLY - full text behind paywall]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30818006/
We all self-sabotage - some more than others. In this Livestream I think out loud about why we do it, and discuss some of the plant allies that may be useful in helping to address it.LINKS:Marisa Peer's interview with Lewis Howes: https://lewishowes.com/podcast/your-thoughts-will-heal-or-kill-you-with-marisa-peer/
Anna Runkle's daily practice: https://courses.crappychildhoodfairy.com/daily-practicePanax ginseng as an antidepressant: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6869450/Stephen Fulder's "The Book of Ginseng": https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Book-of-Ginseng/Stephen-Fulder/978089281491:6My book on Cacao: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/aboutChamomile research review paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9032859/Lemon Balm (Melissa) research review paper [paywall :( ]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874116302732
Migraines are very common, affecting up to 15% of the population (according to Wikipedia), but are poorly understood. In this Livestream I cover some herbal approaches to migraine and potentially useful avenues for exploration in treating this ancient malady.LINKS:General migraine info: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5005-migraine-headaches Feverfew in migraine prevention meta-analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7133498/Wood Betony article by Jim McDonald: http://herbcraft.org/betony.html
Stachys genus pharmacological investigations: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7601302/
Sometimes we have to deal with dire situations on our own, and this can be made better or worse by our expectations and the stories we tell ourselves. In this episode I think out loud about the power of being a passenger, how passivity be leveraged to create resilience, and how poison (at the correct dosage) may create resilience. With reference to the "furious martial plant" Bryony (Bryonia dioica).Useful refs:Bryony as an adaptogen (1997 journal article) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233804056_Plant_adaptogens_II_Bryonia_as_an_adaptogenBryony in traditional medicine in Europe (2019 journal article)
COMPLETE VERSION AVAILABLE ON RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/v21gbve-the-current-astrology-of-covid-19-the-final-curtain.html
Previous videos:
The Medieval Astrology of COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ_wxYnT1Vg&list=PLB6gHKySmYaRSO-2AVgRi0hGNgZCTb6x1&index=3&t=2256s
The Renaissance Astrology of COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crcTnxSKVe4&list=PLB6gHKySmYaRSO-2AVgRi0hGNgZCTb6x1&index=6
Infinity astrological magazine article: https://infinityastrologicalmagazine.com/product/iam-32-ants-physical-copy/
BOOK: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/
Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/
Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists.co.uk/user/marcospatchett/
TIMESTAMPS:
00:04:21 Review of global COVID-19 predictions
00:12:50 Incorrect timing of predicted events – revising the astrology of eclipses
00:20:44 Horary chart #1 (2021): How effective and safe are the COVID-19 vaccines?
00:51:41 Horary chart #2 (2021): Would the COVID vaccine harm me?
01:03:05 UK COVID predictions 2021-2022 review
01:12:11 UK March-September 2022 UK predictions
01:26:13 UK September 2022 – March 2023 predictions
01:38:04 UK March 2023 – March 2024 predictions
LINKS:
Johns Hopkins global case tracking since the start of the pandemic https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases
Global COVID deaths since the start of the pandemic https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
2021 & early 2022 predictions review: Wikipedia’s COVID review of events in England from June 2021 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic_in_England_(2021)#March_2021and in 2022 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic_in_England_(2022)
Childcare costs crisis early 2022 https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2022/03/government-funding-drives-childcare-pricesand https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/mar/25/childcare-costs-spiralled-uk-families-survey
Highest deaths with COVID in the UK Feb 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-reported-sars-cov-2-deaths-in-england/covid-19-confirmed-deaths-in-england-to-28-february-2022-report
In this episode I discuss new research on plant medicines in COVID-19 and the distorting effect of profit on the investigation of medicinal plants, with a digression into the Flexner report, a pivotal piece of legislation that re-shaped the medical landscape of America and "Western medicine".
Full show notes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDR5Rf17f8U
BOOK: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/
Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/
Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists.co.uk/user/marcospatchett/
BOOK: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/
Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/
Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists.co.uk/user/marcospatchett/
TIMESTAMPS
00:35 Talk outline
03:18 Traditional beverages made with Cacao
04:28 The metate (metatl) y mano (metlapil)
06:27 Preparing cacao seeds for making beverages
08:38 Cacao blanco (Theobroma bicolor)
10:00 Chocolate atole
10:48 Bu’pu
14:55 Cacao vessels and varieties of ancient beverage
16:51 Foam on traditional Cacao-based beverages
17:11 Ancient Cacao beverages made without maize
20:27 Cacao, empire and slavery
21:30 Reconstructed traditional Mesoamerican Cacao beverages
23:54 The pharmacology of Theobroma cacao
24:27 Medicinal compounds in Cacao – polyphenols
29:24 Xanthines (caffeine, theobromine, theophylline)
32:30 “Fairy dust” compounds – biogenic amines, salsolinol, GABA, anandamide etc.
