Fenugreek: Trigonella foenum-greacum

Name: Fenugreek, trigonella foenum-greacum

Energetics: Warm, moist

Actions:

Demulcent

Carminative

Stimulant

Bitter

Tonic

nutritive

Expectorant

Diuretic

Demulcent

Nervous system, digestive, respiratory, reproductive

Uses: Dystentery, dyspepsia, cough, allergies, bronchitis, flu, dropsy, neurasthenia, sciatica, arthritis, diabetes(insulin sensitizing). Good for convalescence and debility. Galactagouge, liver sluggishness, paste for sores and wounds, boils externally(emollient). Demulcent fiber. Gastrointestinal inflammation, and respiratory inflammation. Restorative, especially sprouted seeds as a food.

Personal Experiences:

Very demulcent. Not very tasty as a tea. Tasted bitter and smelled like Indian food. Would be better as food, ground into a gruel with other foods. I liked it very much mixed in honey. Very bitter, and definitely warming. Nice effects on my digestive power. I could probably tolerate this as an addition to the fiber bowl. Seems that it is often used as sprouts. Maybe should try the sprouts. Overall didn’t notice strong effects, other than the demulcent property. Should try it when I have gas sometime.

I took fenugreek with fennel, which is pair I’ve used a lot in tea formulas for nursing moms with colicky babies. The fennel moderated the bitterness of the fenugreek very well, and mellowed it out. Nice and warming and great carminative. I liked it much better with fennel. Almost yummy!

My experience vs. traditional sources

It definatley seemed like more of a food than a medicine, and better used that way. I didn’t notice any expectorant effects, but strong effects on the digestive tract.

Pairs:

I couldn’t find any! These are the ones I made up.

Trigonella, Cassia

Warming digestive stimulant/carminative, with benefits for insulin resistance

Trigonella, foeniculum

Warming digestive stimulant, tonic and carminative.

Trigonella, verbascum

Warming lung tonic and expectorant for chronic cough

3 Formulas:

trigonella, foeniculum, matricaria, calendula, plantago, glychirriza

Another gut healing tea, warming, good for a cold weak gut. Moist and anti-inflammatory.

Trigonella, foeniculum, verbascum, hyssopus, tussilago, lobelia

Tea, for a spasmodic, chronic cough with cold/stagnation and congestion

Trigonella,foeniculum, cardamom, ginger nepeta, rosa, dioscorea, viburnum

Tincture or powder- digestive antispasmodic, carminative formula, possibly especially good for the stomach recovering from food poisoing, spasmodic diarrhea. To help recover, and calm cramping/griping, and tone after illness.

Action Formula:

Trigonella, foeniculum, cardamom, ginger, nepeta, rosa, dioscorea, viburnum

Energetics

Warm trig, foen, card, ging, nepeta

Cool rosa, dios, viburn

Moist trig

Dry foen, card, ging, nepeta, rosa, dios, viburn

Demulcent trig

Carminative trig, foen, card, ging, nep

Stimulant trig, foen, card, ging, nep, rosa, dios, viburn

Bitter trig, dioscorea

Tonic trig, foen, rosa, dios, viburn

Nutritive trig,

Expectorant trig, foen,

Diuretic trig

Aromatic foen, card, ging, nep

Diffusive foen, card, ging, nep

Diaphoretic card, ging, nep

Antispasmodic foen, card, ging, nep, dios, viburn

Relaxant nep, dios, viburn

Anti-inflammatory ging, rosa

Astringent rosa, viburn

Nervine trig, nepeta, rosa, dios, viburn