{"id":17143,"date":"2020-04-29T14:00:29","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T12:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?p=17143"},"modified":"2020-04-29T14:03:32","modified_gmt":"2020-04-29T12:03:32","slug":"herbal-medicine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to Basics: Herbal Medicine for Well Women Care"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These days, most women in industrialized countries turn to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/allopathic-medicine\">allopathic medicine<\/a> <\/span>and pharmaceuticals for treating and balancing reproductive health care issues. While conventional medicine is important, and has its place, oftentimes nature has remedies that work in a more gentle and harmonious way.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicinenet.com\/script\/main\/art.asp?articlekey=11465\">Herbalism<\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is an integral piece of most, if not all, traditional forms of medicine. It works on the understanding that humans are one with nature, and that we often have the answers to our ailments in our own backyards. The plant world is the gateway to the world of self-healing and autonomy over our bodies, and can even be more accessible than other forms of medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning to use herbalism to care for women\u2019s health issues can seem daunting at first, especially if this is new to you, but it\u2019s important to let your intuition guide you. It may take some patience to find what works for you, but there are plenty of tried and true remedies that have worked time and time again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before diving into what herbs may be beneficial for you, it\u2019s important to have an understanding of the different ways you can ingest them.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Teas<\/strong>: Something we\u2019re all familiar with. What many people don\u2019t realize is that this heartwarming ritual is an integral part of herbalism. Making tea from fresh or dried herbs either prepared, or making your own mixtures makes for a gentle introduction into herbalism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Tinctures<\/strong>: Concentrated herbal extractions typically preserved in alcohol.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Capsules<\/strong>: Powdered herbs packed into tiny gel capsules. You can even make your own by using a capsule kit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Essential Oils<\/strong>: With their growing popularity, essential oils are becoming a star player in many people\u2019s home apothecaries. Clary sage, ylang, ylang, and lavender diluted in a carrier oil and applied to abdomen can help ease menstrual cramps.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Salves<\/strong>: Many topical treatments are infused with herbs for their medicinal value, and comforting scents.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ok we\u2019ve got down the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">now it\u2019s time for the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some common herbs used in the world of holistic women\u2019s healthcare.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Black cohosh<\/strong>: Helps in easing menstrual cramps as well as hot flashes during menopause.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Calendula<\/strong>: Also known as Marigold, is known for its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing abilities. Calendula boosts the immune system and detoxifies the body. It can also help relieve breast tenderness and soothe cramps.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Chamomile buds<\/strong>: Many of us are familiar with this blissful bud for its calming effects. The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/glycine\">glycine<\/a> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in chamomile helps relieve muscle contractions, AKA cramps, by relaxing blood vessels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Dong Quai<\/strong>: A power play in Chinese medicine. It is believed to have an <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/5025278\/adaptogens-herbs-stress-anxiety\/\">adaptogenic<\/a> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">effect on the female hormonal system, helping to balance symptoms of PMS and menopause.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Fennel seeds<\/strong>: Commonly used for gas, bloating and digestive issues, fennel also packs a punch when used for periods pains.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Hibiscus<\/strong>: Filled with antioxidants and nutrients, hibiscus protects the liver, while the flavonoids can help calm the nervous system, boosting your mood. It can also help regulate your cycle by stimulating blood flow in the pelvic area<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Lady&#8217;s Mantle<\/strong>: This soothing herb calms PMS symptoms and even lighten a heavy flow, all while regulating your cycle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Nettles<\/strong>: The high mineral content of this stinging \u201cweed\u201d can be easily found wild in many areas. Its benefits are neverending- from detoxifying blood through the kidneys, cleansing the liver, and helping anemia thanks to its high iron content.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Oat Straw<\/strong>: Safe to take during all periods of the reproductive cycle, including while pregnant or nursing, oatstraw relieves stress and calms the body.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Red Raspberry Leaf<\/strong>: Helps to treat PMS symptoms like cramping and loose stools. It is known for its ability to tone and strengthen the uterus, regulating heavy and irregular periods, easing cramps and even helping in labor. Much of this is thanks to its high calcium and magnesium content. Mineral deficiency is a huge contributing factor when it comes to period pains.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Rose buds<\/strong>: Beautiful rose buds are popular in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve period cramping and treat hormonal conditions in women. Usually consumed in a relaxing tea, it helps to ease feelings of anxiety, stress and irritability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>St John&#8217;s Wort<\/strong>: Mellows PMS symptoms, such as cravings, insomnia, headaches, negative emotions and fatigue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Turmeric<\/strong>: This popular root is known for its anti-inflammatory and healing powers. The curcumin compound found in it can help to alleviate PMS symptoms.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is just the beginning when it comes to the magical world of herbal care. There are thousands of plant friends that can assist you in your reproductive healthcare journey. Many herbs and roots carry similar properties, so first try seeing what\u2019s available locally, as well as where your intuition leads you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Herbal medicine is an incredible ally for us humans, but it shouldn\u2019t replace the advice of your medical professional. If you have any questions, are currently pregnant, or on other pharmaceutical medications, make sure to speak with your provider as some herbs can interact with certain medications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to learn more about herbal medicine, or seeking alternative methods of care, try finding an herbalist, naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, or even a midwife in your area who offers well women care. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These days, most women in industrialized countries turn to allopathic medicine and pharmaceuticals for treating and balancing reproductive health care issues. While conventional medicine is important, and has its place,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":17144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.12 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Herbal Medicine for Well Women Care: Back to Basics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Natasha Weiss\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Natasha Weiss\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b6c60ecf47ec06a36c4b2f175253c5ff\"},\"headline\":\"Back to Basics: Herbal Medicine for Well Women Care\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-29T12:00:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-04-29T12:03:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/\"},\"wordCount\":873,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Women's Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/\",\"name\":\"Herbal Medicine for Well Women Care: Back to Basics\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-29T12:00:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-04-29T12:03:32+00:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/herbal-medicine\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Intimina\",\"description\":\"A Health and Wellness Resource for Women\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Intimina\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/INTIMINA_logo-02.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/INTIMINA_logo-02.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":543,\"caption\":\"Intimina\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intimina\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intimina\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/intimina\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/intimina\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCR_3_GPO6pkhDiFU9TZRdYA\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b6c60ecf47ec06a36c4b2f175253c5ff\",\"name\":\"Natasha Weiss\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b65d7a92be626bc22ff8eb7ad41dbf0c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b65d7a92be626bc22ff8eb7ad41dbf0c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Natasha Weiss\"},\"description\":\"Natasha (she\/her) is a full-spectrum doula and health+wellness copywriter. 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