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10
Tips for a woman with PMS
an article by Susun S. Weed
Water
retention, mood swings, sore breasts, and indigestion
are problems experienced by many women in the week
preceding menstruation. Here are a few tips from
Susun Weed's best-selling book, NEW Menopausal Years
the Wise Woman Way (Alternatives for Women 30-90)
to help ease these discomforts.
To relieve water retention :
1. 10-20 drops of dandelion root tincture in a cup
of water with meals and before bed.
2. A strong infusion (one ounce of dried herb in
a quart of boiling water, brewed overnight) of the
common weed, stinging nettle, not only relieves,
but also helps prevent further episodes of water
retention. Weed says she drinks a cup or more of
this infusion daily whenever she wants to nourish
her kidneys and adrenals.
To moderate mood swings :
3. Tincture of the flowering tops of fresh motherwort
is a favorite calmative of herbalist Weed. She uses
5-10 drops in a small amount of water as a dose,
which she repeats as needed, sometimes as frequently
as 3-4 times an hour, until the desired effect is
achieved. "I never feel drugged or groggy or
out-of-it when I use motherwort to help me calm
down," she says.
4. For women who consistently feel premenstrual
rage, use 20-30 drops of motherwort tincture twice
a day for a month to help stabilize mood swings.
Make it a priority to take a moon day - one day
right before or at the start of the menstrual flow
which is set aside for you and you alone.
5. One or more cups of an infusion of the herb oatstraw
(the grass of the plant that gives us oatmeal) helps
the nerves calm down and provides a rich source
of minerals known to soothe frazzled emotions.
To relieve congestion and tenderness in the breasts
:
6. 20-30 drops of the tincture of cleavers, another
common weed, works wonders. This plant, also called
"goose grass", was used as a black tea
substitute by the colonists. The dose may be repeated
every hour or up to 6 times a day.
7. Women who get a lot of calcium and magnesium
from their diet (leafy greens, yogurt, and many
herbs are rich in these minerals) have less breast
tenderness. Increase the minerals in your diet with
a cup or more of red clover/mint infusion daily.
8. Large cabbage leaves, steamed whole until soft,
and applied as warm as tolerable, can be used as
a soothing compress on breasts which are sore and
swollen.
To relieve digestive distress :
9. A daily dose of 1 teaspoonful/5ml yellow dock
root vinegar.
10. A cup of yogurt in the morning (buy it plain
and add fruit at home) replaces gut flora and ensures
easy digestion all day long.
Legal
Disclaimer: This content is not intended
to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions
made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or
symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided
by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare
practitioner with a specific formula for you. All
material on this website/email is provided for general
information purposes only and should not be considered
medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable
healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical
care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second
opinion.
Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock,
NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081
Visit
Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com and www.ashtreepublishing.com
For permission to reprint this article, contact
: susunweed@herbshealing.com
Vibrant, passionate,
and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international
reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings,
and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges
conventional medical approaches with humor, insight,
and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine.
Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic
lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.
Susun is one
of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine
and natural approaches to women's health. Her four
best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists
and well-known physicians and are used and cherished
by millions of women around the world. Learn more
at www.susunweed.com
This
article is © copyright Susun
S. Weed 2004 - Republished here with kind permission. |
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