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Plants and botanical medicines have been used for women's health and healing for centuries, including pregnancy support, birth and breastfeeding. Natural medicines have been shown, through traditional wisdom and modern science to relieve symptoms, promote health and provide support for the childbearing year.
Plants and herbs provide not only medicines, but also vitamins, minerals and macron utrients for optimum benefits.
Some examples of plant nutrients:
Calcium, found in Kelp, dandelion, alfalfa, raspberry leaf, nettle, oat straw, celery seeds, chamomile and parsley
Iron, found in Alfalfa, burdock, dandelion, hops, meadowsweet, red clover, strawberry leaf, kelp, yellow dock, and purslane
Folic acid, found in Brewer's yeast, mushrooms, sprouts, nuts, wheat germ, lentils, and leafy green vegetables
Magnesium, found in Soybeans, fennel, catnip, chickweed, mullein, peppermint, sage, and yarrow
Vitamin C, found in Dark leafy vegetables (dandelion, collard and mustard greens), burdock, cayenne, chickweed, kelp, nettle, rose hips, and skullcap
Natural medicines are often less toxic and safer than many pharmaceuticals, but that does not mean that all natural medicines are safe. Like nature, there is good and bad, a balance. Many botanicals do have side effects or can be toxic, if not used wisely.
The most common side effects which can occur with herbal use are headaches, rash, indigestion, nausea, vomiting or allergic reaction to the plant. Education on safe herbal use is imperative for practitioners and patients alike.
Common Plant Parts Used
Echinacea- leaf or root
Black haw- root
Lemon balm- leaf
Evening Primrose - oil
Calendula- petals
Nettle- leaf
Comfrey- leaf or root
Hawthorn- berry, leaf
Valerian- root
Mullein- leaf, flower
Fennel- seed
Slippery elm - inner bark
Fenugreek - seed
Dandelion- leaf, root
Chamomile - flower
Passionflower- leaf, flower
Peppermint- leaf
Oat straw- strobile
Blue cohosh- root
Hops- strobile
Parsley- leaf
Corn silk - inner husk silk
Ginger - root
Arnica- leaf, flower
Red raspberry- leaf
Plantain- leaf
Milk thistle- seed
Goat's rue- leaf
Wild yam- root
Yarrow- leaf, flower
Catnip- leaf
Skullcap- leaf, flower
St. John's Wort- leaf, flower
Garlic - clove
Witch Hazel- leaves and bark
Motherwort- leaf, flower
Meadowsweet- leaf, flower
Blessed thistle- root, seeds
Chemistry and Actions of Herbs
Plants, flowers and medicinal herbs contain as many as 200-300 properties it their numerous chemical compounds and constituents.
The major active...