Botanical Medicines:
The Top 20 Healing Tonic Herbs for Lifelong Health and Wellness
BY ADRIANA AYALES
herbal tonics, which are also sometimes referred to as medicinal or healing herbs, are special plants that offer extraordinary health benefits, work to bring the mind, body and spirit into greater balance and harmony and are safe to take daily in support of lifelong wellness. photo: adriana ayales
It’s hard to condense a list of essential and favorite tonic herbs. Usually my kitchen is stocked with all kinds of weeds, roots, and barks, having more than a hundred different kinds of beautiful botanicals. I recommend that people not get overwhelmed with overstocking the kitchen with too many unfamiliar herbal tonics. It’s good
to start of with a seasonal selection of essentials and slowly start building from there, familiarizing with different botanicals and herbs. When you go on a walk, be on the lookout for your favorite healing herbs—they are some of the healthiest and most vibrant forms of medicine readily available.This list contains essential tonic herbal staples I love that grow all over the world. This list covers the major and minor necessities we have on a regular and seasonal basis for optimum wellness.
Top 20 Must-Have Healing Tonic Herbs
These are the herbal tonics that I cannot live without. Within these 20 you find all the basic essentials you possibly need within a home pharmacy—immunity booster, beauty, vitamin C, colds and flus, bones and muscle health, digestive health, weight loss, and so on.
1. Graviola (Annona muricata)
Graviola is a rainforest essential tonic herb known to be a potent antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antitumoral, anticancer powerhouse.
Annonaceous acetogenins are only found in the Annonaceae family (to which graviola belongs). These chemicals in general have been documented with antitumorous, antiparasitic, insecticidal, and antimicrobial activities.
Many studies have recently determined that these acetogenins are superb inhibitors of enzyme processes that are found only in the membranes of cancerous tumor cells. This is why they are toxic to cancer cells but have no toxicity to healthy cells.
Graviola is part of Anima Mundi’s Viridem Elixir:
Organic Viridem Herbal Cleansing Elixir
Viridem is a highly cleansing formula with powerful superfoods and tonic herbs that are high potency mineralizers, working to oxygenate the blood and expell toxic build-up. It encourages alkalinity, supporting deep bodily nourishment, rejuvenation and purification from toxins.
2. Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
Moringa is a miracle tree and healing tonic herb known to contain a megaload of antioxidants, minerals, protein, essential fiber, and cleansing properties. Also known for its power to supply sustainable energy, lower blood pressure, and aid in adrenal support, moringa acts as a coagulant, attaching itself to harmful material and toxins within the body and flushing them quite rapidly.
Anima Mundi Offers a 100% Organic Moringa Powder:
Organic Costa Rican Moringa Powder
Anima Mundi grows their own ultra-high quality Moringa plants on their Organic/Biodynamic farm in the midst of the lush Costa Rican jungles with some of the most rich and nutrient-dense soils in the world. This is highly nutrient-dense Moringa powder that packs a powerful healing, health-boosting kick!
3. Jergón sacha (Dracontium loretense)
Jergón sacha is a signature herbal tonic plant of the Amazon, containing some of the most potent antiviral chemistry found in nature. Indian tribes throughout the Amazon rainforest use the large tuber or rhizome of the jergón sacha plant as an antidote for the bite of these snakes. It has also been used for bites from spiders, stingrays, and other poisonous animals. It makes a potent antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anticancer tonic, and supports healing from radiation as well as genital diseases.
4. Suma (Pfaffia paniculata)
Suma is also referred to as “Brazilian ginseng” and is known as a master herbal tonic and adaptogen found in the Amazon. The benefits of suma are astonishingly similar to those of regular ginsengs. It has been used for generations as a general cure-all, and has served as everything from an energy and vitality tonic to cellular oxygenator, appetite stimulant, anti-inflammatory and circulatory medicine, blood sugar balancer, and most popularly an immune booster.
