1d (edited) • General discussion
Happy Monday!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Thank you for being a part of this small and growing community!
Let’s talk about something that quietly changed the way I viewed plants 😋
✨ Why Aromatic Herbs Often Affect the Mind and the Gut ✨
Long before we understood the gut-brain axis scientifically, traditional systems of herbalism noticed a fascinating pattern…
Many strongly aromatic herbs seemed to calm digestion and shift mood at the same time.
Think about herbs like:
+ Peppermint
+ Lemon balm
+ Chamomile
+ Fennel
+ Lavender
+ Holy basil (Tulsi)
These herbs were traditionally used for:
+ Bloating & tension
+ Nervous digestion & stress related stomach discomfort
+ Emotional heaviness & restlessness after meals
And now modern research is helping explain why!
The gut & brain are constantly communicating
Your digestive tract and nervous system are deeply connected through pathways like the vagus nerve, neurotransmitters, hormones, and immune signaling.
This is one reason stress can:
+ Upset digestion
+ Increase cramping
+ Trigger nausea & affect appetite
✨ Why Aromatic Herbs Are So Interesting ✨
Many aromatic herbs contain volatile oils, the compounds responsible for their scent.
Traditionally, herbalists observed that these herbs often:
+ Relaxed digestive tension & stimulated stagnant digestion
+ Reduced gas and cramping
+ Uplifted or soothed mood
+ Encouraged circulation and movement
This overlap between digestion and emotional state appears again and again across herbal traditions worldwide.
✨ A Cool Historical Detail ✨
In many traditional cultures, strongly aromatic herbs were often served after meals, not just for flavor, but because people observed they helped with heaviness, discomfort, and sluggishness.
That’s part of why herbs like mint, fennel, and chamomile became so woven into food culture and tea traditions across the world.
Herbalism is full of these moments where ancient observation came long before modern explanation and honestly, I think that’s one of the most fascinating parts of plant medicine!
What’s an herb you notice affects both your mood and your digestion?
PS! I made some herbal reference cards attached if you're a visual learner like myself. Skool platform doesn't allow me to do anything fancy on the posts. 😂
1
1 comment
Happy Monday!
powered by
skool.com/intro-to-herbalism-2896
Welcome to Dakoda Herbals Academy, a modern school of plant medicine rooted in tradition, history, and real-world herbal practice.
Suggested communities
Powered by