{"id":434,"date":"2024-06-27T10:44:09","date_gmt":"2024-06-27T10:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/?p=434"},"modified":"2024-06-27T10:49:58","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T10:49:58","slug":"adventures-with-swedish-bitters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html","title":{"rendered":"ADVENTURES WITH SWEDISH BITTERS!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #999999;\"><em>This article introduces my readers to the formulation, history and therapeutic usage of the famous Swedish Bitters formula and its possible variations and modifications.\u00a0 It also places the Swedish Bitters formula within a larger historical and cross-cultural context.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#Introduction_Adam_and_the_Fabled_Long_Life_Elixir\" >Introduction: Adam and the Fabled Long Life Elixir<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#Whats_in_a_Name_A_Brief_History_of_Swedish_Bitters\" >What\u2019s in a Name?\u00a0 A Brief History of Swedish Bitters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#A_Closer_Look_at_Maria_Trebens_Swedish_Bitters_Formula\" >A Closer Look at Maria Treben\u2019s Swedish Bitters Formula<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#What_the_HECK_is_Theriac_Venezian\" >What the HECK is Theriac Venezian?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#Expanding_the_Basic_Formula_with_Other_Legendary_and_Salubrious_Ingredients\" >Expanding the Basic Formula with Other Legendary and Salubrious Ingredients<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#A_Cross-Cultural_Comparison_Swedish_Bitters_and_Chinese_Dit_Da_Liniment\" >A Cross-Cultural Comparison: Swedish Bitters and Chinese Dit Da Liniment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#Holistic_Considerations_for_Creating_an_Effective_Swedish_Bitters_Formula\" >Holistic Considerations for Creating an Effective Swedish Bitters Formula<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/herbs\/adventures-with-swedish-bitters.html\/#Conclusion_Theres_a_Bit_of_the_Herbal_Alchemist_in_All_of_Us\" >Conclusion: There\u2019s a Bit of the Herbal Alchemist in All of Us!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction_Adam_and_the_Fabled_Long_Life_Elixir\"><\/span><strong>Introduction: Adam and the Fabled Long Life Elixir<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Not too long ago, I received a series of emails from a guy who I\u2019ll call Adam, for the sake of preserving his anonymity \u2013 Adam as in the Primordial Man, with shades of Leonardo Da Vinci\u2019s Vitruvian Man thrown in as well.\u00a0 Anyway, Adam had fallen under the spell of the fabled long life elixir that is popularly known as Swedish Bitters, which was initially popularized by the Austrian herbalist Maria Treben.\u00a0 Adam had encountered, and was studying, various versions of this herbal formula, and was quite perplexed by it all.\u00a0 In an effort to make sense of it all, I feel that he wanted me to come up with a kind of herbal score card for each ingredient \u2013 of all the different formulations, of course \u2013 in order to get some kind of handle on how effective and\/or indispensible each ingredient was \u2013 or, on the other extreme, how inessential or superfluous it was.\u00a0 Armed with this information, I feel like he wanted to put together his own \u201cUltimate Swedish Bitters\u201d formula \u2013 a laudable objective, in my estimation.\u00a0 Adam sent me a link to the best website or source of online information that he had found on Swedish Bitters, and it is indeed a rich source; I will be sharing the link with you at the end of this blog posting.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_in_a_Name_A_Brief_History_of_Swedish_Bitters\"><\/span><strong>What\u2019s in a Name?\u00a0 A Brief History of Swedish Bitters<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>If we want to get some kind of handle on understanding what Swedish Bitters is, we need to take a look at its long and colorful history; we also need to examine its name as well, and put it within the context of the broader field of herbal medicine.\u00a0 The first part of its name that we shall examine is the \u201cBitters\u201d part \u2013 generically speaking, a \u201cBitters\u201d formula is usually an alcoholic extract \u2013 a tincture or medicinal wine that is taken in small doses, either before a meal or after it, to stimulate digestion.\u00a0 There is an old herbal maxim that bitter to the tongue is sweet to the stomach, and herbalists have long recognized the beneficial effect of bitter herbs upon digestion.\u00a0 Indeed, bitter herbs are at the core of this fabled long life elixir \u2013 bitter herbs like Aloes, and in other versions of the formula, bitter herbs like Gentian or Wormwood as well.\u00a0 Why are bitter tonics for better digestion so important?\u00a0 The human organism replenishes and repairs itself daily through the processes of digestion, assimilation and metabolism as the body is built, and rebuilt \u2013 in short, better digestion and metabolism accrue to better overall health over the long term, and thus to a longer life.