borage is a very old remedy with a decorated history 

and throughout history it has been considered a very safe remedy 

however, modern pharmacology has revealed that there are PA's in borage 

this is something that could potentially be a health hazard

and this is something that science and traditional herbalists argue about extensively 

while i don't think borage is dangerous, especially in small doses for small periods of time,

i made a weak flower essence tincture and find that homeopathic doses are not only very effective,

but without question very safe. 

in much of europe they don't worry about borage whatsoever and eat it like a vegetable. 

in england they still use it as a staple remedy and at stiff doses that american herbalists would not dream of. 

what i think is most important is looking at a person's overall presentation 

and choosing herbs that match them as holistically as possible. 

BORAGE AS A SPECIFIC 

borage has always been known as a plant of courage. 

so i find it heartwarming that it was modernly found to be an adrenal restorative. 

it has a long history of use in dispersing 'melancholy' and preventing + soothing fits of hysteria/extreme anxiety

especially when they seem to originate from heart palpitations or spasm/constriction of bronchioles or respiratory system at large.

if someone has anxiety and asthma it's really worth looking into (lobelia is another honorable mention)

many herbalists find that borage is excellent for hyperthyroid presentations, which can lead to all of the above. 

and it's also an honorable mention for certain patterns of menopause. 

on both of these accounts, refer to adrenal fatigue notes below. 

borage has also been said to soothe irritated and inflamed intestines, especially when food allergy seems to be involved. 

this is something i see *a lot* (notes to follow) 

but i think of borage when a person needs help facing day to day life and stresses after a traumatic illness or lifechanging event. 

they often feel afraid of just making it through basic, rudimentary daily motions. borage helps them rebuild their integrity, 

body mind and spirit. 

'IBS'

if there are serious gut issues going on, i always send people for a very good food sensitivity panel to take out all the guess work.

but i can say without a doubt that i often see people who were labeled with 'irritable bowel' that are emotionally frenzied. 

i find irritable bowel to be a ridiculous diagnosis. pretty conclusively, people have a food allergy/sensitivity or a lifestyle factor (eating too late at night, strange food combinations, too much caffeine, medication side effects, iced drinks with meals etc) that cause 'irritable bowel' issues 

if it's a stress issue or an issue that arose post serious illness, there are herbs to support those nerve pathways and restore normalcy. but for my people who are having food allergy issues, they almost always have sleep and emotional regulation issues as well. they also often have unexplained pain issues. i usually encourage them to get a food sensitivity panel from cell science labs, follow the results and take them off herbs and supplements for a few months to let their system find its feet again. but if someone needs a crutch to get them through the transition, we keep it simple and often consider borage, aswagandha, daily detox tincture, st john's wort, marshmallow or skull cap. depending on presentation. 

ADRENAL FATIGUE

there are a handful of herbs that are excellent for adrenal fatigue 

and in truth a few different moving parts are necessary to pull the system out of that rut.

it's important to consider what brought us to the adrenal fatigue, because there are a number of causes. 

it's also important to recognize what systems are effected and to what extent. 

this can also happen to chronic insomnia people and we handle that a little differently. 

but a few drops of borage with an ashwagandha tincture and a cup of stinging nettle tea can really move mountains. 

if a person is really dry and not digesting fats well they will also need some burdock tea. 

sometimes we do this as a second step after a thorough liver clean up, which isn't scary, difficult or invasive. 

although you won't find all of these above-mentioned listings on my shop, i do have them in my apothecary for custom remedies. 

overall, borage is classically indicated as a deeply calming restorative that is useful for depleted people after prolonged illnesses  

and 'illness' can be a physical or mental illness. 

i think that this herb also shows us that 'mental illness' or related symptoms can have very physical causation. 

people who suffer from true adrenal fatigue have worked themselves into a very difficult and uncomfortable rut

their systems become finnicky and it's hard to trust 'themselves' to get through the day 

because sometimes they're ok and sometimes they're at the mercy of dysregulated body chemistry 

there are ups and downs, frenzy and exhaustion. they don't digest and assimilate food well. 

after awhile, and this is usually a chronic issue that stems from another chronic issue, 

they can't digest fats anymore so their lipid soluble hormones become clunky or deficient altogether. 

liver/gallbladder trouble. mood instability. sleep issues. digestive issues. 

without a doubt, they will be clinically diagnosed with a psychiatric issue. maybe also fibromyalgia. if they have a food allergy that has run rampant and undiagnosed, they'll be diagnosed with IBS as well. 

but this pattern is truly resolvable when orchestrated properly. 

if there is a food or medication triggering this situation, you will not be able to resolve it without removing the trigger. 

don't shoot the messenger. 

i also find it worth noting that uprooting this kind of situation is not level 1 herb stuff. 

ashwagandha alone as a tea or tincture may make someone feel much better

but there is no single herb alone that can uproot this pattern 

you need to: 

-clean liver/blood/kidneys to take stress off of elimination systems and support order

-support the liver/gallbladder in digesting fats (burdock or sage)

-support the HPA axis  

  >>>which is rickety from: 

     *not having fats to build hormones and rebuild body (burdock or sage)

     *dirty liver-> dirty blood-> endocrine dysregulation because endocrine cascade is a series of censors that read blood. 

      dirty blood ->dirty censors. this is especially important if there are clean signs of thyroid issues (borage or black walnut hull) 

     *chronic stress/anxiety/extreme emotions AKA stuck in fight or flight mode which chemically insights a vicious cycle 

      (ashwagandha/borage or nervines like skull cap, wild lettuce)

     *this overall pattern weakens the kidneys and also forces them to work harder in terms of chemicals (adrenals) and waste 

      management (nettle seed tea and or maybe ginseng or reishi/other medicinal mushrooms/deep nutrition restoratives/tonics)

i consult for free for your safety and benefit. feel free to message me with questions or an outline of your situation at any time and i would be happy to help you find the most minimal + effective remedy or regimen to suit your specific needs. blessings!