Women's Health and Wellness

This page is dedicated to the specific needs and concerns of women, throughout their lives.

"Women's health and wellness" is a broad category that covers physical, emotional, and mental health issues. Your health is the foundation for all areas of your life, including mental agility, energy, and beauty. Why take a surface approach to wellness, when you can build from the inside out?

Women often neglect their own health and well-being in favour of taking care of the people around them. Take the time you need to treat yourself properly and to rebuild yourself. It's like what they tell you on the airplane - put your own oxygen mask on before helping others. It does those around you no good if you get run down and have nothing to give.

Herbal Beauty

Natural Beauty starts from the inside and works outward. Getting the right amount of nutrients, minerals, water, and sleep are the easiest changes to make - changes that will be reflected in your skin, hair, eyes, and general aura.

There are many aspects of beauty and self-improvement, and many reasons to set up a regimen for yourself. If you are going through a particularly stressful point in your life and want to make a few changes that will help you feel more confident and relaxed, you might investigate some of the options here, as well as in the Dieting and Fitness section below.

From Aromatherapy to Cosmetics there are key herbs and basic items that can help you look and feel your best.

Basics.

Keep these items on hand and practice the following techniques. They are the foundation of any beauty regimen, with an eye to your health.

• Distilled Water - the absolute basis for your body, inside and out. Be sure you are getting enough of this each and every day, and use it in your infusions and decoctions for your teas and herbal baths.
• Steam Facial Baths - this is a technique which opens your pores and cleanses your skin of toxins. In a wide shallow bowl, or your bathroom sink, pour 3 cups of boiling water for each tablespoon of crushed dried herbs or handful of fresh herbs. Keep your face at least 25 cm (10 inches) away from the surface of the water, and cover your head and the bowl/sink with a towel. After 10 minutes, you can add cold distilled water to the hot until it is cool enough to splash on your face and use as a rinse.
• Herbal Baths - using a tepid infusion of an herb to cleanse and tone the skin.
• Shea Butter - a good basis for skin care in the forms of lip balms, creams, and soaps. Oils is moisturizing, reduces the appearance of scars, and fades stretch marks.
• Tea Tree oils - Keep some of this oil on hand as its antiseptic properties make it a great first aid product.
• Aloe Vera - minimize facial blemishes with the gel of this multipurpose plant.
• Lecithin - creams made from this soy product are excellent moisturizers and skin rejuvenators. Use this to avoid and minimize wrinkles.
• Lemon - Antiseptic and antifungal, lemon oil helps treat many skin ailments.

Herbs to use:

Dieting & Fitness

This section is being fleshed out and will be made available as soon as it is ready.

PMS

There are many herbal remedies for the symptoms of PMS, from general uterine tonics to ailment-specific herbs.

Speak with your Naturopath before undertaking any of these therapies to ensure they are safe for you. If you do not have a Naturopath, you can select one from our Practitioners database.

• Angelica / Dong Quai - Uterine Tonic
• Angelica - Uterine Tonic
• Crampbark - Uterine Tonic
• Red Raspberry - Uterine Tonic
• Plantain - Uterine Tonic
• Blue Cohosh - Uterine Tonic
• Black Cohosh - More for Menopausal symptoms, the progesterone may be useful in treating PMS symptoms.
• Chaste Berry - Swollen Breasts

Ovarian Cysts & Fibroids

(clicking the links will give you more information on each.)

Ovarian cysts and fibroids are common in women, with most women experiencing no physical symptoms as a result.

Ovarian cysts can happen quite regularly as the ovaries develop cyst-like growths called follicles as they release eggs each month. Sometimes those follicles will become plugged and fluid will remain inside for a short while, and then vanish on its own. In some women, however, they can continue to grow, sometimes rupturing and bleeding or twisting and causing abdominal pain.

Fibroids (also called: fibromyomas, fibromas, myofibromas, and myomas) are benign (non-cancerous) tumourous growths in the uterus itself. For most women, these will shrink on their own when they pass through menopause, but for some women, they will cause heavy periods, spotting between periods, and as a result of that extra blood loss, anemia, fatigue, and weakness.