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_437\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-437\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paracelsus.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[434]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-437 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paracelsus.jpg\" alt=\"Caption: Portrait of Paracelsus. Courtesy of Wikipedia. \" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paracelsus.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paracelsus-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paracelsus-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-437\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Caption: Portrait of Paracelsus. Courtesy of Wikipedia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Then, there is the initial \u201cSwedish\u201d part of its name.\u00a0 Maria Treben credits a certain Swedish physician, a certain Swedish doctor named Claus Samst and his associate, Dr. Urban Hjarne, with rediscovering\u00a0 the original elixir of the famed Swiss \u2013 German alchemist and physician Paracelsus, which the latter called \u201cElixir ad Longam Vitam\u201d, or \u201cElixir for a Long Life\u201d.\u00a0 In fact, Dr. Samst, who is reputed to have died from a riding accident at the ripe old age of 104, was living testimony to the elixir\u2019s efficacy, and his associate, Dr. Hjarne, lived to the respectable age of 84, which was considerably older than the average life expectancy of his day.\u00a0 According to Maria Treben, Dr. Samst wrote an Old Manuscript, detailing some 46 points, or ailments and conditions that Swedish Bitters is effective at treating.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSounds like a fairy tale, but it\u2019s true\u2026\u201d begins Maria Treben when telling the story of how she first encountered Swedish Bitters.\u00a0 She claims to have contracted typhoid fever as a young woman in a refugee camp in the German speaking part of Czechoslovakia, due to tainted meat.\u00a0 She became deathly ill and jaundiced, and suffered from both vomiting and diarrhea as well as terrible shooting pains throughout her body.\u00a0 Her doctor told her that the terrible pains could go on for years.\u00a0 That\u2019s when a woman brought her a bottle of Swedish Bitters, because she had heard of Maria\u2019s illness, and thought the elixir could help.\u00a0 Maria Treben was skeptical at first, but then figured that the elixir was worth a try; she put an external plaster or poultice of it over the area where she felt pain, and at once she felt a warm, healing feeling go though her body \u2013 she credits Swedish Bitters with enabling her to regain her health.<\/p>\n<p>And the rest is history, as they say\u2026\u00a0 Although Paracelsus is the legendary inventor of this long life elixir, its roots stretch back many centuries before Paracelsus, all the way back to the great Greco-Roman physician Galen and beyond, as we shall see\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Closer_Look_at_Maria_Trebens_Swedish_Bitters_Formula\"><\/span><strong>A Closer Look at Maria Treben\u2019s Swedish Bitters Formula<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>In the field of herbal medicine, we frequently encounter \u201cGreater\u201d and \u201cLesser\u201d versions of what are the same or similar herbal formulas; this is a phenomenon that seems to transcend different cultures and herbal healing traditions.\u00a0 In Chinese herbal medicine, for instance, you have <em>Da Chai Hu Tang, <\/em>or the Greater Bupleurum Decoction, as well as <em>Xiao Chai Hu Tang, <\/em>or the Lesser Bupleurum Decoction.\u00a0 Although Maria Treben acknowledges that there is a Greater Swedish Bitters formula, with many more ingredients in it, she maintains that all her healing successes were accomplished with the Lesser version of the formula, which contains only eleven ingredients \u2013 plus alcohol as the carrying medium, of course.\u00a0 Adhering to the old maxim, \u201cKeep it simple\u201d, we shall limit ourselves to Maria Treben\u2019s Lesser Swedish Bitters at the outset; Maria Treben refers to it as basically an elixir of Aloes, Myrrh and Saffron, so we shall start with these three ingredients, which form the core of the formula, and then proceed to the others:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aloes <em>(Aloe vera, Aloe Ferox) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>This is not the debittered Aloe Vera juice or gel that you get at your local health food store; this is Bitter or Purging Aloes.\u00a0 Of course, Aloes is a great bitter tonic to stimulate digestion and help with elimination as well, but beyond this, Aloes is of central importance to the formula because it has the distinctive healing virtue of being able to fluidify or discharge tough, hard accretions of all Four Humors \u2013 Blood, Phlegm, Yellow Bile and Black Bile.\u00a0 With the core liquidation or fluidification function of Aloes as the nucleus of the formula, the other ingredients are able to work much more effectively at what they do to heal and cleanse the body and promote better health and longevity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Myrrh <em>(Commiphora myrrha) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Seeing that wounded trees heal themselves by means of exuding their sap or resin, primitive herbalists intuited that the saps or resins of different trees could also help the human body heal and regenerate as well.