This category includes herbs that are well known and frequently used in Western Herbalism.
The definition of this category is poorly understood.
These herbs are often misused because the energetics are ignored.
These herbs are often grouped under the vague terms of Detox or Blood Cleanser.
What They Are
Herbs that support and open the channels of elimination in the body.
Our bodies need to eliminate both outside toxins and normal metabolic wastes such as hormones, cellular debris and immune system waste products.
Five Primary Organ Systems Involved in Moving Wastes from the Body
Lungs – remove carbon dioxide from the blood
Kidneys – remove water soluble waste from the blood through urine. Some of the waste come from compounds broken down by the Liver
Bowels – remove physical waste – fat soluble waste is broken down by bile in the Liver/GallBladder system and excreted through the bowels
Liver – a hugely important organ for elimination of wastes. Works on both fat and water soluble waste. Works in partnership with the bowels and kidneys.
Skin – secretes fat and water soluble waste. Many skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis are signs of an overall congested system that needs help with elimination and a general ‘detox’.
The Alterative category includes herbs that support these widely varying body systems. Without an understanding of this category, one sees herbs that have no obvious connection being placed in the same category; this results in confusion.
The term Alterative was given to herbs that alter or adjust the metabolism of the body. Metabolism has two parts:
-Anabolic – the building process which involves digestion, absorption, circulation and utilization of nutrients
-Catabolic – the process of breaking down and eliminating what is no longer needed by the body
As these are both broad and involved processes in the body, the Alterative herb category is also broad which is one reason why it can be confusing.
In practice, Alteratives focus more on the catabolic processes of breaking down, detoxifying and eliminating. Traditionally, there is a small group of herbs that are used for additional nutrition but these are less important than the detox plants.
Compared to Modern Detox
In more recent times (post 1900), the idea of detox refers to outside chemicals such as environmental toxins and heavy metals polluting the body.
The body is seen as dirty and needs to be cleaned.
Modern detox is usually short term and very strong – one week of fasting with frequent strong laxatives, colonics, coffee enemas or some other extreme cleansing method.
Alterative therapy aligns more with traditional views of health and Energetics.
It is more about breaking up congestion and stagnation and gradually strengthening the organs of elimination.
It is gentle and happens slowly over time – a one month duration is a good start.
When to Use Alteratives
When there is…
Excess dampness – edema, congested lymph nodes, general puffiness
Excess heat that can result from stagnation
Congested digestion – constipation
Many skin conditions that show an overheated system (boils) or a stagnant system (eczema) or acne
Low immunity – long term or lingering infections – acute conditions that haven’t fully resolved – cough, flu, low grade fever that can’t quite do what it needs to do.
Alteratives are often helpful to complete the healing process at the end of a cold or flu.
Use Alteratives for:
Metabolic Congestion
Seasonal Congestion, especially in the spring
Doshic Balance – excess heat and/or dampness
Overburdened Immune system
The Energetic View of Alteratives
As seen above, many of the conditions are connected to congestion, stagnation, lack of Flow and excess dampness.
Excess dampness and stagnation can eventually lead to heat (sinus or lung congestion become infected).
So the primary energetic picture of a person who benefits from alteratives is either dampness or “damp heat”.
– In Ayurveda, this is considered excess Ama
-TCM, this is damp accumulation or damp heat
-In Greek medicine, this is known as humors in the blood
-Physiomedicalists or Traditional Western Herbalism refers to this tissue state as damp/stagnation
Ayurveda
From the Ayurvedic view, many Kaphas benefit from this herb group, especially if the formula is warmed up with Tulsi, Ginger, Rosemary or some other warming herb.
As alteratives are cooling, Pitta people in general benefit from these herbs.
As most of these conditions have excess dampness and/or heat, it follows that most alterative herbs are drying and/or cooling.
These herbs are generally contra-indicated for people who are constitutionally cold and dry (Vata).
For the most part, Vata people benefit from moistening herbs and a deeply nourishing diet with hearty stews as a prime example.
For these people, alterative herbs should be used short term and/or very carefully and only if the individual fits the energetic picture.
The health food store approach to detox ignores the Energetics.
Their view is that toxins are bad and everyone needs to detox – the longer and more frequently the better.
Many of the modern detox products are mostly made from traditional alterative herbs.
Dry people who detox with drying herbs feel worse.
This is incorrectly labeled a “healing crisis” or a necessary part of the detox process.
