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Ask the Herbalist_questions on Pregnancy/Fertility/Nursing
One good reference on the web and a site you may wish to visit it is called The Natural Pharmacist www.tnp.com.
Another great site for chemical constituents and actions of medicinal plants is Jim Dukes at
http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ Another good source for information is the herbal PDR written by the same company
that writes the Physician Desk Reference on drugs, we carry it in our store if you would like to mail-order it. Another
book for your library is called the Botanical Safety Handbook, Editors include Michael McGuffin, CHristopher Hobbs,
Roy Upton, Alicia Goldberg, and Daniel Gagnon is listed in the Acknowledgements section. It is put out by the
AMerican Herbal Products Asociation.
We carry the PDR in our store and can get the Botanical Safety Handbook if you can't find them locally, we mail-order
everyday.
And now the herbs you asked about.
Yellow Dock is used for inflammation of the skin, acne etc. It can stimulant a laxative effect so possible side effects of
overuse include cramps, diarrhea, nausea. In addition, yellow dock contains oxalic acid so for those prone to kidney
stones avoidance may be cautioned. In general Yellow Dock can cause nausea, use in small amounts, what it does
do is help with mineral and nutrient absorption so it is excellent to combine with highly nutritious herbs like nettles or
horsetail taken as a tea of dry in pill or powder form.
Echinacea is a immune potentiator and considered by some a blood cleanser, no contraindication in pregnancy have
been established, It can cause mild GI upset or allergic reaction, no known herb drug interaction. It has been tested in
high doses without toxicity.
Sarsaparilla is used as an anti-inflammatory especially to the skin or connective tissue, good alterative which helps the
body to increase elimination of toxins, can increase diuresis drink plenty of water, no contraindication in pregnancy
have been tested. Generally known as non toxic.
Burdock a great alterative, the sugars constituents of the herb slow the body's uptake of sugar from the GI tract, used
in the popular herbal Cancer formulas called 1.) Hoxey and 2.) Essiac good for chronic conditions of the skin, caution
is given for hypoglycemia when used in large amounts, Burdock root is eaten a vegetable in Japan on a regular basis
without toxicity.
Oregon Grape is used again as an alterative to cleanse the body recommend for acne, psoriasis, eczema, its
constituent berberine is used as an antibiotic, it is contraindicated in pregnancy because the berberine has been
found as a uterine stimulant causing contraction in testing.
Red Clover again is listed as an alterative, is recommended for the treatment of acne, eczema, psoriasis, and other
skin diseases, it is also used in cancer formulas, normally non toxic. It is listed on the FDA's GRAS (generally
recognized as safe) list, and is consumed regularly in teas and as a wild food. However it has been shown to have
blood-thinning and estrogen-like constituents and the general warning given is use by pregnant or nursing women
should be avoided although safety levels have not been studied or established. A possible herb drug interaction could
occur with blood thinning, anticoagulant drugs
Black Cohosh is normally given to menopausal women for issues concerning this timeframe in their lives along with
pain in muscles especially pain in the uterus for women, it is also indicated for doom and gloom depression associated
with female reproductive issues or conditions, a contraindication for pregnancy is given because the herb can effect
blood pressure either up or down idiosyncratically. It should also be taken with food because stomach upset seems to
be a common side effect.
Dong Quai this herb is generally regarded as nontoxic and is also used in FRS issue like Black Cohosh, it is
contraindicated in pregnancy in at least the first trimester, use during pregnancy should be guided by a qualified
herbalist.
Chaste Tree is again an FRS herb, use during pregnancy is contraindicated because of a reported ability to lower
prolactin levels. This herb does not contain phytoestrogens but works via the pituitary balancing FSH (folicle
stimulating hormone) and LH (lutenizing hormone). It is used for elevated estrogen and normal to low progesterone
OR normal estrogen and low progesterone hormone levels.
Siberian Ginseng is considered an adaptogen helping the body deal with stress, it is considered safe and non toxic
one side effect for some is over stimulation leading to insomnia
Wild Yam is used for menstrual cramps, nausea, gas and diarrhea, it does not contain and human hormones it does
contain chemicals which have structures which can be used as a starting point for chemists to produce synthetic
human hormones, as of this writing there are no contraindication indicated or demonstrated for this herb but again
there is little if any testing done.
Fresh oats is a great nervine, building to the bodies nervous system food for it when we are pushing ourselves and
burning the candle at both ends or have a nervous system problem, neurasthenia. It is considered non toxic and safely
consumed as a food worldwide. The Contraindications are Celiac disease, high gluten allergy
Horsetail is a great nutritive herb, builder to the skin, nails and hair, it is also a diuretic however it has been listed as
contraindicated in pregnancy because the fresh herb has an enzyme that destroys B1, this is not so in the dry herb.
The herb is also said to contain small amounts of nicotine also contraindicated in pregnancy.
Fo-Ti is a bad common name it refers to several plants and several preparations of this herb, I will talk about the Latin
Named: Polygonium multiflorum, FO-TI. This herb can cause a laxative effect and has been used for women because
of its high iron content to help restore blood issues. It is used in a wide range of formulas in TCM
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