\u00a0 The main humor that Myrrh works through is Blood or the Sanguine humor, removing stagnant or congealed blood and activating its vital properties, because Blood is the humor of healing and regeneration.\u00a0 Myrrh also acts as a bitter tonic to stimulate the stomach, liver and digestion, and its mildly astringent properties also help to tone up the intestines and promote peristalsis as well.\u00a0 Wherever Myrrh goes it brings healing, better blood circulation and tissue regeneration.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Saffron <em>(Crocus sativus) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Saffron is generally recognized to be the most expensive cooking spice; because of this, and because it is relatively powerful and potent, Saffron is in the formula at a reduced dosage.\u00a0 Although Saffron is also used as an energizer, it works with Myrrh to \u201cactivate the blood\u201d, as the Chinese say, to fluidify it, break up congellations, and improve its circulation and vital properties.\u00a0 If expensive, high quality genuine Saffron should be too expensive or otherwise unavailable, ordinary Safflower petals can be used as a substitute.\u00a0 In Chinese, regular Safflower is called <em>Hong Hwa <\/em>or \u201cScarlet Flower\u201d, whereas Saffron is called <em>Tsang Hong Hwa or <\/em>\u201cTibetan Scarlet Flower\u201d, acknowledging that the genuine, good stuff comes from Tibet, and by extension, Persia and central Asia; Spain is another country that is associated with the harvesting and production of Saffron.<\/p>\n<p>Following the above nucleus of the formula, the following three ingredients are all herbs that have a beneficial, strengthening effect on digestion, and on overall health and wellbeing:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Angelica root <em>(Angelica archangelica) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Angelica root \u2013 and in this case, it is European Angelica \u2013 is a tonic and energizer, and is also beneficial for the appetite and digestion, since it dredges the liver and stimulates the stomach.\u00a0 It is also an excellent women\u2019s menstrual tonic as well.\u00a0 Angelica root is also one of the few vegetarian sources of vitamin B12, and also has a beneficial tonic and vitalizing action on the Blood, in order to help menstruating women replenish their blood every month.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Carline Thistle root <em>(Carlina acaulis) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Carline Thistle root is quite hard to come by, but it\u2019s a great herb and Swedish Bitters ingredient if you can get it.\u00a0 Truly, this herb could be called a <em>roborant, <\/em>which is an herb that increases the overall vitality and robustness of the body and its health.\u00a0 It also has mild diaphoretic properties to disperse exogenous pathogenic factors as well as being an anti-rheumatic herb, and beneficial for enhancing blood circulation throughout the body.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Zedoary root <em>(Curcuma zedoaria) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>This herb is a close botanical relative of Ginger and Turmeric; whereas Turmeric is yellow, Zedoary root is dark, or blackish in color.\u00a0 It is a powerful stimulator of the stomach and digestion, a dredger of the liver, and a powerful tonic and vitalizer of the blood and its circulation.\u00a0 According to modern Chinese scientific research, Zedoary root has anti-cancer or antitumoral properties.<\/p>\n<p>The following trio of herbs are those that help with intestinal regularity and elimination; they have laxative \/ purgative properties, which are softened and moderated considerably by the overall action and energetics of the alcohol, which is used as a carrier medium:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rhubarb root <em>(Rhizoma rhei; Rheum palmatum) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Rhubarb root is the most commonly used laxative \/ purgative herb in Chinese herbal medicine.\u00a0 In large doses, it acts as a vigorous laxative \/ purgative, but in small doses in an alcoholic medium, it acts as a strong choleretic \/ cholagogue herb, or an herb that stimulates the production and flow of Yellow Bile, which is the body\u2019s own inherent laxative.\u00a0 Rhubarb root is also a powerful detoxifier and stimulator of blood circulation, especially for the organs of the pelvic cavity, and helps a woman with her monthly periods.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Senna leaves \/ pods <em>(Senna angustifolia) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Senna is a powerful laxative \/ purgative herb, and one that is so powerful that it can provoke intestinal griping in sensitive individuals, especially if taken as a powder, or as a tea.\u00a0 Luckily, the alcohol medium softens or moderates these harsh qualities considerably.\u00a0 Also, Senna pods have an inherently milder, gentler quality than Senna leaves.