Gotu Kola is one of those herbs that has made its way to Western Herbalism because it is regarded as sacred in Eastern practices such as TCM and Ayurveda.
It’s multifaceted, but also incredibly simple to work with because it covers so much ground. But before we get into the nitty gritty, I think it’s important to honor the herbal history by discussing how they are traditionally used.
Traditional Use of Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola has been used for thousands of years in all across Asia. In ancient herbalist journals, it is regarded as a “life giving herb.” They wrote that it brings clarity of thought, longevity– but to take it one step further, the healers of old believed that consuming Gotu Kola regularly brought joy and peace.
Interestingly enough, despite the similar reverence and usage, TCM and Ayurveda regard Gotu Kola in energetically opposite views. In TCM, Gotu Kola is a cooling herb because it is bitter and astringent. To get the most out of its nutrients, Asian folks would eat this bitter green as a part of their regular diet. The tradition lives on to this day. And in Ayurveda, it is a well loved stimulant that is taken as a tea.
But no matter where you are on that spectrum of belief, we can meet in the middle because folk medicine and modern research has shown that Gotu Kola has an affinity for clarity and calm.
Benefits of Gotu Kola
Let’s get into it.
There are many reasons to include Gotu Kola in your herbal formulas and routines. It’s great for mental health, blood pressure, cleansing your skin… the list goes on and on. But those beautiful benefits are hinged upon Gotu Kola’s two main herbal actions: alternative and adaptogen.
Alternative and adaptogen are from Eastern herbalist lingo. These categories are kind of new to us Westerners, but we are certainly utilizing the ancient wisdom.
Alternative herbs are defined most simply as “herbs that help your body come back into homeostasis.” They tone your organs and strengthen your body’s natural processes so that your body can heal itself.
Adaptogenic herbs are a little tricky to explain. But basically, adaptogenic herbs work with your central nervous system to bring your stress response out of fight or flight.
With these two herbal actions bringing you into balance and out of fight or flight responses, the rest of Gotu Kola’s priorities make perfect sense.
Gotu Kola is a detoxifier (and I know that has become sort of a buzzword, but hear me out.) Gotu Kola is a peripheral vasodilator, which means it stimulates blood flow around your body and helps your body process foods, hormones, and toxins better. That in turn clears up your skin, improves digestion, helps with sleep and pain, and gives your immune system a little boost.
On top of that its unique chemical makeup brings down inflammation while also reversing damage to musculoskeletal tissue and preventing further damage.
It is also a nervous system tonic, meaning that it is not only soothing and relaxing, but it slowly rehabilitates your nerves so that it is not constantly under duress. This action is one of the main reasons why the ancient herbalists of Asia were 100% correct about Gotu Kola’s ability to boost your memory and improve your quality of life as you age.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, Gotu Kola has one more trick up its sleeve. When applied topically, it is an antibiotic and a vulnerability! So not only does it help heal up scrapes, it actually stops the wound from becoming infected.
Using Gotu Kola Daily
So now that we understand Gotu Kola’s magically medicinal properties, that brings us to the title of the article. How can we work with Gotu Kola?
It’s so simple, it would be a shame not to incorporate it into your home apothecaries.
#1 add Gotu Kola as food stuff
If you live in an area that has fresh Gotu Kola available, you can take a hint from Asian marketplaces and add them to salads. Or you can use gotu kola powder in smoothies for a focus lift.
#2 drink Gotu Kola as a tea
When I’m getting to know an herb, I tend to drink simple teas. Just one herb, nothin’ fancy. This allows me to get to know how it affects my bioindividual self.
But once you are well acquainted with this herb, you can add to blends.
When building formulas, I tend to air on the side of modesty. Waste not, want not, and all that jazz. So if you’re looking for a stress relief herb that won’t knock you out, Gotu Kola is your guy. And if you are looking to add a few more ingredients, you can compare those desired herbs’ medicinal properties to Gotu Kola’s treasure chest of herbal actions. This’ll stop you from going overboard and thus making the herbal healing harder for your body to take in.
My favourite way to use gotu kola is in nutritional, everyday blends. It brings that alternative, adaptogenic level of healing to the table while also bringing vitamins and minerals to the rest of my body through my stimulated blood stream. I pair gotu kola with herbs like nettle, oatstraw, alfalfa, and horsetail.
#3 make a Gotu Kola salve
If you have anything from contact dermatitis to eczema or razor burn to scrapes from a hiking trip, you would benefit from having a Gotu Kola salve handy
For topical remedies, I infuse Gotu Kola using both the heat method of extraction and the maceration method. This ensures that I get the most out of the herb. Since Gotu Kola is becoming more popular– it is our duty as medicine makers to not waste and over-harvest the plants.
A couple of great additions to your salve would be calendula, plantain, and comfrey.
There you have it, practical herbalists. 3 easy ways to work with the complex and mysterious herb Gotu Kola.
