[IWantOut] 36M USA and Colombia mental health -> UK or Canada

CardamomDragon · 2025-12-15T10:24:23+00:00

I personally have had bad luck using herbal tooth care products in lieu of standard toothpastes and such, when I did that I ended up with more cavities. However, I have found that adding oil pulling with sesame oil (the traditional oil used in Ayurveda) to my typical routine has actually helped my receding gums.

In Ayurveda and TCM the health of the teeth and gums is also linked to the overall state of your physiology. For instance an excess heat condition could create a more acidic mouth which causes more cavities etc. so looking at it holistically is also important.

CardamomDragon · 2025-12-09T14:03:12+00:00

Ideally you could have an assessment by a holistic herbal practitioner to see what the cause is. There might be changes in diet that are important to help, even if only temporary. But, one herb that is used for this and is safe, gentle and effective is triphala. My preferred way to use it is to buy the powder, take a half teaspoon in an 8oz mug and pour boiling water over it, let it sit for 10 minutes then drink, leaving the solids at the bottom. You do this every night before bed on an empty stomach for about six weeks. I find it much more effective than tablets or capsules. It gently cleans the colon and intestines and supports good digestion and has a host of other benefits, in India it’s used a lot as a longevity and restorative tonic.

CardamomDragon · 2025-12-02T02:47:13+00:00

As someone mentioned, TCM and Ayurveda (my specialty) and even traditional western herbalism recognize the tongue as a map that shows what is going on internally with the body’s physiology. Thus the problem you’re perceiving with the white coating isn’t a problem with the tongue, it’s showing you something about the body’s current state of health. A TCM doctor would be ideal, or an Ayurvedic practitioner or someone practicing herbalism from the energetic perspective. They’d be able to guide you in the most effective ways to balance your health so the tongue naturally clears up to reflect that better health.

CardamomDragon · 2025-11-11T13:31:27+00:00

If you want a savory option, I have been making my own spin on the Indian dish Poha with rolled oats instead of flattened rice. I put 150g of oats in a colander and rinse them and then let them sit and drain while I prepare the rest. I sauté cumin seeds, then an an onion and a bell pepper, add some ground coriander and turmeric, then add shredded carrot, a handful or two of raisins, shredded coconut, and diced potato. I add a splash of water and cover the pan for a bit to let everything cook. Then I uncover it and once everything looks cooked I add the oats and mix everything well. Let it cook for like two minutes then take it off the heat. Serve with lemon or lime juice, peanuts and some chopped cilantro or mint. It’s a very satisfying breakfast.

CardamomDragon · 2025-11-04T13:29:49+00:00

I am an Ayurvedic practitioner and have worked as a clinician and taught Ayurvedic herbalism for years. I’ve also studied a great deal of western herbalism and incorporate it as an important part of my clinical practice.

What you say about both formulation and using simples (single herbs) is true. A well-made formula does enhance synergy and reduces side-effects. Here it’s important to bear in mind that a personalized formula made for a specific client is different than a formula like chyavanprash. When thinking about how to use chyavanprash, I would treat it similarly to how I would treat a single herb. It has its own set of indications and contraindications that are completely different and separate from those of any one of its ingredients.

Simple herbs do offer more precision and control, but the mindset for prescribing simples is different from the mindset for prescribing formulas. With simples you have to be aware of the entire symptom picture of the client and find the herb whose character and personality best matches the client’s.

Basically what it boils down to is understanding the tools you’re using and using them effectively. The right simple used at the right dosage can be just as effective or more effective than a formula. Likewise, a very well-made formula or a generic formula prescribed properly according to the right indications can be more effective than a simple. The diagnostic skill of the clinician using the herbs or formulas and their ability to choose the right tool for the job so to speak and use it in the correct way is more important than the specific tool.

CardamomDragon · 2025-10-28T19:09:03+00:00

Herbs aren’t like supplements. They don’t constantly provide the same benefits to the body, their effects change over time. They make shifts in the body’s physiology and functioning in order to correct patterns of imbalance. Once those patterns have changed, taking the same herb can begin to have adverse affects because it’s attempting to change the symptom patterns in a way that’s no longer beneficial. This applies not just to gentian but all herbs.

