Substitutions needed for some formulas (THANK YOU!)

[Sharon]

It seems no matter HOW many herbs I have, there will certainly be some formulas that I am missing one ingredient, and it’s generally something I don’t need for any other use at the time.  Sorry for how long this is, but I’m trying to build my apothecary to include all the formulas!  So that said, can you smart ones help me with some substitutions (the ones in question are in italics)?

• ADRENAL SUPPORT RECIPE:

  1 part Ashwaghanda, 1 part Fo Ti Root, 1 part Ginkgo leaf, 1 part Oat straw, 1 part Rehmannia root, & the one I need to sub: 1 part Schisandra berry

• BLOOD BUILDER RECIPE:

  2 parts Astragalus, to sub: 1 Dong Quai, 1 part Nettle leaf, 1 part Parsley leaf, 2 parts Rehmannia, 2 parts Yellow Dock root

• CANDIDA FORMULA
  1 Bergamot, 1 Black Walnut, 1 Garlic, to sub: 1 Goldenrod, 1 Olive Leaf, 1 Oregon grape, 1 Pau d’Arco

 

• CIRCULATORY SUPPORT
  .5 Cayenne (1 T), 1 Ginkgo, 2 Hawthorn berry, to sub: 2 Linden, 1 Valerian
• CYTOKINE BALANCE
  1 Garlic, 1 Ginger Rt, to sub (can’t find it anywhere): 4 Grape Leaf, 1 Milk Thistle, 1 Skullcap (only have tincture available for this one), 2 Turmeric Rt
• THYROID – STIM RECIPE
  

  1 Ashwagandha Root, need to sub: 1 Bupleurum Root, 1 Chamomile Flower, 1 Ginger Root, 1 Lobelia Aerial Parts, 1 Milk Thistle Seed, 1 Mullein Leaf, 1 Parsley Leaf, need to sub: 1 Sarsaparilla Root

• HISTAMINE
  2 Brigham Tea, to sub: 1 Eyebright, 1 Nettle leaf, 1 Oregon grape
• INFXN – BUG BUSTER
  1 Calendula, to sub: 5 Chaparral leaf, 1 Echinacea, 1 Garlic, 1 Gumweed (I only have tincture, no herb), to sub: 1 Myrrh, 1 Oregon grape
• INFXN – EPSTEIN BARR
to sub: 4 Chaparral Leaf, 2 Ginger Root, 1 Licorice Root, to sub: 3 Passionflower Aerial Parts, 3 SJW Flower, 3 Turmeric Root
• KIDNEY BUILDER RECIPE

  2 Astragalus, 2 Chamomile, 1 Cleavers, 1 Marsh root, to sub: 2 Nettle seed, 2 Rehmannia

• KIDNEY G.O.U.T.

  1 Alfalfa, 1 Ashwagandha, 1 Burdock, 1 Gravel, 1 Plantain, to sub: 1 Sarsaparilla

• MEMORY & ALERTNESS

  1 Ashwagandha root, 2 Ginkgo, sub Siberian? 1 Panax Ginseng, to sub: 2 Sage (maybe Rosemary?)

• NUTRITIVE

  1 Alfalfa, 1 Burdock, to sub: 2 Chaga, 1 Dandelion root, 1 Flax Seed, 1 Nettle leaf

• PROSTATE SUPPORT

  1 Cornsilk, 1 Lobelia, 1 Nettle root, 1 Parsley root, to sub: 1 Saw Palmetto, 1 Uva Ursi

• RESPIRATORY COF

  to sub: 2 Cherry Bark, 1 Cramp Bark, 1 Licorice, 1 Lobelia, 1 Marsh root, 2 Mullein

• RESPIRATORY SHOO FLOO

  to sub: 1 Chaparral, 1 Echinacea Root or Flower, 1 Elder leaf/berry, 1 Garlic, to sub: 1 Grape leaf, 1 Peppermint, 1 SJW flower, 1 Yarrow

• STOMACH ULCER

  1 Calendula, to sub: 1 GoTu Kola, 1 Licorice, 1 Marsh root, 1 Plantain, 1 Turmeric

  SORRY for the long list – I thought it would be best to include the entire recipe so that it’s easier for you guys to suggest a substitute!  Thanks in advance MUCHO!!

   

[Sharon]

Still hoping to get some answers.  Please.

[SUZANNE]

Hello Sharon,

I too am waiting for a reply to your post as I am sure others are as well. I have only been a student here since Dec 2023 and don’t have the answers for you. I have wondering the same thing since I have so many herbs, but not all of them.

There is so much to learn about everything and right now I am overwhelmed by it all.  So I am asking if Doc Jones could please do a lesson/video on how to start to substitute different herbs for formulas. What do we look for first? How do we know that those herbs will work together with each other. It would be nice if he would do an outline to go by so we all could learn this…Thank you for asking this question to start with, Sharon. I hope we can get a response from Doc.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Sharon

[Sharon]

Suzanne – thanks for seconding the need for this info.  I hope Doc is back in the saddle again now and can find time to help us with this – I agree with you – I’m sure that MANY of us here need this type of information!

[Colleen Brown]

This would be a very useful lesson on how to substitute herbs in the formulas  I am up in Canada and it is very difficult to obtain some of these herbs but I would love to know how to choose substitutes as well to be a better herbalist.  Doc Jones can you please consider answering this question and also doing a lesson or series of lessons on this topic?   Thank you

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Sharon

[Sharon]

Colleen – you are 100% right, we need a lesson or series of lessons on HOW to substitute (which would also be a lesson on how to create our own formulas/what to use or not use together).  I’m sure you have issues getting many of the herbs that are easier for us in the USA, so I can see how this would really be helpful for you and others outside the USA.

[Sharon]

This was originally posted on Feb 7th when I had some spare time to tincture up a bunch of formulas.  Now as the garden is just about to spring to life, time is not as available, but I’m still hoping for some substitution answers so I can “squeeze” in (pun intended) some tincturing before full on garden chaos takes over my life!  So even if you can only help with one formula – that’s one more that I could start on!  Thank you in advance all!

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