Eight Herbs, One Big Pivot, and a Name My Son Came Up With

Some herbal formulas take years to come together. I study the plants, experiment with combinations and wait until everything feels right.

Others come together because life gives you a reason to move a whole lot faster.

Pivot 8 was definitely the second kind.

At the end of 2023, Barlow Herbal faced one of the most difficult situations in our history. Almost overnight, we had to temporarily stop selling our Lomatium products, including LDM-100.

If you've been around Barlow Herbal for a while, you know what a big deal that was. LDM-100 is one of my dad's original tinctures, our number-one seller, and especially popular during cold and flu season.

And wouldn't you know it, this happened in December.

Of all the months for something like that to happen!

I had customers counting on us, a company to keep running and decades of herbal knowledge to draw from.

So I went back to what I know best.

Plants.

I wanted to create a new seasonal wellness formula without Lomatium. Something with its own identity, built from plants I knew and respected.

Not because I'd changed my mind about Lomatium. I still love that plant and everything my dad taught me about it. But there are so many remarkable herbs in the world, and I knew I had plenty of botanical knowledge to draw from.

I wasn't looking for eight plants that all did the same thing, either.

I wanted a formula with depth, drawing from different herbal traditions and bringing together different kinds of plant chemistry to support seasonal wellness.

Here's why I chose these eight.

Astragalus

Astragalus is one of those roots I naturally think about when I'm considering long-term wellness.

It's been used in traditional Chinese herbalism for centuries, particularly for vitality, stamina and supporting the body's natural defenses.

Its polysaccharides have attracted scientific attention for their interactions with immune pathways.

I think of Astragalus as a plant for the long game, which made it an interesting starting point for a formula intended for the colder months.

Chaparral

If you've ever walked through the desert after a rainstorm, you may recognize the unmistakable scent of Creosote Bush.

That's Chaparral.

It's one of the most fascinating plants of the American Southwest, and I've spent a great deal of time studying it.

Its resinous leaves contain compounds such as NDGA that have attracted research interest for their antioxidant activity.

Chaparral is also a plant that requires particular care and respect because of its documented safety concerns, including reports of liver injury.

I've always been fascinated by the chemistry this tough desert plant produces, and I wanted to bring that botanical perspective into Pivot 8.

Cat's Claw

This climbing vine from South America gets its name from its curved, claw-like thorns.

And yes, they really do look like little cat claws.

Cat's Claw has a long traditional reputation for supporting the body's natural defenses, and researchers have studied some of its alkaloids for their interactions with immune and inflammatory pathways.

I liked the contrast between Cat's Claw and Astragalus.

Two very different plants, from entirely different herbal traditions, both with long histories of use.

Olive Leaf

People have cultivated olive trees for thousands of years, but while everyone talks about the fruit and the oil, the leaves have their own fascinating story.

They contain oleuropein and other polyphenols that have been studied for antioxidant activity.

I love that.

Here's a tree almost everybody recognizes, and tucked away among those familiar branches is a whole world of interesting plant chemistry.

Sometimes the most fascinating botanicals really are hiding in plain sight.

Cryptolepis

Now here's one that's especially close to my herbalist heart.

Cryptolepis has a long history of traditional use in West Africa, and its roots contain distinctive alkaloids, including cryptolepine, that have attracted considerable scientific interest.

I've spent years studying this plant, and it's one I know well from my work with other herbal formulations.

When I started putting Pivot 8 together, Cryptolepis was a plant I wanted to consider because of that unusual history and chemistry.

Elderberry

I don't think I could talk about traditional winter herbs without mentioning Elderberry.

Those beautiful, almost-black berries have been part of European herbal traditions for generations.

Their deep purple color comes from anthocyanins, plant pigments with antioxidant properties.

Elderberry has also been investigated in human studies involving respiratory wellness, although the findings are mixed and depend on the preparation.

What I liked about Elderberry was the familiarity it brought to the formula.

Alongside some of these lesser-known plants, here was an old winter favorite that so many people already recognize.