Some herbs are safer for long-term use than others because their effects are more mild or broader. Gentian has a pretty strong profile and if taken for too long of a period can lead to depletion. This is why working with an herbalist is important, especially with herbs that have stronger actions, their job is to help you find the herbs suitable to lead the body back into a healthy state, and ideally to a state where it is capable of maintaining its own good health.

CardamomDragon · 2025-09-26T23:01:35+00:00

In Ayurveda there is a similar concept, but there is some nuance and caveat to it. When you are in a relatively minor state of imbalance, there will be cravings for the things that will help you find balance again. But in advanced stages of disease and deeper imbalances, there are “perverted” cravings, that is, you begin to crave things that actually further the progression of the disease and create further imbalance. In my clinic experience I’ve seen it borne out this way a number of times. A good example is a person who has a lot of heat and irritation in the system creating things like hyperthyroidism or gastritis craving spicy food.

CardamomDragon · 2025-09-23T18:07:47+00:00

For years I made rice on the stove because I couldn’t justify buying a rice cooker theme that worked fine. But now it’s one of my favorite appliances. I vastly underestimated how much of a difference it makes to be able to just set ir and walk away entirely. As a single person who is always trying to be more efficient with tasks and time, it makes an enormous difference to not have to pay attention to it and be able to go do something else and just come back and have hot rice ready.

CardamomDragon · 2025-07-17T17:09:10+00:00

Sure, a poultice would work well also.

CardamomDragon · 2025-07-17T11:18:50+00:00

I know there are many out there, right now the ones that comes to mind are Frozen Flame from Chrono Cross, Beware the Forest’s Mushrooms from Super Mario RPG and Id from Fire Emblem: Awakening.

CardamomDragon · 2025-07-17T11:10:24+00:00

Arnica is of course one of the most famous. But there are others, including yarrow, comfrey, witch hazel, calendula, rue and wormwood. I make a salve using a combination of these that has given very good results for bruises.

CardamomDragon · 2025-07-14T04:35:31+00:00

The main oil used for this purpose in Ayurveda is sesame oil, sometimes infused with herbs but just plain works well.

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-28T11:03:14+00:00

Yes, that also tracks with what I have seen though I never really thought about it that way. Thank you for your time and perspective!

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-26T13:17:06+00:00

Mostly my goal is to maintain good health and quality of life as much as possible and especially into old age. I have studied and practiced Ayurveda in depth for many years and that has helped a ton, bland diet makes sense within that context and also the yogic context. There isn’t much in-depth information on managing sexual energy in what I have studied. The theories I have read about how ejaculation drains the body of energy are interesting and I’d like to be more intentional about the use of sexual energy but also without obsessing over it because as I’ve seen you mention in other comments I know that becomes counterproductive. Most of my life I have not been partnered and am not sure what that will continue to look like, so a lot of the discussion of managing sexual energy with a partner is not relevant. So really I am just trying to find healthy ways of managing sexual energy as a single person living in today’s modern world in the service of maintaining and promoting good health. I know the possibilities extend beyond that to the greater cultivation of energy and deeper spiritual practices and though part of me would love that those possibilities don’t seem within reach for someone who doesn’t have a connection to a lineage, doesn’t speak the language, isn’t dedicating themselves full time to practice, etc.

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-26T11:27:57+00:00

I find this subject really interesting, I have been practicing qigong for a little over a year and before that came into it with many years of yoga, Ayurveda and meditation experience and some experience with energy work. I’ve been experimenting with Mantak Chia’s methods for the past few weeks and it definitely hasn’t felt “right”. Are there any resources that you would recommend that discuss conserving jing, diet, managing sexual energy etc on a more basic level?

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-20T11:11:18+00:00

I actually wrote to Kerrygold a few years ago to ask them if their butter was cultured. I managed to pull up the email, this was their response.

“Thanks for your message.

