I hope you’ll excuse my relative absence these past two weeks. I’ve been a busy lady. First, I learned (after being on the waitlist for nearly two years!) that this year I got a plot at our local organic community garden. I’m SO excited, I can’t even begin to tell you! I’ve spent a fair amount of time there this past week, prepping the soil and getting ready for some spring planting.
The week before last I was away at a midwifery workshop. I learned a ton, and am excited to share that knowledge with you all over the coming months. One woman at the workshop was an herbalist who specialized in women’s health. She and I spent a lot of time together, and I’m happy to share some of what I learned from her today in this post.
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Herbs can generally be divided into four categories: Nourishing, Tonifying, Stimulating, and Poisonous/Potentially poisonous. Nourishing herbs are the safest, and side effects are rare. They can be eaten as food or brewed into teas or infusions. Tonifying herbs should be used in moderation (usually not daily), but can be used over the long term. Their effects tend to build over time.
Some nourishing herbs that help to enhance fertility are:
Oatstraw (avena sativa) - helps to balance hormones and quell anxiety. The infusions are a rich source of B vitamins (except B12), calcium, and magnesium.
Nettle (urtica dioica) - one of the most nourishing plants on the planet, and particularly good for the adrenals. Infusions are incredibly rich in vitamins and minerals (particularly trace minerals such as selenium, sulphur, zinc, chromium, and boron). You want to use the leaf of the plant.
Red Clover (trifolium pratense) - particularly nourishing to the glands and nervous system, red clover also helps to balance hormones, due to its high content of isoflavones. You want to use the flower of the plant.
One other herbs that is popular for hormonal balance and fertility promotion is Chasteberry, also known as Vitex (agnus castus). This is a tonifying herb, which stimulates the pituitary gland, responsible for the balance of estrogen and progesterone in the female body. It nourishes the gland so that it can better regulate itself. In our culture full of phytoestrogens in soy and BPA in plastics, the effect is usually lowering estrogen in the first half of a woman’s cycle, and raising progesterone in the latter half. It also helps to plan conception, as it normalizes ovulation. This herb is best taken as a tincture (more on how to prepare that coming in a future post) – capsules and teas won’t provide the full effect. It may take up to three cycles to see an effect.
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So, how to make infusions of Nettle, Oatstraw, and Red Clover?
1. Take 1 oz. (approximately 1 cup) of the dried herb (I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herbs), and place it in a quart-sized mason jar. Do one jar per herb. You do not want to mix them all together.
2. Fill the jar with boiling water, and let it infuse for a minimum of 4 hours. 8-12 hours is best. I make mine in the evening and let it infuse overnight.
3. Strain the liquid, making sure to squeeze any remaining liquid out from the herbs themselves. You can drink a cup or more of each herb per day. Store whatever you don’t drink that day in the fridge – chilled, the infusions generally last about 36 hours.
Once the infusions are finished, you can mix them all together to drink them, but I find it more interesting to enjoy the distinctive taste of each one separately. I find them pleasantly “earthy,” but if they’re too much for you, you can stir in a bit of raw honey.
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While we’re on the topic of infusions…
I’m sure many of you are familiar with “NORA” tea for pregnancy (Nettle Oatstraw Red raspberry Alfalfa). Did you know that by brewing them all together, and making it in tea form (rather than as an infusion), you’re only getting a small fraction of the benefit from each of the herbs?
Brew these herbs for pregnancy as separate infusions as well! You’ll see a much greater benefit this way.
This post was shared at Monday Mania, Real Food Wednesday, and Wildcrafting Wednesday.
