Women's Herbal Wisdom

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Women's Herbal WisdomTransformations and alterations mark a woman's path through life. Every stepof the way, herbs can enhance the quality of the journey.By Linda B. White, M.D.Being a woman has certain advantages. Compared to men, we have more range —

that is, society tolerates a greater range of emotional, stylistic,recreational and vocational expressions. We feel freer to express joy, anger, love,sadness, jealousy and full-throttle hysteria (hystera is, after all, Greek for "

womb"). We dress in denim, taffeta, corduroy, lace, leather and silk. Wehold dominion over the color pink, polka dots, floral prints and rhinestones. Wewear work boots, heels, clogs, running shoes and slippers. We carry

briefcases, tool belts and evening bags. We style our hair (dyed or not) in braids,crew cuts, pageboys, French twists and pigtails.Compared to men, our reproductive processes are also more complex, more

cyclical. When we're young, our hormones wax and wane each month. Ovaries releaseeggs, breasts periodically swell, the uterus cramps and bleeds, ballooningwith pregnancy and contracting with childbirth. Moods shift — one moment we'

re humming "I enjoy being a girl" from The Flower Drum Song; the next, we'refantasizing acts that make Steven King's character Carrie look like a lamb.In middle life, as ovaries head into retirement, cycles go erratic. We open

windows, turn down thermostats, dress in layers for the inevitable flash ofbody heat. We awaken tangled in damp sheets, while our male partners slumberon comfortably beside us.Over the ages, women have learned how to enlist herbs to ease cycles and

changes. Recently, scientific research has validated many of these remedies.Premenstrual SyndromePremenstrual syndrome (PMS), if you include mild forms, troubles more than40 percent of the menstruating population during the last week or two of each

cycle. Some women experience primarily physical symptoms: headaches,bloating, water retention, breast tenderness, acne and craving for sweets. Some womenare bothered more by intense emotional responses: irritability, anger,

sadness and nervousness. More severe monthly mood symptoms that significantlydisrupt a woman's life are known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The exactcause of PMS is unclear but may involve imbalances of female hormones, adrenal

hormones, brain chemicals and deficiencies in various nutrients.An Herbalist'sFavorite PMS TeaRosemary Gladstar, director of the Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center andNative Plant Preserve in East Barre, Vermont, and author of Herbal Healing

for Women (Fireside, 1993), finds herbal blends taken as teas useful for tamingPMS. She often combines liver tonics (such as yellow dock, dandelion andburdock root) with herbs thought to balance hormones (like vitex, licorice, dong

quai and black cohosh) and encourages women to drink a cup or two daily fortwo to three months.If psychological complaints are prominent, Gladstar recommends a tea blendthat includes oat straw, hawthorn, red raspberry, motherwort and lemon balm.

To promote urination and relieve water retention, she uses a tea blend ofdandelion leaf, nettles and chickweed. To ease cramps, her favorite herbs areginger, cramp bark and black haw.Gladstar's general rule in making tea is to add 4 to 6 tablespoons of an

herb mixture to 1 quart water, cover, heat to a simmer, remove from heat, letsteep 20 to 30 minutes, and strain. Drink three to four cups a day.A thoroughly researched article published in the May 2003 issue of the

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reviewed an integrative approach toPMS. One of the three authors is Roberta Lee, M.D., the medical director ofthe Continuum Center for Health and Healing in New York. For her patients

with PMS, Lee first encourages healthy lifestyle habits — diet, exercise andsufficient sleep. Based upon the available research and her clinicalexperience, she counsels women to emphasize dietary intake of legumes, vegetables,

whole grains and cold-water fish (which contain inflammation-lowering omega-3fatty acids) and to limit intake of red meat, sugar, salt and caffeine. Anotherlifestyle habit — regular exercise — is cheap and has been shown to improve

all symptoms of PMS. "These basic lifestyle changes can help significantlychange symptoms of PMS," Lee says. If these changes aren't effective, sheturns to vitamins and herbs.Low levels of calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6 have been implicated in

PMS. Research published in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy in 1999 suggests thatsupplementation may help. Lee recommends 1,200 mg of calcium, 400 to 800 mgof magnesium, and 50 to 100 mg B6 a day.Best PMS Herbs

Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus), also known as chaste tree berry because of ahistorical misbegotten belief that the dried fruit promoted chastity, helpsbalance female hormones. Specifically, it acts on the pituitary gland to promote

luteinizing hormone (which stimulates the ovaries to produce progesterone)and reduce prolactin (which interferes with estrogen and progesterone).Vitex helps relieve PMS symptoms. Karen Bergeron,_www.AltNature.com_ (

http://www.altnature.com/)"Chaste tree is the quintessential women's herb," says Kari Radoff,clinical herbalist at Apothecary Tinctura, a Denver herb store that specializes in

women's health. "It's excellent for cyclical changes — acne, spotting,breast tenderness, PMS and irregular cycles."Indeed, nine studies have shown that extracts of this herb can reduce PMSsymptoms, according to The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs (American Botanical

Council, 2003). It also helps relieve breast tenderness and control acne.Extracts also may help restore regular menstruation in women whose menses havebecome irregular or stopped due to hormonal imbalances.

Vitex does not have immediate effects. Radoff recommends a minimum of threemonths of continuous use. Although this herb can be taken once each morningat a dose of 6 droppersful of tincture (6 ml, or just more than a teaspoon),

Radoff prefers taking two to three droppersful two to three times a day.Sometimes she combines vitex with another hormonal herb, such as dong quai(Angelica sinensis), nerve tonics such as oat straw (Avena sativa) and lemon balm

(Melissa officinalis), and liver tonics such as dandelion root (Taraxacumofficinale).St. John's Wort can help premenstrual mood problems, according to a 2003study.According to Lee, anti-inflammatory herbs such as ginger (Zingiber

officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa) and boswellia (Boswellia serrata) can reducepremenstrual breast tenderness and cramping. Radoff says other traditionalcramp-relieving herbs include black haw (Viburnum prunifolium), cramp bark (V.

opulus), catnip (Nepeta cataria) and wild yam (Dioscorea villosa).If a low mood predominates the days before menstruation, you might want toconsider St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). More than 20 studies show

this herb improves mild depression. Preliminary reports, including one publishedin the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine in 2003, suggest itcan help premenstrual mood problems. One small study found benefits from only

300 mg of standardized extract a day — one-third of the average dose used indepression studies. Another study, published in Advances in Therapy in 1999,found St. John's wort (one 300-mg tablet of standardized extract three times

daily) reduced psychological and physical symptoms of perimenopause.Caution: St. John's wort lowers blood levels of several drugs, including oralcontraceptives. Check with your health-care provider before taking the herb.

A Pregnant PausePregnancy is a time when women must be very careful about what they consume,as many substances cross to the fetus's circulation. Most of the herbsdiscussed in this article influence reproductive hormones, so if you're pregnant,

don't take them, nor any other herb with strong medicinal effects.Most herbalists give their blessing to nutritive herbs when they're taken asteas in moderate amounts. Nutritive herbs are rich in vitamins and minerals,

and include red raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus), nettles (Urtica dioica),alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and dandelion. Rosemary Gladstar, author of HerbalHealing for Women, and founder of Sage Mountain Retreat Center and Native Plant

Preserve in East Barre, Vermont, stresses that women should use the wholeplant. That means eating the herb as a vegetable (dandelion and nettle leaf canbe steamed) or brewing it into a tea.

Nourish withNutritive HerbsNutritive herbs are good for women at all stages of life, includingpregnancy. Kari Radoff, a clinical herbalist at Apothecary Tinctura in Denver,recommends blending vitamin- and mineral-rich herbs as follows:

Equal parts nettle leaf, alfalfa leaf, raspberry leaf and oat straw1/2 part red clover blossoms1/4 to 1/2 part horsetailBoil water, turn off heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the dried herb blend for

each cup of water. Steep, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Strain and drink2 to 4 cups a day.Although most herbalists consider these herbs safe for pregnant women, checkwith your health-care provider to be sure.

