The Reproductive System
& Sacral Chakra

Herbal Therapies & Holistic Healing

Blessings everyone!

I’m always excited when we get to the sacral chakra, because it’s so full of sweet plants and pleasure medicine. Truly some of our most enjoyable plants to work with! These allies dial up the pleasure, love, and fun. After the more serious nature of the root chakra (though full of nourishment, strengthening, and rebuilding), the sacral feels like a playful dance of passion and needed exploration. We are moving from the earthy stability and nourishment of the root chakra, into the passionate waters and fires of the sacral chakra sweeping us off our feet. This powerful energy center helps us surrender and get more into our bodies in a playful and sensual way. In the root we are tending to our needs more than to our desires - rebuilding our foundations of safety, support, and community. Now in the sacral chakra we get to enjoy the fruits of our groundedness and explore our pleasures.

This chakra is all about allowing your body and being to freely experience our sensory pleasures and intimate connections with the world around us. To receive the blessings of being in body, touching and being touched. The sacral chakra is where we experience a lot of intimacy, connection, love, and passion. Not simply with other humans, but with all of nature. There is so much sensual pleasure to enjoy here! It balances out the difficulties of life.

Most of the deep wounds we carry are related to our root chakra, so we will always be tending and nourishing our root deeply. When supporting others in their healing, you will be dealing with root chakra issues of safety, security, family, home, society, and environment. We tend to the incredibly important immune system keeping our boundaries safe of our body, protecting us, and helping repair where we are wounded. We are tending to the musculoskeletal system which makes up so much of our physical body. The root chakra encompasses so much of the wounds we carry that need healing… But once we have our roots feeling relatively strong and comfortable, it just takes regular maintance and tending. From a strong root we get to move on to the sweet pleasure of the sacral chakra.

Imagine leaving your little nest of your home, and wandering out into a field of wildflowers, abundant fruits, clean waters and rushing waterfalls. The air is filled with sweet scents and music playing, tables covered in the most delicious foods and desserts… Your lover waiting in the grass for you, beckoning you to come close. There is no where else you need to be, no one who needs you. Everything here is just for you to enjoy. You can relax and let go into pleasure… receiving all of the deliciousness of life. You can dance, swim, sing, play music, read poetry, make art, make love, eat anything that tastes good. You have the time and space to just enjoy fully and let go into this sweetness.
This is the sacral chakra.

As we dive into the reproductive system and supporting our sacred body there, let me say this - wounds we carry in the sacral chakra should be dealt with slowly and tenderly. No rushing, no urgency, and with a lot of gentleness. There is a need to reclaim fully this part of our body. Your sexuality, your pleasure, sensuality, uterus (if you have one), all belong to you and only you. If you bring new life into the world your womb temporarily houses another being… and in many ways we can be safe places of pleasure and joy for lover we invite in. But any wounds we carry here should be dealt with very slowly and tenderly without any demand or pressure. We open in this place of deep vulnerability when we are safe enough to relax into pleasure and connection. Let the plants come in like gentle lovers, mothers, and friends who can help us open and heal in this sacred seat of our creativity and sweetness.

Enjoy all the sweetness in life this month,
Sage

Video ~ Sacral Chakra & Reproductive System

Body Intimacy

Increasing Sensory Pleasure

Through expanding our awareness we can increase sensations of pleasure through the body… our senseses can become intensified and vivid. Smells, sounds, touch, scents, all can flood our awareness and bring us more fully into the world of vivid experience. We are here to be alive and live fully, feeling the sensations in our body of connecting imtimately with the world around us. In the sacral chakra we discover the capacity of our body to experience pleasure and sensations that fill our experience here on earth with delight and bliss. We are wired for pleasure. Our whole body is filled with pleasure sensations throughout our nerves. We can learn to focus on and dial up the volume on our sensations that feel pleasureful, through meditation, awareness, attention to specific sensations, and sensory enhancing herbs. These plants are consciousness shifting, calming to the nervous system, and expanding to the mind. They are often sweet tasting, stimulating, and wonderful for increasing nerve sensations that feel pleasureful. Relaxation are the first feel good sensations through our nervous ssystem, so relaxation often becomes the vehicle to pleasure.

When the sacral chakra is owunded it can become shut down and closed off, so that we aren’t able to allow in pleasure sensations and relax into the body’s senses of pleasure. Often we feel scared to open because of past harm, or even to feel because we are holding emotions back… thinking that if we open we won’t be able to handle the flood of emotions that will release. In the sacral chakra, release is needed. Pleasure is needed, and intimacy is needed to stimulate the passionate creativ life force available in theis chakra. We need our juicyness for life here, and an openness to feel all the deliscious sensations of life in a body. There is so much to discover if we let yourselves come alive fully in our bodies. To follow our desires rather than shame them, and trust our body knows what feels good, as well as safe. The root chakra (boundaries and safety) allow us to fully explore intimacy and connection in the sacral chakra.

When there has been trauma and woundedness in the sacral chakra I recommend plants that help to activate, clear, and nurture the sensitive sacral chakra, soothing painful emotions and allowing them to clear. Waking up this energy center with sensory pleasure and sweet loving energy. These plants are often flowers that help to bring in loving soothing energy, nervines, and tonics t soothe places of trauma. I particularly love rose and hibiscus for trauma in the sacral chakra, but I’m also drawn towards wound healing plants like comfrey, yarrow, marshmallow, violet, and calendula. These are tissue healing plants that can help to stop the active bleeding of wounds and stimulate healing.

Plants to Increase Sensory Pleasure ~
Damiana, Vanilla, Egyptian blue lotus, Kava kava, Cacao, Hibiscus, Rose, Jasmine, Holy Basil, Sarsaparilla, Passionflower

Nourishing the Waters

The Genitourinary System

The element of water is strong in the sacral chakra, and similar to the energy of the West a lot comes with that element. Emotions, love, feeling, compassion, tenderness, sensitivity, vulnerability, intuition… The sacral chakra’s waters carry depths of emotions and magick. Connected to the moon, we bleed in cycles of fluids releasing every month. The womb while pregnant is filled with a small ocean of fluid with the baby hed within. Waters flow out with ejaculation and orgasm… releasing emotions and insights. The sacral chakra is a channel for many fluids to move through, and these sacred waters are filled with energy and creative potency.

Let’s explore the sacred fluids of our body… because they are a very important part of our reproductive system. Blood flow to the sexual organs gives us arousal, and without good circulation we wouldn’t easily stimulated. Penises need good blood flow for erections, as does all the tissue around the vulva for arousal. Blood flow is needed to bring hormones to our reproductive endocrine organs, send as messengers from our brain to produce hormones like testosterone and estrogen. Blood carries in the liquid made into ejaculate for both people with vaginas and those with penises. We need abundant waters in the body and good circulation to keep our sexual and reproductive organs healthy!

Our urethras carry wastes and excess water from the kidneys to the bladder, and out the urethra… passing through the penis or through and out the vaginal opening. Pee, ejaculate, and blood are all fluids moving out of this area of the body. It is the place of many rivers! Where our fluids exit and release… Think about the energy of that. There is an opening in the release that happens here. In an orgasm as well, an opening and a release. Many of the plants that support the genitourinary system help these fluids to move more freely, allowing energy to move and be released here.

