Red raspberry leaf

Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus, spp) is one of the most well known and most loved fruits in the world, but in the herbal and midwifery world it’s leaves are also a dearly treasured herbal remedy for women of childbearing age. Raspberry Leaf is most popular as a tonic for pregnancy and labor, but is it also excellent as a nutritive and tonic in preparation for pregnancy. It is also one of the main herbs that is considered safe in most cases to use during pregnancy in preparation for labor. But, why wait until you are pregnant to reap the benefits of this wonderful leaf?

Raspberry leaves are high in Carotenoids, citric acid, tannins,vitamin A, B complex, C, and E. They also have an easily assimilated form of iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and silica.
Raspberry leaf’s main medicinal actions include: astringent, tonic, parturient, refrigerant and anti-emitic. Below is a break-down to help you understand what these medicinal actions mean in relationship to this plant.
Astringent: Astringent herbs cause contraction and shrinkage of internal and external body tissues. They also help to prevent hemmorage or excessive bleeding. Red Raspberry leaves help prevent hemmorage after miscarriage or childbirth. The tannins contribute to healthy digestive function, this herb is wonderful for alleviating diarrhea.
Tonic: It’s constituent fragrine is an alkaloid that helps to tone the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus. This is a wonderful action for improving uterine health where there is uterine weakness present. This may help prevent miscarriage when used in preparation for pregnancy.
Parturient: Promotes labor. A recent study showed that 63% of midwives in the United States use this herb to stimulate labor. Although it is used quite commonly by midwives to stimulate labor it is used more often to prepare the woman’s uterus for the hard work of labor.
Refrigerant: Cools the body down, may slightly reduce fever. Note: this action only takes place if there is an actual fever present.
Anti-emitic: May reduce morning sickness by easing nausea, may prevent vomiting.

“Raspberry leaf works to encourage the uterus to let go and function without tension.”- Susun S. Weed, Author of Wise Woman Herbal For The Childbearing Year.

Red Raspberry for Fertility Issues

This herb may be helpful for the following conditions where there is menstrual bleeding issues or uterine weakness present. It would be best to use this plant to help heal and prepare for pregnancy, but should be avoided after ovulation if you are actively trying to conceive.

Recurrent Miscarriage: If you have experienced miscarriage due to uterine weakness.

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: The astringent properties of this herb help to stop heavy bleeding. It is also high in iron which may help prevent anemia due to heavy menstrual bleeding.

Poor Egg Quality/Nutritional Deficiency: This herb is very nutritive and may help to boost overall nutrition.

General Preparation for Pregnancy: If you are thinking of trying to get pregnant this herb may be a great ally for preparing your uterus and boosting overall nutritional intake. It is also safe for men to use as well as it does not contain any hormone like substances.

Uterine Trauma: If you have had surgery to remove fibroids, endometrial tissues, cysts or have had uterine prolapse, previous uterine hemmorage or a Cesarean section this herb may help your recovery and healing of the uterus. The toning effect of Red Raspberry leaf helps the uterus to recover more quickly.

Traditional Usage of Red Raspberry Leaf

This herb is best taken as an infusion (herbal tea). Drink 1 cup, 1-3 times a day. Pour ¼ cup of dried red raspberry leaf into a quart mason jar, fill with freshly boiled water, cover and let steep for at least 15-30 minutes. For a stronger infusion, steep for 3-4 hours.
Red Raspberry leaf is also sold as a tincture (liquid drops) and tablets, please follow manufacturer recommended dosage for the product purchased.
It has been shown extremely safe to consume everyday in preparation for pregnancy as well as throughout pregnancy to prepare for labor and birth.
Caution: If you have a history of recurrent miscarriage, red raspberry should only be used from after your period ends, up to ovulation and not after in case you are pregnant. The toning effect of this herb on the uterus is sometimes too much for a weak uterus and would be best used in preparation for pregnancy, in general 3-6 months prior to trying to conceive. In addition it would be best to avoid during the 1st trimester of pregnancy as well.

Simple At Home Infusion Preparations

Red Raspberry leaves have a mild flavor as opposed to other herbal teas and combine well with other herbs.

