One of the issues with self-prescribing for fertility is the ability to over-prescribe for yourself.
Often I will see women taking 10 herbs at once, often starting them all at once, because they read a single article and/or saw someone else taking the same combination.
Taking 10 herbs might not be problematic for you, if they are all compatible, but it could be a recipe for disaster!
Taking HerbsJust because something is 'natural' does not mean it is safe.
Firstly, the first rule of herbs: start small, start slow and do NO harm.
The second rule of herbs: Fresh is best, tincture second, capsules third.
Making your own herbal teas from dried herbs you found in an organic shop (locally produced) is fantastic. It lets you completely measure, 'brew' and take your own herbs in a regime that's right for you.
Secondary to that are tinctures. These are herbs at their finest, require only a few drops per day and last for ages. If you can't find locally produced herbs then always go for the tincture option.
Capsules are always the last option I recommend to people. Capsules often have been sitting around in a plastic bottle and have a long shelf-life. You have no control over the heat it could have been exposed to and often only get the product right before it expires.
Capsules tend to be made from 'lesser' quality herbs and stuffed with things to make them last a long time. However, if you can't find a tincture I'd rather you take a capsule than nothing at all.
Self-PrescribingNow, let's look at what's available for self-prescribing.
When researching herbs you'll come to find that almost 9 times out of 10 the websites offering advice on herbs are for online stores who stock and sell (and want to sell to you!) herbs.
Some of these stores can be a useful resource but often they are simply copying vital information from other websites and editing the information to sell a product that does wonders with no side effects.
This is why research on herbs is so limited and often very wrong. Anything you put in your body will have a consequence, good or bad, and anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong and not exactly a reputable source.
Your best bet is to spend some time with a naturopath who sells their own herbal mixes and/or professional ONLY brands. But I know naturopaths are often hard to come by and some are very difficult to work with so self-prescribing can be a manageable and easy practice.
Useful Herbs for Fertility- Red Clover
- Red Raspberry Leaf
- Stinging Nettle
- Oat Straw
- Vitex
- Soy Isoflavone
- Maca Root
- False Unicorn Root
- Spirulina
- Wobenzyme
- Evening Primrose Oil
- Flaxseed Oil
- Fatty Fish Oils
Why do Women Take Herbs?For centuries women have taken herbs to regulate their menses, achieve pregnancy and terminate pregnancy. That is the most simple fact of herbal folklore. Somewhere along the line herbal traditions were ended (the Holocaust and the ruin of Native American culture) and pharmaceutical companies began creating, researching and selling drugs to your doctors and society at large.
We've suddenly forgot that there are natural ways to treat the body and that the majority of pharma meds are based on plant (herb) parts. The root, the stalk, the leaves, the blossom -- aspirin in one of the finest examples.
Why do you need to consider herbs? Well, for me I turned to herbs after fertility drugs failed me. Truly. 6 rounds of Clomid, 1 case of OHSS and a miscarriage and I was pretty upset at the lack of 'the dream' I was promised.
We were saving for a house deposit, we had no insurance coverage for fertility drugs and we had run the Clomid gamut. What was next?
HerbsWe knew in my particular case that I have 1 functional ovary (my right ovary) and 1 completely non-functional ovary (my left one). We knew from an in-depth laparoscopy, hysteroscopy and resulting D&C that I had scar tissue all over my uterus.
What we also knew was that my body would ovulate from the right but be over-powered by the cysts forming on the left, rupturing and causing me to take an obscene amount of NSAIDs for the pain. We also learned that the scar tissue could be one of the reasons for the miscarriages.
So, I turned to a yahoo group and set out to learn all these herbal women could teach me.
When Something Isn't Working...Susan Weed has this beautiful breakdown of what herbs for pregnancy should do.
"Herbs which encourage pregnancy are characterized by their ability to:
a. nourish and tonify the uterus
b. nourish the entire body
c. relax the nervous system
d. establish and balance normal hormonal function
e. balance sexual desire "
If ovulation is delayed or absent it makes sense to work on the body and find out why. However, I've found most women don't care about the whys and just want to be pregnant...now!