Flowing Waters

Some of my favorite rituals for sacral chakra healing involve water. Herbal baths, ocean or water rituals, teas, vaginal steams, herbal washes, and hydrosols. When you are creating rituals for healing the sacral chakra I recommend working with the element water and connecting to the spirits of the West.

One of my favorite rituals for the sacral chakra is do do a ritual bath in the ocean, a stream, or body of water that feels very healing for you. I go to the brook right by my house where I can be alone in the woods and bathe naked in the water.

Healing Sacral Ritual ~ Herbal Bathing

Bring a gallon or two of water to a boil and then add 2 cups of plant material. Choose plants you feel will be especially healing for you, especially sacral allies you already feel connected to such as Rose, Motherwort, Blue Lotus, Hibiscus, Jasmine, Angelica, White Peony, Blue Vervain, Red Clover, Ginger, Damiana, Raspberry, Comfrey, Violet, Calendula, Pine, Sage, or any others. Hold each herb you add to the pot in your hands first, calling in their energy and sending your prayers into them. Ask for the healing you are needing, inviting their spirits to join you in this ritual. Let the herbs steep in the water for at least 30-60 minutes. Pour the tea into 2 half gallon jars to carry with you.

Choose a body of water that feels deeply healing for you (or a bath tub if it’s too cold outside). Offer some prayers to the water, giving offerings of flowers if you like or dried herbs to the water. Burn some blessing herbs at the water and speak to the spirits there, sending gratitude to the water.

Get in the water and when you’re ready slowly pour the warm tea over your body, calling in the healing and energies you are looking for. Feel the spirits of the plants washing over you, clearing anything that needs to be released. Bringing in the energy you need, cleansing any pain or past wounds… released and transformed by the water. Continue pouring the healing brew over your body until it’s all gone. Send gratitude and prayers with the plants and water. When you’re ready rinse yourself off in the water and take some time to rest afterwards.

Urinary System

Kidneys, Bladder & Urinary Tract

Your kidneys are incredibly important organs in our body because they filter some of our most sacred waters, our blood. Healthy kidneys filter around half a cup of blood per minute, removing wastes from the blood and regulating the volume of blood and water in our body. Clearing wastes from the blood is incredibly important so our blood stays clean and able to transport nutrients and oxygen to all of our tissues. Energetically the kidneys along with the liver, spleen, skin, lungs, and colon are responsible for the body clearing and removing wastes. The kidneys also remove acid produced from your cells and balances sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium levels in the blood. The kidneys release a hormone that helps to regulate blood pressure, as well as regulating blood volume through producing urine when there is an excess of water in the blood.

Kidney Support

How can we keep our kidneys healthy? Drink good amounts of water and fluids! I try to drink 2 quarts a day, and at least 1 quart of just plain water with no herbs in it. Keep alcohol and soda consumption down, as well as smoking and salt intake. Perscription drugs and painkillers (like ibuprofen) can be tough on the kidneys, so if you have to take them drink a lot of water at the same time. There are many great herbs to support the health of the kidneys, most especially our favorite Nettles and Burdock!

Kidney stones are caused by different factors, but most commonly regular dehydration and food containing oxylates (peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, beets, chocolate and sweet potatoes). Try to combine calcium rich foods when you consume anything high in oxylates so the calcium and oxylates bind together in the stomach instead of the kidneys. Nettles, dandelion, burdock, and parsley can all help prevent kidney stones.

The genitourinary system includes the bladder, urethra, kidneys, penis, vagina, uterus, testes, and prostate. When we take herbs that help stimulate the kidneys (diuretics) and cause us to pee, we help flush out wastes and cleanse the fluids of the body. Hormones and chemicals of emotion made by our brain are released with wastes when we pee, which means we are literally peeing out and releasing some of the physical substance of our emotions.

Invite emotions and energy to release through the sacral chakra. Over the years I’ve seen the sacral chakra and the heart/lungs are places in our body where emotions can release freely, flowing through us like a river. Emotions release with crying, orgasms, sweating, peeing, breathing, and bleeding. The release can feel good! The release allows energy and emotions to exit and clear the body. I often think of diuretics as plants similar to circulatory stimulants. They help to move and clear energy that might be trapped, allowing energy to release and flow.

Kidney and bladder tonics are diuretics - they will help to detox and cleanse the body. When you cleanse the fluids, toxins clear from our joints and inflammation goes down. These diuretic herbs will also help to cleanse the fluids of the prostate, relieving swelling and inflammation. If someone has a history of urinary tract infections or bladder infections these herbs will help to prevent infections if used regularly, especially if antimicrobial herbs such as turmeric, yarrow, juniper, usnea, or oregano are used as well.

To support healing of the tissue of the urinary tract and bladder, take soothing anti-inflammatory and tissue healing herbs like marshmallow root, cornsilk, calendula, and hibiscus.

Diuretics ~ Dandelion, nettles, schisandra, cleavers, horsetail, turmeric, parsley, juniper, uva-ursi, hawthorn, yarrow, goldenrod, water.

Soothing herbs for the urinary tract ~ Hibiscus, marshmallow root, cornsilk, calendula. Other wound healing tissue (vulneraries) like violet, comfrey, mullein, plantain can also repair sensitive urinary tract tissue.

Video ~ Herbs for Kidneys & Bladder

The Endocrine System

Dance of Hormones

Understanding the endocrine system is very helpful when we are trying to balance hormones, since the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in our brain signals all of our reproductive endocrine organs to produce our reproductive hormones. The glands of the endocrine system work together in a delicate balance, all together controlling a lot of our body processes. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland act as the conductors to the orchestra of all the other endocrine glands. The endocrine system controls a lot of our bodies physiology, including our stress response, our metabolism through our thyroid gland, sleep cycles through the pineal gland, our body temperature and hunger. 

The hypothalamus and pituitary gland in our brain signals the ovaries, adrenals, and testes to release specific hormones like estrogen and testosterone. When we are under stress cholesterol in our blood is used to produce cortisol instead of our reproductive hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. So when we are under stress even if it is excitement and positive stress, our endocrine system produces less reproductive hormones and more stress hormones. Endocrine system hormones also act like neurotransmitters and affect the nervous system in many different ways.

Herbs can help to regulate our endocrine system, harmonizing this dance of hormones that includes our reproductive hormones. Adaptogens such as ashwagandha, schisandra, holy basil, maca, shatavari, nettles, burdock, siberian ginseng, fo ti, and panax ginseng help to support and balance the whole endocrine system, as well as other endocrine tonic herbs like chickweed, violet, dandelion, and oatstraw. There are herbs we can use that are specific to certain endocrine organs, such as nettles for the adrenals, or seaweed for the thyroid.

Endocrine tonic herbs help to support the hormonal system by tonifying and supporting the function of hormone glands throughout the body, which control reproductive function. These are our adaptogens from last month’s module! To balance hormones, always include endocrine balancing tonics / adaptogens.

Chemicals in our environment called endocrine disrupting hormones create hormones imbalances as well as damage to our DNA and cells. Many of our hormones can be affected by endocrine disrupting hormones as well as contribute to cellular damage. Chemical compounds called phytosterols (plant hormones) in plants can block endocrine disrupting chemicals from attaching on to cells, reducing the damage they cause in our bodies.