Much has been written about influencing both ailments through diet and herbal remedies. As always these methods are not meant to replace a visit to a physician and a regulated treatment if you are having problems. Uterine Tonics are herbs that strengthen the muscles of the uterus, and include Blue Cohosh, False Unicorn, Angelica. Food and nutritional recommendations for preventing and treating each of these ailments are similar:

• Reduce your intake of methyl-xanthines;
• Reduce your intake of red meat, dairy, and eggs as they are estrogenic foods;
• Remove fried foods from your diet;
• Remove refined, processed foods from your diet;
• Try to include one soy product a day (see phytoestrogen);
• Other high-quality sources of protein include organic fowl, fish, lentils, and beans;
• Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables, beets, lemons, and carrots;
• Consider seaweed as a source of other nutrients including iodine;
• Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of vitamin A, vitamin E (400 I.U.), and vitamin C, as well as Iron and Zinc; and
• Consider adding a multivitamin.

Search   antimutagenic, anticarcinogen, or antitumour.

Anemia

Hemolytic Anemia can be caused by a myriad of factors. Among them fibroids (see the section on this page), a lack of vitamin E, vitamin b6, and/or vitamin K. Pernicious Anemia is the body fighting itself, in the form of an antibody preventing red blood cells from vitamin B12. Deficiencies of Iron, bloodloss and genetic factors can all be sources of anemia.

Whatever the cause the body feels tired and weak, and it can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease. If you have any of the following symptoms, you should contact your medical professional and seek treatment immediately.

Symptoms

• Extreme fatigue
• Weakness
• Constantly feeling cold
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion or loss of concentration
• Dizziness or fainting
• Pale skin, including decreased pinkness of the lips, gums, lining of the eyelids, nail beds and palms
• Rapid heart beat (tachycardia)
• Sadness or depression

Menopause

There are many herbal remedies for the symptoms of Menopause, from general uterine tonics to ailment-specific herbs. Uterine tonics strengthen the muscles of the uterus to help you through this stage of life.

Speak with your Naturopath before undertaking any of these therapies to ensure they are safe for you. If you do not have a Naturopath, you can select one from our Practitioners database.

• Soy, particularly fermented soy products contain phytoestrogens which seem to reduce the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis.
• Angelica / Dong Quai - Uterine Tonic
• Angelica - Uterine Tonic
• Crampbark - Uterine Tonic
• Red Raspberry - Uterine Tonic
• Plantain - Uterine Tonic
• Blue Cohosh - Uterine Tonic
• Black Cohosh - More for Menopausal symptoms, the progesterone may be useful in treating PMS symptoms.
• Chaste Berry - Swollen Breasts

Osteoporosis

See Aging Gracefully.

Links

HANS - Health Action Magazine

The online publication of the Health Action Network Society with info about healthy choices

Open Up Magazine online

Open Magazine serves mid-western Ontario, with a focus on providing evidence based information on integrative health (conventional and complementary). Topics include nutrition, environmental health, mental health, supplements, and more. You can also read the current version online by clicking the magazine graphic to the right.

Books

Natural Hormone Balance for Women: Look Younger, Feel Stronger

Taking Charge of Your Fertility (Revised Edition): The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health

Belinda Grant Viagas

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Premenopause: Balance Your Hormones and Your Life from Thirty to Fifty

A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients: Fifth Edition

by Ruth Winter

Natural Foot Care: Herbal Blends and Soothing Treatments to Pamper Your Feet

Stephanie Tourles

Natural Hand Care: Herbal Treatments and Simple Techniques for Healthy Hands and Nails

Norma Weinberg

Natural Hormone Balance for Women: Look Younger, Feel Stronger

Naturally Healthy Hair: Herbal Treatments and Daily Care for Fabulous Hair

Mary Beth Janssen

The All Natural Facial Recipe Book

Dawn M. Waldock

Get Off the Menopause Roller Coaster: Natural Solutions for Mood Swings, Hot Flashes, Fatigue, Anxiety, Depression, and Other Symptoms

by Shari Lieberman

No More HRT: Menopause Treat the Cause

by Karen Jensen and Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe

Super Nutrition for Menopause: Take Control of Your Life Now and Enjoy New Vitality

by Ann Louise Gittleman

The Estrogen Alternative: Natural Hormone Therapy with Botanical Progesterone

by Raquel Martin and Judi Gerstung

Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause: A Guide to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health at Midlife and Beyond

by Suza Francina

Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation

Gurmukh, Cindy Crawford

Prenatal Yoga and Natural Birth

Jeannine Parvati Baker