​​What if I shared with you that there is an herb that could help your baby with cradle cap, your son with acne, your daughter with painful cramps, and your mother with menopausal discomfort? What if I told you this herb grows at the edges of fields across the country? Would you believe it?
 
Growing up the only clover I knew was the white clover, I didn’t have a particular affinity for it.  Mostly I knew not to step on them as bees loved them.  It wasn’t out of bee preservation but my own desire to not be stung that I kept an eye out as I ran across open spaces.  In recent years I have come to know of a more delicate and beautiful clover; the red clover.  It is a powerhouse of activity and nutrition bundled in a small delicate flower.
 
Throughout our life our body is in a constant state of flux and change of hormones that help us to grow and blossom.  At times these shifts may not be as smooth as we would like in our body.  When this happens our skin and mood can reflect these changes and imbalances. 
 
Even at a young age these issues can come up.  Cradle cap is one example of a medically insignificant but annoying health issues that affects many newborns and young children.  The oil glands are in a state of overproduction leaving a crusty or thickened patch on the head or elsewhere on the body.
 
An easy remedy that is safe for even young children is to make a simple tea of red clover and burdock root. Set a small bit apart and have the child drink a bit daily and then use the remaining tea and wash child’s head with it.  Within a week or two your baby’s skin will be back to being baby-fresh and soft.

This gentle remedy can be just as effective with the teenagers in your life.  The liver is largely taxed with breaking down and disposing of hormones in the body. There are times in life when the liver isn’t working optimally to do that and is overwhelmed. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is thought that foods such as chips, sweets, and processed foods inhibit the health of the liver and the ability for it to do its job. So in some respect acne can be considered a perfect storm of overactive hormones and poor diet that manifest in this rather unpleasant outward skin issue that is the bane of many teenagers and young adults.  While some medications can help they rarely address the root issue. 
 
One of the primary actions of red clover is as an alterative. Alteratives are herbs that are loosely defined as helping the body to rid itself of metabolic waste through the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin.  This action makes red clover very beneficial for not only acne but also eczema and rashes. This mild stimulation of the liver helps not only hormonal teenage acne but also premenstrual acne that is also caused by an intense hormonal shift. To read more about how red clover can help with other premenstrual health concerns read the article Nutritive Tonic for the Menstrual Cycle.
 
Besides its hormone balancing attributes by improving liver function another attribute of red clover that makes it very useful for women is its phytoestrogens.  While there continues to be studies on its effectiveness in alleviating menopausal issues many cultures use it for this purpose with results.  One benefit it can provide to women through this aging process is a reduction in hot flashes and night sweats. Interestingly it has also been shown to reduce BPH in older men.  Two other benefits can’t be overlooked.  Red clover has the potential to increase bone density in women which is a common concern as her natural estrogen declines. It also has been shown to improve cardiovascular arterial plasticity which is important as a woman ages her risk for cardiovascular diseases increase as well. 
 
These same phytoestrogens (isoflavones) that provide these benefits do have some concern.   There is some concern that it will negatively impact those with estrogen dominant tumors such as is often the case with breast cancer. Interestingly more than 33 cultures use it for its anti-tumor effect on breast cancer though so be sure to do your research if this is a concern for you.

I hope enjoyed learning a bit more about this amazing and abundant plant. Please reach out if you are suffering with any hormonal issues so that we can get you back feeling your best!

Cramps got you down? There are herbs to help! 

In our recent Herbal Intensive Year 1 class we were covering Women's Health.  It is a huge area of health that many women would be well served to know more about for themselves, their daughters, and their friends.

There are many herbs we can use to support women's health from head to toe.  Unfortunately, many women really struggle with their reproductive health so the next 2 newsletters and blogs will be associated with how to improve our health with regards to premenstrual cramps and more.  There are some herbs that I think every woman might want to include in their lives!  Share this newsletter if you have friends that benefit from this information!

My top 5 favorite herbs for general Women's Health:

• Raspberry - for a healthy uterus for any stage of a woman's life, lessen cramps, improve labor experience
• Partridgeberry - to reduce excessive bleeding during menstrual cycles and post-partum
• Blackhaw - to relax uterine cramps
• Shatavari - for increased fertility and to support a smoother transition into menopause
• Blue Vervain - for PMS, anxiety, and irritability

From an herbal perspective there are three main ways that I look at menstrual dysfunction such as cramping. I consider lack of good pelvic circulation, an excess diet high in inflammatory foods, such as chips, alcohol, or processed foods in general, that cause higher inflammatory prostaglandins and a deficient diet that does not include enough minerals such as calcium.
 
Let’s start with calcium as this might be the least commonly known issue. Ten days prior to menstruation our calcium levels begin to drop and continue to do so until about 3 days prior to menstruation. This decreased blood calcium level contributes to cramping, water retention, headaches, achiness, depression, and insomnia. Another mineral that can help is magnesium.  I often recommend a product such as Natural Calm (magnesium citrate). Red clover infusion is another option that would be supportive as well. Generally, I do not recommend that clients increase dairy intake for their calcium needs as with that often comes an increase of other issues associated with excessive dairy consumption.
 
Back to those pesky prostaglandins for a moment. Our body makes these chemicals that are required for normal menstruation from essential fatty acids.  Most of us have heard how omega-6 fatty acids are “bad” and omega-3 are “good.” This holds true somewhat here as well. If we can reduce the intake and ratio of linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) foods such as fried and processed foods and increase consumption of alpha-linoleic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) such as from greens and seeds among other things we can help the body reach a better balance. This will result in reduced inflammation not only during our menstrual cycle but throughout our whole body.
 
Stay tuned for more blog posts on other issues related to menstrual cramps such as pelvic stagnation and lack of circulation.

Find out your herbal skill level with our new quiz! We are excited to provide this fun activity and a little information on a few of our favorite herbs. Share this quiz and see how your herbal knowledge stacks up to your friends and family! 
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​Take the quiz here!