General Endocrine & Hormonal Tonics ~

Shatavari, Ashwaganda, Schisandra berry, Siberian Ginseng, Reishi mushroom, Ginseng, Maca, Rhodiola, Dandelion, Oatstraw, Nettles, Burdock,Violet, Chickweed and others.

Video ~ The Endocrine System

Hypothalamus & Pituitary Gland

The hypothalamus is the master conductor of our endocrine system hormones, regulating our metabolism, energy levels, growth and development, blood pressure, body temperature, fluids & electrolytes, body weight, thirst, hunger, sleep, fatigue, mood, reproductive/hormone cycle, and sex drive.

This is why when our hormone levels change during menopause and andropause (with the drop in production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone), all of these things are affected! Energy levels change, moods, metabolism, sleep patterns, and libido. The dance of hormones in the body is carefully balanced… when the levels of one change, it can affect many of these aspects of our body’s functioning.

To balance our reproductive hormones we can target the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the brain as well as our endocrine system as a whole. I recommend brain tonics for the hypothalamus and pituitary gland such as ginkgo, Lion's mane, schisandra, astragalus, gotu kola, ashwagandha, oat straw, and other neural restoratives. You can also use nervines to relax the stress response and allow the endocrine system to focus on making reproductive hormones instead of stress hormones.

All of our adaptogens are considered hormone tonics and some of them contain phytosterols, which are plant hormones that the body can use to produce our own hormones. Some of these phytosterol rich plants are shatavari, ashwagandha, maca, panax ginseng, Siberian ginseng, and fo ti.

Video ~ Endocrine Regulating Herbs

Reproductive Hormones

We all have same 3 main reproductive hormones present – estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. They are steroidal hormones made from cholesterol, so we need to make sure we have a diet that includes healthy fats. These hormones are produced in adrenals, testis, ovaries, adipose (fat) tissue, kidneys, and the brain (pituitary/hypothalamus). During menopause and andropause our production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in the ovaries and testes slows almost to a full halt around the age of 50, and our adrenals and fat tissue begin producing some of these hormones to keep our body healthy.

Estrogen & Progesterone

In people with ovaries, estrogen is produced in the ovaries, and after menopause is produced mainly by our fat tissue. Higher amounts of fat on the body post menopause is important to keep up estrogen levels for healthy bones, skin, and libido! Larger amounts of fat on the body post menopause can increase estrogen levels to the point of increasing cancer risk, since estrogen can contribute to tumor or cancer growth, In people with testes, estrogen is also very important, and is produced in the testes, adrenals, and sometimes by the hypothalamus in the brain.

Estrogens influence the structure of the skin, blood vessels, bone formation, protein synthesis, increase good cholesterol, promote fat deposition, cause salt (sodium) and water retention. In the gastrointestinal tract they reduce bowel motility and increase cholesterol in bile. They also improve lung function. Estrogen grows the lining of the uterus to prepare for pregnancy, and maintains sexual characteristics such as breasts. We have 3 types of estrogen – estradiol (active), estrone (weaker), and estriol (produced in the kidneys, 80x less active than estradiol).

High Estrogen Levels ~

The most common hormone imbalance in people with ovaries is high estrogen levels. This imbalance can be caused by disturbances in the endocrine system, the liver struggling to break down estrogen in the blood, fat cells producing too much estrogen, and xenoestrogens in our environment from toxins. In people with ovaries high estrogen levels can cause low sex drive, irregular periods, nausea and vomiting, yeast infections, bloating, weight gain, depression, migraines, uterine or ovarian fibroids or cysts, and endometriosis. It also causes an increased risk for breast cancer or uterine cancer, infertility, autoimmune disorders, allergies, increased blood clotting and accelerated aging process. Fibroids are usually caused by high estrogen levels, which we are seeing as a bit of an epidemic right now! High estrogen can also cause lining of uterus to be very thick, causing heavy periods. It can also cause painful periods as the uterus tries to expel fibroid. High estrogen levels can also cause miscarriage and low progesterone levels.

In people with testes high estrogen may cause decreased sex drive, low sperm count, low testosterone production, enlarged breast (gynecomastia), and small testicles in male infants. Can increase the risk for prostate cancer, benign prostate enlargement, heart attacks and increased risks of stroke and heart disease.
 High estrogen levels can be caused by xenoestrogens in our environment (herbicides and pesticides, cleaning products, plastics, etc). Note - beer made from hops is very high in phytoestrogens! To learn about xenoestrogens, read the list more here.

Estrogen Balancing
with Phytoestrogen Rich Plants

Since estrogen dominance is the most common hormone imbalance in people with ovaries, we look towards the plants to help us lower estrogen levels. Phytoestrogen rich plants have plant estrogens that bind to the estrogen receptors on our cells, and have a mild estrogenic effect in the body. They block high levels of our active estrogen, as well as xenoestrogens from binding onto our cells, which may be contributing to hormonal imbalance (as well as increasing the risk of cancer). Healthy gut flora are needed for body to use plant estrogens, so take your probiotics!

Phytoestrogen rich plants ~

Vitex, Red Raspberry, Red Clover, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Hops, Black Cohosh, Ginseng, Licorice, Motherwort, Angelica, Rose, White Peony Root, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Saw palmetto berries, Wild Yam, Yarrow blossoms, Grains, beans, nuts, seeds, seed oils, berries, fruits, and many vegetables.

Herbs that can decrease or balance estrogen levels ~ Phytoestrogen rich plants that will dock onto our estrogen receptor sites on cells, leaving less room for our stronger human estrogen (estradiol) to attach onto our cells. Our own estrogen will then remain in our blood to be broken down by our liver… so make sure your liver is strong if you want estrogen levels to be lowered! Liver tonics like Burdock, Dandelion, Yellow dock

Herbs that can increase estrogen ~ If estrogen levels are low post menopause, you might want to have some phytoestrogens in your system in order to give your body some of the estrogen it is no longer producing. In summary, phytoestrogenic plants will help to increase estrogen levels if they are low, or lower estrogen levels if they are high. I would also suggest using them with adaptogens that balance endocrine system hormones as a whole!

Progesterone Balancing

Progesterone has a calming effect in the body, builds bone, natural diuretic and fat burner, restores proper cellular oxygen levels, improves vascular tone, normalizes blood clotting, and prevents cyclical migraines and arterial plaque. Progesterone is mainly made by the corpus luteum (a temporary gland that’s produced following the release of an egg from the ovary), the adrenals, and the placenta during pregnancy. Since it is partly produced in the adrenals, you want to make sure your adrenals are strong in order to keep up the levels of progesterone your body needs. More info. about this below, and remember your adrenal tonics such as nettles, siberian ginseng, rhodiola, burdock, ashwagandha, schisandra etc. (all of our adaptogens from last module).

Progesterone is also responsible for the growth of the lining of the uterus, establishing and maintaining pregnancy. Low levels of progesterone can cause infertility and miscarriage. High levels of estrogen can cause progesterone to be lower, since they have a balancing effect on each other… so if you have estrogen dominance you likely will have lower levels of progesterone.