Nutritive Pregnancy Preparation Tonic
This tea is a wonderful mild uterine tonic, digestive tonic and gently supports liver health.
2 part Red Raspberry leaves
1 part Nettles
1 part Dandelion Leaf
½ part Oatstraw
½ part Peppermint

Super Yummy C
This infusion is high in Vit. C has a beautiful pink color and is delicious. Steep this tea for at least 30 minutes; rose hips take longer to steep.
1 part Red Raspberry leaves
1part dried Rose Hips
¼ part Hibiscus flower

Super Green
This is an easy way to get a daily dose of greens! Steep this tea for 3-4 hours before drinking.
2 parts Red Raspberry Leaf
1 part Nettles
1 part Alfalfa leaf
½ part Parsley leaf
½ part Dandelion leaf
½ part Peppermint or Spearmint

Starflower Oil Health Benefits?

Starflower is also commonly known as Borage and originates from Syria. It is naturalized in the Mediterranean countries as well as North Africa and South America.

The Borage flower is recognised by its bristly stems and leaves and striking blue triangular pointed petals. The five petals of the flower resemble a star – hence the name ‘starflower’. Blue is the most dominant colour but flowers can appear in pink and white.
Traditionally starflower has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It continues to be used in many European countries to supplement stews, soups and pasta dishes as well as an alternative to cucumber in salad. The popular drink 'Pimms No1' used to be garnished with starflower before being replaced by Mint.
In addition to the culinary benefits of this plant, it has also been used for medicinal purposes. The starflower seed containing between 17%-28% of gamma linoleic acid (GLA), (NNFCC factsheet).
GLA is also found in lower quantities in evening primrose oil, black currant oil and spirulina.
Starflower is used in naturopathic medicine to regulate the hormonal and metabolic system. It is widely used today in capsule form as a supplement for many ailments and conditions.
The GLA that is found in starflower oil is an Omega-6 fatty acid Most Omega-6 fatty acids are known for their inflammatory purposes; however GLA is believed to reduce inflammation. There is some debate whether or not GLA is more beneficial at reducing inflammation than Omega-3 fatty acids. GLA when taken as a supplement is converted into a substance called DGLA (umm-edu) and is reported to fight infection.
The University of Maryland Medical Center have reported some of the uses of GLA although state that much of the evidence is preliminary and further studies are needed in most areas.

Uses:

• Diabetic neuropathy – nerve pain may be reduced and probably more beneficial if blood sugars are stable.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis – may reduce swelling and pain in joints (1-3 months to benefit).
• ADHD – some clinical studies show there may be a link between children with ADHD and lower levels of essential acids, further research required.
• Eczema – may reduce the symptoms in eczema and other skin conditions.
• High Blood Pressure – may reduce blood pressure
• Menopausal and PMS symptoms – starflower is widely used to relieve these symptoms although there appears to be no strong clinical evidence many women believe the supplement to work.
• Mastalgia – cyclic breast pain - may reduce mild to moderate but not severe
• Osteoporosis – Women over 65 in one study was reported to have lost less bone density over 3 years and in some there was an increase.

How to take?
Generally starflower oil is bought in capsule form in sealed containers

How much to take?
Usually 1000mg a day

When NOT to take:
Seizure disorder – may increase seizures
Pregnancy – no evidence to ensure safety of foetus
Requiring anaesthesia – not recommended, to stop 2 weeks before
Blood thinners – if taken medication to thin blood – not recommended
Antibiotics – may reduce the effect of certain antibiotics
Chemotherapy
Immuno- suppressants
Phenothiazines
As with any supplement or medication it is always wise to seek the advice of your health care adviser before commencing.This is especially important if you are already taking medication for a condition or if you have a medical condition.

• The benefits of rose hip oil for skin care
  Rose hip oil has excellent skin care properties. It can be used on many types of skin as well as aid healing for sun burnt skin and scar tissue. More importantly its natural and won't harm your skin.
• Olive Leaf Extract Benefits
  Olive leaf extract has been shown to be beneficial for certain health conditions. It can be taken by individuals on a regular basis.

Disclaimer
Note: The guide is not meant to be fully comprehensive and is meant for information only. The author makes no guarantee, either expressed or implied, regarding the efficacy or use for any reason of the information contained within this article.

Increasing Fertility with Vitex Agnus Castus Herbs for helping you become pregnant...