Unfortunately for the impatient, the body doesn't work that way. Everyday we put things into our body: caffeine, tea, sugar. Every day we put things on our body: shampoo, lotion, makeup. Add to this the things we inhale, the bugs we are exposed to and all the chemicals our food and clothing are exposed to. These additions, no matter how big or small, cause some sort of physical reaction. It's one of the most basis rules of physics: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. And this is absolutely, 100% true for your body.
We all have experienced the reaction that happens when clothing gets stuck in the washer and you find, after putting on your t-shirt, that it's caked in detergent. Your body immediately causes an itching reaction. Red, angry, itchy. It's forcing you to take notice of this problem. This same response is found all throughout the body. We just sometimes don't or can't take notice of these reactions.
Not just external reactions, but it happens inside the body too. Drink too much caffeine and you either get a headache or get jittery. Eat too much sugar and you'll feel your body 'crash' hours later. Eat something too spicy or hot and your gut will act quickly to push those substances out!
We take these bodily reactions for granted and only really pay attention when our body elicits an over reaction, or an 'allergic' reaction.
So many people fail to realize that herbs are drugs. Herbs ARE drugs. Herbs are the basis for so many pharmaceutical drugs already on the market and more and more drugs and herbs are hitting the market.
Think of it this way: Sugar is a drug. Cinnamon is a drug. Chili is a drug. Caffeine is a drug. All come from plants that we take for granted.
Everything you put into your body will have an equal reaction. And this can be a very, very good thing!
Which is why you must always start small, start slow and DO NO Harm.
Red CloverRed Clover is the most important starting point for women truly looking to treat the entire body and not just try to 'trigger' ovulation. Susan Weed, the wise woman of herbs, recommends this herb as the starting point for all women looking to conceive.
In Herbs For Fertility, Susan writes: "One of the most cherished of the fertility-increasing plants is red clover (Trifolium pratense). Common in fields and along roadsides, it has bright pink (not really red) blossoms from mid-summer into the chilly days of fall. A favorite flower of the honeybees, the tops (blossoms and appending leaves) are harvested on bright sunny days and eaten as is, or dried for medicinal use. The raw blossoms are delicious in salads and nutritious when cooked with grains such as rice or millet.
To make a fertility-enhancing infusion, I take one ounce by weight of the dried blossoms (fresh won't work for this application) and put them in a quart size canning jar. I fill the jar with boiling water, screw on a tight lid, and let it steep at room temperature overnight (or for at least four hours). Dozens of women have told me that they had successful pregnancies after drinking a cup or more (up to four cups) a day of red clover infusion.
It is especially helpful if there is scaring of the fallopian tubes, irregular menses, abnormal cells in the reproductive tract, or "unexplained" infertility. It may take several months for the full effect of this herb to come on and pregnancy may not occurs until you have used it for a year or two. You can improve the taste by including some dried peppermint (a spoonful or two) along with the dried clover blossoms when making your infusion. Treat the father of the child-to-be to some red clover infusion, too!"
Kristen Hart explored the benefits of the little blossom: "Red clover is widely useful as a 'purifying' herb. It helps to rid the body of mucous and aids the body in efficient waste elimination. It’s also a blood booster and has long been used as a gentle cough remedy for children.
It truly shines as a fertility boosting herb because of its nourishing properties. It has large amounts of vitamins and minerals. Most trace minerals are found in red clover blossoms. Calcium and magnesium are abundant and very available - so much so that Susan Weed states it is 'exceedingly absorbable.'
These minerals are useful for supporting the blood and bones, as well as the reproductive system. A gentle red clover tonic makes all these nutrients available to the uterus and other reproductive organs. They also help to relax the reproductive system and allow it to work at maximum efficiency.
Red clover also has an alkalinizing effect on the whole body, which creates a more sperm-friendly environment within your body. Combined with peppermint to make a tasty brew that also stimulates the sex drive it is a perfect drink to prepare for conception."
