Morning Sickness: Usurping the Problem Early

Best Single Herb: Red raspberry

Best Combinations: Ginger; peppermint; red raspberry; red beet, yellow dock, red raspberry, chickweed, burdock, nettle, mullein; psyllium hulls (for constipation)

Other Helpful Supplements: B-complex; calcium/magnesium

Possible Causes: Constipation; stressed liver

Complementary Help: Peppermint oil dabbed on tongue

Morning sickness occurs due to pregnancy and is usually caused by a toxic system, especially a stressed or overburdened liver. If you haven’t had a chance to do some internal cleansing before you conceived, you will not be able to cleanse now, but remember to do so if you have a chance before the next child. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some safe herbal remedies during pregnancy.

Red Raspberry: Come to Mama

The leaves of the red raspberry bush (Rubis idaeus) are used as a tonic to strengthen the reproductive organs in both men and women. The fruit of the bush is used in jams, jellies, and wines, and you can take red raspberry leaves as a tea or in pill form. This herb is safe for use in pregnancy.

In contrast to pennyroyal, red raspberry serves as an anti-abortifacient, meaning that it prevents miscarriage. Red raspberry has been used to regulate hormones, as a tonic for the uterus, and also to tone the uterus after birth. The toning effect may be helpful for the prostate gland in men also. Some women have used red raspberry to correct infertility, aid labor, and ease muscle cramps and afterpains.

Terms related to herbs or holistic health

Anti-abortifacient is an herbal property meaning that an herb may prevent miscarriage during pregnancy.

Red raspberry also nourishes breast milk and is rich in magnesium, iron, and niacin. It provides vitamin C and manganese, both which may help tone the abdominal wall and make labor less painful. This herb seems to have been made just for women who want to be moms!

Warnings about the use of herbs

Use great caution if you decide to pick red raspberry leaves yourself. Two species, Rubus idaeus and Rubus strigosus, prevent miscarriage, but there are other varieties of red raspberry bushes that are known to promote abortion! Again, please use great caution whenever wildcrafting.

Ginger: Not Just Found on Gilligan’s Island

Ginger will be highlighted again in the next chapter under nausea and motion sickness because it is one of the best, well-known, and most effective herbal remedies used to combat the problem. In moderate quantities, ginger is also a safe herb used by women with morning sickness. You can buy ginger root in candied form and chew on a small piece if you start to feel sick to your stomach; this has been a godsend to many moms over the years.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Some women use the leaf of the red raspberry topically as a tonic rinse for dark hair. It also can be gargled to help heal mouth sores. To make either of these, use an infusion (tea). In addition, because red raspberry is drying and toning, it makes an effective and safe remedy in a liquid form when given to infants who have diarrhea.

If your liver is a problem, or if you tend to be anemic (low red blood count), you can nourish your body with herbs that are rich in iron. Plant forms of iron include red beet, yellow dock, red raspberry, chickweed, burdock, nettle, and mullein. A dab of peppermint oil on your tongue can stop you from feeling sick almost right away, and peppermint tea or peppermint candy has also been used to beat nausea over the years.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Make sure that constipation is not your issue — constipation can not only cause nausea, but it also can give you a headache. See “Herbs Are Not Just for Hippies Anymore,” to find safe herbs useful for constipation during pregnancy and nursing.

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