Hotpantz: Herbal Gynecology

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This editjonof Hol Psrfz printed by codhaven Ink. For more copies,contact: GodhavenInk RootedM6dia 145-149CardiganRoad Leeos LS61U England wwwgodhaven.org. uk AlsoavailablefromGodhavenlnk: Herbal Abortion: A Woinan'a DIY Guido

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is nor intendedto provide It is an informational gujde dastand your body and your

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$.ntan1s noia.gi. ,r"ail f qy prqru. anatr,cir.f.."""r,r ffi EI6

c.nr,ined itr rhis booklel are baro 01 Ue

qsr:eac€s of.tbe aut}ors, ho, eve.r.tb;;

hc-Hd rcspotrsible for an) uAu.rs..ti*.i. tromtbeuseoftieserream,ents.lr; aouUr,

hEitare to consutra berbufpru.,;rio*r. physicjal o. gynaeoologist_

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atriarchysucl6. It's robbed us ofour autonomy and much ofour history. \7e believeir's integral for women to be aware and in control ofour own bodies.The recipeswe presentherehavebeen known and practisedfor centuri€s,passeddown from modrer to daughter, and have survived the .cnrorsh.pofrhe wirchhunrs.Our inrenr r simple and practical:ro help break away from rhe medicalestablnhmenL s LenucuJar grip on our bodiesand our approachesto health and healing. From anatomyto self-healingusing herbsand massage, it is filled with easyrecipesand remediesto conqrer yeastinfections, sexually (STDs). hormonal transmined diseases imbalances,late periods...a whole array of medicin:iplmr. rnd nurrnionalinlor mrri"n to arm us againsrabusivcand negligent medicalpractices.A sectionon rphrodisiac plantshas beenaddedfor your hncy. Becausethe world ofwomen's health is vast ard multi-faceted,we had to prioritize the ot mareriJ. Ve de.ided rr tbcuson ff, selection serual)y di.c^cs.Hw/\TD5. trrn.mitrcd { pregnancies, unwmted and more specific rynecologicalproblemsas rhereis a la& of alrernativeliteraturc on rhescsubjects.Other apccrs of women'shezih (menopause, ferrilit,v,pregnancy,psychologicalaspects, etc...),while *tremely imporrmt, de too exhaustivefor us to coverhere. Bear in mind that stayinghealthy dependson good nutririon and lifestyle,evenin matterssuch as STDs. Povoty, abuseand living in a crzed soceiryrnakeus easytargetsfor all kinds ofunwanted invadcrs induding the medicalestablishment. ot C'e't roujou^ Hor lanrzis rhe trgl',h "dacration chad d"n' b' ,"/ott"' d"' flbs (second edition). This booklet is arrintroduction to bxic herbal therapy;it's a matter ofgetting plann rnJ rhc'r to know diff.renrmedicrnat q propenie., rd figuring our hr.h onc. *ork bestfor eachof us. Many ofthe treatmentsoutlined in this booklet will nor be enorrghto eliininate certainchronic condirion<.lfyou find yoursclfinrhi' situation,you may want to opt for more advancedherbal approachcs.Co"sult bools

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written by other witchesaod heal€rswho escapedrhe stake.Or perhapstake a doser look at homeopatl'y,acupuncture,etc., all of arev:lu,ble meuhod,ofhe:ling. ',hich \X,6ile these treatmenrs are speciffcaliy recommended for women, many of them carr also be applied to mcn. The last scccions"How to PreparearrdUse Herbs" rnd "HerbalPropenie',nd Dovter, c,nr;ir *plaaLions. mechods of prepamr;on (infusions,decoctions,tincrures...)and above all, the characteristics and waysofusing the herbsmentioned in this booldet. ile it may be tempting ro sLip ahead to the treatments suggesred,it is EXTREMELY IMfORTANT rhat you read dreserecLjon.. Herbs arevery powerful md it's imporrmt that you understaad how they work, how to prepare them, and when to avoid using certaiaplarrts.

