Herbal Womb Wisdom

It’s easy to think that our systems are separate. We don’t typically think - “oh, I have a hormonal imbalance, I wonder if my food sensitivities or bloating are related to that." But the truth is, your gut is intricately related to your hormonal health in a variety of ways. And most especially through your miraculous microbiome, including a specialized part called “the estrobolome.” Whether y...

Cesarean births are on the rise globally. And though the numbers are staying pretty stable in the US, they account for about 1/3 of all births here. Regardless of where you live, the healing process afterwards is something we absolutely do NOT talk about enough. It's multifaceted and different for everyone.  For some, cesareans are a chosen form of birth. But for many, they're a complete...

Have you ever heard anything about the connection between your womb and your heart? It may sound strange, like they are so different in their structure and function that it doesn't make sense, but in both traditional teachings from Chinese medicine and in current scientific research we see they are more linked than you may think. Modern western biomedicine tends to separate and isolate body p...

Diastasis what? I know, this is not the most common topic of conversation for most of us.  But Diastasis recti (aka the separation of your visible abdominal muscles) is actually not that rare. Especially postpartum.  And you may not even know you have it!   While it’s not a condition that has major consequences initially, it’s something that impacts the integrity of your entire core so it’s helpfu...

Is vitex really "the great hormone balancer" of herbs? If you’ve ever googled “hormone balancing herbs” I bet you’ve found a list of herbs including vitex (or chaste tree berry). It’s probably one of the most well-known herbs for hormonal regulation in modern practice. And for good reason.  People work with vitex for fertility, irregular cycles, irregular bleeding, estrogen dominant cond...

Let's be honest, there's a gaping hole in our society around caretaking ourselves after loss of any kind. But most especially around pregnancy loss, and even more so around the experience of abortion.  It's interesting to consider how quick we are to express our opinions about abortion rights (no matter where you are on the spectrum of choice), but how very rarely we ever talk about...

Aphrodisiacs. A term you've probably heard countless times in your life, most of us have at least, in popular culture, media, movies, books and maybe even classes. The thing is, the term aphrodisiac is too general to really give us much insight into how the herbs or foods are even working in our bodies.  Really, all 'aphrodisiac' means is that at some point in human history, that su...

Your cycle is a vital sign. A clear signal that can help you understand the map of optimal health (or not) in your body.  When you see symptoms coming up, anything from PMS to irregular cycles to menstrual pain to fertility challenges, that’s your body saying ‘it’s time to make a change.’ But what changes do you make?  Especially if your symptoms are vague or “subclinical” (meaning not quite at th...

Unless you’ve been hiding out in the woods with no media over the past decade, my guess is you’ve heard of adaptogens. And at some point you may have tried some.  This herbal action has basically reached celebrity status, as far as herbs go. And for good reason.  They support us in states of chronic stress, support our blood sugar regulation, enhance our stamina and some even encourage better slee...

What could it look like to experience deep nourishment and caretaking during major transitions in our lives? For those of us with wombs, we travel through multiple significant transitions purely because we have menstural cycles. Everything from our first period (menarche), to becoming a parent, to pregnancy loss or release, to menopause, and beyond.  And we go through massive changes throughout ou...

The longest night of the year is upon us. The energies of quiet, receptivity and stillness are palpable (if you listen beyond the frenzy of holiday preparations) and our bodies are attuned to this darkness in ways we might not realize.  How are you honoring this time in your body and your life? So many of us have lost touch with the ancestral seasonal traditions that commonly harnessed the energy...

So many of us are told it's "normal" to feel depressed, anxious or irritable premenstrually. As if we should just accept it and move on.  And even when the symptoms are significant, maybe even debilitating, we're told to either just push through them or to medicate them away.  But the thing is, there are some people who experience symptoms that are far beyond the weepiness, moo...