In people with ovaries, low level of progesterone results in irritability, anxiety, obsessive behaviors, weight gain, itching, bloating, sweating, digestive problems, flatulence, loss of memory, miscarriage, and estrogen dominance. Many herbs that lower estrogen levels can help to increase progesterone as a result of lowered estrogen, as well as our adaptogens that have an overall balancing and harmonizing effect to the endocrine system.

Herbs that have been found to increase progesterone – Vitex, Wild Yam, EFAs, Sarsparilla, Damiana, and adaptogens like Ashwagandha, Schisandra, and Rhodiola.

Herbs to Increase Collagen & Cartilage – Seaweed, aloe (up to 90%), gotu kola, horsetail, oatstraw, nettles, alfalfa.

Androgen Hormones

Androgen Tonics & Balancing Testosterone

Testosterone, a type of androgen hormone we all have, provides motivation, assertiveness, a sense of power and control, feelings of well being, enhanced drive, turns fat into muscle, and increases our libido. Low levels of testosterone are associated with weight gain, belly fat, decreased muscle and strength, sleep disturbance, fatigue, loss of body hair, infertility, impotence, osteoporosis, hot flashes, problems with mental clarity, memory loss, lack of motivation, mood changes, panic attacks, and depression. High androgen levels can lead to excessive body hair, acne, menstrual irregularities, polycystic ovary syndrome, fertility issues and sexual dysfunction.

Testosterone is also produced in the testes, adrenals, & ovaries. The testes on average produce 6-8 mg of testosterone per day - ovaries produce 0.5 mg daily. LH (Lutenizing hormone) released from the pituitary gland and controlled by hypothalamus stimulates the testes and the adrenals to produce testosterone. LH and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) also cause the production and maturation of sperm. If you remember, all of the adaptogens help to regulate our endocrine system balance of hormones, which is overseen by the hypothalamus as the conductor.

Increasing Testosterone -

Pine Pollen contains all four major androgen hormones - Androstenedione, Testosterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), & Androsterone. These are found in Pinus massoniana (Chinese red pine) and Pinus Sylverstis (Scots pine). You can also use endocrine/hormone balancing herbs like the adaptogens, and stimulating, fire nature plants like Ginseng, Damiana, Passionflower, Angelica, Ashwaganda, Sarsaparilla, Vitex, and Yohimbe.

Decreasing testosterone – Use endocrine hormone balancing herbs such as adaptogens, liver cleansing herbs like dandelion and burdock, and phytoestrogenic herbs to naturally lower testosterone. Plants high in phytoestrogens can help such as Red clover, Vitex, Shatavari. Adaptogens like Reishi, Nettles, Burdock, Ashwaganda, Siberian Ginseng, Schizandra berry, Ginseng, and Saw Palmetto berries.

Adrenals & Cortisol

The sheath surrounding the nerves of our spine and brain contains cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes the nerves in fluid that is

Love Your Spine Tincture Blend ~ Mullein root, Solomon’s Seal Root, Marshmallow root, Peach Bark, Oat Milky Tops

Menopause & Andropause

Muscle strength is hugely helpful for mobility and the ability to stay active doing what we love! We need muscles for physical

Muscle Ache Tincture ~ Cramp bark, Willow, Ginger, Blue Lotus, Kava kava

Plant Hormones

Bones are rigid, but bendable and can regrow. The combination of calcium and collagen gives our bones strength and flexibility. Calcium phosphate enters a collagen matrix creating layers of bone and collagen, allowing bone to be somewhat

Healing broken bones – Mullein, nettles, oatstraw, boneset, horsetail, solomon’s seal, and comfrey in later stages of healing.

Bone Building Tea ~ 1/4 cup Nettles, 1/4 cup Oatstraw, 1 tsp Horsetail, and 1 tsp. Mint steeped overnight in 1 quart water. Strain and drink through the day.

Andropause

Starting in the 40’s there is a reduction in the production of testosterone and other hormones from the testes. This drop in androgens can cause anxiety, depression, irritation, lowered sex drive, mood swings, decreased muscle mass, increased breast tissue, loss of focus, hair loss, increase in weight, fatigue. Hormone production drops in testes (95%) and some in the adrenals.

Herbs for andropause ~ Adaptogens and plants with androgenic hormones. Ashwagandha, Ginseng, Sarsaparilla, Maca, Nettles, Damiana, Schisandra, Saw Palmetto, Pine Pollen, Vitex

For Impotence – Address stress levels, circulation, and hormone balancing. During andropause, focus on boosting testosterone through androgenic plants listed above such as ashwagandha. Increase circulation with plants like ginger, damiana, hawthorn, or ginkgo. Support the liver with tonics like dandelion and burdock. If stress is a factor, try nervous system relaxants such as skullcap, blue vervain, ashwagandha, or california poppy.

The prostate gland produces fluid that will exit with sperm during ejaculation. Located under the bladder, the prostate sits on top of the urethra wrapping around it, secreting fluid into the urethra to be released through the penis . This fluid makes up 25% of the sperm. Over age of 60 there is an enlarging of the prostate gland. If prostate enlarges or becomes inflamed it presses on the urethra, blocking the flow of urine, and can cause infections. It’s important to keep fluids moving well with lymphatic, circulatory, and diuretic herbs, as well as reduce infection (with antimicrobials) and calm any inflammation of the prostate. A diet low in toxins, good hydration, frequent ejaculation, and herbs can help keep the prostate healthy in elder years.

Therapies for prostate health – 1. Frequent ejaculation & peeing when needed. 2. Healthy diet, plenty of fluids. 3. Exercise 4. Anti-inflammatories (such as marshmallow root, turmeric, magnolia bark, and burdock), diuretics (such as nettles, cleavers, or dandelion), and lymph cleansing (echinacea, cleavers, astragalus etc.).

 Herbs for Prostate Health

Saw Palmetto, Nettles, Pumpkin seeds, Cleavers, Horsetail, Yarrow, Corn silk, Uva Ursi, Seaweeds, Marshmallow root, Usnea for infections, Echinacea, Joe-Pye Weed (Gravelroot), Raspberry, Parsley, Dandelion, Goldenrod

Cleansing fluids of the joints – Burdock, dandelion, nettles, alfalfa, chickweed, violet, schisandra, turmeric, and astragalus.

Detox Joint Tea ~ Roasted Dandelion root, Marshmallow root, Ginger, Cardamom, and Burdock. Simmer 1 tbsp. in a quart of water on the stove for 10 minutes and add warmed nut milk. Honey or maple syrup make this tea extra delicious.

Video ~ Herbs for Menopause & Andropause

Phytosterols

Xenoestrogens in our Environment
& The Role of Phytosterols

All of our hormones have been greatly disturbed by human made chemicals present in plastic, bodycare products, make up, cleaning products, and pesticides. These chemicals mimic estrogen and bind to cells at oestrogen recepter sites. They cause hormone disruption, and can also cause damage to the DNA in our cells, which can lead to cancer. Xenoestrogens increase the total amount of estrogen resulting in estrogen dominance, and cannot be broken down so they are stored up in our fat cells. High levels of xenoestrogens can cause breast, prostate and testicular cancer, obesity, infertility, endometriosis, early onset puberty, miscarriages and diabetes.

