Archived Articles: Winter is over. Where did that time go? Keeping Your Memory Sharp with Herbs A Good Night Sleep is Key to a Healthy Life There's a New Bug in Town Aid for the Adrenals A Healthy Coffee Does Exist! Don't Forget the Willard Water Do You Know Anyone on Ritalin? Ephedra Ban Fibroids Hepatitis C? What You May Not Know Honoring the Men in Our Lives Hormone Replacement Alternative Therapy How Toxic is Your House Hurricane Readiness Lets Talk Stress Spring Detox What's Bugging You?

Hormone Replacement Alternative Therapy Recently I have had many women come into the shop with concerns about getting away from taking their Hormone Replacement Therapy, HRT. Many of them are now looking for alternative means of hormone replacement using phytoestrogens. I recently attended a class with Susan Weed on the topic of phytoestrogens and natural alternatives for HRT's. In her class she explained that plants do not actually contain human hormones but they do contain lignans, coumetain, isoflavones and other chemicals that are plant based. When these chemicals come into contact with the good bacteria in the digestive system, they provide the needed building blocks to convert plant chemicals, phytoesterols, into human estrogen and progesterone. Some of the ways you can obtain phytoesterols is through your diet. Let your food be your medicine. Seeds like sunflower, sesame and pumpkin are high in phytoesterols as are whole grains like brown rice, wheat, corn, rye or oats. Beans, especially lentils, fruits and vegetables also contain some phytoesterols. It isn't hard to put these foods in to your diet if they are not already there. Another way to get your hormone levels in balance is by using herbs. Black or Blue Cohosh, Vitex, Wild Yam, Dong Quai, False Unicorn, Elethuro, Licorice, Motherwort, Red Raspberry, Sage, Dandelion and Yarrow are just some of the herbs that contain phytoesterols. When using plants for hormone replacement you don't need to worry if you are not getting enough or if you are taking too much the way the body chemistry works with plants is that the body will only take what it needs to be converted into estrogen or progesterone. Using a combination of these herbs can help to reduce night sweats, bloating, mood swings, heart palpitations, migraines, breast tenderness, irregularity of periods, insomnia and the scattered thinking (menopausal moments) that goes along with peri-menopause and menopause. In Rosemary Gladstar's book, "Herbal Healing for Women", there is a tincture recipe for menopause, it is the one that I use. 2 parts Wild Yam Root 1 part Dong Quai 1 part Sarsaparilla 3 parts Sage 1 part Blue Cohsh 3 parts Licorice 2 parts False Unicorn 3 parts Dandelion Root Mix all the herbs together. Put mixture into a wide mouth jar and cover with a good quality brandy, I use black berry. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Shake the jar daily for 4-6 weeks. Strain through a cheesecloth and rebottle liquid into a dark colored jar. Rosemary recommends 1/2 tsp. diluted in tea or juice 3X a day. For those who may not yet be going through menopause, this formula can help to balance hormonal levels, regulate your period, and help with moodiness and other symptoms associated with PMS. If you have had your ovaries removed, herbs like Wild Yam, Dong Quai, Red Clover or Licorice would be the ones you would want to use. These can help to prevent the thickening of the uterine walls, which over time, may lead to cancer. The following formula from Rosemary Gladstars book helps to strengthen the endocrine glands and the adrenal glands. They take over the roll of producing estrogen after the ovaries are removed or cease to function. 1 part Licorice 1/2 part Dong Quai 1 part Wild Yam 1 part Ginger 3 parts Sarsaparilla 1 part Cinnamon 1 part Vitex 1 part Dandelion Root 1/2 part Orange Peel   Mix all the herbs together. For each quart of tea use 6 tbsp. of the herb mixture. Rosemary recommends 3-4 cups per day for at least 3 months, but you can use this longer if you like. If you have any questions on how to make any of these formulas pleas stop by the shop and I will gladly teach you.   RESOURCES: Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar The Wisdom of Menopause by Christine Northrup, MD Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way by Susan Weed

Reference Library As most of you are already aware, we have a reference area here at the shop available to anyone who wants to come by, have a cup of tea and use the materials. You should call first in case we have a class or other events going on.

Capsule Machines Making your own capsules is quick, easy and inexpensive using one of our great capsule machines. You know you are getting exactly what you want in your own herbal formula. Using our organic or wild crafted herbs gives you the peace of mind that your capsules are the best quality because you mixed the herbs and encapsulated them yourself. We have 2 capsule machines to choose from. Come by and ask us how, we'd love to help! Neti Pot If you have never heard of this you may not know what it is used for. A Neti Pot is used to wash out the nasal passages. When the nasal passages become thick with mucous or too dry or runny it is easier for bacteria and viruses build up causing further problems. Since the nasal passage is the bodies first line of defense against colds a Neti Pot is a good defense against colds and nasal blockages. In folk medicine gargling or sniffing salt water was the first line of defense against a cold. A nasal with a Neti Pot takes this to the next level washing the nasal passages with a salt water solution washes away all of the mucous and impurities from the nasal cavities. And compared to any other technique of washing out the nasal passages this is by far the easiest, quickest and the best I have ever used. Top of Page

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The Herb Corner 277 N. Babcock St. Melbourne, FL 32935 Phone: (321) 757-7522 Fax: (321) 757-7520 herbcorner@cfl.rr.com Copyright © 1998-2006 Graphic Mac. All rights reserved.		We do not directly or indirectly dispense medicinal advice or prescribe the use of herbs as a treatment for sickness. Any plant, whether used internally or externally, can cause an allergic reaction in some people. In the event you use the information without doctor approval, you are prescribing for yourself, which is your constitutional right, but we assume no responsibility.