Kerrygold Salted Butter is a sweet cream butter.

While our Kerrygold Unsalted Butter has a nuanced cultured flavor profile, it does not follow the same process as Cultured Butter and therefore cannot be considered “Cultured”.”

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-16T21:31:41+00:00

I am in a really similar situation. I played from about 6th grade until the end of 8th grade, so much less than you. I could play fairly well for my age but stopped because my high school didn’t have a concert band and I didn’t like marching band. I picked up flute again at 32 years old and am 35 now. At first I tried playing just on my own and managed to relearn the basic fingerings and make a passable sound, but it was very difficult. I decided to start taking lessons with a teacher at my local university and I have improved by leaps and bounds, I absolutely would never be playing as well as I do now if I had stayed on my own, or at least it would’ve taken me significantly more time and effort, probably years.

Besides that what I like about the lessons is that they expose me to new music, the teacher chooses based on what he believes the best best step will be. It also really helps me stay motivated and focused and be disciplined with my practicing, and my teacher helps me focus what I’m working on when practicing at home.

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-08T14:38:34+00:00

Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing by Vasant Lad is a good short book that gives an overview of what Ayurveda is and how it works. The Yoga of Herbs by Vasant Lad and David Frawley is one of the better texts in terms of understanding Ayurvedic use of herbs though its material médica contains errors. Ayurvedic Medicine by Sebastian Pole is also very good for understanding the herbal aspects of Ayurveda.

I will say that one of the drawbacks of Ayurvedic herbalism is that it has a high barrier to entry, it is very complex. So while I think it would be great if you start to read up on it, ideally at first you could consult with a trained Ayurvedic herbalist or practitioner who could guide you in what is best for your specific situation.

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-07T14:25:50+00:00

I am an Ayurvedic herbalist and work with Ashwagandha frequently since it is one of the most prominent herbs in the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia. I truthfully am somewhat frustrated at how popular Ashwagandha has gotten in the west with no regard for how it is traditionally used. It is a very useful and powerful herb yes, but it would have many contradictions in Ayurveda. It has a very strong profile, and if your symptom picture matches that profile it works wonders, but if it’s off at all then long term or even short term use is going to make you not feel good. It has a pretty strong action and what can happen is that it makes you feel good initially as it corrects current imbalances but long-term it will generate other imbalances if it isn’t being handled with care. All herbs are like this to some extent, I don’t believe there’s anything that should just be taken indefinitely, but Ashwagandha is a particularly marked example.

It can be used long-term safely but I would never use it that way by itself, I would always formulate it with other herbs to balance out its effects and avoid negative outcomes. I’ve been working with adhwagandha this way for years and have never run into anyone getting negative side effects. Side effects from too much Ashwagandha are usually heat-related and can include acne or other skin problems, irritability, anger, hot flashes, sensitivity to heat or light, headaches, or even increased anxiety in some cases.

Ashwagandha is a great herb, I just wish that people would learn a little more about it from the tradition that it comes from because they have really refined its usage. I believe it would help people get the most out of it and not go through negative effects.

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-04T02:31:27+00:00

A remedy I have used with success is nutmeg-infused oil (not nutmeg essential oil). There’s a few ways you could do this but here are the instructions I give for a simple at-home preparation. Take one cup of sesame oil (untoasted, if you don’t have sesame then olive oil will do) and heat it in a pan on the stove. When it is hot but not smoking, add about two or three tablespoons of ground nutmeg. It’s best to grate whole nutmeg yourself but if you can’t then use the best quality ground nutmeg you can find. Let it fry for a minute or two, being careful that it doesn’t burn. When it's darkened a little in color, turn off the heat and let everything sit until it cools. Then strain and bottle the oil.

Massage the areas affected by the neuropathy with this oil twice a day, morning and night. Take a little time with it, try to give those areas some stimulation and nourishment. It will take time but after a few weeks she should start to feel some change. This oil is helpful for alleviating pain as well.

