Medicinal Roots - Week 1 Response

Question:
Here's a question straight from my facebook status:
I've been having throbbing headaches the last few days. I'm concerned that it is associated with a spider bite I got camping this weekend but I JUST started getting cramps so I now believe it has to do with PMS. It's very strange though, I have never had headaches with my menstrual cycle until this month. I do however, get terrible cramps that have been diminishing with the use of my birth control, although I'm bad about taking it every day at the same time.
What home remedies do you have for my PMS symptoms?


Answer:
If this is a new birth control pill that you have been prescribed, your headaches are likely coming from this. Your cramps may be less severe, but your headaches will likely become more frequent, especially pre-menstural. It is the curse that comes with the Pill. I had similar difficulties; painful, debilitating headaches the last 2-3 days before my period. I stopped taking the pill a month ago and my first cycle came and went with only 1 headache. I am hoping that next month I won't have any headaches since the chemicals from the drug will be out of my system. Since then, I have started working with a chemical free/natural way of preventing pregnancy that is widely used throughout the Catholic Church (I stumbled upon it during some personal research.) As for you, be sure to eat plenty of food that is rich in nutrients and iron. Also - try taking your pill every night just before you go to bed. This will help with timing - although timing won't cause any issues other than forgetfulness. If your symptoms continue, contact me and we will look deeper into your personal constitution (your chemical/bodily make-up). 


Iron Rich Foods:

• Red meat (Yes I just said red meat)
• Eggs - their yolks particularly
• Spinach
• Turkey
• Beans, lentils
• Artichokes
• Apricots

To help the Iron be better absorbed into your body, pair it with Vitamin C. 

Vitamin C Rich Foods:

• Bell Peppers
• Strawberries
• Broccoli
• Tomato
• Oranges

It is amazing how much our diet can affect our entire system. By making sure you are absorbing the proper amount of nutrients, especially during menstruation, we are able to exist pain and ailment free on a daily basis.

Herbal supplements you might want to try:

Cramping:

• Red Clover Tea
• Chamomile Tea
• Peppermint Tea
• Red Clover, Chamomile, Peppermint Tincture
• Cayenne Pepper ointment applied externally to lower stomach area.

Headaches:

• Skullcap, Peppermint, Feverfew Tea - or -
• Skullcap, Peppermint, Feverfew tincture (Availably for purchase May 1st)

PMS Mood Swings:

• Hawthorne and Motherswort Tincture (Also available May 1st)

Try this recipe to get a good dose of Iron and Vitamin C Rich foods:

Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Ingredients:

4-6 Bell Peppers (any color)

1/2 cup brown rice

1/4 finely chopped broccoli

1/3 cup corn

1/3 cup chopped spinach

1/2 lb. ground beef (preferably grass fed, locally purchased)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup black beans

1/2 chopped yellow onion (optional)

1 lemon

16 oz marinara sauce

• Cook brown rice until tender. Preheat oven to 350*.
• Cut tops off of bell peppers and de-seed. Cut stem out of top of pepper, save top. Place peppers in a casserole dish.
• Combine onion and ground beef in a skillet. Cook until browned.
• Combine broccoli, corn, spinach, tomatoes, beans, and cooked onion and beef into a bowl. Pour marinara sauce into the bowl and mix. Squeeze lemon juice into the bowl, mix.
• Stuff bell peppers with the mix. 
• Cook in oven for 45 minutes.

Vegetables will still be crunchy, but this is a good thing. Crunch means vitality, vitality means life. We want to eat live foods, not dead ones to harvest as much nutrients out of them as possible.

If you add crumbled goat cheese on top... mmmm! 

Keep me posted,
~ Birdie