\u00a0 Aside from the laxative \/ purgative action, Senna has beneficial blood cleansing properties.\u00a0 Because Senna is so harsh, it is usually buffered with other herbs and ingredients that have a softening, emollient action in an herbal formula.\u00a0 There are gentler substitutes for Senna that can be used, like Mesquite or Carob pods, or Chinese <em>Cassia torae <\/em>seeds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Manna <\/strong>is the distilled sugary exudate of a certain species of Ash tree, and is a mild emollient laxative.\u00a0 I feel that Manna is put in the formula to act as a softening or moderating agent for the Senna leaves or pods.\u00a0 Manna is also rich in nutritive tonic virtues.<\/p>\n<p>The final two ingredients could be called special catalysts or synergizers, and are definitely the most unique and distinctive ingredients in the formula.\u00a0 One is a distilled crystalline essence, whereas the other is a complex prepared medicine.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Camphor <em>(Cinnamomum camphora) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>This is the distilled crystalline essence or aromatic principle of the Camphor tree, and is actually natural camphor, which used to be used to make moth balls.\u00a0 Chinese herbal medicine classifies it as a super-aromatic herb to open the orifices, and its net effect is to greatly increase the circulating and opening power of the other herbs in the formula that have an aromatic or circulating nature.\u00a0 It also has anticonvulsant and antiseptic properties as well.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Theriac Venezian<\/strong> is probably the ingredient that has puzzled aspiring herbalists like no other; it is not a single herb, but rather a prepared medicine with many, many ingredients of its own.\u00a0 This ingredient has a very long and colorful history, and is quite controversial as well; I will be covering it in more detail in the next section.<\/p>\n<p>And last but not least, let\u2019s not forget the carrier medium, which is <strong>Alcohol.\u00a0 <\/strong>Alcohol has a very dispersing, ascending energy to it, and this tempers or counteracts the downward purging effects of the laxative \/ purgative ingredients of the formula, namely Rhubarb root, Aloes and Senna leaves.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_HECK_is_Theriac_Venezian\"><\/span><strong>What the <em>HECK <\/em>is Theriac Venezian?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Perhaps the most mysterious of the ingredients in Maria Treben\u2019s original Swedish Bitters formula is something called \u201cTheriac Venezian\u201d \u2013 what the heck is it?\u00a0 A little more research will reveal that it has also been called \u201cVenice Treacle\u201d, with Venice being a big center for its manufacture.\u00a0 And of course, treacle is an old English term for a thick sugary syrup or toffee like substance.\u00a0 A medicinal jam or jelly is often called an <em>electuary <\/em>in herbal medicine; it is a very convenient and efficient way to prepare and take herbal medicines.\u00a0 In Unani Tibb or Graeco-Arabic Medicine, such an electuary preparation would be called a <em>Majoon, <\/em>and many Unani medicines are prepared in this form.\u00a0 <em>Theriac <\/em>means a medicinal preparation or formula that is like a panacea, being effective against a wide range of ailments.\u00a0 So, Theriac Venezian is a panacea-like electuary that hails from Venice, Italy \u2013 but its fabled roots and origins go back much further than this.<\/p>\n<p>If we go way, way back to the beginning, we find the origins of the Theriac Electuary to be in ancient Persia, with a suspicious or paranoid Persian king called Mithridate.\u00a0 He wanted to put together the ultimate formula of medicinal herbs to serve as a universal antidote or panacea; one of the things he was most fearful of was being poisoned, so he wanted to have his universal antidote handy.\u00a0 He had his court physicians test out various ingredients, and variations of the formula, on condemned criminals, it is said, until he finally arrived at a formula that was most effective.\u00a0 The formula finally made its way to Rome, where it wound up in the medicine cabinet of Galen; it is said that he used it to treat the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was said to be of a notoriously Melancholic temperament.\u00a0 Galen\u2019s classic version of this formula contained some 64 ingredients, which included Squill roots, Opium, and even viper\u2019s flesh \u2013 everything but the kitchen sink, as one might say.\u00a0 Over the years, different variations of the Theriac Electuary developed, many of which can be found in the expanded version of Culpeper\u2019s Complete Herbal, in the compendium of old herbal medicines.\u00a0 Different variations on this formula, which also appear in Culpeper, can also be found in the linked website that Adam provided me with \u2013 which comes at the end of this article.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway \u2013 the fact that the classic version of Theriac Venezian contained things like Opium and viper\u2019s flesh was sure to raise some eyebrows at the FDA, even though the makers of Maria Treben\u2019s Swedish Bitters swore that those questionable \u2013 and illegal \u2013 ingredients had been removed from the formula.