We can reduce our exposure to xenoestrogens, and take plants high in phytosterols, which will lock onto our cell’s hormone receptor sites, leaving no room for the xcnoestrogens to attach to our cells and cause damage. We can then support our liver and kidneys filtering them out of our body. Some plants high in phytoestrogens are again Red Raspberry, Red Clover, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Hops, Black Cohosh, Vitex, Ginseng, Licorice, Motherwort, Angelica, Rose, White Peony Root, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Saw palmetto berries, Wild Yam, Yarrow blossoms, Grains, beans, nuts, seeds, seed oils, berries, fruits, and many vegetables.

Staying away from Xenoestrogens

Here are some tips to avoid xenoestrogens entering your body. I always remind people that we do not want to fear our environment and trigger our stress responses, so while you make choices to avoid them, please do not worry. We are able to pretty easily reduce our exposure!

This list is from Xenoestrogens and How to Minimize Your Exposure by Amy LaRue ~ Follow the link to view the full list of chemicals acting as xenoestrogens able to attach onto all cells with estrogen receptors.

1. Avoid pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. 2. Buy hormone-free meats and dairy products to avoid hormones. 3. Reduce the use of plastics whenever possible. Do not microwave food in plastic containers. Avoid the use of plastic wrap to cover food for storing or microwaving. Do not leave plastic containers in the sun, especially your drinking water. 4. Use chemical free, biodegradable laundry and household cleaning products. Choose chlorine-free products and unbleached paper products (i.e. tampons, menstrual pads, toilet paper, paper towel, coffee filters). Use a chlorine filter on shower heads and filter drinking water. 5. Avoid creams and cosmetics that have toxic chemicals and estrogenic ingredients such as parabens and stearalkonium chloride. Use naturally based fragrances, such as essential oils, and chemical free soaps or toothpastes. Read the labels on condoms and diaphragm gels… 6. Be aware of noxious gases/chemicals from copiers and printers, carpets, bedding, fiberboards, and from gasoline.

ART BY JEN LEWIS

The Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is conducted by hormones released by the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovaries, and the corpus luteum (egg follicle shell). The length of each person’s menstrual cycle varies, but generally about 28 days long, and bleeding lasts for aprox. 5 days. After bleeding, our ovaries release estrogen, which begins to rise in our bloodstream. High levels of estrogen in the bloodstream signal the hypothalamus in our brain to produce LH (Luteinizing hormone) and FSH (Follicle- stimulating hormone). LH and FSH are released and travel through the blood to the ovaries. Follicle-stimulating hormone signals the ovaries to mature egg follicles in preparation for ovulation, similar to ripening seeds within the ovary of a flower! Luteinizing hormone stimulates the release of a mature egg from the follicle into the uterus. The follicle inside the ovary no longer containing an egg becomes an endocrine gland called the corpus luteum, producing progesterone to help support a pregnancy. What a dance of hormones!

Menstruation is signaled when there is a sharp drop in progesterone and estrogen due to no fertilized egg implanting in the uterus. The uterus secretes prostaglandins, hormone like chemicals which increase contractions of uterine muscle (and other smooth muscle like colon). Excess prostaglandins can cause stronger contractions and uterine cramping, as well as inflammation of the pelvis… mine radiates down my thighs and feels like a deep ache in the bones. Prostaglandins can also cause contraction of other smooth muscle such as the bowel causing loose stools or diarrhea. It’s also believed to temporarily inhibit the blood flow to the uterine tissue resulting in oxygen deprivation of the cells, causing cramping and pain.

Rising levels of estrogen (released by the ovaries) signals menstruation to stop, and thickening of the uterus lining begins again. When estrogen levels get high enough in the blood, the hypothalamus signals FSH and LH to stimulate ovulation again. If FSH or LH are not being released by the hypothalamus we will not ovulate, and often the regularity of our cycle will be disturbed. Without having ovulated, our blood can be very light at the end of our cycle as the uterine lining has not grown thick for an implantation.

Balancing these hormones and regulating the monthly ovulation cycle enhances fertility, and contributes to the general health of reproductive organs. Many issues arise from hormonal imbalance such as fibroids, cysts, endometriosis, headaches, PMS symptoms, emotional sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and changes in metabolism. See the specifics for each hormones above when they are in excess or deficiency.

Herbs to regulate menstrual cycle ~
Red Raspberry, Red Clover, Shatavari, Vitex, Black Cohosh, Motherwort, Mugwort, Blue Vervain, Lady’s Mantle, Jasmine, Hibiscus, Damiana, Angelica, Rose, White Peony Root

Stimulating menstruation

Sometimes we want to bring on menstruation, which might be delayed because of stress, hormone imbalance, circulatory issues, pregnancy, or nutritional deficiencies. Make sure to address the root cause, and try an herbal emmenagogue, which will stimulate bleeding, as well as circulatory stimulants to move the blood, and plants high in iron.

Emmenagogues I love ~
Yarrow, Black Cohosh, Motherwort, Mugwort, Wormwood, Sage, Ginger, Angelica, Blue Cohosh, Pennyroyal, Sweet Annie *** These should not be used during pregnancy!

Menopause

Menopause is when the menstrual cycle ends, usually around the age of 50. Peri-menopause and the beginnings of andropause (drop in testosterone production in people with testes) begins in our 40-50’s when our endocrine glands no longer produce reproductive hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The ovaries drop their production of estrogen almost completely, ceasing the menstrual cycle, and our fatty tissue begins to take over the role of supplying us with at least some of this important hormone. Since fatty tissue is then producing estrogen, some body fat is important especially later in life. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone all help to keep our bones strong, our mood and energy levels up, skin youthful, and body strong!

The adrenals help to supply testosterone and progesterone after menopause and andropause, so take your adaptogens and adrenal tonics folks! Many changes happen as a result of dropping levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Phytosterol rich plants to the rescue…

Phytoestrogens for Hormone Replacement during Menopause ~
Red Raspberry, Red Clover, Black Cohosh, Vitex, Ginseng, Motherwort, Angelica, Rose, White Peony Root, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Saw palmetto berries, Wild Yam, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Hops, Yarrow blossoms, Grains, beans, nuts, seeds, seed oils, berries, fruits, and many vegetables.

Herbs for Increasing Progesterone & Testosterone ~
Adaptogens like Ashwagandha, Maca, Schisandra, Shatavari, Ginseng, Vitex

1. Calendula

Calendula is one of the most beautiful plants to grow in the garden. It’s such a cheerful and easy to grow flower! Calendula is an amazing wound healing herb that makes an amazing golden infused oil for topical use. It feels wonderful on the body as an anti-inflammatory, speeds tissue healing, and helps repair scars. I use it for any irritated tissue, rashes, and wounds. You can drink calendula for internal tissue healing as well, or apply it externally as a salve, oil, poultice, wash, or compress. You want the type of calendula that produces resin and feels sticky when you pick it.

2. Plantain

Plantain is another extremely valuable wound healing plant that grows in abundance almost anywhere! I love using plantain topically to soothe inflammation and activate tissue healing where its applied. Plantain is also excellent for healing mucous membrane tissue of the digestive and respiratory tract. It is tonifying, astringent, nutrient rich, cooling, and soothing to allergic, inflamed, or irritated tissue. I love mixing it with violet, my two favorite vulneraries. Plantain is also excellent for bites, burns, and stings similar to violet. I chew either of them up in my mouth and spit them onto wounded or inflamed tissue. I also love plantain as an oil or salve, as well as a fresh juice.

