Case Study: Same Symptoms, Two Different People

If you’ve ever tried herbalism and felt like it didn’t work for you, it’s possible you were missing one key element: energetics. Herbs aren’t just about their active compounds—they also have qualities like warming, cooling, drying, or moistening. When you match the right herb to your body’s needs, that’s when herbalism truly shines. Instead of thinking, 'This herb didn’t work,' the real question is, 'Was it the right match for me?'

In this article, you will learn:

• Case Study: Same Symptoms, Two Different People

• Conclusion

• References

Case Study: Same Symptoms, Two Different People

Areas of Assessment	Person 1	Person 2
Chief Complaint:	Prolonged Stress and Fatigue	Prolonged Stress and Fatigue
Symptoms:	Stress manifests as lower energy, general fatigue, stiff joints, and sore muscles	Stress manifests as panic attacks, racing heart, lower back pain and fatigue
Constitution:	Cold & Moist: Kapha	Hot & Moist: Pitta
Tissue State(s):	Cold/Depression Damp/Stagnation Laxity/Tension	Heat/Excitation Tension/Constriction
Therapeutic Goals:	1. Nourish the adrenals (modulate the stress response) 2. Reduce inflammation 3. Build up the nervous system	1. Calm the nervous system 2. Relax the musculature 3. Nourish the adrenals (modulate the stress response)
Taste:	Bitter, pungent, slightly sweet	Astringent, bitter, pungent, sweet
Organ & System Affinity:	Nervous System Adrenals Musculoskeletal System	Nervous System Adrenals Musculoskeletal System Endocrine
Herbal Actions:	Nervines Adaptogens Adrenal tonic Relaxants Anti-inflammatory	Nervines Adaptogens Anxiolytic Nutritives
Herbs:	Ashwaghanda (Withania somnifera) - warming, nutritive/building, adapogen, calming⁽¹⁾ Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) - warming, adatopgen, tonic⁽²⁾ Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) - warming, cooling adaptogen, nervine⁽³⁾ Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) - warming, adaptogen, anti-anxiety, nervine, tonic⁽⁴⁾ Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) - moistening, adaptogen, tonic⁽⁶⁾	Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) - warming, adaptogen, anti-anxiety, nervine, tonic⁽⁴⁾ Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) - cooling, adaptogen, nervine, thyroyd stimulant⁽⁵⁾ Lemon balm (Melissa offinicalis) - cooling, drying, anti-anxiety, nervine⁽⁷⁾ Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) - cooling, drying, anti-anxiety, nervine, relaxing⁽⁸⁾ Milky oats (Avena sativa) - moistening, nervine, nutritive/building, tonic⁽⁹⁾
Net Energetics:	Warming, drying, calming	Cooling, drying, calming
Explanation:	Since this person has a Kapha constitution with cold and moist properties, it was important to choose herbs that are warming and drying. However, to maintain balance, I also included herbs that are cooling and moistening to prevent excessive warmth or dryness. This approach helps regulate the Kapha’s energetics, ultimately relieving stress and fatigue.	With its hot and moist properties, Pitta benefits from cooling and drying herbs to restore balance, reduce excess heat, and promote relaxation. However a few warming and moistening herbs were included to maintain equilibrium. Without this balance, an excessive shift could lead to deficiencies and worsen symptoms.

Conclusion:

While I could have chosen any herb to address stress, ignoring energetics might have made the formula ineffective or even worsened symptoms by creating imbalances for these two individuals. This is why energetics are so important—herbs should work with your body, not against it.

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References:

1. Ashwaghanda [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/ashwagandha/

2. Eleuthero [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/eleuthero/

3. Rhodiola [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/rhodiola/

4. Tulsi [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/tulsi/

5. Gotu kola [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/gotu-kola/

6. Licorice [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from:

https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/licorice/

7. Lemon balm [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/lemon-balm/

8. Skullcap [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/skullcap/

9. Oat [Internet]. The Herbarium [cited 2025 Mar 12]. Available from: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/oat/