healingways
Nurture
the
Nurturers
Women can maintain
wellness with common herbs
by abby artemisia
examples of literature about herbs and
T
hroughout history, women have
together. In accordance with this issue’s
always had a strong connection
theme, Women’s Health, I would like
women’s health include A Woman’s
with herbs. In many primitive
to offer some suggestions about how
Book of Herbs by Deb Soule, Herbal
cultures women were in charge of
we can continue to nurture ourselves.
Healing for Women by Rosemary Glad-
growing food, including herbs for con-
Let us take a minute to honor ourselves,
star, and Wise Woman Herbal for the
sumption and medicine. Also, in their
honor everything that we do for others,
Childbearing Year by Susun Weed.
role as nurturers, women used herbs to
honor the beautiful women that we are.
An herb I see as one of the most
maintain their own wellness as well as
If we choose to do that, we are putting
beneficial all-encompassing tonics for
the wellness of their families and com-
ourselves first.
women is the nettle (urtica dioica). The
munities. Though many of us have lost
When it comes to our health,
leaves of this plant are usually the part
that connection to plants, herbs are still
putting ourselves first can be accom-
used to support wellness. They grow
a valuable resource for supporting the
plished in many ways. First of all, we
locally and have often been dubbed
wellness of women today.
need to make an effort to get enough
‘stinging nettle’ because the hairs on
As an Herbalist, the most common
sleep, preferably at least eight hours
their stems have been known to cause
problem I observe in women is fatigue.
a night. We also must allow ourselves
irritation when brushed up against.
In our current society more women are
to rest when we are tired, perhaps by
Nettles are easily ingested as a cooked
working at a full-time job as well as
taking a twenty-minute nap or through
green (cooking deactivates the formic
fulfilling traditional roles in the home
meditation. Twenty minutes of exercise
acid on the hairs that causes the sting-
than ever before. Balancing career and
can make a big difference, too. Walk-
ing effect), tea, or tincture. Safe for
family, we struggle to discern how to
ing outside may help us reconnect with
pregnant and nursing women, nettles
master work at our job as well as at
nature and can be incredibly rejuvenat-
increase the flow and nutrient content
home, including to continue to care
ing. Combined with deep breathing
of breast milk, relieve water retention in
for our families, our communities, and
exercises, these few simple things are
pregnancy, and are high in iron, which
still finding time to nurture ourselves.
an easy recipe for a little more energy
can be helpful for anemia. They are
Unfortunately, in most cases women
everyday.
also a good source of other minerals
will step back from their own needs
On our abundant planet, there
and vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, and
and lose out on self-nurturing.
are many nourishing and tonifying
E (antioxidants), potassium, calcium,
However, we women tend to forget
herbs that can be a boon to women’s
and silica (necessary for healthy hair,
that if we do not take care of ourselves,
energy and health. Nettles, red rasp-
skin, and nails). Nettles are known to
we will not be able to take care of
berry leaves, chickweed, eleuthero,
strengthen kidneys and adrenals. They
anyone else. We become too tired,
and lemon balm are just some herbs
also nourish the liver and blood and
too sick, too frustrated to hold it all
available to benefit women. Some good
prevent and relieve allergy symptoms.
26 Greater Cincinnati Edition
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