On our abundant planet,
anxiety and therefore is especially help-
ful to pregnant, laboring, and menstru-
there are many nourishing
ating women as well as to children. It is
a well known antiviral herb, especially
and tonifying herbs that
effective in the treatment of herpes,
cold sores, chicken pox, and shingles.
can be a boon to women’s
In our stressful world, lemon balm can
be a valuable ally to have within reach.
energy and health.
Over the course of this month, I
hope you will think about what you can
do to honor yourself as a woman and/or
a woman you know. I ask you to make
However, these are just some of the
caused by lactation. Eat this herb fresh
a commitment to your health. By taking
many benefits nettles have.
in a salad, make into a tea, or take as a
time for ourselves, eating healthy food,
Red raspberry (rubus idaeus) leaf
tincture.
and including tonic herbs like nettles,
is probably the most famous female
Eleuthero (eleutherococcus senti-
red raspberry leaves, chickweed,
tonic herb. It tones and nourishes
cosus) is not commonly known spe-
eleuthero, and lemon balm into our
the uterus before, during, and after
cifically as a women’s herb, but it has
daily supplements, we can nurture the
pregnancy and prevents hemorrhag-
been particularly helpful to women as
nurturers. Great health to you!
ing and cervical tearing during labor.
an adaptogen, an herb which helps us
Some women believe that ingesting
‘adapt’ to physical, emotional, or envi-
Herbalist Abby Artemisia teaches herbal
red raspberry leaves during pregnancy
ronmental stress or change. Eleuthero
workshops and offers herbal wellness
shortens and eases labor. The herb is
is often called ‘Siberian ginseng’, even
consultations in the Greater Cincinnati
rich in vitamins and minerals; the iron
though it is not a true ginseng. Being
Area. Abby can be contacted at
it contains can fortify the colostrums in
gentle on the body, the herb is a pow-
Abby@GoddessGardenHealing.com or
early breast milk. Raspberry leaves also
erful immune and energy enhancer.
513-307-5226. More information can
help ease premenstrual and menstrual
Eleuthero is also amazing in the way it
also be found at
discomfort as well as various hormonal
protects the body during radiation and
GoddessGardenHealing.com.
changes including menopause. Make
chemotherapy. The benefits of this herb
this herb into a tea and drink it daily.
range from improving mental alert-
Chickweed (stellaria media) is a
ness and physical stamina to beliefs of
common wild flower in this region. In
its ability to prevent any known virus
Latin, Stellaria means ‘little star.’ The
and even increase life expectancy. The
plant is named for its small star shaped
root is the therapeutic part of this herb.
white flowers, which can be used
Thus, it needs to be boiled for twenty
therapeutically along with the leaves.
minutes in order to allow its nutrients
High in vitamins and minerals, it helps
to extract into tea form.
to absorb nutrients. Taken regularly,
Lemon balm (melissa officinalis) is
chickweed can also play a role in elim-
a great calming herb. Being part of the
inating and preventing breast, ovar-
mint family, it has the most wonder-
ian, and uterine cysts. It may further
ful lemon scent. Lemon balm is easy
be used internally and externally to
to grow and helps attract bees to the
reduce breast inflammation, especially
garden. The herb relieves tension and
In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous.
- Aristotle
May 2009
27
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