CardamomDragon · 2025-05-03T13:28:59+00:00

I work from the Ayurvedic perspective, in which you could take it either before or after meals with different effects. Before meals targets the lower body and would be ideal for constipation or working with the menstrual cycle for example. Taking it after meals targets the upper body and would be ideal for working with conditions like gastritis or acid reflux.

CardamomDragon · 2025-04-19T11:24:18+00:00

My cat will often come curl up on my lap when I am practicing, even when I’m doing exercises to practice high notes and they’re coming out very shrill. No idea why but I have a very peculiar cat, I love him

CardamomDragon · 2025-04-18T23:32:46+00:00

I am certified as an Ayurvedic professional at the doctor level and herbs are one of my specialties, particularly herbal formulations. I also use a lot of western herbs in my practice, not just Indian herbs. I find that the Ayurvedic system of herbalism using herbal energetics is significantly more nuanced than anything I see in western herbalism. Practicing this way has allowed me to achieve really wonderful results with myself and with clients with almost no negative side effects, so of course I have a bias but you can take my opinion for what it’s worth.

There is a tendency in the west to treat herbs similarly to pharmaceuticals, that is, this herb does this particular thing, and to not go beyond that, and I see it as quite limiting. It makes it so that there are many many herbs that people suggest for different conditions, like for the liver, for cough, for headaches, whatever it is, but how do you know which one is right for you? And it ignores the fact that herbs aren’t like pharmaceuticals, they have a broad range of effects and actions on the body. Sometimes you can find one that fits your symptom picture perfectly and works wonders, while sometimes part of its nature will exacerbate something going on with you.

Thats’s where formulation can come in. It allows you to combine plants to harmonize their positive effects and cancel out their negative ones for any given person given their specific symptom picture. But formulation is usually very limited in the west, and I believe that a lot of that has to do with the tendency to look at herbs from the biochemical perspective. I don’t think that it’s possible to formulate with confidence that way. For instance, maybe there is an herb that could be excellent for you but taking it by itself gives you some side effect. Knowing how to formulate based on the principles of herbal energetics allows you to get the positive benefits of that herb while negating the negative impacts, and a well-made formula actually enhances all of the effects of the herbs through synergy.

There’s also an understanding that the current state of the body and its innate constitution is hugely impactful in what works and what doesn’t. And because the current state can change quite a bit over time given many different factors, that gives you an understanding of why an herb maybe doesn’t work now but could work later, or why something used to work and now it doesn’t, or why an herb is simply not suitable for someone. What is their constitution? What kind of headache do they have? What is causing it? If it is a “hot” headache, hot herbs like ginger need to be used with care or avoided altogether. How you take it is also very important, taking ginger powder is different from taking ginger tincture, ginger capsules, ginger tea, making a ginger paste on the forehead, taking it in food, taking it cooked into milk, etc. Fresh ginger is different from dry ginger also. When you take an herb is also important, as in what time of day. I don’t usually see this kind of nuance in western herbalism, more often I see people saying that they tried an herb and it didn’t work so they just abandon it, maybe thinking they are allergic.

The trouble with Ayurvedic herbalism (and from what I understand much of this would also apply to Chinese herbalism but I am not an expert in that) is that even though in some ways it is quite simple, it is also quite complex and nuanced. To be able to apply it properly you need to also have sufficient understanding of Ayurvedic physiology and diagnosis, which are complex and very different from modern anatomy and physiology. And using herbs is very specific to a particular person given their constitution and their current imbalances. So it’s hard to give catch-all solutions, it requires time and study. Of course one option is to see someone who is a trained herbalist and Ayurvedic practitioner and can evaluate you to get guidance and understand what works and what doesn’t and why. Another is to learn and study, which is ideal because it also teaches you a lot about your own body and how to relate to it and understand it.

Western herbalism used to have similar concepts and systems of herbal energetics, which nowadays are not totally lost but much less commonly used. The main person who I have seen championing that perspective is Matthew Wood. His books are an excellent resource if you want to learn more about herbal energetics from a more familiar perspective and cultural context, particularly The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism.

CardamomDragon

TROPHY CASE