For your convenience and ease in navigating our site, we have placed a link, or several links, at the bottom of each herb description that will bring you directly to that specific herb, as it is offered here, or products we make containing that herb. My prayer is that you find some herbal wisdom here, and perhaps an herbal remedy, that will assist you on the road to health and wholeness.
As women we face unique health issues. From puberty through menopause we deal with hormonal fluctuations, monthly menses, ovulation, pregnancy, and lactation. We may suffer from pre menstrual, or menopausal tensions, including irritability, mood swings, bloating, breast tenderness, uterine discomfort, headache, nausea, insomnia and general malaise. Some of us deal with uterine fibroids, breast and ovarian cysts, yeast infections, cervical dysplasia, vaginal dryness, and incontinence.
Breast cancer is a devastating illness striking women often in the prime of life. As many as 44,000 women die from breast cancer each year. Many more suffer the effects of disfiguring surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, not to mention damage to self image and sexuality, or the constant fear of a recurrence, and even worse, a painful death.
As we age we are warned to guard against osteoporosis, or thinning and weakening of our bones. Our risk of heart disease climbs rapidly. As many as 36 per cent of American women, or about 375,000, die from heart disease each year. In addition, coronary risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension are all on the rise among women.
Estrogen therapy has been considered as cardiovascular protection for women, but recent clinical trials have cast doubt on its efficacy in doing so. In fact, some data suggests that estrogen, as well as progesterone, therapies may have the opposite, or deleterious effect. What a dilemma! What are we women to do?
We know that our birthright is surely good health; hale hearts, strong bones, strength and vitality. What we need are some tried and true, safe and simple ways to nourish ourselves, ease our daily discomforts as well as help guard against, and therefore prevent, serious, life threatening disease. As an herbalist, and as a women, I’d like to share with you some of the herbs I have found to be invaluable on my personal journey toward health and well being.
Let’s begin with Angelica, called Herb of Angels, and one of my favorite herbs for women.
The roots and leaves of European angelica (Angelica archangelica) and dong gui (A. sinensis), its Asian cousin, are warming, strengthening, and energizing to the reproductive organs, as well as the digestive, circulatory, and endocrine systems. Angelica is a mighty medicine with many nourishing, restorative and revitalizing gifts. In China, dong gui is regarded as a supreme female tonic. For thousands of years, healers around the world have used these herbs to regulate menstruation , relieve cramping and menopausal distress, promote healthy blood circulation, balance hormones, and generally ease the journey through the childbearing and menopausal years. Women who integrate angelica/dong gui into their weekly self nourishment program often experience side effects which include, but are not limited to, increased sexual pleasure and libido, the alleviation of constipation, a rosy complexion, and sound sleep. Both angelicas offer abundant minerals and vitamins. They are brimming with antioxidants, including rich stores of vitamins A, B, (especially B12), and E. Those B vitamins, in combination with abundant niacin, magnesium and calcium, help strengthen the nerves, relieving tension and promoting sleep. And all that vitamin E helps to keep skin, internal organs and tissues, especially those of the bladder and vagina, well lubricated, moist and flexible. The angelica’s high iron content nourishes and builds blood, prevents anemia and increases vital energy. Generous supplies of phytosterols (hormonal precursors found in plants), glycocides, saponins, and flavonoids support the body’s production of all important hormones, stabilizing emotional swings, and easing hot flashes, irritability, and hormone related headaches. Both these herbs are also rich in coumarin derivatives which promote antispasmodic and vasodilatory effects, and therefore are useful in relieving muscle tension and painful menstrual cramps. Coumarins are nourishing to the heart and circulatory system. They lower blood pressure and thin the blood, thus reducing risk of stroke. Women use angelicas to regulate menstrution after coming off The Pill, to relieve symptoms of premenstrual discomfort and to help stabilize blood sugar levels. The angelicas also contain limonene, which detoxify carcinogens and disrupt the growth of cancerous changes within the cells.
Angelica tincture
13 Sisters Restorative ElixirApple (Malus communis) Remember the old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away? Believe it! Apples are magnificent health builders, rich in magnesium, iron, potassium, carbohydrates, vitamins C, B and B2. Apples are rich in oxygen carrying atoms, act as purifiers, cleansers, and vitalizers and are stimulating to the heart, brain and nerves. Apples help keep your cholesterol levels down and help guard against heart disease, stroke and cancer. According to a study published by the National Cancer Institute, pectin binds with certain cancer causing compounds in the colon, speeding their elimination from the body. Recent research indicates that apple cider and honey can dramatically improve cancer cure rates. In one study 387 men and women undergoing chemotherapy for a variety of cancers took daily doses of apple cider and honey (one to one ratio) and had twice the remission rates of patients who had chemotherapy alone. Drinking a glass of water with a tablespoon of honey and one of apple cider has been suggested to enhance longevity and relieve fatigue. This same combination speeds up metabolism and suppresses the appetite, thus assisting in a weight loss program and helping to guard against obesity. Chinese physicians use apples to treat diabetes, and modern Western medicine supports this use. Several studies have indicated apple pectin helps control blood sugar levels, and daily consumption may act as a balancing tonic for those with hypoglycemia or diabetes.
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