What is the causal chain?
Identify the chain of events that led you to seek your remedies.
Hello Emporium!
I wanted to make a small post to talk about the causal chain and how it can relate to your formulations!
When you look up “root causes” you get long posts talking about what it means and there is no real way to answer the question in a way you can keep as a handy reference unless you are paying for an herbalism course — which is what I did. I paid for a great course and learned continually for my entire life, and I want to make herbalism easy and accessible for you.
So we are going to cover the causal chain, root causes, and how to pick herbs that best relate to you and your needs/preferences.
The information offered in this publication is for educational purposes only and by reading you agree that I am not offering any advice or making any claims this is true. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Links to external sites are for informational purposes only. Readers must do their own research concerning the safety and usage of any herbs or supplements.
Root causes are the fundamental, underlying reasons or drivers that ultimately give rise to a problem. They represent the deepest, most primary factors that, if addressed, would prevent the problem from recurring. Root causes are the core, systemic issues that require more thorough investigation and analysis to uncover.
In contrast, causal factors are the more immediate, visible contributors to the problem. They are the events, conditions, or actions that directly lead to or exacerbate the issue, but they are not necessarily the primary drivers. Causal factors are often easier to identify, as they are the more apparent, surface-level elements that can be directly observed.
Identifying Root Causes and Building a Causal Chain:
This is the four-step process of root cause analysis or RCA.
Identify and describe all symptoms.
Create a timeline from normal to now.
Use event correlation.
Establish a graph or note series to hone in on your needs.
Step 1 time. Now we identify what is going on:
poor sleep
stress
cold symptoms
anxiety
Step 2: the timeline
The major project started at work.
Boss has been on everyone to complete work on time, which caused you stress.
You are at home, worried about everything happening at work. This now affects your at-home time.
You stay up thinking about this, unable to get to sleep. You still have to wake up at 5 am no matter what time you go to sleep.
You haven’t been sleeping well, and now your immune system has weakened.
It is now wintertime when the cold and flu are going around. Since your immune system is now weaker, you get sick.
You get even less sleep and still have the stress and anxiety of work.
Step 3: Event correlation
Does my sickness line up with stressing out from work?
We know that stress can lead to immune suppression, and this would line up with what has happened.
Does my sudden onset of stress and anxiety line up with my timeline?
Work-life can affect your personal life, and if there is stress and anxiety about a project it would line up in your causal chain.
Do the events seem to make sense?
If they make sense and line up with how you got to where you are, congratulations on finding a correlation!
Step 4: Establish a graph or notes.
What herbs work with each notated symptom?
What could I add or subtract from my diet?
How can I practice mindfulness?
Root cause?
Work stress
Causal factors?
insomnia
anxiety
stress at home
immune dysfunction
cold and flu symptoms from immune dysfunction
Selecting Appropriate Herbs:
We are going to go over how to select herbs to work synergistically to aid you in your journey to holistic health. You may notice that some herbs overlap, and this is what we hope for in their primary and secondary actions to be able to create an overall formula with a few herbs to work together to aid you in your current situation.
Stress: Common herbs for stress may include:
[Avoiding excess caffeine]
Adaptogens:
Ginseng — adrenal support
Rhodiola — mental health and recovery support
Nervines:
Passionflower — nervous system decompression
Skullcap — relaxation promotion
Anxiety:
Lavender — calming and soothing
Chamomile — soothes the nervous system
Valerian —may increase GABA to have a calming effect
Lemon Balm — uplifting mood and promoting relaxation
Passionflower — similar to valerian, can help with GABA
Insomnia:
Tart Cherry — a natural source of melatonin and is currently being studied for its potential to improve sleep habits.
Valerian — one of the most common herbs used for sleep issues.
Lemon Balm — some studies have found lemon balm to aid with insomnia symptoms when taken before bed.
Passionflower — an overall calming effect on the nervous system to help with sleep regulation.
Lavender — lots of research suggests lavender supports sleep quality when taken before bed.
Cold Management:
Ginger — anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and decongestant properties to help manage and boost the immune system.
Licorice — good for the mucous membranes and may soothe a sore throat and reduce coughs and congestion.
Peppermint — an energizing herb that can help with nasal and chest congestion.
Echinacea — an aid for the immune system and is common in cold and flu blends.
Elderberry — high in vitamin C and may shorten the duration of your cold.
Tips for making simple formulations:
Try to support each body system involved in your formula.
For this example, we touched on the nervous system, the immune system, and the respiratory system.
Look at which herbs appear most frequently and pick the ones you feel may fit your situation the best based on their primary and secondary actions (we will cover this in later posts).
What appears the most? Passionflower, lavender, and lemon balm seem to be the top three contenders. If you are most concerned with your sleep and nervous system, maybe Passionflower might be the one you are leaning towards. If you are most concerned with needing to chill and relieve anxiety, lavender may be the one you choose. If you want mood balancing with sleep aid, lemon balm could be your top choice.
With a blend like this, it is common to pick five or so herbs for the blend to address what you’d like it to.
Nicholas Culpeper believed in treating the root causes of illness, not just the symptoms, through the use of natural remedies.
Incorporating Holistic Approaches:
While herbal remedies can be a wonderful tool for addressing the root causes of concerns, it's important to recognize that they are most effective when incorporated into a holistic, integrative approach to wellness. Relying solely on herbs without addressing other lifestyle factors can limit the long-term effectiveness of your efforts.
By taking a multifaceted approach, you're not only addressing the root causes but also supporting your overall well-being through the synergistic effects of different modalities. Herbal remedies can be the foundation, but complementing them with lifestyle modifications, stress management techniques, and other self-care rituals can help you achieve more profound and lasting results.
Avoiding Mistakes:
Identifying problems as the root cause
I have a cold just because I have a cold and I need to get rid of it.
I am not sleeping well because I have a cold.
I only feel anxious because I have general anxiety.
Focusing on symptoms only
Stuffy nose — treating this only.
Anxiety — treating this only.
Coughing — treating this only.
You get the picture
Herbalism is a valuable tool.
Herbal remedies can be a valuable tool in the approach to addressing the root causes. Unlike conventional treatments that often focus on managing symptoms, herbs have the potential to target the underlying mechanisms.
Herbs like turmeric, ginger, and chamomile have well-documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which can be particularly beneficial for addressing the underlying inflammation or oxidative stress. By tackling these fundamental imbalances, herbal remedies can help restore balance and harmony within the body.
When combined with lifestyle changes, stress management techniques, and other self-care practices, herbs can become part of a multifaceted strategy for holistic health.
Let me know if you got new info out of this article and if you feel better understanding what herbal energies mean and how to read them better when you look at a monograph of an herb.
This is something you won’t get overnight, but you will get a better understanding week by week as we tackle each topic.
Resources:
disclosure:
The information offered in this publication is for educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Links to external sites are for informational purposes only. Readers must do their own research concerning the safety and usage of any herbs or supplements.
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