Every pregnant woman has specific needs, but here's a tea that's good for all...
One part Raspberry Leaf
One part Nettle Leaf
Sweetener of choice (I love agave nectar)
Drink at least one cup a day and up to 3 cups a day. It's so easy just to make a big pitcher of iced tea with it.
Benefits of Raspberry Leaf:
-Vitamin rich, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, easily assimilated calcium and iron, Vitamin B complex, phosphorus, and potassium.
-Prevents miscarriage by toning the uterus
-Eases morning sickness
-Reduces pain during labor and after birth by toning the muscles used during labor. However, it does not counter the pain of cervical dilation.
Benefits of Nettles:
-Reputed to have more chlorophyll than any other herb
-Very rich in all the vitamins necessary for human health and growth, including A, C, D, K, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and sulfur.
-aids the kidneys
-eases leg cramps and other muscle spasms
-reduces hemorrhoids by strengthening blood vessels
-increases richness and amount of breast milk
There are also lots of herbs that are great for different issues that come up during pregnancy such as strong morning sickness, preventing chronic or threatened miscarriage, folic acid anemia, iron deficiency anemia, and pre-eclampsia. Let me know if you ever need advice in those areas.
Some other VERY helpful supplements:
Beet Root: enriches red blood cells. This is important since a pregnant woman doubles her blood volume.
Wheatgrass: Great for pregnancy backache, excellent source of nutrition.
Papaya enzymes: great for heartburn and indigestion. Don't take Tums or any of those things!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Weight Loss Herbs
There's a lot of ways to lose weight, especially a diet high in whole grains and low in meat. But, until your body is working more efficiently, it just seems to take forever to lose weight, or even just to feel better. Your body is worn out. More specifically, your adrenal glands are worn out. And when they're weak, every single part of your body can start to weaken or dis-ease. The solution is very simple, drink an herb tea made out of Astragalus Root and Licorice Root. The licorice, as well as being very healing, adds a natural sweetness to the tea, so you won't have to add any sweetener. Making it virtually, zero calorie!
Here's what I do:
I take a big pot of water (like a 4 quart) and get a large tea strainer ball. Fill it with equal parts of Astragalus Root and Licorice Root. You can add some Peppermint for flavor, but it actually tastes pretty good without it. Add the tea ball in, when the water boils and let it low simmer (with a lid) for about 15 minutes, then take it off the heat. Let it cool and pour it into a iced tea pitcher or jug and put it in the refrigerator. You can add lemon if you like.
It controls appetite nicely and you can drink tons of it without any calories. I recommend 3-4 cups a day. It's extremely beneficial for your adrenal glands which, if you are overweight, tired, fatigued, getting sick all the time, or having trouble sleeping, is exactly what's wrong with your body. Drink it for months or even years. Long term use will help to regenerate the cells of your adrenal glands which will normalize your metabolism, providing more energy, more normal cravings, and it will definitely help with weight loss!
Here's what I do:
I take a big pot of water (like a 4 quart) and get a large tea strainer ball. Fill it with equal parts of Astragalus Root and Licorice Root. You can add some Peppermint for flavor, but it actually tastes pretty good without it. Add the tea ball in, when the water boils and let it low simmer (with a lid) for about 15 minutes, then take it off the heat. Let it cool and pour it into a iced tea pitcher or jug and put it in the refrigerator. You can add lemon if you like.
It controls appetite nicely and you can drink tons of it without any calories. I recommend 3-4 cups a day. It's extremely beneficial for your adrenal glands which, if you are overweight, tired, fatigued, getting sick all the time, or having trouble sleeping, is exactly what's wrong with your body. Drink it for months or even years. Long term use will help to regenerate the cells of your adrenal glands which will normalize your metabolism, providing more energy, more normal cravings, and it will definitely help with weight loss!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
When a C-Section Wound Opens Up
This story is 2 years old, but I feel it's important to share it, just in case something like this happens to you.
I gave birth to a healthy baby boy via c-section, but 4 days later when the doc took my staples out, my wound opened wide up. I didn't even know that could happen! Apparently, the risk increases with multiple c's and this was my 2nd, and having staples instead of stitches makes a difference too. I was shocked and overwhelmed to say the least. The first time I looked in the mirror at the wound I thought I was going to pass out. First let me say, I can't believe a doctor would let a patient leave the office like that! If it was any other part of your body, they would stitch it up, but with this type of wound, they have to leave it open and it has to be packed with gauze 2-3 times a day. Watching my (absolutely wonderful) husband pull out 15 inches of gauze from the wound was the most emotionally devastating thing I think I ever had to experience. It hurt like hell, but worse than that was that it mimicked someone pulling out your intestines! Sorry to sound so gross, but that's what it seemed like. I felt like I was at the mercy of my doctors since this was such an unknown area to me. I've spent years treating my own illnesses with herbs, homeopathy, and such, but this was something that scared me so much that I was frozen with panic and let the doctors put me on major pain killers and TONS of antibiotics. Well finally, I started to do some research and I found that many, many women go through this and all of them have felt the same way that I did; emotionally devastated, deformed, un-impowered, crying constantly, and at the mercy of their doctors. And the more research I did, I found out that many women were dealing with this for 8 months or more and it seems like none of our doctors have any idea how to fix this horrible problem.