5. Chanca Piedra (Phyllantus niruri)
Chanca piedra is referred to as the “stone-breaker” and is also known as the rainforest’s most potent liver and gall bladder detoxifier. It was named for its effective use by generations of Amazonian indigenous peoples in eliminating gallstones and kidney stones. It is a super herbal healign tonic with long-documented use to support treatment of hepatitis, colds and fus, tuberculosis, liver diseases and disorders, anemia, and liver cancer.
Chanca Piedra is also part of Anima Mundi’s Viridem Elixir.
6. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and vitamin C tonic root. It is a great daily remedy to keep inflammation at bay by alkalizing and soothing the digestive system and the liver. It This masterful herbal tonic for joints, muscles, soft tissue, and skin generates strength and elasticity and is a fantastic anti-aging root.
Anima Mundi Offers a 100% Organic Turmeric Powder:
Organic Costa Rican Turmeric Powder
Anima Mundi grows their own ultra-high quality Turmeric root on their Organic/Biodynamic farm in the midst of the lush Costa Rican jungles with some of the most rich and nutrient-dense soils in the world—as a result their Turmeric is incredibly fresh, potent and loaded with medicinal, health-enhancing compounds.
7. Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Tulsi is ayurveda’s holiest of healing herbs, an adaptogenic powerhouse known for its digestive healing abilities, cardiovascular protection, and potent anti-inflammatory nature. It lowers cholesterol levels, prevents hypoglycemia, eases stress by calming the nervous system, prevents migraines, and repairs skin damage (topically and internally). It is a great overall superherb.
Tulsi is part of Anima Mundi’s Cerebrum Tincture:
Organic Cerebrum Herbal Brain Tonic Tincture
A therapeutic and deeply nourishing brain formula that stimulates the growth and rejuvenation of nerve tissue in the brain and body. The healing herbs in this formula bring circulation to brain tissue, enhances clarity, regulates hypothalamic response, and boosts pituitary function. It naturally uplifts the body, acting as a mild energizer enhancing clarity and memory.
8. Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Nettle is an excellent daily remedy for overall longevity known for its anti-inflammatory, bone-building, blood-nourishing, testosterone-building, silica-gifting superherb qualities. The leaves and the seeds are also used in nerve repair and as a central nervous system regulator. The roots are usually used for testosterone- and prostate-building qualities, yet it’s also a great energizer that all can benefit from—not just men. It’s a wonderful healing herbal tonic tea to have, and it can be combined with other herbal tonics to enhance its qualities.
9. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
Research on the chemistry and therapeutic benefits of mushrooms like reishi have been extensive for centuries. Reishi is an immune modulator capable of restoring the immune system and is often used for therapies before and after cancer. The polysaccharides present within the mushrooms are extraordinary cancer-fighting compounds. This amazing Chinese tonic herb mushroom is known as a supreme lung and cardio tonic, supportive in lowering bad cholesterol and triglycerides.
Reishi is part of Anima Mundi’s Soma Elixir:
Organic Soma Herbal Longevity Elixir
The medicinal properties of healing herbs in this delicious formula are known to protect health and vitality, soothe the lungs, support the immune system, increase endurance, enhance the digestive system, and are antibiotic, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-parasitic.
10. Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
Chaga is the master herbal tonic for the immune system. It supports the elimination of tumors, cancerous cells, autoimmune diseases, and environmental traumas (such as radiation, pollution, heavy metals, etc.)
Chaga is part of Anima Mundi’s Adaptogen Tincture:
Organic Adaptogenic Herbal Immune Tonic Tincture
Made with incredibly powerful mushrooms from around the world. These fruiting bodies contain the power to revolutionize the immune system and rewire it. This is a powerfully healing tonic formula known to rejuvenate all organ systems, create a deep therapeutic anti-biotic effect, increase white blood cell production, and purify the blood.
11. Pau D’Arco (Tabebuia impetiginosa)
This sacred pau d’arco tree has been worshipped for hundreds of years as a powerful healing tonic herb, and its bark has been used as an antifungal and anti-inflammatory. It is used traditionally for blood sugar and blood pressure imbalances, ulcers, digestive imbalances, parasites, yeast infections, cancer, diabetes, and allergies.
