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Female Reproductive Helpers Here are some herbal remedies that have been used as helpers for the Female Reproductive System throughout history. Scroll down to find your ailment. Click on 'Fact Sheet' for more information. Menopause Miracle Worker Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) Part used: Root & rhizome History: First used by Native Americans to ensure gynecological health Science: Found to reduce menopausal symptoms Practitioners opinion: A realistic herbal alternative to HRT Directions: Tincture (1:10, 60% alcohol): 2.5ml twice daily Studies in Germany have shown that the most unpleasant side effects of the menopause improve when Black Cohosh is used regularly. Being a tonic plant, it improves general health at the same time as it reduces hot flushes, mood swings, and depression. Menstrual Cramp Relief Black Haw (Viburnum prunifolium) Part used: Bark History: Native American cure for cramps Science: Contains muscle relaxants Practitioners opinion: Eases cramps in even the most dire cases Directions: Tincture (1:5, 25% alcohol): 2.5ml three to six times daily
To reduce the pain of menstrual cramps we recommend a dose of Black Haw. It does not correct the problem lying behind the severe cramping, but does help with the pain. Irregular Menstruation & Hormone Abnormalities Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) Part used: Berry History: European folk medicine for menstrual problems Science: Contains compounds that help to regulate cycles Practitioners opinion: To be used for three cycles before effects are felt Directions: Tincture (1:5, 25% alcohol): 20 drops each morning Historically Chasteberry was used by nuns with over active sex drives and by lusty wives whose husbands were off on the crusades. Contemporary practitioners find that when used regularly, women with erratic menstrual cycles, women with severe emotional ups and downs associated with their menstrual cycle and women with hormone linked acne find improvement with Chasteberry. Low Libido Damiana (Turnera diffusa) Part used: Leaf History: Central Americans used it for poor sex drive Science: Contains compounds that activate the urogenital tract Practitioners opinion: Found to increase sexual desire Directions: Tincture (1:5, 60% alcohol): A single 10 ml dose before sex Tablets: 2-200mg tablets before sex Damiana is most widely known for its aphrodisiac activity. It is also used as an energy tonic. In today’s world many women are too tired at the end of a long day to even contemplate having sex. When life has taken the urge to have sex out of a person, Damiana is a good choice. Infertility and Menopause Chinese Angelica (Angelica sinensis) Part used: Root History: Chinese folk medicine to improve gynecological health Science: Contains compounds that are similar to estrogen Practitioners opinion: The best tonic around for general gynecological health Directions: Tincture (1:5, 45% alcohol): 2.5ml 3 times daily The Chinese have used Chinese Angelica for thousand of years to improve gynecological health. The thought is that, regardless of what ails you, Chinese Angelica taken daily will improve matters. Taken in small doses on a regular basis health, vitality and gynecological functioning improves. For this reason it is used in both infertility and in menopause. Thrush Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Part used: Whole mushroom History: Used as a general tonic in Asia Science: Acts as an immune tonic Practitioners opinion: Effective in chronic thrush infections Directions: Tablets: 2-300mg tablets 3 times daily Thrush is caused by poor immune function. Maitake is used to boost the immune system and thereby keep the thrush organism under control. In 1998 Planet Botanic conducted a clinical trial into the effects of Maitake on women with chronic thrush and found it helped reduce the itchiness and soreness, the amount of discharge and helped in the eradication of the infection. The women on the trial chose to continue taking Maitake after the trial as an ongoing preventative medicine. |
