Introducing Herbal Q & A with Demetria!

earthgirl · 07-10-2007, 04:07 PM

This thread is intended for those who would like to submit any herbal questions they may have, to be answered by alldoulas club member, and professional herbalist Demetria Clark.

Demetria will answer 2-3 common herbal questions two times a month.

Please reply to this thread with your question in the title, so it is easy for Demetria to find the questions she choses to answer.

Thank you for your future partcipation, and to Demetria for offering her expertise to all of us here at alldoulas!

jessa_bee · 07-10-2007, 10:23 PM

I'm interested in learning more about blue and black cohosh to induce labor. I've heard that they can have an effect on the baby's heart rate, I'd love to know more.
Thanks!

demetria · 07-17-2007, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessa_bee

I'm interested in learning more about blue and black cohosh to induce labor. I've heard that they can have an effect on the baby's heart rate, I'd love to know more.
Thanks!

This is a great first question. In a week or so I will answer this and other questions posted.
Demetriaq

jesscardona · 07-17-2007, 11:15 AM

Well this is if being pregnant, can a women take vitamin B2 BUT 300mg in the am and 300mg in the pm and magnesium 250mg in the am and 250mg in the pm? to avoid migraine headaches.. I take that right now as a natural way to help preven migraines, but the first time I got preg. my dr. told me that since it wasn't FDA approved.. bla, bla.. so I came off it, and I was miserable! By taking this right now, I am able to come off the topamax 300mg I'm taking a day!

Annie · 07-17-2007, 11:22 AM

I have heard many different views on using lavender as an aromatherapy during labor. It is a discussion we have been having in our CBE class as well. I have heard a few different reasons on why it isn't safe. The most common answer is it isn't good as it can lower the blood pressure and such of mom. However, in my experience many doulas use lavender on cotton balls or lotion that is already sented with lavender at births. In your opinion is safe to use as an aromatherapy during labor of most women? If you could only choose 3 essential oils to bring to a birth, which would they be?

Thanks,
Annie

earthgirl · 08-03-2007, 02:43 PM

I am wondering, pregnant or not, if one has an allergy to ragweed are there herbal teas in that are related to ragweed that should be avoided? Or if one is bothered by pollen should they avoid dandelion tea?

demetria · 12-27-2007, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earthgirl

I am wondering, pregnant or not, if one has an allergy to ragweed are there herbal teas in that are related to ragweed that should be avoided? Or if one is bothered by pollen should they avoid dandelion tea?

Dear earthgirl,
First off I would need to know exactly what plant you are referring too.
In the US a lot of plants are lumped into the ragweed category. Here are the two major types
Ambrosia aratemisiifolia
Ambrosia trifida

So I am going to assume that you are talking about one of these.
Dandelion is a safe herb and it has no relation to ragweed. It will actually help allergies.
But some cross cross-reactive allergens linked to ragweed include honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon, banana, and chamomile. Avoiding of these foods is usually recommended to reduce compounding symptoms.

Marsh elder, golden rod, and mugwort pollen, ragweed's relatives, may also cause problems for those allergic to ragweed.

sleepingbaby · 02-06-2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annie

I have heard many different views on using lavender as an aromatherapy during labor. It is a discussion we have been having in our CBE class as well. I have heard a few different reasons on why it isn't safe. The most common answer is it isn't good as it can lower the blood pressure and such of mom. However, in my experience many doulas use lavender on cotton balls or lotion that is already sented with lavender at births. In your opinion is safe to use as an aromatherapy during labor of most women? If you could only choose 3 essential oils to bring to a birth, which would they be?

Thanks,
Annie

I never noticed a response for this question and I was wondering what other feelings were towards lavander. Was the response posted somewhere else where I can find it.
Thanks

Brie+3 · 02-06-2009, 09:51 AM

Everyone seems to have a different opinion on the dosage, frequency and when to begin using both Red Raspberry Leaf and EPO to prepare for labor. Can you offer some clarity to this for us.

Baby Catcher, CNM · 02-15-2009, 04:36 PM

I'm also interested in hearing your answer about EPO and red raspberry leaf tea. My education was heavy in pharmacology but lacked in herbal remedies. This is an area I'd like to learn more about. Thanks for starting this thread.

HerbalDea · 10-09-2009, 12:52 PM

An older friend of mine came in our store the other day and asked if we had licorice root. She wanted it for a friend who had just had a baby and said it was for mood swings (I assume baby blues?) and that it was high in Iron. I've always heard alfalfa was the best source of Iron and said this and she said but not for the mood swings. Is not Black or Blue Cohosh better for moodiness? What is the best? Thanks.

danielle · 10-09-2009, 03:26 PM

Where would oyu recommend starting on the path of some type of certification for herbal and holistic wellness?

raeben · 10-09-2009, 03:33 PM

hey everybody, just so you know, this is kind of an old sticky and dimetria hasn't been doing the q&a for a while (i think she's pretty busy with heart of herbs and birth arts). it would be a lot more productive to ask your questions by posting a thread in the general herb fourm from now on so that we can all discuss it.
thanks,
raeben

sacredma · 10-09-2009, 04:16 PM

Thanks raeben!

Good suggestion, why don't you start a new thread.