\u00a0 Somewhere along the line, it seems, the FDA probably insisted that Theriac Venezian be removed from Swedish Bitters; and so, the makers of Maria Treben\u2019s Swedish Bitters did just that, and replaced Theriac Venezian with Black Cohosh.\u00a0 Personally, I am not very satisfied with the replacement, because Black Cohosh, which is called <em>Sheng Ma, <\/em>or \u201cRising Hemp\u201d in Chinese herbal medicine, has a strong ascending energy that counteracts or nullifies the effects of the herbs in the formula that act as laxatives to promote intestinal regularity.\u00a0 However, if you are a woman who is approaching or going through the Change of Life, which is menopause, the inclusion of this ingredient could be seen as a very good choice, since menopausal complaints are one thing that Black Cohosh is known for treating.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expanding_the_Basic_Formula_with_Other_Legendary_and_Salubrious_Ingredients\"><\/span><strong>Expanding the Basic Formula with Other Legendary and Salubrious Ingredients<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>As I said previously, there is Maria Treben\u2019s basic or Lesser version of the Swedish Bitters formula, and there are Greater or expanded versions of the formula; when I lived in Romania, for example, there was an imported German version of the formula that contained some fifty or so ingredients.\u00a0 Although space limitations prohibit a full listing and discussion of all these extra ingredients, I will limit myself to the discussion of what I deem to be the most noteworthy of these extra ingredients here:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Blessed Thistle <em>(Carduus benedictus) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>If Carline Thistle root should be hard to come by, this is the next best option that I would choose as a substitute.\u00a0 It is one of the best bitter tonics for digestion, especially for digestive disorders due to an excess or aggravation of Melancholy, or Black Bile.\u00a0 As a general tonic and roborant, Blessed Thistle is a very good substitute for Carline Thistle root if the latter should be unavailable; it is also a key ingredient in the famous Benedictine Liqueur, which is one of the best digestive bitters formulas in European herbal medicine.\u00a0 Blessed Thistle is also a great female menstrual tonic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Boldo leaves <em>(Peumus boldus) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>In one of the web pages that Adam sent me, I saw Boldo leaves as one of the ingredients in their Swedish Bitters formula.\u00a0 While Boldo leaves might be a desirable ingredient in terms of its medicinal effects, being a tonic and cleanser of the liver as well as a mild diuretic to improve fluid metabolism and drain excess fluids from the body, it does not get a very high score in terms of its historical authenticity.\u00a0 If we are to consider Swedish Bitters to originally be the creation of Paracelsus, who lived in the mid fourteen hundreds, explorers had not yet discovered and brought back Boldo leaves from the Americas yet.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Calamus root <em>(Acorus calamus) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Calamus root, also known as Sweet Flag, is a root of the Iris family that has many wonderful therapeutic effects.\u00a0 Although it focuses most of its effects on the stomach and the digestive tract, it also benefits the nervous system with relaxant, anti-spasmodic, and even anti-convulsive effects; it is also a great detoxifier, not only of the stomach and digestive tract, but also of the entire organism. Many expanded versions of the Swedish Bitters formula contain this herb, as well as some of its close botanical relatives in the Iris family: Orris root, or the Florentine Iris <em>(Iris florentina) <\/em>as well as Blue Flag <em>(Iris pseudacorus).\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Castoreum <em>(Castoreum) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>This is the aromatic scent gland of a Beaver; like Camphor, it is a super-aromatic medicine to open up the orifices, or subtle energy channels of the body, and to act as a synergistic catalyst to enhance the effectiveness of other aromatic ingredients in the formula.\u00a0 Think of it as an assistant to Camphor.\u00a0 Of course, if you want to keep your Swedish Bitters formula vegetarian in nature, don\u2019t add this ingredient, but use only Camphor instead.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dittany of Crete <em>(Origanum dictamnus) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>There are a few different herbs that go by the name of Dittany in herbal medicine, but this one, as its botanical name implies, is a relative of Oregano.\u00a0 It is native to the Greek island of Crete, and functions as a stomachic and digestive tonic on the one hand as well as a female menstrual tonic and general antispasmodic on the other hand.\u00a0 It is quite a versatile and beneficial ingredient to have in a Swedish Bitters formula.