Body Mapping (in brie0 ...........................-............ 4

About Menstmation....-.-..........................-.-.......... 6 A Good rdeafor Repiacing Tampons.................... 6 lremcnsrrualSyndrome.................... Amenorrhea or Absenceof Menses....................... 8 y Menorrhagia or Excessive Flow................-........-... Dysmenorheaor PaintulPeriods......................... 9 Lovein *re Age ofAids .............................-.......... 1I 35 Yearsof Fertility.............................................. 14 After a tusly Saual Encounrer................-........-. 16 A SimpleVay ofBringing on Your l,crn:d .......-. l7 How to Bring on a Period Using Emmenagoguesi7 STDs nd Orhcr A1icns......................... .............. 2l

Finally ro end on a beau-tea-fulnote, there'sa list of usefuladdresses c well a.lref€rencebooks on the subjecr.

Crabs.......................... ........................................ 22 Scabies............................... ............................ 23 GenitalVarrs ..................................................... 23

Ve hope rhis booklet will inspire you co seekout moreJrernariveinform,rionand ei.-l^." /our oPtions.

Teo good reasorls to keep this booklet on hand and to share

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Herpes............................................................... 24 Bladder& Urinary Infections............................. 25 Chlamydia................... ............. ....................... 26 Vaginids& VuIvitis............................................ 26 YeastInfections& Candida................................ 26 Trichomonas ........-.........28 Gardnareila...................................................,. 28

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Bacterial Infecdons& Gonorrhea....................... 28 The Ovariesarrdthe Uterus................................. 30

ifyou breal our into a cold sweateverydme your period s latc

OvarianPain............... .......... . ... .. . ........30 OvarianCvsts............. ..........- .. . ..........30 Fibroidsin the Uterus. ..............-................. 3i VaricoseVeinson the C€rvix.............................. 31

ifthe pill is giving you the blucs

HormonalImbalarrce..

ifyou'd like to know as much about your cunt as your doctor docs

. ........- ................ 31 Cleansing Your Genita1s ..................................... 32

ifyour friend's got cramps if Se condom busts

Aphrodisiacs

....................33

ifyou carchrhe clap if antibiotics give you a yeast infection

How to PrepaemC UseHdbs ........................... 34

ifyour ycasty itch males you wanr to grab the

n,.kinoYo,,rowr Hnar

ifyou bleedbuckets

HerbalProperties arrdDosages............................. 39

if STDs are squattingyour crotch

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Interesting Rcading.........-.........-.......................... 48

...and for many other reasons...

Uscftl Addresses .................................................. 48

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labia majora (outerlips) cover the other para ofthe rulva. They becomethinner at their base,wherethey fusewi*r the perineum,the muscle bemeen the anus .urd rhe vagina.Inside the labia majora are the labia minom. They arejoined at the t"p t" for- a protectivesheathover the clitoris. Thq' elso p.orecr the opening to the urethra. The areabeween the labia rninora is largely occupiedbya spacecalledthe vestibule.At birth this spaceis almost completelycoveredby the l,y.*., which variesin size,shape,and rigidity. The hymen car be torn during sporting activities,by the or rn'enionof, rmpon. or Jurng ma
The cervixis shapedlike a cylinder;it is approximatelytwo and a halfcentimeres long, with a fine canalrunning through it, opening into the uterusup top, and co the vaginaat the borton. A11chmgesin the functions of the uterus (menstruation,pregn:lrcy,menopause)are regulared by hormonescontrolled by the hypothalamus,the pituitary glaod, the o""ries, and by other substances .uch aspro t"gl$dirs.e. ercdby rhc ur.rrneri..ue. The uterusis connecredto the ft1lopiantubes, which harbor rhe ovum (or egg)releasedeverymonth bv one ofthe rwo ovaries. The Ovaries The ovariesare locatedin the pelvismd rest on either sidc ofthe uerus. Eachovary is hcid in place by strong elasticligaments.The serratedoriftce of rhe fallopiantube is locaredjusr abovecach ovary, with the tube leading to the utenx. Even rhough rhey arevery closeto eachother, the ovariesand rhe openingofthe fallopian rube are not in direct conscr. Tbe ovariesdevelopand releasethe ovLrrn :rnd play an essentialrolc in our hormonal system. They ue pinkish'grey, alnond shapedand are ebour threecentimerreslong. A layerof cellsc,lled rhe oogenicepirheliumcover.rheovrrie : rr i< irom thesecellsthar the eggis lormed. Thousandsof immature ova (eggs)gatherin chesepoucheson the surf:ceofthe ovaries.In addition to rheir role of developingthe ova, the ovariesproduce rhe hormonesestrogenand progesrerone. For more informarion on anatomy,r'omen's gcnical organsand their functions, and on the rolc and Lbri.rrion ^r hormonc...on.ul'rhe folloring Nat ldl R.ddikg in Gtntubg, br RihaNn5im,1984,6d(ion DisPensairedes iimm.s. Hamons: The \Yon.n\ AnJa,/ -8,,*, by Los Jovanovic M D and GenellJ. Subak-Sl,arpeM.S., 1987, I\a Book. Publishcd Ndtulal Hornon. H.abh: Dtug Frc. \Ytt' to Bdld,r. by tuabelle Melville, llarper Collins ?ubhl!e6.