And, not to be outdone, the little clover was even taken for examination by How Stuff Works.com: "It may be that the isoflavones in red clover have an estrogenic effect when consumed as a staple part of the diet. We still have much to learn about isoflavones, but it seems logical that they may prove useful in conditions associated with very low estrogen levels (menopause, chronic miscarriage, some cases of infertility) and should be avoided in cases of estrogen excess (uterine fibroids, endometriosis, breast cancer). Red clover has been a traditional folk therapy for infertility and chronic miscarriage, both of which can be due to insufficient estrogen."
How Much?As Susan Weed instructed, it's best to use a proper Mason type jar with screw on lid. I found the complete ounce (1oz = 29g) of Red Clover to be a tad overpowering at first so I used about 1 teaspoon for the entire jar (1 US quart jar = 1.1L).
The most important bit is not to use boiling water. Boil the water and let it cool for a few minutes. Boiling water will ruin the important properties of the plant (the volatile oils) and make the tea very, very bitter.
I started with 1 teaspoon of herb to the water (I have a 1 quart Mason Jar with screw on lid) and drank it after 2 hours of seeping. Not exactly what Ms. Weed 'prescribes' because I did find it challenging to drink. After a few weeks I grew accustomed to the taste and once added with all the other herbs for your regime I learned there are other, much more awful tasting things to drink!
After about a week I could do 2 teaspoons and let it seep for 4 hours. At this stage I would drink half the mixture in one day and drink the rest the following day. I kept the tea in the fridge and found it is MUCH nicer served cold with ice.
(I think the colder temperature masks the real flavour.)
After about 6 weeks in total I upped my mix to 4 teaspoons Red Clover, 1 Tablespoon Mint and would let it sit for 4 hours. I began to drink only 1/3 of the tea cold, with lemon.
Start small, start slow and do NO harm. You can also avoid the hassle of making tea every day (or every other day) by taking a small amount of Red Clover Tincture in warm or cold water. (This is a good idea for busy women or the men in their lives.)
When to Take ItThe beautiful thing about Red Clover is that when taken in normal amounts it is a very regulating herb full of trace minerals. This means that it can be taken every single day with no worry about what stage your cycle is entering. Once pregnancy is achieved you may remove the red clover from your daily tea regime. It is not indicated in miscarriage, and is full of those wonderful trace minerals, but is probably best left in the cupboard. It can be eaten raw in salads during pregnancy for those trace minerals.
What Not To Do There aren't many ways to go wrong with Red Clover but I can imagine trying to drink an ounce of the herb on Day 1 might not exactly be the best bet. If you are used to the herbal taste of dried herbs you might not mind it but it certainly was eye-opening for me. Another mistake would be to try and increase your herb past the 1 ounce recommended by Susan Weed. I know how desperate a woman can feel when trying to conceive but you can set your body backwards by increasing the amount of estrogen in your body too quickly and to an exceeding level.
Red Raspberry Leaf"Brewed as a tea, red raspberry leaf is one of the safest and commonly used tonic herbs for women wanting to get pregnant or for women who are already pregnant. Red Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus) tones the uterus, improves contractions and decreases constipation. It also contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and calcium. The alkaloid fragrine is thought to help tone the uterus." (Source)
Linda B. White, M.D. writes in her Wise Use of Herbs and Vitamins during Pregnancy that: "Red Raspberry is a tonic that has been used safely by people in North America and Europe for hundreds of years. Catherine Hunziker, owner of WishGarden Herbs and an instructor at the Rocky Mountain School of Botanical Medicine in Boulder, Colorado, calls it "the best all-around herb for a healthy pregnancy. It's a nourishing, building herb that has an affinity for the reproductive system."
This nutritive herb is rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins B, C, and E, and the alkaloid fragarine--the constituent that contributes to the plant's potency as a pregnancy tonic. It increases fertility in men and women (especially when combined with red clover), tones the uterus, eases morning sickness, and assists in plentiful milk production."
How Much?According to Dr. White, "to make a tea, add one to two tablespoons dried leaf per cup of boiling water and steep ten to 20 minutes. You may want to alternate red raspberry with other nutritive herbs such as nettles or combine it with other nourishing herbs. Motherlove's "Tea for Two" recipe contains red raspberry, red clover (blood cleansing), nettles (nourishing), alfalfa (also nourishing), and spearmint (tastes good and calms the stomach).