12. Sangre de Drago (Croton lechleri)
Sangre de drago is claimed to be the best wound healer in nature. It is a tree known to bleed a miracle resin when you slice of some of the bark. This thick red resin is known to act as a potent internal and external bandage with intensive antibiotic support. Also known for its powerful antiseptic qualities, this healing tonic herb has a potent antiviral and antimicrobial ability. Many have also used it as an anticancerous support as well as for healing from radiation.
13. Cat’s Claw (Unicaria tomentosa)
Cat’s claw is known as the master immune booster of the Amazon. It is one of the oldest tonic herbs with recorded history in the rainforest, noted for its immune-modulating power and anticancer, antirheumatic, and anti-arthritic properties.
14. Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
A superior tonic remedy, ginseng has been regarded for centuries as the king of medicinal tonic herbs. In Chinese medicine, not only is it regarded an adaptogen and energizer, it’s also used to calm the spirit, eliminate anxious and stressed qi (energy), open the heart, and strengthen the mind. Asian and American ginseng have both been used to strengthen the heart, spleen, lungs, liver, and kidneys.
15. Spirulina (Anthrospira platensis)
Known as the world’s highest source of complete protein (around 65% by weight), spirulina, or blue-green algae, provides a vast array of trace elements and macrominerals. Blue-green algae is a wild-grown superfood tonic that also contains plenty of phytonutrients and enzymes.
Spirulina is also part of Anima Mundi’s Viridem Elixir.
16. Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Horsetail is one of the most ancient tonic plants in nature. Known for its excellent ability to heal bones, bone marrow, and wounds in general thanks to its high silica content, it contains high amounts of calcium as well as silica in minerals that specialize in repairing connective tissue, bone alignment and healing, and skin repair. It is also used for the kidneys, eyes, and hair, and for immune regulation.
17. Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)
Rhodiola is a magical herbal tonic root known to strengthen the nervous system, fight depression, enhance immunity and memory, aid weight loss, increase sexual function, and improve energy levels. It has been effectively used to prevent depression and to support post-traumatic stress disorder. It enhances the transport of serotonin precursors, tryptophan, and 5-hydroxytryptophan into the brain.
18. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana)
Mangosteen is queen of the tropical fruits. Not only is it a delicious fruit, but the peel of the mangosteen is perhaps one of the most loaded vitamin C sources ever known. It contains a huge amount of antioxidants known for their anti-aging and longevity attributes.
It is also a master herbal healing tonic for the endocrine and immune systems, is known to support healing of wounds and damaged nerves, and can assist in weight loss.
19. Gynostemma (Gynostemma pentaphyllum)
Also known as jiaogulan, gynostemma is an adaptogenic herbal tonic and antioxidant with chemical constituents similar to ginseng. The leaf is known for its ability to lower blood pressure, purify the blood, support the pancreas, and release stress out of the body, and it can support weight loss by assisting in the metabolism of fats.
20. Schisandra Berries (Schisandra chinensis)
Schisandra berries are one of the few botanical sources containing all five favors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent. These superberries are known to be adaptogens, liver protectors, blood purifiers and nourishers, and master herbal tonic to the five organs. Among many more healing benefits, the master healing tonic made from these berries prevents fatigue and boosts the body with endurance and strength.
Schisandra Berries are also part of Anima Mundi’s Soma Elixir.
This article on healing herbal tonics is excerpted with permission from Healing Tonics: Next-Level Juices, Smoothies, and Elixirs for Health and Wellness by Adriana Ayales.
About The Author
Adriana Ayales is a rainforest tribal herbalist from Costa Rica and the founder of Anima Mundi Herbals. She studied in both Central and South American tribal-style herbalism, studying with plant medicine teachers in Costa Rica, the Amazon, and California, and then went on to study classic Western and European herbalism. She founded Anima Mundi Herbals with the purpose of providing an unadulterated medicinal herb line that integrates native tradition and ancient formulations and helps preserve indigenous lands and their local economies through organic agriculture and wildcrafted art. Visit their website: AnimaMundiHerbals.com