Lemon Balm

Now, this one might surprise you.

When people think about seasonal wellness formulas, they usually think about herbs associated with the immune system.

But I wanted Lemon Balm in there for another reason.

Rest.

We sometimes forget how important rest is when we're trying to take care of ourselves, especially during the busy winter months.

Lemon Balm has a wonderful traditional reputation for calming the nerves and supporting relaxation. It also contains rosmarinic acid and other compounds that researchers continue to study.

I liked the gentler dimension it brought to a formula filled with some pretty bold botanical personalities.

Licorice Root

And finally, Licorice Root.

Licorice has been used in traditional herbal formulas for centuries, particularly those focused on soothing the throat and supporting respiratory comfort.

Its root contains glycyrrhizin and other compounds that have attracted scientific attention.

Herbalists have also traditionally valued Licorice for the way it works within multi-herb formulas.

Of course, Licorice isn't appropriate for everyone. It can affect blood pressure and potassium levels, particularly with repeated use, so it's a plant that deserves careful attention.

I wanted it in Pivot 8 because of its long herbal history and the particular character it brings to a blend.

So there they were.

Eight plants from different corners of the world.

A Chinese root, a desert shrub, a South American vine, Mediterranean leaves, a West African botanical, a European berry, a calming garden herb and a root with centuries of traditional use.

I loved the contrast. And I loved how each one brought something different to the formula.

Now I just had to get it made.

And preferably yesterday.

Normally, developing a new tincture takes time. There's sourcing, formulation, manufacturing and all the little details that have to come together before a bottle is ready to go out the door.

But this time, my manufacturer really rallied alongside me.

Everyone understood the urgency, and together we were able to bring Pivot 8 to life much faster than usual.

By early 2024, we were ready to introduce it.

There was just one thing missing.

A name.

And this is one of my favorite parts of the whole story.

My oldest son, Scott, works with me full time at Barlow Herbal. He'd been right there through everything, helping me navigate one of the hardest periods in our company's history.

He knew how much this new formula meant to me, and he knew exactly why we were creating it.

And Scott was the one who came up with the word Pivot.

I loved it immediately.

Because that's exactly what we'd had to do.

We hadn't planned on taking this particular turn. We certainly wouldn't have chosen the circumstances that brought us there.

But when things changed, we had to find another way forward.

And since I'd already chosen eight herbs, the rest of the name practically wrote itself.

Pivot 8.

I love that Scott named this formula.

My dad's herbal knowledge is such an important part of everything I do at Barlow Herbal, and having my son help name a formula that came out of such a difficult moment makes the story even more meaningful to me.

Three generations, each leaving their mark in a different way.

Eventually, LDM-100 and our other Lomatium products returned to the apothecary.

But Pivot 8 had earned its own place.

It wasn't a copy of LDM-100, and I never intended it to be.

It was something new, created from eight plants I knew and respected, during a time when I needed to draw on everything I'd learned as an herbalist.

And every time I see a bottle of Pivot 8, I think about that December, the people who helped us through it, and the name my son gave to a formula we never expected to need.

What began as one of the hardest chapters in Barlow Herbal's history became something I'm genuinely proud to have created.

Stay grounded and growing!

 

If there's one thing I've learned from creating Pivot 8, it's that sometimes the unexpected turns in life lead us to something pretty wonderful.

What began as a difficult moment for Barlow Herbal became a formula I'm genuinely proud to share with you. Eight remarkable herbs, each chosen for a reason, and a little piece of our family story tucked into every bottle.

If you're looking to add some thoughtful herbal support to your seasonal wellness routine, I'd love for you to get to know Pivot 8.

Explore Pivot 8 at Barlow Herbal and see if it's the right fit for your home apothecary.

As always, take a moment to review the product precautions before using it. Pivot 8 contains Chaparral, which has been associated with liver injury, and Licorice Root, which can affect blood pressure and potassium levels. Check with your healthcare professional, especially if you take medications or have an existing health condition.