If you have a history of miscarriage, some herbalists recommend that you should delay using the common variety of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) by itself, especially as a tincture, until after the first trimester. You can then drink one to two cups of tea a day every other day. Also, if your previous labor has been under three hours, red raspberry may be contraindicated. Check with your health practitioner."
When to Take ItThe beauty of this herb lies in it's ability to be used all throughout pregnancy and before labour. There is some internet lead belief that Red Raspberry Leaf Tea will push you into labour which is completely false. What it will do is support uterine tone and help support the uterus during labour.
What Not To DoI think it would be almost impossible to physically harm yourself with this herb, however the threat of allergic reaction or the use in women with recurrent miscarriage can always create potential for something to happen.
As always use caution, as you would with any herbal regime.
Stinging Nettle (or just 'Nettle')Violet Snow calls the Nettle Plant, "the plant that talks back" and she couldn't be more accurate! The first time I heard about Stinging Nettle I laughed a bit to myself about how this so called 'hairy' plant could ignite a fire ant like response in people. I read about how it is picked carefully and laid out to dry in the sun. And I thought it seemed kind of weird that a single plant could be so vicious. Surely they were wrong, right?
Then, about 2 days after buying my first bag of dried Nettle herb I had the unexpected pleasure of grabbing a cluster of Nettle plants bare handed.
It was worse than a jellyfish sting, it was worse than a team of wasps stinging, and it was way worse than fire ants. It took about 16 days for the poison to finally be released from my hand and arm. Ms. Snow calls the Nettle an aggressive plant and I agree with her description.
Linda B. White, M.D. explains: "Nettles are rich in biochelated iron, calcium, and protein, as well as a host of other important nutrients. "It is virtually a pregnancy tonic by itself," says [Rosemary] Gladstar (author of Herbal Healing for Women). The benefits of drinking nettle infusion before and throughout pregnancy include nourishing and strengthening the kidneys, increasing fertility in men and women, nourishing the mother and the fetus, diminishing leg cramps and childbirth pain, preventing hemorrhage after birth, reducing hemorrhoids, and increasing the richness and amount of mother's milk."
"Nettles are a uterine tonic and a general nourisher with the special ability to strengthen the kidneys and adrenal glands. It is an excellent food and tonic for the hormonal system. Nettles is very high in iron and calcium and other minerals, plus it contains substantial amounts of chlorophyll." (Source)
Susan Weed lists Nettle as one of the mega herbs to help reduce birth defects in women over 30 trying to conceive: "Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures, pills, and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)"
How MuchNettle Tea has to be one of the worst drinking teas I've tried. It took about 9 months of my daily herbal regime before I stopped gagging at the taste of the Nettle. I've read online that it tastes 'green' or like 'dried spinach'. I agree to a certain extent. They would be doing themselves a disservice if they wrote that the herbal tea tastes bitter, grassy, like bark, has a lingering after taste of weeds and can make even the strongest gut weak at the thought of drinking more.
Nettle is such an extremely generous and rich herb that it's well worth forcing yourself to give it a go.
My rule of thumb is 1tsp Mint for 1 tsp Nettle. The mint really does little to help mask the Nettle flavour but it does at least work to help your taste buds recover from the Nettle assault.
I would start with 1/4 of a teaspoon of Nettle in your daily brew and work up a tolerance of 2 teaspoons. I have never managed anything stronger than 2 teaspoons although I can't imagine anything up to 1 tablespoon being harmful. The more herb you use the stronger the taste and I honestly think that's Nature's way of managing how much herb you take.
When to Take ItNettle can be taken as a tea throughout the cycle and during pregnancy. It has a wealth of vitamins and minerals that make it brilliant for use during pregnancy, however the taste might make consumption during pregnancy difficult.
I have seen Nettle tinctures but these would do very little to supply the body with all the nutrients found in the plant and concentrated extracts of Nettle can be dangerous during pregnancy.
