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Journal of an Herbalist
By Karima Burns, MH, ND 13/07/2001
Client: Safiya
Complaint: Infertility
Safiya came to me because she wanted to have children after she and her fiancé got married. The only problem was that she did not know whether or not she was fertile. She had stopped getting her period five years before, had uterine fibroids and was 45 years old. Her doctor at the fertility clinic recommended that she give up trying to have a baby naturally and opt instead for in-vitro fertilization. Safiya wanted to try more natural methods before she resorted to something she felt was unnatural and very expensive.
Journal: Since Safiya's chances of becoming pregnant were statistically low, we decided that she should follow the strictest forms of therapy and do as many things as possible to help increase her chances of having a baby. This meant that we needed to evaluate every aspect of Safiya's lifestyle and do an overhaul in order to tackle her "infertility".
We decided to start by including, herbal teas and dietary, aroma, color, music, and even gem therapy in her program.
Safiya was a vegetarian, ate a lot of processed foods and consumed a high amount of caffeine daily. She was engaged to a body builder and was impressed by the programs he had developed; and she exercised heavily in order to become more muscular.
Since Safiya had uterine fibroids, this was the first problem we needed to solve - as it the greatest obstacle to her fertility. I recommended that Safiya follow a program that would eliminate her fibroids and cleanse her system before she began her fertility program. Since the fibroid therapy would take three cycles to show results, Safiya was to come back after three months to complete her program.
During these three months, she was to take two herbal capsules that contained chaparral, yellow dock, burdock, pau d'arco, and
vitex, twice a day. She was also advised to take a sitz bath five times a week. The bath should include the essential oil
clary sage, a uterine cleanser. Thirdly, she was to apply castor oil packs to the area by soaking a large cotton cloth in warm castor oil, putting it on the area where the uterus is, covering it with a plastic bag and leaving it on all night.
I recommended that she supplement her fibroid cleanser by doing five more things to increase her chances of fertility - decrease her caffeine intake; add some meat to her diet; decrease her weight training; eliminate sugar and processed foods; and eat more foods that promote fertility.
Studies done at numerous private practices and institutes, including at John Hopkins, have concluded that coffee, tea, caffeine and cola drinks (caffeinated or not) very significantly reduce the chances of pregnancy in women. Women who are vegetarian have also been found to have a higher incidence of infertility (Hoffer, p.64). However, the same studies showed that the addition of small portions of meat increased fertility significantly. So, I recommend that she add only small portions of fish and chicken to her diet occasionally. Weight training and low body fat can also reduce fertility; so I recommended that she resort to a less strenuous form of exercise. I also suggested that Safiya cut down on sugar and processed foods, as these were robbing nutrients from her body. Nutrient deficiencies can also cause infertility.
However, nutrient over-doses can also cause infertility. Safiya was taking 2000 mg of vitamin C a day. Since high doses of vitamin C during pregnancy can cause miscarriages or abnormalities in the fetus, I advised her to stop taking the supplements and concentrate instead on
food sources for her vitamins and minerals. I also gave Safiya a list of fertility-promoting foods. These foods include peaches, brown rice, dates, figs, black beans, and any foods containing Omega-3 or Omega-6 fatty acids - like salmon, flax seed or evening primrose oil. Lastly, I showed her how to give herself a reflexology massage, focusing on the reproductive organ areas of her feet. She was to do this massage three times a week.
Safiya called me within six weeks to say she had gotten her periods back already and that she was overjoyed. She then came back after she finished her three month cleanse and said she was feeling much better and that her fibroids had not been giving her any trouble. She was eager to start the second part of her treatment. Safiya had already adjusted her diet to one that did not include caffeine or sugar and was low in - but included - meat. She admitted that it was very hard to give up the caffeine and sugar, but she wanted to have a baby so badly that she was willing to suffer a little.
In the second part of her program, I recommended her to drink a "fertility tea" every day - three times a day for two months. Her fertility tea consisted of equal parts of
red clover, peppermint, red raspberry, nettle leaves, dong quai root, and
chaste tree berry.
Chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus-castus) is used by Native American Indians to stimulate the release of the
luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland in the brain. This, in turn, promotes ovulation. Chaste tree berry has been known to restore normal periods in women with amenorrhea (lack of menstrual periods).
Dong quai (Angelica sinensis), known as the queen of fertility herbs, is widely used for female complaints, including menstrual irregularities and infertility. Dong quai can tone a weak uterus by promoting metabolism within the organ, regulating hormonal control and improving the rhythm of the menstrual cycle. Dong Quai activates or suppresses estrogen receptors within the pituitary gland in order to even out the hormones that pulsate to the ovaries and bring on ovulation. Dong Quai is also believed to increase metabolism within the uterus and ovaries; and has been attributed with helping to build a receptive uterine lining.
Red clover blossoms (Trifolium pratense) are rich in coumestans and isoflavones, which are estrogen-like compounds that promote fertility, particularly in women who are estrogen deficient.
Nettle leaves have high mineral and chlorophyll content, making it excellent for the hormonal system.
Finally, red raspberry leaves are an effective uterine tonic and have great amounts of calcium.
The second therapy I recommended was aromatherapy, which can be used to improve fertility by helping a person restore their natural cycles.
Neroli, rose and jasmine, can be used in a back or belly massage to encourage a natural hormone balance and
clary sage has cleansing and tonic effects on the uterus. I recommended that she use these essential oils daily, singly or in combination, throughout the month and to stop using them for the seven days when her period would take place - then resume for the following three weeks. She was to follow this routine until her normal cycle was re-established and discontinue following it before she became pregnant.
Thirdly, we explored and decided on a number of other therapy options that Safiya could alternate between and use in addition to her diet, teas and aromatherapy. She wanted to do everything possible to create a positive environment for pregnancy, thus we created that environment by bombarding all of her senses with fertility messages. Her sense of smell was given aromatherapy; her sense of taste was given herbs and foods; her sense of hearing was given music and positive thought; her sense of touch was given gemstones; and her sense of sight was given color therapy.
Color and gem therapy work on a vibrational level in the body. Each color that makes up the light spectrum actually vibrates at a different level. Similarly, each gemstone has a unique vibrational output. The faster the vibration…the warmer the color or gemstone. Likewise, the slower the vibration…the cooler the color. Recent research into the effects of color on people has shown that people who are blind from birth can learn to differentiate between colors via their fingertips by picking up on the colors' vibrations. I recommended that Safiya wear and surround herself with gems and colors that would promote fertility.
Mother of Pearl was the first gem I recommend because it is famous for being a protective stone and one used to help triumph over adversity. It is also used to help people make the most of an unpromising start and is a gem of hope and inner strength. I recommend using
pink tourmaline and green fluorite, which promote female balance, as well as
chrysograse, which strengthens the reproductive organs. I also suggested that she use any pink or green gemstones she had. The color pink is associated with the same vibrational energy as the reproductive organs; the color green is related to the concept of fertility in general, since many fertile things in nature are green.
In the realm of music therapy, I recommended pieces that would help reduce her stress hormones, as they tend to compete for sexual hormones in the adrenal glands. I recommended that she try classical music by composers such as Ravel, Chopin or Schubert; chants like Eastern chanting or Gregorian chants; and nature music or sounds.
Safiya had a lot of fun taking her herbs and experimenting with new therapies. Six months after she started her herbal program, she had another appointment at the fertility clinic. The doctor was amazed at the changes in her body and told her that there was no reason why she should not be able to have a child. Her husband has already started building an addition to their home.
Karima Burns is a naturopath and herbalist. She has published her own newsletter about natural healing for four years and has studied many aspects of natural healing from herbs to homeopathy to aromatherapy for the past 12 years. She is an herbal consultant and teaches people about natural healing from her home in Saudi Arabia. This is a journal of her experiences with her clients.
Sources:
Hoffer, Abram. "Putting it all Together: The New Orthomolecular Nutrition." Connecticut: Keats Publishing. 1996.
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