Herbs That Nourish The Heart and Calm The Spirit

Herbs That Nourish The Heart and Calm The Spirit:

  • Useful for palpitations with anxiety and insomnia due to heart blood or liver yin deficiency.
  • These herbs are generally mild and with very few side effects.

Section Herbal Summary:

  • Bai Zi Ren, Suan Zao Ren - similar, for insomnia from blood or yin deficiency.
    • Bai Zi Ren - most effective for insomnia due to heart blood deficiency.
    • Suan Zao Ren - from liver yin deficiency.
  • Yuan Zhi - insomnia or palpitations due to pent-up emotions, phlegm and cough.
  • He Huan Pi - insomnia due to qi problems (constraint).
  • Ye Jiao Teng - insomnia due to blood deficiency.

Chinese Herbsort icon Functions and Usage
Bai Zi Ren (Arbor-Vitae Seed)
  • Nourishes heart blood, calms the spirit - irritability, insomnia, forgetfulness, palpitations.
  • Moisten the intestines from blood/yin deficiency - constipation (elderly, post-partum women).
  • Nightsweats due to yin deficiency.
He Huan Pi (Mimosa Tree Bark)
  • Calms the spirit, relieves constrained emotions - vexation, depression, insomnia, irritability, poor memory.
  • Invigorates the blood, alleviates pain - pain and swelling due to trauma, abscesses.
Suan Zao Ren (Sour Jujube Seed)
  • Nourishes heart yin, tonifies liver blood, quiets the spirit - irritability, insomnia, palpitations, anxiety due to blood or yin deficiency.
  • Prevents abnormal sweating - spontaneous sweating, nightsweats.
Ye Jiao Teng (Polygonum Vine, Fleeceflower Vine)
  • Calms the spirit, nourishes the heart and blood - insomnia, irritability, dream disturbed sleep from yin and/or blood deficiency.
  • Nourishes the blood and unblocks the channels - generalized weakness, soreness, pain, numbness due to blood deficiency.
  • Alleviates itching - external wash for itching and skin rashes.
Yuan Zhi (Senega Root)
  • Calms the spirit, quiets the heart - insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, restlessness.
  • Expels phlegm from the lungs, clears the heart orifices - copious sputum, mental confusion, seizures.
  • Reduces abscesses, dissipate swellings - boils, sores, painful breasts.
Zhi Yuan Zhi (Honey Fried Senega Root)
  • This is the honey fried version of Yuan Zhi.  See the Yuan Zhi page for more usage information.