So stick with the tea and add it to your herbal regime.
What Not To Do"According to Sharol Tilgner, ND, president of Wise Women Herbals in Creswell, Oregon, nettles should be picked prior to flowering to avoid bladder and kidney irritation. Although use as a tonic is considered safe in pregnancy, concentrated extracts of stinging nettles (such as used to treat hay fever) can act as an abortifacient." (Source)
OatStrawOatStraw is an amazing herb. So few women actually add this herb to their herbal regime but it is one of the most important herbs you can actually add because it works so well for so many intrinsic, systemic issues.
The Amazing Herbal Guru at Local Harvest.org explains:"Oat Straw is rich in calcium and magnesium. It can be used for both physical and nervous fatigue and is helpful for depression. Oatstraw also contains B-complex vitamins, silicia, calcium, flavones, saponins, and Vitamin A.
Oatstraw has been found to be an excellent toner for the whole system. Oat Straw is useful for thyroid and estrogen deficiency, for MS, osteoporosis, appetite loss, anorexia, urinary concerns, colds and chills and to encourage sweating. It's secondary uses are boils, weak bones, bursitis, constipation, gallbladder, kidney problems, liver disorders, pancreatic concerns, rheumatism, and some skin conditions.
This herb increases internal heat, dispels internal chill and strengthens metabolism and circulation, relieves symptoms of depression, prevents and relieves spasms, softens and soothes damaged or inflamed surfaces such as the gastric mucous membranes, strengthens functional activity of the nervous system, helps with the process of assimilating food and has the property of nourishing, and restores, nourishes, and supports the entire body; it exerts a gently strengthening effect on the body."
So, it's not at all related to the menstrual cycle or getting pregnant, so why is it so important?
Let's consider today's diet of processed food, environmental toxins and stress. If you eat a lot of 'white' products (white sugar, white flour, white rice) you might be getting intestinal upset. Turn to oatstraw.
You might feel stressed at the prospect of having children. You want a baby, right? It's the right move, right? Or maybe it's infertility. Why is this not happening!? What are we 'doing' wrong!? Why will my family/friends/neighbours not shut up?!
And with Oatstraw reportedly being loaded with calcium, with one cup containing up to 300 mg, it is the perfect addition to any menstruating woman's herbal regime.
Oatstraw is simply an amazing herb. But it's no quick fix. You can't zap away your nerves with oat straw the way you can with Valium or other benzodiazapines. But, with each cup you ingest, you ARE working away at total health. What you DO does add up, each cup, each herb, each day.
How MuchFollow the lead of the LocalHarvest.org guru: "Oatstraw is not a quick fix herb, it is an herb that can be quite effective if used on a regular basis over time. Every person and every situation is different, but a general guideline could be to drink two to three cups of infusion, three or four times a week. It is slow to act in the system but has a long lasting effect.
Oatstraw may also be added to the bath to help relieve overall nervous body tensions and combines well with Lemon Balm for this purpose."
When to Take ItOatstraw, as we have seen, is a slow acting herb that works on all systemic areas of the body. Therefore it is safe for all areas of your cycle and into pregnancy.
What Not To DoI think the worst thing you could do is expect too much too soon. And therefore try to speed up the 'relief' you're seeking and take too much of the herb. Of course there is always an issue with allergies to any botanical plant which is why it should be added, slowly, to an established herbal regime.
Your Herbal RegimehKimberly Gallagher, in her article for Family Herbal Remedies.com, writes that one must embrace herbs
According to Ageless.co.za you should always keep these reminders handy when considering herbal regimes:
* Only use the herbal material if you are 100% sure that it really the herb in question.
* If you are ill or have any health concerns, consult your health practitioner.
* Do not continuously drink the same infusion. At maximum use for 10 days and then skip 5 days.
* Only have one cup of herbal infusion per day, except during acute periods - such as when you have a cold or flu, you can then have it three times a day, but for a maximum of 4 days.
* When you use herbal remedies, be aware that they can be extremely powerful, and should you have any side effects when taking these infusions, immediately stop using the herb and consult your health practitioner right away.