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Galangal <em>(Alpinia galanga) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>This is a red variety of Ginger root that is used in Thai cuisine.\u00a0 It is similar to Ginger, but more heating and stimulating in nature.\u00a0 It is great not only to stimulate the stomach and digestion, but also to get rid of deep seated gas and flatulence in the GI tract.\u00a0 It is also beneficial against hiccups, nausea and poor appetite.\u00a0 Galangal is used quite frequently in Greek and Unani herbal medicine.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gentian root <em>(Gentiana lutea) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>This is Yellow Gentian root, which is one of the most famous bitter digestive tonics in European herbal medicine.\u00a0 It also has antirheumatic and general detoxifying effects on the organism as well.\u00a0 Gentian root is used in many digestive bitter formulas.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kaolin Clay \u2013 <\/strong>In some expanded versions of the Swedish Bitters formula, even Kaolin Clay is used as an ingredient \u2013 why the <em>heck <\/em>would clay be included in a Swedish Bitters formula?\u00a0 This is because most of the herbs in the formula are very pungent, aromatic and dispersing; Kaolin Clay and its consolidating astringency acts to temper or focus the dispersing effects of the other ingredients so that they don\u2019t overly dissipate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mace \/ Nutmeg <em>(Myristica fragrans) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>These are two popular cooking spices, most often used to spice up holiday sweet treats and eggnog.\u00a0 They are aromatic and stimulating in nature, and are used to stimulate digestion, especially where it is overly challenged by sugar, sweets and carbohydrates.\u00a0 Nutmeg can also be used to stop diarrhea.\u00a0 Anyway, a number of other aromatic stomachic, carminative and digestive tonic herbs like Allspice and Star Anise, as well as a number of different Cardamoms can also be added to a Swedish Bitters formula, but if one goes overboard in loading up the formula with all these cooking spices, one runs the risk of creating a formula that is merely a stomachic and digestive tonic, and loses the multi-systemic panacea-like nature of the formula as a whole.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wormwood <em>(Artemisia absinthum, Artemisia spp.) \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Wormwood, another renowned bitter digestive tonic and de-wormer, as its name implies, is somewhat of\u00a0 controversial herb in that many hold it to be toxic and damaging to the nervous system.\u00a0 This may be a highly individual matter, as I have not found it to be so.\u00a0 Anyway, Wormwood is an herb that Maria Treben herself mentions as an alternative to Aloes in providing the core bitter principle, in addition to Gentian.\u00a0 Let me also remind you that there are many different species and varieties of Artemisia or Wormwood, each with its own distinctive character and healing virtues.\u00a0 For example, there is a very aromatic variety of Wormwood that is native to California, <em>Artemisia californica, <\/em>that is very aromatic and beneficial for many different conditions; it is popularly known as Sagebrush.\u00a0 Another benefit of Wormwood is that it is a powerful immune stimulant.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Cross-Cultural_Comparison_Swedish_Bitters_and_Chinese_Dit_Da_Liniment\"><\/span><strong>A Cross-Cultural Comparison: Swedish Bitters and Chinese <em>Dit Da <\/em>Liniment<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>If one ventures halfway around the globe and enters the exotic world of Chinese herbal medicine and martial arts, one finds another alcoholic tincture formula of many different medicinal herbs that is similar in many ways to European Swedish Bitters:\u00a0 It is Chinese <em>Dit Da <\/em>liniment, which was developed by martial artists as a first aid treatment for sparring injuries.\u00a0 Although many of the herbs in Chinese <em>Dit Da <\/em>liniment are different and unique to the Chinese herbal healing tradition, curiously enough, many other herbal ingredients are the same, or very similar.\u00a0 Although Chinese <em>Dit Da <\/em>liniment is mainly used topically or externally to treat traumatic injuries, if the formula does not contain any ingredients that would be dangerous or toxic if taken internally, it can be taken internally in small doses as well to promote healing and regeneration.\u00a0 When Maria Treben, in relating the story of how she first discovered Swedish Bitters, tells us that she first applied it topically, and found that it was effective even when administered externally \u2013 in effect, she was using it in exactly the same manner as Chinese martial artists use <em>Dit Da <\/em>liniment.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, if one looks closely at the ingredients of a Chinese <em>Dit Da <\/em>liniment formula, one will find many herbs that are also in Swedish Bitters:\u00a0 Aloes, or <em>Lu Hui; <\/em>Rhubarb root, or <em>Da Huang; <\/em>Chinese Angelica root, or <em>Dang Gui; <\/em>Zedoary root, or <em>E Zhu; <\/em>Saffron \/ Safflower, or <em>Hong Hwa; <\/em>and Myrrh, or <em>Mo Yao.