I think I probably need a winter tonic. I am sure that I could use extra strength, resistance against disease, a “boost” to my immune system, and overall energy, to paraphrase from some of the accepted definitions of herbal medicine “tonics,” or adaptogens. In all seriousness, I have been intrigued by this genre of plants for some time, ever since reading some convincing basic science research reviews, and learning that many cultures have plants in their repertoire that fit this purpose for the promotion of health and wellness. Recently, I took my interest to the next level by writing two scientific articles about the topic, but it still didn’t feel very close to home, until a conversation I had in August, 2011.
One of my colleagues at the university studies a genus of plants from Europe that has many uses, including as a red wine extract meant to be ingested in small doses during the winter for its tonic effects. My eyebrows perked. I asked her to say more. So, the genus is Juglans, what we know as the black walnut tree in this area, and the species is Juglans regia. The only catch for my quickly forming do-it-yourself plans is that the species in Wisconsin is Juglans nigra. It can’t be THAT different, right? OK, a bit more: in Europe, a specific quantity of the leaves of Juglans regia are placed in a container with red wine (no specific vintage or type mentioned) for a few weeks, and then strained, and stored until needed, which apparently is every day (a small amount) for its health effects. This was going to be fun, but fall was quickly approaching, and I would have to act fast in order to harvest healthy looking specimens for my experiment in winter tonics.
The ensuing process was a fascinating one. From traipsing through the woods on the way to work, filling up plastic bags with the freshest Juglans nigra leaves I could find, to the extraction process (think mad scientist), and then a flurry of emails to herbal medicine experts mixed with my own trolling of the literature to determine whether or not there was any cross-species translocation of winter tonic effects to my local tree. I stumbled upon pitfalls that are probably quite common for those of use trying to use plants for healing, but only having some of the necessary information. It is really not that different from the confused walk down the dietary supplement aisle after a web search of some physical symptoms, or swapping out ingredients when following a complicated recipe and realizing that you’re missing something key. We do the best we can with the information we have plus that added boost from our hope that these plants will be an important part of our life. This is the essence of my blog, and, yes, the book that follows, and I am hoping to fill in the gaps to ensure success in our plant endeavors.
Speaking of the book, we’ve reached the point in this month’s blog where I defer to the subsequent book for the exciting conclusion to the winter tonic experiment. Did it turn out? Was it effective? And, just as important, was it safe? The process, I will argue, is just as important as the outcome, because I want all of us to be able to “access” plants, to add them into our lives when we see an exciting way to do so. This month, for me, it was the winter tonic. For other months, for other people, it might be a different plant or plants. I believe that we can do this, that we can successfully, and safely, weave plants back into our industrialized life, hence “My Year of Plants: A How-To Guide.”