Okay, so let's be honest... vaginal fluids are not everyone's favorite topic.  In fact, so often we avoid talking about the fluids, smells or colors we see "down there," especially with friends, family members, and even healthcare practitioners. It's a sensitive topic, I know. But your fluids (and yes, by fluids I mean discharge, mucus, arousal fluids, etc) offer a lens in...

How do you relate to the winter season? What are the ways that you naturally support your body through this time of colder, darker days?  These aren't questions we often ask, at least not in the dominant western worldview. But traditional wisdom from around the world teaches us that winter is a time for quieting down, for reflection, for introspection and for deeply nourishing ourselves.  For...

Bitter herbs beyond digestion? It's true. Almost everything we ever hear about bitters is about how they stimulate our appetite, encourage digestive juices to flow and enhance our bowel movement. Like, literally, that's what most people say, on repeat, every time they talk about bitters. But there is SO MUCH MORE to these herbs and foods than just supporting our digestive function (thoug...

Vaginal steaming. Yoni steaming. Pelvic steaming.  Whatever name you use for this practice, it's likely you've heard of it, and maybe even tried it. Or... maybe this concept is totally new to you. At the most basic level, it's like making a strong tea and sitting over it with a bare pelvic floor. Almost as simple as it can get.  And really, it's ancient. Steam itself is one of...

It's the first day of your period, your moon, your bleeding time.  What do you do?  If you're like many, it's probably just a day like many others with the added need to make sure your have menstrual products to capture your blood, and possibly something to medicate the pain away or deal with other symptoms.  Or maybe you honor this time in some way already. Maybe it's a time o...

Sun exposure. Bare feet on earth. Time with trees. All of these practices may seem simple (and they are), but they also have the potential to affect your body, your mind, and your spirit profoundly.  And today, functional medicine health coach Efan Hsieh  shares all about not only some nature connection practices that may be beneficial to ease stress and burnout, but also the science behind how th...

Oh, schisandra, what a great herbal love. I know, not as popular as say, dandelion or nettles, but to me, schisandra is just as essential for our apothecaries.  Perhaps you're familiar with this plant already, maybe you think of schisandra as an adaptogen, or as a lung tonic, or even as an herb to contain and replenish fluids in the body... or maybe you're completely new to this beautifu...

What's your relationship to pleasure?  I'm talking your personal pleasure... not what you think you should like, not just orgasms, not just what you do out of habit or routine or to please others. But actually what you want, what feels good to you, in your body, in your life. How much do you prioritize *that* kind of pleasure in your life? If you're like most of us, it's probab...

What’s your cycle telling you? Just like breathing, heart rate, temperature and blood pressure, your menstrual cycle is an essential function that offers clues and insights into how your body is doing.  A vital sign. And what’s especially interesting is that our menstrual cycles are not just a momentary look at overall health and wellness, they’re actually a barometer of the past few weeks, or mon...

Most of us think of the menopausal transition as something that happens later in life.  ...in our 40's or 50's. After our childbearing years are completely over. As our fertility wanes.  And while that's partly true, there's another part of the story. The reality is that our bodies are always changing, from the time of menarche (first period) all the way through menopause (12 m...

Have you ever thought about the importance of having well-nourished blood? I think it's one of those elements of our bodies that we neglect to think about often enough. We're always talking about our livers, our digestion, our hormones, our brain.  But what about that absolutely essential viscous liquid that carries essential nutrients everywhere in our bodies, our blood? I think maybe i...

What is a fertile body?  And how do our societal narratives limit what's possible for us when we're trying to conceive? Nutritionist + herbalist Sarah Shapiro shares all about her personal four year journey to cultivating optimal fertility in her body that started at 36.  And in contrast to conventional medical wisdom which says that 35 is some kind of fertility cliff, she was healthier...

How would your experience change if you actually treated your womb like an altar? I know, this concept may seem strange at first, but the reality is that your womb is arguably the most powerful place in your body, and truly a sacred space.  Sure, our hearts, our brains, and our lungs are significant, too. But our wombs are a place of creation. A place where the spark of life is possible. What&apos...