College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Osha (Ligusticum porteri)

A famous herb used primarily for respiratory conditions.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

A famous herb used primarily for respiratory conditions.

Metabolic Nature of Osha

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.

Find Out More

CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

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

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

MOBILE

ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE

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?

Find Out More

PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT

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.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Pitta aggravating Vata aggravating

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.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

A Phlegmatic has a cold and wet metabolic nature. The coldness implies a slow metabolism, the moisture that you are well-nourished. Phlegmatics tend towards sluggishness and thickened fluids, including mucus.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

AGGRAVATES
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

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

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

A hot and oily nature with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body makes Sanguine individuals vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

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 Osha
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)
Carminative

CARMINATIVE

Stimulates the release of gas. Helpful for bloating or cramping abdominal pain. Propels food downward. Carminatives typically expel gas by relaxing the muscles of the intestines.

SEE ALL 'CARMINATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Burns Toxins

BURNS-TOXINS

An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them.

SEE ALL 'BURNS-TOXINS' FOODS / HERBS

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

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

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Warms Chest

STRONG WARMS-CHEST

Warms the chest and lungs, clearing mucus and allowing for clear breathing. Often these herbs are hot, aromatic, and pungent.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-CHEST' FOODS / HERBS

,
Bronchodilator

STRONG BRONCHODILATOR

An herb that encourages the widening or opening of the lung airways. They are helpful in wheezing and asthma.

SEE ALL 'BRONCHODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

,
Decongestant

DECONGESTANT

An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes.

SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Expectorant

EXPECTORANT

Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.

SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

Antiviral

ANTIVIRAL

Herbs that inhibit the development of viral infections. Antivirals also can be found in essential oils of some herbs, such as eucalyptus oil.

SEE ALL 'ANTIVIRAL' FOODS / HERBS

,
Immune Calming

IMMUNE-CALMING

Herbs that interrupt an allergic reaction or calm the immune system, useful in allergies and autoimmune conditions.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-CALMING' FOODS / HERBS

Cardiac Stimulant

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.

SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antiplatelet

ANTIPLATELET

An herb that inhibits clotting, dissolves clots, thins the blood, or destroys platelets, therefore reducing the tendency of blood to form clots. They are useful in cardiovascular disease, clots, and stroke. Aka anticoagulant.

SEE ALL 'ANTIPLATELET' 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

Foods with a Similar Nature to Osha

  • Rosemary

    Rosemary has these Actions in Common

    Antiviral, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Decongestant, Emmenagogue, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Immune-calming

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard

    Mustard has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Decongestant, Emmenagogue, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Bronchodilator, Carminative, Digestive, Warms-chest

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Powder

    Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

    Digestive, Warms-chest, Burns-toxins, Decongestant, Emmenagogue, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Bronchodilator, Carminative

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Seed

    Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Bronchodilator, Carminative, Digestive, Warms-chest, Burns-toxins, Decongestant, Emmenagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Cinnamon

    Cinnamon has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Decongestant, Emmenagogue, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Carminative, Digestive, Warms-chest

    LEARN MORE

  • Cayenne Pepper

    Cayenne Pepper has these Actions in Common

    Antiplatelet, Decongestant, Expectorant, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive

    LEARN MORE

  • Basil

    Basil has these Actions in Common

    Decongestant, Immune-calming, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Bronchodilator, Carminative, Digestive, Burns-toxins

    LEARN MORE

  • Sage

    Sage has these Actions in Common

    Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Immune-calming, Decongestant, Emmenagogue, Bronchodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Garlic (raw)

    Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

    Bronchodilator, Diaphoretic, Antiplatelet, Cardiac-stimulant, Expectorant, Antiviral, Decongestant, Warms-chest

    LEARN MORE

  • Cardamom

    Cardamom has these Actions in Common

    Decongestant, Expectorant, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Carminative, Digestive, Bronchodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Fennel Seeds

    Fennel Seeds has these Actions in Common

    Carminative, Expectorant, Burns-toxins, Decongestant, Immune-calming, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Osha

  • Wild Ginger

    Wild Ginger has these Actions in Common

    Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Immune-calming, Burns-toxins, Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Digestive

    LEARN MORE

  • Angelica

    Angelica has these Actions in Common

    Antiplatelet, Immune-calming, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Emmenagogue, Expectorant

    LEARN MORE

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Immune-calming, Bronchodilator, Warms-chest, Burns-toxins, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Pushkaramoola

    Pushkaramoola has these Actions in Common

    Immune-calming, Bronchodilator, Burns-toxins, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Emmenagogue, Expectorant

    LEARN MORE

  • Dong Quai

    Dong Quai has these Actions in Common

    Immune-calming, Antiplatelet, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Carminative, Digestive, Emmenagogue, Expectorant

    LEARN MORE

  • Trikatu

    Trikatu has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Cardiac-stimulant, Carminative, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Bronchodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru)

    Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru) has these Actions in Common

    Carminative, Decongestant, Digestive, Immune-calming, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Thyme White Essential Oil - 1/3 oz

    Thyme White Essential Oil - 1/3 oz has these Actions in Common

    Digestive, Expectorant, Immune-calming, Bronchodilator, Burns-toxins, Decongestant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Shower

    Hot Shower has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Bath

    Hot Bath has these Actions in Common

    Expectorant, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic

    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

Osha 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

Osha 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 Osha. Please see your health care provider for more information.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Look for similar items by category

Herbs-and-Formulas, Kapha-Reducing, Tinctures, Respiratory-Health
Satisfaction Guarantee

Spring Diet

The season is about to shift into spring. Are you ready?

upcoming courses

Apply for Scholarship. Monhly payment plans available.

What is Ayurveda?

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

Reviews for Osha

Sign in to review or comment

Improve Enzyme output & Master your Digestion

Improve Enzyme output & Master your Digestion

BOOKS BY JOYFUL BELLY

BOOKS BY JOYFUL BELLY

Master Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition

Master Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition

Join Joyful Belly

Want our top Ayurvedic recipes and health tips?
Subscribe to our free newsletter!

* 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.