Health Advice |
Herbs for a Healthy PregnancyBy Keren Brynes-MacLean MNIMH, Medical Herbalist Morning Sickness The first problem that usually arises in pregnancy is morning sickness or nausea. Herbs and diet can make a significant difference and I've seen good results with some very simple remedies. Fresh Ginger root tea is a good stomach settler, in fact ginger in any form can help - I've even found that having a chew on some fresh ginger can bring some pretty quick results, so you could carry some around in your pocket or your bag for a quick emergency nibble if necessary. To make the tea place 1 -2 teaspoons of chopped or grated fresh ginger root in a tea cup and cover with boiling water, leave this covered for about ten minutes to let the root infuse before straining- add some honey to taste if required- take three or four times a day until things settle. Sometimes anxiety can upset the tummy; if this is causing nausea it will be a butterflies in the tummy feeling rather than a sort of hungover feeling. Herbal relaxants can take the edge of this safely and gently. My two favourite herbs for this sort of feeling are chamomile and lemon balm (melissa). They can be taken as teas, mixed with fresh ginger root if this feels right. Use Nettle as a Tonic There's one medicinal weed that you just can't get enough of in pregnancy, the common stinging nettle. Nettles are an amazing source of iron, just what you need to keep your haemoglobin high and your blood healthy. If you can, regularly eat some fresh young nettles, add the leaves to soups and stews or any recipe that uses spinach. If you hack back your nettle patch regularly you should get an ongoing supply of fresh young leaves throughout the summer - old leaves or leaves from plants that have seeded are a bit bitter and irritating on the digestive system so you really want them young and fresh. If you can't get fresh nettles then try to take two or three cups of nettle tea a day. They will serve you well because as well as being a nourisher nettles are a wonderful diuretic so if you are prone to being a bit puffy it could well be the herb for you. If you think you are anaemic (tired, pale, breathless, palpitations, dizziness, headaches) get a blood check from you doctor and then take floradix iron tonic, a great non-constipating source of iron and B vitamins extracted from nettles and other plants. Keep Puffy Ankles at Bay Another favourite for fluid retention in pregnancy is dandelion leaf, a potent diuretic. The leaves, which you could take in a salad, are also bitter making them good for the liver. However, dandelion root is more specific for liver health than the leaves and it has a mild tonic laxative effect which again is perfectly safe to use in pregnancy. I use dandelion for sluggish bowels, something that is all too common in pregnancy. I would try using about 5 to 10mls of dandelion root tincture daily along with a couple of heaped teaspoons of linseeds (crushed and soaked overnight) to lubricate and moisten the bowel. It's important not to let a sluggish bowel continue, because this added to the ever increasing abdominal pressure later on may lead to haemorrhoids. A Pain in the Bum! If you do have haemorrhoids then I would suggest trying to source herbal creams based on pilewort, witchhazel, plantain, cypress or horsechestnut. Some of the conventional preparations contain mercury, which is something you want to avoid in pregnancy. It's important to remember that what you put on your skin goes in - that applies to absolutely everything. I would try to relieve haemorrhoids with the dandelion and linseed approach initially, softening the bowel motions and easing congestion in the liver will often clear haemorrhoids. The pressure that causes haemorrhoids can also lead to varicose veins and I would suggest that anyone who has a family history of these wants to be cautious - raise your legs regularly during the day to help the drainage and try using horsechestnut extract blended into a lotion or cream to strengthen and tone the blood vessels. Some extra vitamin C could be helpful too, it tones the vessels and can also help move a sluggish bowel if this is part of the problem. Heartburn and Indigestion This ever increasing abdominal pressure of course pushes things up the way as well as down resulting in heartburn and reflux. My favourite treatment for this is slippery elm, either as powder or capsules. Slippery elm coats the lining of the oesophagus and stomach helping to prevent acid attack. The capsules are a bit easier than the powder which has to be made into a gloopy gruel in order to take it, although some patients find that they can manage it over easily in yoghurt. Other herbs that I would recommend include chamomile which has a wonderful anti-inflammatory action on the stomach and meadowsweet which can help to switch off overproduction of acid. Eating small and often can help, as can sleeping with the head of the bed raised if your prone to reflux at night. Keep Energy Levels High Fatigue is only to common, particularly if there is a lot of emotional stress and pressure on the go. Oats are a fantastic nerve tonic, increasing physical energy levels as well as increasing our emotional resistance to stress. Taking oats in the diet is a great idea, but if you are feeling under the weather then Organic Oat Tincture could be the tonic you are needing. Stretch Mark Prevention So far we've looked at what your bump can do to the inside, but we shouldn't forget the outside, this is important too. Stretch marks need to be prevented rather than cured. A really simple yet effective approach is to make a massage oil from 50mls of wheatgerm oil with about 14 drops of pure essential oil of frankincense and 7 drops of mandarine. Massage this into your abdomen twice daily to keep your skin nice and elastic and stop the tissues stretching so much. I've had really positive feedback from women who have tried this. If you don't have time to make your own, try Napiers Beautiful Belly Oil, which is ready-blended. Other Sources of Information Using herbs to support a healthy pregnancy is a big topic and I've touched on some of the simple things to take into consideration. If you want to find out more than there are two books that I would highly recommend: The Women's Guide to Herbal Medicine/Carol Rogers and The Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year/Susun Weed. I've mentioned a lot of herbs that you can use, but please remember that there are a lot that you can't use. If in doubt then don't and speak to your nearest medical herbalist first. To speak to a qualified herbalist or to find a practitioner near you contact the Herbal Advice Line. Keren Brynes-MacLean is a fully qualified Medical Herbalist and member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalist, with over 9 years of experience. She is available for consultation at the Bristo Place branch of Napiers - to book appointments please call 0131 225 5542. Medical Herbalists are available for appointments in every Napiers Clinic - for further information and appointments, please contact your nearest branch. More articles about Mother and Baby... |