Xula’s Herbs: The Synergistic Approach to Our Formula

As Xula was being dreamed into being, Karina (CEO + Founder) posed me an important question about Xula’s herbal formulas, one that most companies selling herbal products on a broad scale might not be taking into consideration: “Do you think that formulas can still be effective even when they’re not tailored to specific individuals?” 

In my school of herbalism, known as Vitalism, understanding the energetics of herbs and the constitutions of people is essential to our practice. This means that every plant has particular qualities in regards to its temperature, moisture, and tone. People, and their bodies’ tissues, also have particular constitutions. They may tend towards being hot, cold; dry, moist; tense or relaxed. In this system, it’s critical for us to recognize both the dynamics of the herbs we use and the people’s bodies we’re helping. 

The Importance of Tailor-Made Formulas

Why is this important? Take, for example, the malady of a cough. Someone might say, “Oh, Marshmallow Root is good for a cough; drink this infusion.” However, Marshmallow infusion is an extremely mucilaginous and moistening remedy, while also being cooling. What if the person’s cough is very mucousy and wet? This suggests a cold tissue state, and Marshmallow could quite well exacerbate the cough. It’s best to approach this cough with some critical questions: Is your cough wet or dry? Do any foods or environments make it worse? What other symptoms are you experiencing? By answering these questions, we can see the whole picture. We can use our knowledge and skills to more effectively match the right plants to the people who need them. 

So, with Vitalism in mind, we return to our original question: Can a formula be effective if not made for a specific individual? 

Herbal Blends With You in Mind

Let’s switch the question to: How can we make a formula that is effective for many individuals? Through this practice, we can understand the common tissue states behind the imbalances we’re focusing on (PMS, Menopause, Sleep, Anxiety). We can also make the formulas as energetically balanced as possible. We can use this knowledge to craft Xula’s formulas to be effective for most people, and importantly, they won’t imbalance your current constitution by taking them. 

Crafting formulas for Xula products (the detailed dynamics of which I’ll discuss in a future post) is critical and deliberate. These are not “kitchen sink” creations, where any herbs “good for” a specific symptom are thrown in. We consciously choose each herb in the formula to create an energetically balanced blend. You can read more about the star players of our formulas– the plants– in our herbal index. We source only organic and ethically-sourced herbs, with an affinity for plants from our Latin American bioregion such as Passionflower, Damiana, and Lemon Verbena. 

Remember to feel yourself, and take good care, 

Jordann (Xula Herbalist)