About 75 percent of pregnant women experience some degree of nausea andvomiting, according to a 2004 study published in Complementary Therapies inNursing and Midwifery. Eating small, frequent meals helps, as does getting plenty

of fresh air. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has an excellent track record foralleviating motion sickness and nausea associated with pregnancy,chemotherapy and anesthesia. Six studies have shown that ginger reduces nausea of

pregnancy, two of which judged the herb as effective as vitamin B6. Pregnant womenshould only use ginger for short periods of time and not exceed 1 gram aday. Take whatever form seems most palatable — syrup, tea, capsule or ale made

from real ginger. Spearmint tea (Mentha spicata), while yet to be researched,brings relief to many women, according to a 2004 survey published inComplementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery. Some experts discourage peppermint

tea (M. xpiperita), which is stronger medicinally than spearmint.Love Your LiverThe liver metabolizes hormones into forms that can easily be eliminated bythe kidneys and intestines. Herbs that improve liver function can bring

hormone levels down to manageable levels.Herbalist Brigitte Mars, a professor at Naropa University in Boulder,Colo- rado, recommends liver tonics, such as the roots of burdock, dandelion andyellow dock, to manage acne, nausea of pregnancy, breast tenderness,

premenstrual syndrome and other conditions of hormonal imbalance. She advisespregnant women to avoid burdock seed, although the root is safe to use. Take theseherbs as teas or tinctures (1 to 2 droppers full two to three times a day).

Some pregnant women take advantage of their heightened sense of smell anduse appealing aromas to quell nausea. Examples include essential oils oflavender, lemon or spearmint. According to Mindy Green, clinical aromatherapist and

coauthor of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art (The CrossingPress, 1995), essential oils derived from flowers — such as chamomile, ylangylang, lavender, jasmine, rose and neroli — are generally mild enough for

pregnant women. If you use them in massage oil, Green advises you keep theconcentration weak — 0.5 to 1 percent, or not more than 5 drops essential oil perounce carrier oil. Do not take these highly concentrated plant oils by mouth

or apply them directly to your skin. And avoid altogether the strongessential oils of peppermint and culinary herbs such as oregano, thyme, sage,savory, tarragon and basil.Perimenopausal YearsMenopause is the point at which, for want of estrogen and progesterone, your

monthly periods cease. Perimenopause — the warm-up period to that point —is long and, for many women, uncomfortable. Progesterone often wanes beforeestrogen, the consequence of which is more frequent menstruation with heavier

bleeding. Some women also notice mood swings and more frequent headaches.Vitex, which you'll remember promotes progesterone, comes in handy in thissituation.As estrogen levels fall, women begin to believe in global warming or suspect

coworkers and family members of flipping up the thermostat. Episodes of hotflashes and sweating occur during the day and night. Frequent sweat-soakedawakenings disrupt sleep. Vaginal tissues become thinner and drier (making sex

less pleasurable). Concentration fizzles and moods go south.Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) alleviates many of the symptoms and helpskeep bones strong but often produces such side effects as bloating, breast

tenderness, depression and vaginal bleeding — and worse, can increase the riskof blood clots and cancers of the uterus, breasts and ovaries."The actual risk to any one woman is small," points out Lisa Corbin, M.D.,the medical director of The Center for Integrative Medicine at the Universityof Colorado Health Sciences Center in Aurora. Her approach is to find outwhat each woman wants. Many of her patients are willing to modify their diets,

exercise more, learn relaxation training and try herbs — all of which canhelp. If symptoms persist, HRT can be added to the regimen but typically atdoses much lower than standard treatment.Savor Your Soy

Lee points out that Japanese women, who consume more soy and veggies andfewer meats than the average American woman, seem to have an easier transitioninto menopause and a lower risk of breast cancer — unassisted by HRT. Soy

(Glycine max) and other legumes contain isoflavones, which act as phytoestrogens(weak plant estrogens) in the body.Stress and Women's HealthUndue stress raises levels of the adrenal hormone cortisol and the

pituitary hormone prolactin. Prolactin stimulates milk production in the breasts ofnursing women, but when high, it inhibits ovulation and causes menstrualirregularities, diminished libido, depression and hostility. In general, chronic

stress raises the risk of heart disease, immune suppression, osteoporosis,memory problems and reproductive dysfunction. When you're stressed, interest insex and fertility wanes, and premenstrual and peri-

menopausal symptoms worsen.To de-stress your life, you'll need to address the underlying issues —over- scheduling, skimpy social life, conflicted relationships, lousy diet,insufficient sleep and lack of exercise. Herbs that tame tension include lemon

balm, skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia),valerian (Valeriana officinalis), passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) andCalifornia poppy (Eschscholzia californica). Most health-food stores stock teas