Chasteberry or vitex (vitex agnus-castus) is a fertility-promoting herb with a long, safe history of human use. As far back as ancient Greece, vitex agnus castus was recognized for its herbal-medicinal properties and was utilized for a number of health complaints. The Germans call vitex "Monk's Pepper" and for centuries women in Europe have used vitex to increase their odds of conceiving a baby, as well as to treat symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance, skin condition, or PMS. 

More recently, science has validated the fertility-enhancing properties of this dynamic herb. Vitex has been shown in several clinical studies to help stimulate and stabilize the reproductive hormones involved in ovulation, cycle balance, and menstrual regularity. These studies also document a statistically-significant increase in fertility among women using vitex, with more pregnancies than in control groups using a placebo.
To understand how vitex works, let's first look at female fertility. In order for conception to take place, a woman must have a regular menstrual cycle and ovulate (release an egg from an ovary). Hormonal balance is key to regular ovulation - particularly the ebb and flow of the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone, which both prepare the body for ovulation (estrogen) and ensure that a pregnancy, once achieved, is maintained (progesterone). Regularity of both menstrual cycle and ovulatory function, dictated by the complex play of these hormones, are key factors in successfully becoming pregnant. Vitex increases fertility by helping regulate hormonal and menstrual balance. Vitex is a key ingredient in fertility supplement products like FertilAid for Women.

How Does Vitex Promote Cycle Balance?
Vitex or chasteberry is not a hormone; however, vitex works by acting on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which in turn secrete hormones or send signals to other parts of the body to trigger the production of reproductive hormones. Vitex has been shown to help increase the level of luteinizing hormone (or LH) while gently suppressing the secretion of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). In effect, vitex stimulates the hormones involved in ovulation and assists in restoring overall hormonal balance. More specifically, vitex is effective in regulating pituitary gland function and in normalizing the balance of progesterone to estrogen levels. Vitex is particularly supportive in maintaining progesterone levels during the "luteal phase", or second half, of a woman's cycle.
A large percentage of menstrual problems and infertility issues are related to insufficient progesterone production during the luteal phase, which can result in a shortened luteal phase and may possibly contribute to PCOS. With regard to the former, a "short" luteal phase is often referred to as corpus luteum insufficiency or LPD (luteal phase defect). Luteal phase defect is characterized by low progesterone levels during the second half of your cycle. With regard to PCOS, hormonal imbalance (namely insufficient levels of progesterone) may also contribute to the formation of cysts on your ovaries, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. As vitex agnus castus has been shown to support progesterone production, vitex may be suggested as a treatment for menstrual cycle imbalances, luteal phase defect, and possibly PCOS (as normalized progesterone levels and cycle regularity may suppress the development of ovarian cysts associated with estrogen dominance).

Clinical studies now support the fertility-enhancing claims associated with vitex agnus castus - as well as its facility in treating common fertility disorders. In one commonly-cited study, sixty-seven women with fertility or ovulatory disorders were given a vitex agnus castus preparation, which resulted in a marked improvement of progesterone levels during the luteal phase, earlier ovulation, and thirty-eight achieved pregnancies (Bergmann, 2000). 

In another study (Milewicz, 1993), vitex agnus castus was administered to hyperprolactinaemia female patients. The use of vitex resulted in reduced prolactin levels, as well as the normalization of luteal phase progesterone levels for women with luteal phase defect. Shortened luteal phases were therefore normalized (lengthened).
An earlier German study by Amann (1982) reveals that vitex exerts a favorable, positive effect on women with amenorrhea (the absence of menstrual cycle or period), further establishing the efficacy of vitex in restoring hormonal balance and cycle regularity. In another clinical trial conducted at Stanford, women with fertility disorders benefited from using a vitex-containing supplement, with more pregnancies in the vitex group than in placebo groups. Each of these studies demonstrates the fertility-enhancing properties of this unique herb.
Vitex is also recognized as a safe herb. It has no known side-effects, and chasteberry can be taken for up to 18 months continuously. When pregnancy is achieved, discontinue use of vitex-containing supplements, as well as any other herbal-nutritional supplements not specifically approved by your doctor. The benefits of vitex will increase over time, and maximum benefits are typically achieved after a few months of use. It is suggested to not take vitex or fertility supplements while you are using prescription fertility drugs.

A fertility supplement like FertilAid contains vitex agnus castus, as well as other key ingredients and complete preconceptional vitamin support. FertilAid for Women

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