34:29 Cacao and Psilocybe mushrooms
37:01 Health benefits of dark chocolate
39:59 Chocolate consumption and decreased risk of death
42:14 Cacao as a hedonic modifier
44:38 Cacao as an anti-phobic substance
46:36 Cacao and the microbiome
48:26 Cacao and the stars
48:33 Curandero Diego’s uses of Cacao and the Old World Venus archetype
51:00 Señora Ca’al, the midwife and Cacao (Venus archetype)
52:15 Ix Chel & Chac exchanging Cacao
53:43 Cacao classified using Old World astrology (including the myth of Quetzalcoatl and Cacao’s origins)
57:45 Quetzalcoatl (a Mesoamerican Venus god)
57:59 Cacaxtla mural of a Venus god with Maize and Cacao
59:20 Maize as Sun, Cacao as…Moon?
1:01:06 Cacao in mythology
1:01:22 The Axis Mundi in the Perennial Philosophy
1:02:16 The Mayan World Tree – the wakah chan
1:04:28 Theobroma cacao as the world tree
1:05:35 “Portals”, “vision serpents” and sacrifice in Mesoamerican religion
1:09:52 Theobroma cacao as an ancestor-tree
1:12:02 The K’iche Maya “Hero Twins” saga (from the Popol Vuh)
1:18:34 “Two fish”
1:20:32 Codex Borgia illustration of “the creation of the universe”
1:22:20 Lacandon Maya “god pots”
1:23:21 Cacao in Renaissance European alchemy
1:25:01 Homeopathic “chocolatum” provings
1:25:46 Chocolate in Traditional Chinese Medicine
1:26:12 Summary of mythic themes of Theobroma cacao
1:28:01 Magical uses of Cacao
Full list of references may be found in the published work “The Secret Life of Chocolate” https://www.aeonbooks.co.uk/product/the-secret-life-of-chocolate/40255/or, for those in the U.S., https://bit.ly/3dVRX1d
In this episode I discuss the arguments for and against deploying the novel COVID vaccine technologies, and whether the controversy over vaccine-related health concerns has any foundation.
Original show and show notes, with timestamps, references and links available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BP_coDNvFTA
Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/
Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists...
BOOK: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/
Show notes, original video, references and links all on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crcTnxSKVe4
Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/
Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists...
Book: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/
Astrology Schools: The Academy of Astrology: http://www.academyofastrology.co.uk/
Kepler USA: https://keplercollege.org/
Qualifying Horary Practitioner: http://qhpastrology.co.uk/
“The Traditional Astrology of COVID-19”, full article exploring the astrology of the wider pandemic published in Infinity magazine’s July 2020 Issue. The full article is available for purchase with the magazine, details here https://infinityastrologicalmagazine....
A talk recorded for London's Psychedelic Society in June 2020 on the subject of Theobroma cacao as an entheogen. Full show notes and references available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL_o_s_dzfY
The Psychedelic Society https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk/
Marcos’ website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/
Association of Master Herbalists practitioner profile: https://associationofmasterherbalists.co.uk/user/marcospatchett/
BOOK: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/
This is the audio version of a YouTube video, available at https://youtu.be/FfEN9137Rgs.
The main presentation was recorded in October 2020 for the UK's National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) annual conference, and was entitled "Chocolate and Social Isolation - on the Therapeutic Potential of Theobroma cacao in a digitally distanced era". References are listed in the description box on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS
00:01:30 Upcoming projects and videos
00:04:59 Presentation begins [Chocolate and Social Isolation]
00:05:55 Talk outline (contents)
00:07:50 Definitions – social isolation vs. loneliness
00:09:05 Loneliness, social isolation and risk of death
00:13:55 Psychosocial effects of loneliness and social isolation
00:18:24 How social isolation and loneliness cause health problems (mechanisms)
00:29:10 Long-term implications of social distancing policies – feasible effects on psychosocial and physical health and behaviour
00:33:25 Cacao in Mesoamerican symbolism and belief systems
00:36:46 Traditional uses of Theobroma cacao seeds in Mesoamerica
00:38:38 Specific Mesoamerican myths featuring Cacao
00:41:50 Effects of chocolate consumption on mortality and morbidity, by comparison with social isolation and loneliness
00:46:16 Research evidence for psychosocial benefits of chocolate consumption in the elderly, new mums, and the general population
00:50:30 Mechanisms by which Cacao may offset or prevent health problems induced by loneliness or social isolation
00:58:22 Potential benefits of Cacao consumption
00:59:02 How to take Cacao or chocolate for medicinal benefits
01:02:14 Implications – what Cacao could do for the world
Practice website: http://nocturnalherbalist.com/v2/
Book: http://thesecretlifeofchocolate.com/
Professional association: https://associationofmasterherbalists.co.uk/user/marcospatchett/