3. Comfrey

Comfrey is a master tissue healer filled with a compound called allantoin that speeds cellular repair. It is the fastest tissue healer we have, to the point where we have to be careful putting comfrey on top of a deeper wound in case the surface heals before the deeper layers of tissue. Comfrey is cooling, anti-inflammatory, demulcent, and wonderful for external use. Many people debate about its safety taken internally due to pyrolizidine alkaloids that can be damaging to the liver. I personally feel safe using the mature leaves in small amounts internally and externally. The studies showing toxicity involved isolating the PAs and giving them to rats and mice. This means the whole plant itself wasn’t shown to be toxic, just the isolated PAs themselves. Symphytum officinale hybrids have the lowest levels of PAs (compared to the wild Russian comfrey S. uplandicum) in the mature leaves, with the higher concentrations of PAs in the roots or younger leaves. You can avoid comfrey internally all together if you decide what feels safe to you. Here is more research on comfrey for you.

4. Violet

Violet covers the land here, and I use it all the time for tissue healing. It is an incredible vulnerary demulcent plant I use a lot for healing wounds both internally and externally. It’s very cooling to heat, lubricating, pain relieving, anti-inflammatory, and soothing to tissue irritation, rashes, and bites. Violet makes a wonderful oil and salve, but you have to make it in the crock pot similar to the others in this list or it will rot very easily. It helps to move lymphatic fluid, clear wastes, and lubricate tissue. It’s also anti-tumor, anti-cancer and with chickweed can be used externally for cysts or growths of any kind. Violet leaves and flowers also have high levels of nutrients and taste great. I love to make them into an herbal juice or salad with dandelion greens and chickweed.

5. Chickweed

Chickweed is an often abundant wound healing herb that I love making into an oil or salve for tissue healing. Similar to plantain and violet, chickweed is cooling, anti-inflammatory, and good for wound healing. It helps to move lymph fluid and cleanse the body. It’s anticancer and can be combined with violet or red clover for breast or uterine fibroids, cysts, or tumors. You can make an oil with chickweed in the crock pot since it’s high in water content that will cause the oil to mold. Fill a jar with chopped up chickweed, cover in oil, and then dump into a crock pot. Heat on warm for a day or two with the lid off to evaporate the water. Once the oil changes color, and the fresh plant material has released most of its water content, strain oil out and discard the plant material. Store the oil in the freezer to keep it from going bad and use small amounts of the oil as needed. You can blend it with other oils to make salves or massage oils.

Heal All Salve ~ Plantain, Comfrey, Calendula, Marshmallow root, St. John’s Wort, Chickweed, Violet, Black Birch. Combine these oils together in equal parts. Melt in 1 ounce beezwax shavings to 4 ounces of oil. Add any 20 drops lavender and spruce essential oil. Pour into jars.

Sexual Health

Pregnancy & Labor

The best herbs during pregnancy are nourishing herbs and uterine strengthening tonics. These are the best plants to increase fertility as well! Nourishing herbs can be used as an infusion, drunk at a weaker concentration (more water, less plant material). Nettles, Red Raspberry (during the second and 3rd trimester) Oatstraw, Burdock, and Chickweed are all great. Listen to your body and dilute the infusions with water until your body likes the strength. If someone is struggling to conceive, I recommend focusing more on Red raspberry as a uterine tonic, Vitex (to ensure ovulation), Red Clover, and circulatory tonics like Cinnamon, as well as Adaptogens that help to balance hormones or stress levels.

Herbs to initiate labor ~ Black Cohosh, Motherwort, Birthroot (Trillium), Ginger. Tincture dose 2-3 droppers full in water every few hours, listening to your body well! Most people in labor do not want to drink much herbal tea, since the taste can be difficult if there is already nausea. I recommend oatstraw infusion to maintain energy levels and nourishment, as well as relax the nerves.

Herbs to ease labor pain ~ Antispasmodics like Kava, Cramp Bark, Valerian, Skullcap, Black Cohosh, Blue Vervain, Birthroot (Trillium). 2-3 droppers full of the tincture in water. Again oatstraw can help as well, and is often easier to drink during labor.

Herbs to increase breast milk ~ Blue Vervain, Nettles, Red Raspberry, Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, Shatavari. These are wonderful as a tea or tincture. I find it’s helpful to support the person breastfeeding around getting enough water, nutrition, and sleep. This will help with milk production as well. Avoid drying herbs such as Sage and Rose. It can be helpful to take hormone balancing tonics like the adaptogens, as well as lymphatic movers Calendula or Cleavers.

Plants for Sexual Health
& Infections

Maintaining the health of our sexual organs ensures we can enjoy pleasure, and avoid the pain of infections or inflammation… I think the most important thing we can do for sexual health is the prevention of infections, as well as irritated or wounded tissue due to sexual activities. The vagina, urethra, and colon are all mucous membranes, which tend toward infections since they are openings our body has to the outside world.

All mucous membranes are protected from infections naturally by 1) mucus that creates a barrier (or lubrication), 2) healthy bacteria that help kill pathogens 3) our immune system or white blood cells helping destroy any pathogens as well as repair wounded tissue. Here are some ways you can support the health of these mucous membranes, and enjoy continued pleasure…

Bacterial balance - Use probiotic capsules as a douch, in the vagina or in the anus. This works very well for preventing urinary tract infections, yeast infections, or bacterial infections that are common in the vagina (especially with frequent sex). One thing we can do to keep our bacterial balance healthy is to make sure that anything that comes into contact with these mucous membranes is CLEAN. This means sterilizing your sex toys (use silicone toys only since they can be sterilized and others are made of toxic substances), cleaning fingers or your body before sex.

Lubrication ~ Lube is the magic addition to prevent small tears in the mucous membranes of the vagina or anus that will cause a greater risk of infections, as well as inflammation at the source of the wounded tissue. Make sure that if there is going to be a lot of friction, lube is used. I love olive oil, coconut oil, or sesame oil as natural lube. Avoid lubes made with glycerine or any kind of sugar since this will only feed the bad bacteria, resulting in infections. If there are tears in the tissue, use vulnerary herbs in oil or salve such as violet, comfrey, plantain, marshmallow, or calendula.

Immune tonics & Antimicrobials ~ To prevent STDs and infections keep your immune system strong with adaptogens! If you are treating an infection, make sure you know what pathogen is causing the infection first.

Yeast Infections & Bacterial Infections ~ For yeast infections take antifungals like usnea, oregano, myrrh, calendula, sage, tea tree, and garlic. For Vaginal Infections I highly recommend this product with Borax acid.

Refer to the last module for a full list of these herbs to treat different infections. If you are treating a bacterial infection, take antibacterial herbs. If you are treating a fungal infection, take anti-fungal herbs. If you are treating a viral infection, take anti-virals. General dose is 2-4 droppers full tincture in water 3x a day should clear it up within a week or faster. Refer back to last module on herbs for infections.

Urinary Tract & Kidneys

Let’s talk about supporting urinary tract health, since UTIs are so common and often recurring. To keep your urinary tract and bladder happy and healthy, I recommend diuretic herbs that increase urination, probiotics to increase healthy flora, and plants that can heal the tissue of these mucous membranes. In people with vaginas, the urinary tract tends to get infected more often since it is shorter than in penises, and it is exposed to any bacteria entering the vagina. You will want to use probiotic capsules in water as a douch to keep healthy bacteria in the urethra. You should feel the difference in one day!