\u00a0 <\/em>Amazing!\u00a0 Therapeutically speaking, both achieve their overall healing effects by working along the same lines:\u00a0 They both work primarily through Blood, or the Sanguine humor, by breaking up stagnant or congealed blood and increasing the blood\u2019s ability to bring healing and regeneration.\u00a0 A lot of other herbs in a <em>Dit Da <\/em>liniment formula are different, and are unique to Chinese herbal medicine.\u00a0 Perhaps the most important of these is <em>Tienchi, <\/em>which is Chinese herbal medicine\u2019s principal herb for treating traumatic injuries.\u00a0 <em>Tienchi, <\/em>or <em>Panax notoginseng, <\/em>is a close botanical relative of Ginseng, and has energizing properties similar to the latter.\u00a0 It also has a whole slew of other health benefits, such as being a heart tonic, a liver healer and hepatoprotector, and, paradoxically, stopping bleeding while improving blood circulation. Li Shih Chen, China\u2019s greatest herbalist, once wrote that <em>Tienchi <\/em>was <em>bu huan jin, <\/em>or inexchangeable for gold, and I would have to agree with him on that.\u00a0 If there was only one herb that I could take, it would be hard to find a better herb than <em>Tienchi.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Is it possible to raid the medicine chest of Chinese herbal medicine in order to find great new ingredients to put into a new, improved Swedish Bitters formula?\u00a0 Heck yeah!\u00a0 Of course, the first and most important Chinese herb to consider would be <em>Tienchi. <\/em>The Chinese, in their sophisticated holistic vision of herbal medicine, have the concept of <em>Dui Yao, <\/em>or synergistic pairings of two or more herbs to create a combined therapeutic effect that is greater than the sum of the individual parts.\u00a0 For example, in <em>Dit Da <\/em>liniment formulas, Myrrh is rarely, if ever, used alone; it is usually paired up with another resin, <em>Ru Xiang, <\/em>which is Boswellia, or Frankincense.\u00a0 The same thing goes for <em>E Zhu, <\/em>or Zedoary root; it is usually paired up with <em>San Leng, <\/em>or <em>Rhizoma sparganii, <\/em>for increased effectiveness.\u00a0 I believe that this concept and phenomenon of synergism must be taken into account and duly utilized in order to create a superior Swedish Bitters formula \u2013 all the herbs gotta work together!<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Holistic_Considerations_for_Creating_an_Effective_Swedish_Bitters_Formula\"><\/span><strong>Holistic Considerations for Creating an Effective Swedish Bitters Formula<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>At the beginning of this article, I spoke of my encounter with Adam, and how I felt that he wanted me to come up with a kind of score card for each individual ingredient that could be considered for a Swedish Bitters formula.\u00a0 Heck \u2013 select all the individual ingredients with the highest scores and throw them all into the formula \u2013 wouldn\u2019t that be a sure fire way to come up with the best Swedish Bitters formula?\u00a0 Actually, no!\u00a0 That\u2019s because creating a superior Swedish Bitters formula, or any kind of effective herbal formula for that matter, is tempered by several different considerations that would best be called holistic in nature.\u00a0 In other words, each individual ingredient that is selected must be put within the context of the formula as a whole.\u00a0 Here are some of these holistic considerations:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Team Dynamics \u2013 <\/strong>How an herb functions when it is used as an individual remedy can be quite different from how it functions within the context of a sophisticated and complex herbal formula.\u00a0 Herbs can work together in synergistic pairs or trios; they can also work together in larger groups.\u00a0 And finally, the herbs all work together within the context of the formula as a whole, much like the individual players on a football team work together to accomplish their objectives.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Synergism \u2013 <\/strong>A pair of medicinal herbs can work together to amplify each other\u2019s medicinal effects, or to create a combined effect that is different from the sum of their individual actions.\u00a0 The herbalist takes the raw resources of Nature and uses Art, or human intelligence and design, to create an herbal formula with powerful medicinal effects that are not found in Nature.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Complementary Effects \u2013 <\/strong>The overly harsh effects of a certain herb can be tempered by those of another herb that has opposite yet complementary qualities where necessary.\u00a0\u00a0 Within the Swedish Bitters formula, I believe that Manna acts to soften the harsh purgative effects of Senna leaves, for example.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Balance \u2013 <\/strong>When creating an herbal formula, the herbal pharmacist must always be aware of the overriding principle of balance \u2013 in other words, what percentage of the total formula will do this, and what percentage or proportion will do that, and what the main thrust of the final formula will be.