College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)

Bitter, acrid nerve relaxant.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Bitter, acrid nerve relaxant.

Metabolic Nature of Blue Vervain

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

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COLD

ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.

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DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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ASTRINGENT

ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT

BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying Pitta pacifying Vata pacifying

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

Other

Acrid

ACRID

Acrid taste is a combination of bitter and pungent tastes. Example include radish, turnip, and coffee.

SEE ALL 'ACRID' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Blue Vervain
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Nerve Relaxant Grounding

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antidepressant

ANTIDEPRESSANT

Herbs that lift feelings of depression, benefit the mind and improve mental function.

SEE ALL 'ANTIDEPRESSANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Dopaminergic

DOPAMINERGIC

Dopamine lifts mood, but also reduces prolactin, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and lutenizing hormone (LH).

SEE ALL 'DOPAMINERGIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

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Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Cholagogue

CHOLAGOGUE

Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.

SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Emmenagogue

EMMENAGOGUE

Herbs which stimulate menstruation. Emmenagogues are used for scanty menstruation, to relieve menstrual pain, and improve blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus.

SEE ALL 'EMMENAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

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Relaxant Parturient

RELAXANT-PARTURIENT

Used when labor is stalled due to irregular, colicky or spasmodic contractions (hypertonic). Ensures full dilation of cervix.

SEE ALL 'RELAXANT-PARTURIENT' FOODS / HERBS

Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, heart palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Blue Vervain

  • Chamomile

    Chamomile has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Emmenagogue, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Diaphoretic, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Saffron

    Saffron has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Emmenagogue, Diaphoretic, Nervine, Antidepressant, Diuretic, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Garlic

    Garlic has these Actions in Common

    Alterative, Cholagogue, Sedative, Antispasmodic, Diaphoretic, Anxiolytic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Nutmeg

    Nutmeg has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic, Nervine, Emmenagogue, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Mint

    Mint has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Dopaminergic, Anxiolytic, Nervine, Antidepressant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Basil

    Basil has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Diuretic, Anxiolytic, Nervine, Antidepressant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Lavender

    Lavender has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Antispasmodic, Relaxant-parturient, Anxiolytic, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Sorghum Flour

    Sorghum Flour has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Sedative, Diuretic, Antidepressant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Beets

    Beets has these Actions in Common

    Alterative, Cholagogue, Antispasmodic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Cloves

    Cloves has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Nervine, Diaphoretic, Antispasmodic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Fenugreek

    Fenugreek has these Actions in Common

    Diuretic, Cholagogue, Emmenagogue, Diaphoretic, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Blue Vervain

  • Motherwort

    Motherwort has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Dopaminergic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Alterative, Nervine, Antidepressant, Relaxant-parturient

    LEARN MORE

  • Black Cohosh

    Black Cohosh has these Actions in Common

    Relaxant-parturient, Antidepressant, Sedative, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Diaphoretic, Dopaminergic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Antidepressant, Sedative, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Lemon Balm

    Lemon Balm has these Actions in Common

    Relaxant-parturient, Sedative, Antidepressant, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Diaphoretic, Dopaminergic, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Sedative, Alterative, Antidepressant, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Diuretic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Blue Cohosh

    Blue Cohosh has these Actions in Common

    Emmenagogue, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Hops

    Hops has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • California Poppy

    California Poppy has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Sedative, Antidepressant, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Skullcap

    Skullcap has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Sedative, Antidepressant

    LEARN MORE

  • Kava Kava

    Kava Kava has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Diuretic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

Guidelines - Preparation & Dose

1 dropper full 2x/day or as directed by your practitioner.
See guidelines for tinctures?

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Blue Vervain may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Blue Vervain may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Note this is not a complete list of all possible contraindications. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Here are some potential herb drug interactions with Blue Vervain. Please see your health care provider for more information.

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Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.