So yesterday I decided to take matters into my own hands because I will not damage my breastfeeding baby's health any more with me taking antibiotics! I will not sit around and wait for my doctors to try and figure out how to close this wound! I will not be a victim of ignorance! I don't want a yeast infection! I don't want to feel sorry for myself anymore!! I have officially gone back to "practicing what I preach". I canceled my doctor's appointment and I threw out my antibiotics. I boiled up some Comfrey (email me, I can get you this) & Aloe Vera Powder (both great cell re generators) and started irrigating my own wound a few times a day, I'm taking 10,000 mgs of Vitamin C in incremental doses, I'm drinking tons of acidophilus, I'm taking lots of Spirulina (protein is good for wound healing), and more importantly, I'm feeling empowered and in charge of my own recovery and I must say, that is the greatest feeling ever!! My little baby is now on acidophilus too, in an effort to reverse some of the damage my milk did to him and already his tummy is happier and he's sleeping better too.
So that's my rant. Sorry if I went on too long, but I wanted to share my story with all of my friends/customers. So many of you sent me positive energy for recovery and I appreciate all your well wishes. And if I can be an inspiration to anyone suffering from a doctor's ignorance, then I've paid it forward.
Lastly, if you or someone you knows experiences something like this, please have them contact me, I would be more than happy to assist them in healing.
I gave birth to a healthy baby boy via c-section, but 4 days later when the doc took my staples out, my wound opened wide up. I didn't even know that could happen! Apparently, the risk increases with multiple c's and this was my 2nd, and having staples instead of stitches makes a difference too. I was shocked and overwhelmed to say the least. The first time I looked in the mirror at the wound I thought I was going to pass out. First let me say, I can't believe a doctor would let a patient leave the office like that! If it was any other part of your body, they would stitch it up, but with this type of wound, they have to leave it open and it has to be packed with gauze 2-3 times a day. Watching my (absolutely wonderful) husband pull out 15 inches of gauze from the wound was the most emotionally devastating thing I think I ever had to experience. It hurt like hell, but worse than that was that it mimicked someone pulling out your intestines! Sorry to sound so gross, but that's what it seemed like. I felt like I was at the mercy of my doctors since this was such an unknown area to me. I've spent years treating my own illnesses with herbs, homeopathy, and such, but this was something that scared me so much that I was frozen with panic and let the doctors put me on major pain killers and TONS of antibiotics. Well finally, I started to do some research and I found that many, many women go through this and all of them have felt the same way that I did; emotionally devastated, deformed, un-impowered, crying constantly, and at the mercy of their doctors. And the more research I did, I found out that many women were dealing with this for 8 months or more and it seems like none of our doctors have any idea how to fix this horrible problem.
So yesterday I decided to take matters into my own hands because I will not damage my breastfeeding baby's health any more with me taking antibiotics! I will not sit around and wait for my doctors to try and figure out how to close this wound! I will not be a victim of ignorance! I don't want a yeast infection! I don't want to feel sorry for myself anymore!! I have officially gone back to "practicing what I preach". I canceled my doctor's appointment and I threw out my antibiotics. I boiled up some Comfrey (email me, I can get you this) & Aloe Vera Powder (both great cell re generators) and started irrigating my own wound a few times a day, I'm taking 10,000 mgs of Vitamin C in incremental doses, I'm drinking tons of acidophilus, I'm taking lots of Spirulina (protein is good for wound healing), and more importantly, I'm feeling empowered and in charge of my own recovery and I must say, that is the greatest feeling ever!! My little baby is now on acidophilus too, in an effort to reverse some of the damage my milk did to him and already his tummy is happier and he's sleeping better too.
So that's my rant. Sorry if I went on too long, but I wanted to share my story with all of my friends/customers. So many of you sent me positive energy for recovery and I appreciate all your well wishes. And if I can be an inspiration to anyone suffering from a doctor's ignorance, then I've paid it forward.
Lastly, if you or someone you knows experiences something like this, please have them contact me, I would be more than happy to assist them in healing.
Welcome
Welcome to the GreenHerbCafe blog.
Our intentions are to share valuable or interesting information to all our clients and customers who so much want to learn more about herbs, natural healing, home remedies, and the such. We will be contributing thoughts and theories on natural healing as it applies to all of us in our daily live. Some articles may include current herbal FDA news, great healing stories, recipes, funny stories, or even some rants and ramblings.
We hope you enjoy!
Lisa
Our intentions are to share valuable or interesting information to all our clients and customers who so much want to learn more about herbs, natural healing, home remedies, and the such. We will be contributing thoughts and theories on natural healing as it applies to all of us in our daily live. Some articles may include current herbal FDA news, great healing stories, recipes, funny stories, or even some rants and ramblings.
We hope you enjoy!
Lisa
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