\u00a0 Are you skewing the final formula unduly in one direction or another by an unbalanced inclusion of certain kinds of herbs to the detriment or exclusion of others?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Versatility \u2013 <\/strong>If you are creating a formula that is intended to be a panacea-like remedy with a wide range of medicinal effects and actions, it is best to stick mainly to herbs that are versatile, and which have multiple and diverse effects on multiple organ systems.\u00a0 Always keep the vision of the final formula in mind, and don\u2019t let yourself be unduly sidetracked.\u00a0 Finding an herb that does two or more things simultaneously is like killing two or more birds with one stone.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion_Theres_a_Bit_of_the_Herbal_Alchemist_in_All_of_Us\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion: There\u2019s a Bit of the Herbal Alchemist in All of Us!<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>If you are interested in making your own Swedish Bitters, I have given you all the tools you need to get started.\u00a0 Assemble all the herbs you are going to use together in equal parts, except herbs like Saffron and Aloe, which are in the formula at a reduced dosage.\u00a0 Grind up the herbs into a rough powder in an electric coffee grinder or even in a blender with no water added.\u00a0 Then, put three rounded tablespoons full of the herb mixture for every cup of 80 proof alcohol you use.\u00a0 Put it all into a jar with a lid on it and let it soak for at least two weeks, preferably one month.\u00a0 It\u2019s pretty easy.<\/p>\n<p>Using the formulation instructions and suggestions that I gave you, you can experiment around with modifying and altering the formula until it is more to your liking, or until you get a formula that you feel is most reliable and effective.\u00a0 You may be satisfied just making Maria Treben\u2019s original formula, or you might want to be more adventurous and creative.\u00a0 As I promised you at the beginning of the article, here is the link to the website that Adam left me with; you might want to also go to other Swedish Bitters websites as well, to see what you can glean from each of them.\u00a0 It could start you on a great healing adventure!<\/p>\n<p>So \u2013 here\u2019s the main website that Adam gave me a link to, which is probably the most informative:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.swedenbitter.org\">www.swedenbitter.org<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In parting, I\u2019d like to emphasize that you can read and study about Swedish Bitters all you want, but all this is merely academic knowledge until you start to formulate your own Swedish Bitters formulas and test them out in actual practice, and see exactly what kind of results your formula achieves.\u00a0 That\u2019s where \u201cthe rubber hits the road\u201d, so to speak.\u00a0 If you would like to give me your feedback or inform me of your progress, I would love to hear from you.\u00a0 You can email me at:\u00a0 <strong><a href=\"mailto:davido@greekmedicine.net\">davido@greekmedicine.net<\/a>\u00a0 <\/strong>Good luck!<\/p>\n<p><strong>A Final Disclaimer:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, for general health and prevention purposes, and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or medical condition.\u00a0 The reader assumes all personal responsibility and liability for the application of the information contained herein, and is advised to consult with a physician or licensed healthcare practitioner should his or her condition or symptoms should persist or worsen.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sources:\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/originalswedishbitter.com\/history-of-sweden-bitter\">https:\/\/originalswedishbitter.com\/history-of-sweden-bitter<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article introduces my readers to the formulation, history and therapeutic usage of the famous Swedish Bitters formula and its possible variations and modifications.\u00a0 It also places the Swedish Bitters formula within a larger historical and cross-cultural context.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":439,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,3],"tags":[16,499,111,497,498,184,502,493,495,17,494,500,492,496,501,503],"class_list":["post-434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-herbs","category-traditional-medicine","tag-aloes","tag-dit-da-liniment","tag-dittany-of-crete","tag-dr-klaus-samst","tag-dr-urban-hjarne","tag-galen","tag-gentian","tag-maria-treben","tag-mithridate","tag-myrrh","tag-paracelsus","tag-saffron","tag-swedish-bitters","tag-theriac-venezian","tag-tienchi","tag-wormwood"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>ADVENTURES WITH SWEDISH BITTERS!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This article introduces my readers to the formulation, history and therapeutic usage of the famous Swedish Bitters formula and its possible variations and modifications. 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