In general, healing (and detoxing) should make a person feel better, not worse.
The Alterative Season
Seasonally, in a four season climate, people tend to be less active in the winter and eat foods that are heavier, more fatty and more congesting.
The cold-wet nature of winter and the mud of early spring is the Kapha season.
By the time March arrives, these people are ready for some type of spring detox.
This is accomplished naturally by eating the spring greens that emerge then: nettles, dandelions, chickweed and many others.
Both TCM and Ayurveda encourage their own version of spring detox, especially for the liver.
Spring is a good time to use alteratives.
Materia Medica
Many books provide long lists of alterative herbs with little explanation of how to differentiate between them.
The book-dependent home herbalist is left to try a vegetable soup-approach and combine a group of herbs into a ‘formula’ with little understanding of the individual herbs or the Energetics.
It is more effective to know specific herbs for specific organs and choose on that basis.
Alterative Categories
Diuretics – These are generally cool and dry
Burdock – neutral
Cleavers
Dandelion Leaf
Elder Flower
Juniper Berry – warming
Nettle Leaf – slightly cooling
Yarrow
Many aromatic plants are diuretic
Liver
- These are generally cool and dry
Burdock – neutral
Calendula – mildly warming
Dandelion Root
Oregon Grape
Red Root
Yellow Dock
Ocotillo Bark
Immune – Use for lingering illnesses that can’t quite resolve on their own (a cold that lingers for weeks) and combine with lymphatics
Echinacea
Elder Berry and Flower
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Yerba Manza (Anemopsis californica) – as the Alterative category is from the America of the 1800s, the herbs used are traditional ones from the East Coast and Midwest.
Many Southwest herbs that have recently become more well known, such as Yerba Manza and Ocotillo, do not show up in traditional articles about Alteratives.
Diaphoretic – These are all drying, they increase blood flow to the skin and open pores
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) – cold
Cayenne – initially hot but cooling long term as it moves heat out of the body
Elder Flower – cool
Lymph – These are generally cool and dry
Calendula – mildly warming
Cleavers
Echinacea
Red Root
Red Clover
Ocotillo Bark – warm
Yerba Manza (Anemopsis californica) – warm
Bowels
Most of the traditional laxative herbs in Western Herbalism work by irritating the colon. While they definitely get results, they should not be used long term as they create dependency.
It is much better to use Triphala from the Ayurvedic tradition.
It is tonifying to the entire digestive system and can be used long term – months and years with occasional breaks.
Digestive bitters, mucilaginous and demulcent herbs all have laxative potential and can be used successfully in many cases.
Stimulant laxatives which should be avoided or used only short term:
Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana)
Red Rubarb (Rheum)
Senna (Senna alexandria) – active ingredient in ExLax
Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) – used in small amounts for its affect on the liver; its primary use is not as a laxative
Skin Herbs – used internally
Burdock
Calendula
Cleavers
Dandelion Root
Oregon Grape
Red Clover
Yellow Dock
Nutrition
These provide vitamins and minerals for the eliminatory organs to function better.
This can also be accomplished by an overall healthy diet.
Nettles
Alfalfa
Sea Vegetables
Red Clover
Circulatory
These are energetically different than most alteratives as they are warming.
They open channels and increase blood flow.
Cayenne – Ginger – Rosemary – Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)
How to Build a Formula
Ideally, the formula should be based on the health condition of the individual person.
If there is lingering illness, use lymph and immune herbs.
If there is edema, use lymph and diuretic herbs
If there is constipation, use laxatives.
If there are skin issues, use liver and skin herbs.
Many herbs can be combined into an alterative formula.
The formula can address more than one system.
Burdock is a premier alterative herb/food and can be added to the diet or used as part of a daily decoction.
http://www.renewlife.com has classic OTC detox products.
These are essentially alterative formulas in capsule form.
Lifestyle Support in Addition to Alterative Herbs
Follow a Kapha reducing diet and lifestyle to reduce dampness and stagnation
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Follow a Pitta reducing diet and lifestyle to reduce excess heat
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Move!
Increase the heart rate, break a sweat, breathe hard.
This is the best way to break up stagnation, congestion and reduce Kapha.
The basic yoga asana routine (side stretches, twists, forward and back bends) is excellent as are Sun Salutations
Diet
An ideal alterative food are wild greens although any greens are good.
These are cooling, slightly bitter for the liver, high in fiber for the bowels and high in nutrition.