and tinctures with blends of such herbs.Studies on soy's effectiveness during perimenopause have been inconclusive.The type of soy preparation used includes soy foods (soy milk, soy flour ortofu), soy protein or isolated isoflavones. The isoflavone content in soy

foods varies widely, and it's possible that other soy constituents are important.A report in the January 2004 issue of Maturitas reviewed the research. Outof 10 well-designed studies, four found that soy modestly improved

perimenopausal symptoms. In the May 2004 Alternative Medicine Alert, Monica Stokes,M.D., an integrative ob-gyn doctor in San Francisco, writes that, despite themuddy research, "it is clear that regular consumption of soy during the

menopausal period may be helpful for some of the typical symptoms encountered."In Corbin's experience, soy helps control hot flashes and has additionalbenefits of preserving bone and lowering cholesterol. Lee believes the emphasis

should shift from popping soy during perimenopause to regularly consuming thatbean and other phytoestrogen-rich foods all our lives. She adds thatincorporating soy into a healthy diet is safe and does not seem to raise the risk

of breast cancer or interfere with thyroid hormones.How much soy is enough has yet to be established. Doses in studies rangefrom 20 to 125 mg of isoflavones a day. The more processed the product, the more

likely the isoflavone depletion. According to the Soy Foods Association ofAmerica, 1/2 cup of cooked soybeans provides between 50 and 78 mg ofisoflavones; 1/4 cup roasted soybeans, 78 mg; 1/2 cup tempeh, 53 mg isoflavones; 1/2

cup tofu, 25 mg; 1 cup soymilk, 10 mg (43 mg, if fortified). Other sources ofphytoestrogens include red clover, legumes, alfalfa, hops, licorice(Glycyrrhiza glabra), sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, buckwheat, millet and other whole

grains. Change-of-Life HerbsDong quai is another favorite herb for helping women through menopause.Karen Bergeron, _www.AltNature.com._ (

http://www.altnature.com/)Women have long relied on herbs to get them through "The Change." The listincludes dong quai, Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng), licorice (Glycyrrhizaglabra), vitex, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), red clover (Trifolium

pratense) and black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa). The best researched of theseherbs is black cohosh.Most of the research on black cohosh has used a proprietary isopropanolicextract called Remifemin, produced in Germany but marketed in the United

States. A 1998 review of eight black cohosh studies published in the Journal ofWomen's Health concluded, "It is apparent that it is a safe, effectivealternative to estrogen replacement therapy for those patients in whom estrogen

replacement therapy is either refused or contraindicated."In a German study published in Maturitas in 2003, women aged 40 to 60randomly received either 40 mg of black cohosh extract, 0.6 mg conjugated estrogens

or a placebo. The herb was equivalent to estrogen in controllingperimenopausal symptoms and protecting bones. While estrogen stimulated cell division inthe uterus (raising the risk for cancer), black cohosh did not.

Black Cohosh is a well-researched herb that helps control hot flashes andother symptoms of menopause. Karen Bergeron, _www.AltNature.com_(

http://www.altnature.com/)Scientists have yet to pinpoint how black cohosh works. Unlike HRT, it doesnot influence blood levels of reproductive hormones, nor does it stimulatecells in the uterus or breast. In fact, it can actually inhibit division of

breast cancer cells and enhance the inhibitory effect of the cancer drugtamoxifen. The implication is that black cohosh doesn't seem to pose a risk foruterine or breast cancer. A recent analysis in the Journal of the North American

Menopause Society confirmed the safety of this herb.You can take black cohosh as a standardized extract (40 mg a day) ortincture. Radoff finds that black cohosh taken frequently (1 to 2 droppersful five

times a day) controls hot flashes and steadies emotions. Shelley Torgove,clinical herbalist and owner of Apothecary Tinctura in Denver, adds that womenkept awake by night sweats can take 20 mg of encapsulated standardized extract

in the morning and evening, then one to two droppers full of tincture two tothree times a day. Because research has yet to establish safety, this herb isnot recommended for pregnant or nursing women.Linda B. White, M.D., is the coauthor of , The Herbal Drugstore and anadjunct faculty member in the health professions department at Metropolitan StateCollege in Denver.-- Diana Gonzalez

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

-Unknown