Diuretic herbs like nettles help to stimulate the kidneys, and flush out the bladder and urethra. Along with drinking enough water, they can help to keep the bladder, kidneys, and urethra healthy. Diuretics ~ Nettles, Schisandra, Parsley, Dandelion, Cleavers, Horsetail, Juniper, Uva ursi, Yarrow, Blue vervain, Burdock.

If you have had inflammation or infection of the urethra, you’ll want anti-inflammatory and tissue healing herbs to soothe the mucous membranes of the urethra. These soothing herbs include marshmallow root, corn silk, hibiscus, cranberry, calendula, dandelion, goldenrod, turmeric, and burdock. I find that with a painful UTI often hibiscus tea can soothe the pain quickly. Remember though you can soothe the tissue, but you also need to fight off any pathogens causing infection. Keep your immune system strong with adaptogens, use probiotics and focus on prevention as much as possible to limit the bacterial spread to the urethra. If there is an infection, I recommend stronger antimicrobial herbs like usnea tincture, turmeric, oregano, yarrow, myrrh, and echinacea a few times a day.

Spruce - These evergreen needles are spiky at the end, while fir needles are soft to the touch. Spruce needles are high in essential oils and they make great infused massage oils for the joints, and whole musculoskeletal system. Like the other evergreens they will help to stimulate circulation, reduce inflammation, and help to clear energy stagnating especially around the lungs and heart. Use spruce to help clear grief and depression. Spruce brings in energy, life force, activation, and inspiration. Used similarly to the other evergreens. To make an oil fill a clean dry jar with chopped fresh spruce needles. Cover to the top with olive oil and let any air escape until putting on the lid. You can also pour the contents into a blender for a stronger extraction. Steep for 2-4 weeks, strain out the needles and store in the freezer.

Pine - All of the pines make great infused oils for massage! True pines have their needles in bundles, with different numbers of needles in a bundle for each of the types of pine. The pines are all great for circulation, pain relief, inflammation, opening the lungs, and calming the nervous system. Pine trees bring a lot of healing energy to the body, and similar to the other evergreens feels like they bring in new life force and energy. My land is surrounded by white pines, which I can’t reach to harvest the needles easily because the trees are so tall. I can harvest needles from the young trees, so I recommend looking for young or short pine trees to collect the needles from. Like all the evergreens harvest from the lower branches. White pine is lower in essential oils than some of the other pines, which means the oil can go bad more easily. I like to rip up a few of the needles in my fingers of any of the pines (or any evergreen) and smell them to see what the scent is like. You can also use fallen branches after storms, which is a great time to collect pine needles for oil. Fill a jar with the chopped up needles, and cover with olive oil. Make sure all of the air has left jar and then steep for a couple weeks. Check the oil to make sure it hasn’t gone bad as it's steeping, and if it starts to smell different heat it in the crock pot for 30 minutes just to kill off any bacteria. Strain and put in the freezer to preserve.

Juniper ~ This is my favorite infused oil besides black birch… Juniper oil smells incredible. I have been planting many junipers to be able to make the oil more often. It smells like, sweet, citrus, evergreen heaven. Juniper oil is amazing for massage, and really wonderful applied to the body for painful inflamed joints and muscles. Juniper is one of the best evergreens for reducing inflammation, relieving pain, moving the fluids, and clearing toxins from the tissues. I find it’s one of the most healing oils I’ve ever found. The spirit of Juniper feels calming, peaceful, anti-depressant, and brings in powerful restorative energy. If you make Juniper oil I’m sure you will fall in love with it as much as I have.

Black Birch - This is the absolute best oil I’ve found for pain. Black birch trees are like gold. The oil is the one oil that I can never keep enough of in stock because so many people want it. You can use birch oil for tendonitis, inflamed muscles and joints, back pain, or pain and inflammation anywhere in the musculoskeletal system. The oil used for massage will help to increase circulation and fluid movement, cleansing out wastes and reducing swelling. I often mix black birch oil with the evergreens, but if I had only one oil to use for external treatments it would be this one. To make the black birch oil, fill a jar with shaved bark, cover in olive oil to the top, and make sure all of the air bubbles have cleared out of the jar to prevent molding. Let the oil steep for 2 weeks, checking ocassionally to make sure the smell hasn’t changed at all (this would indicate the oil might be going bad). If the oil starts to go bad at all, pour the oil in the crock pot and heat it for 30 minutes to kill off any bacteria. Strain into a clean dry jar and store in the freezer for later use.

Ginger - Ginger oil is a warming oil I use for increasing blood flow to a certain area when there is bruising, fluid stagnation, and inflammation. Ginger is one of the best anti-inflamatories (as well as turmeric) to use topically, and the best oil I have found to move stagnant blood. If there is swelling and pain, and the wound responds well to heat or hot/cold treatments, ginger is great. You can use it preventatively if there has been an injury such as a sprained ankle or pulled tendon or ligament to apply before a lot of swelling or bruising occurs. There are a couple ways I use ginger oil externally. One is to put a few drops of ginger essential oil in a carrier oil such as olive oil, and apply to the skin where it’s needed. If you want to make infused ginger oil you can fill a jar with fresh chopped ginger, and cover in olive or coconut oil. Pour the full contents of the oil into a crock pot and let steep for 1-2 days on warm with the lid off to evaporate any water. You don’t want the oil too hot or it will release the volatile oils into the air. Strain the oil out and preserve in the freezer.

St. John’s Wort - This is a rich red oil that comes in handy as a regular massage oil for muscle pain. It’s an amazing oil for reducing inflammation, soothing painful muscles, and lowering nerve pain. I love it with arnica for muscle aches or combined with wound healing herbs (listed below) for any kind of injury. St. John’s Wort oil helps to heal nerves when they have been damaged and lessen pain. It’s an excellent general massage oil for the whole body to speed tissue healing. As a nervine it will help to calm tension in the body and lower any sensations of pain. To make the oil fill a jar with the chopped flowers (harvested in the early stages of flowering when there are still a lot of buds). You can include some leaves, but make sure it’s mostly flowers in the jar. Cover in olive oil to the top and let any air bubbles escape. Steep for 2-4 weeks on a sunny windowsill, letting any moisture escape as needed. Strain the rich red oil and store in the freezer for use.

Vulneraries (Plantain, Violet, Chickweed, Gotu kola, Calendula, Comfrey) - These herbs make wonderful wound healing oils for any injuries, and they make a great heal-all oil or salve. I like to blend any combination of these herbal oils to make salves, and they are excellent for general use in massage oils. You can use any of these vulnerary plants to speed tissue healing for all kinds of wounds as well as to lower pain and inflammation. These plants you have to infuse in heated oil in a crock pot to evaporate the water out of the fresh plant material. (Remember using dried plants to infuse in oil doesn’t make great extractions since oil can’t easily pull compounds from dry plants as water can). For all of these plants, fill a jar with the chopped up plant material gently packed down and cover with olive oil. Dump into a crock pot and heat on warm for 2 days with the lid off to evaporate all the water out of the fresh plant material. Strain, pour into a clean dry jar, and store in the freezer. To make them into salves, blend any of the oils together and melt in beeswax until you have the desired consistency. You can use the general recipe of 1 cup oil to 1 ounce shaved beeswax. Add more oil to make the salve softer, or more beeswax to make it harder.

