Women’s Herbal Wisdom
(Page 4 of 7)
March/April 2005
By Linda B. White, M.D.
About 75 percent of pregnant women experience some degree of nausea and vomiting, according to a 2004 study published in Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery. Eating small, frequent meals helps, as does getting plenty of fresh air. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has an excellent track record for alleviating motion sickness and nausea associated with pregnancy, chemotherapy and anesthesia. Six studies have shown that ginger reduces nausea of pregnancy, two of which judged the herb as effective as vitamin B6. Pregnant women should only use ginger for short periods of time and not exceed 1 gram a day. Take whatever form seems most palatable — syrup, tea, capsule or ale made from real ginger.
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Spearmint tea (Mentha spicata), while yet to be researched, brings relief to many women, according to a 2004 survey published in Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery. Some experts discourage peppermint tea (M. ¥piperita), which is stronger medicinally than spearmint.
Two trials found that vitamin B6 lessened nausea, and 10 of 14 studies found that stimulating a particular acupuncture point decreased nausea and vomiting. Boulder, Colorado, herbalist Brigitte Mars, author of Rawsome! (Basic Health Publications, 2004) and Sex, Love and Health (Basic Health Publications, 2002), says you can find acupressure wrist bands in health-food stores and pharmacies. She adds that liver tonics can quell nausea by helping the liver clear hormones (see “Love Your Liver” at left).
Some pregnant women take advantage of their heightened sense of smell and use appealing aromas to quell nausea. Examples include essential oils of lavender, lemon or spearmint. According to Mindy Green, clinical aromatherapist and coauthor of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art (The Crossing Press, 1995), essential oils derived from flowers — such as chamomile, ylang ylang, lavender, jasmine, rose and neroli — are generally mild enough for pregnant women. If you use them in massage oil, Green advises you keep the concentration weak — 0.5 to 1 percent, or not more than 5 drops essential oil per ounce carrier oil. Do not take these highly concentrated plant oils by mouth or apply them directly to your skin. And avoid altogether the strong essential oils of peppermint and culinary herbs such as oregano, thyme, sage, savory, tarragon and basil.
PERIMENOPAUSAL YEARS
Menopause is the point at which, for want of estrogen and progesterone, your monthly periods cease. Perimenopause — the warm-up period to that point — is long and, for many women, uncomfortable. Progesterone often wanes before estrogen, the consequence of which is more frequent menstruation with heavier bleeding. Some women also notice mood swings and more frequent headaches. Vitex, which you’ll remember promotes progesterone, comes in handy in this situation.
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