Video ~ Herbs for Sexual Health

Herbs for Menstrual Cycle

Acute & Chronic Inflammation

As I have mentioned before, life has given me a master class in dealing with inflammation folks. Especially of the musculoskeletal system. I have had to learn well what plants help with joint inflakeletal system we want to address the main cause of the inflamed tissue… address that root cause, help the body to speed up tissue healing, and reduce the inflammation if needed.

Menstrual Cramps

The symptoms of inflammation are pain, redness, swelling. Try to understand if the inflammation coming from injury, auto-immune issues, infection, heat, dryness, toxicity or stagnation base

• Find the cause of inflammation in the tissues - 

  - If inflaAnti-Inflammatory plants ~ Ginger, turmeric, licorice, cat’s claw, japanese knotweed, solomon’s seal, sarsaparilla root, marshmallow root, chickweed, willow, peach bark, magnolia, yarrow, st. john’s wort, comfrey, violet, plantain, calendula, birch, pine, andrographis, all the adaptogens such as astragalus, burdock, solomon’s seal, reishi, ashwagandha, siberian ginseng - and many others.
  
  Anti-inflammatory honey ~ Equal parts of fresh ginger, turmeric, burdock, japanese knotweed, and marshmallow root blended in honey (until it is a liquid consistency, not a dry paste). Take one spoonful in water.

Anti-inflammatory tincture ~ Licorice, sarsaparilla, turmeric, ginger, and burdock tinctures in equal parts. 2-3 droppersfull in water 2 or 3x a day.

Anti-inflammatory massage oil ~ Pine, black birch, St. John’s wort Oils

Video ~ Herbs for Regulating Menstrual Cycle

Herbs for Fertility & Pregnancy

Herbal Antispasmodics

These plants allow your body to melt into relaxation when there is tension. They are very helpful when stress has built up in your body and needs to be released. I love herbal antispasmodics to take over when I can’t seem to relax myself… They help the body to feel so much better when there are cr

Notice where you hold tension in your body. Observe

Antispasmodics -
Kava,
Cramp Bark,
Valerian, Skullcap,
Black Cohosh, Chamomile,
Blue Vervain,
Lemon Balm,
Ginger,
Wild Yam,
Egypt. Blue Lotus, Mugwort, White Peony, Catnip

Video ~ Herbs for Fertility & Pregnancy

Herbs for Labor
& menstrual cramps

We always want good pain relieving herbs to have on hand. We need them for different kinds of body pain, injuries, headaches, muscle or back pain, and nerve pain. It is hard to find googwood, cottonwood, poplar bark, and meadowsweet. These are excellent anti-inflammatories and pain relievers. Any other good anti-inflammatories you can also use for pain, though the salicylic acid containing plants are often the best.

Some nervines also make great pain killers by soothing the nerve sensations, relaxing cramps and spasms of the nerves. These include plants like skullcap, wild lettuce, Egyptian blue lotus, california poppy, blue vervain, and valerian.

Anodyne plants -
Jamaican Dogwood and Dogwood species, Cottonwood & Poplar Bark, Willow bark, Birch Bark, Magnolia, Peach, Meadowsweet, Egyptain blue lotus, Skullcap, Wild lettuce, California Poppy, Valerian, Blue vervain 

Video ~ Herbs for Labor

Cysts, Fibroids, and Endometriosis

Our nervous system gives us mobility, sensory awareness of our body and environment, and the ability to feel pain or discomfort when a part of our

Pinched nerves occur when something impinges on a nerve. As the nerve sends out signals, the muscles
Nervines ~ Oatstraw, Skullcap, Passionflower, Blue Vervain, Kava Kava, California Poppy, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Catip, Chamomile, Lavender, Egypt. Blue Lotus, St. John’s Wort, Gotu Kola, Holy Basil, Ashwaganda, Wood Betony, Cramp Bark, Ginger

Nerve Repair Plants ~ Oatstraw, Skullcap, St. John’s Wort, Gotu Kola, Holy Basil, Ashwaganda

Nerve Repair Tincture ~ St. John’s Wort, Ginkgo, Astragalus, Siberian ginseng, and Gotu kola. 2-3 droppers-full in water taken as needed.

Herbs for Trans Support

Good blood flow is incredibly important for the health of our muscles, joints, and general tissue health of the whole body. Blood brings nutrients and oxygen to our cells, as well as the white blood cells and platelets needed for tissue repair at the site of a wound. In order to heal wounded tissues we have to make sure there is go

There are different ways to improve circulation and aid in the repair of tissue and organs. Therapies to move our blood include exercise, massage, hot/cold treatments, sweating, and circulatory enhancing herbs like cayenne, hawthorn, ginger, pine, turmeric, ro

Circulatory stimulants -
Schisandra, Garlic, Rosemary, Ginger, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Yarrow, Rhodiola, Turmeric, Holy basil, Evergreens, Hawthorn, Gingko, Mugwort, Sarsaparilla, Damiana, Linden.

Warming Blood Blend ~ Ginger, Cacao, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Orange peel, Hawthorn berry. 2-3 droppersfull in water taken as needed.

Plants that support elimination ~ Burdock, Dandelion, Nettles, Chickweed, Cleavers and bedstraw, Yellow dock, Red clover, Violet, Schisandra

Optional
Home Study & Practice
Reproductive System

- Create 3 medicine blends for the Musculoskeletal System (examples - Muscle Relaxant/Antispasmodic blend, Anti-inflammatory tincture, Wound healing salve, and Pain relief tincture). Use the simples you've already made in Year One and start creating blends with them in small batches. You can purchase any tinctures you don't have that you want to add to any blend you create. Keep it simple and clear what the goal of the medicine is for.

- 3 Plant Medicine Profiles & Tea Meditations with Musculoskeletal System Plants - Choose 3 plants you would like to get to know well and do some research about them from sources you trust! Do at least one tea meditation and journey to explore the plant yourself. Then read about it from books, articles, and research you find. You may have already created 3 profiles for the Year One Certificate Track, so for this year create 3 profiles of different plants than you profiled for Year One. Here are details on creating a plant medicine profile.

- Read the Musculoskeletal system chapter in Medical Herbalism. Then read both chapters in The Gift of Healing Herbs (If you didn't read that chapter in year one), and Body in Balance. To understand the anatomy/physiology better, read the chapters in Holistic Anatomy.

- Collect a few articles from herbalists and sites you respect on herbal treatments for the Musculoskeletal system. This is for you to practice researching and sourcing information. Add them to a binder that will be organized by System of the Body. For each system do some research into herbal and holistic treatments for that system of the body, specific to what you or your community/family deals with the most. You can also add handouts from the course readings located here.

Booklist & Recommended Readings

Medical Herbalism by David Hoffman
The Gift of Healing Herbs by Robin Rose Bennet
Body in Balance by Maria Noel Groves
Holistic Anatomy by Pip Waller
For this month, read the chapters on the musculoskeletal system!

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