The N.u a* Bodic', Oun.t e' (U?ddkd ad Lr?and.,r t, th. 9rt br ihe Bosron \vomcn! He.lth Book Collective, 1992, Simon mdSchus*. (Espe&ily good for info on an{omy)

lfhe Uterus The uterusis abour the sizcand shapeofa pearard is made up ofrwo main parts: rhe body and the cervix.From puberty to menopause,the endometrium (or the urerinelining) forms every ro provide.'uitive support for a fertilized -onrh, egg.If rhe eggi. rot ienilized.rhe endomeLrium is expelled-thisis kaown as mensrruarion.

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FEt\iAt,E PELVTCORC^NS l5idc\i$l

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^d t.l to n Q f" a .l 4 t t t s. t r I, i" *rp;"r"g to *rli* ,. *h"..r,.". i alr individual thing-every womrn menstrlrat€s, -." yet" color, odor, remperature,needs,desiresand pain can vary tremendouslyfrorn woman ro woman. It is also amazingto note that women who live togetheror who are very closeoften menstrrnteat the same ln many societia menstruationwas rraditionally (and in some case sdll is) viewed as a very powerfin time-a time for women to purify themselvesand to relax.This is a far cry from how most ofus cxperiencebleeding.\Ve're usuallytaughr to hide any evidenceofblood, padsor plugs (henccthe ridiculous individually wrappedpoika-dotted packaging),to be "discreer'(like, don't talk about it at all) or don! whine ("you're such a bitch when youie on the rag). \Ve encouragebitching, talking

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f o r R eplacinC -f arnpons & Pads

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Using brand-nametamponsand padscan be harmful to you. Plusthey cost a 6rcune, being "luury" nems and atl. V&enever possible,avoid scentedproducts asrhesereleasea whole slewof chemicalsinro you girl parts (a.d smell gross). Tampons are bleach.dusing dangerouschemicals which can be absorbedinto the body through the vaginalwalls and Toxic Shock Syndromehasbeen dirccdyJinked ro tampon use.Plasdctampon applicarorsarenon-biodegradable and dog rewage systems,often washingup on baysand beaches.You can avoid someofthese problemsby using non' bleached tmpons, arailable at some health food srores.You can alsobuy 100% conon pads (or even beter-make your own!) they are washable and reusable,thus avoidingunnecessary waite. Insrcadoframpons you can usenatural seasponges. Simply dampen rhe sponge,insercit inro rhc vagina wnh your fingers,md removeit oncc it's saturated. Doni worry about pushingit up too far-even though it doesni havea cord there'sno risk losing it "up rhere."Spongescan be left insidc the vasina for sever:1hours, depcndingon your flow arld the sizeof the sponge.Once the spongeis saturated,rinse tt rn warm or cold running watet, squeezeout the exc€ss water, and reinserrit. This is a cheaper, cco-friendly alternative to ramporx. Avoid syntheticsponges.Natural sponges are often soid asmake-upremovalpads,and caa be

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found in the cosmeticssectionofthe pharmacy or ar healthfood stores.Ofcourse they aren't advertised asmenstrLralspongescausethat would rhrcaten the "sanitaryhygiene" indusrry.A spongecan last up to six months ifyou rakegood c.areofit. Discard the spongeonce it beginsto {lll apart. Soakyour spongeovernight in a cup ofwater wirh one teaspoonofwhne vinegarbeforeard/or after eachperiod. This kills the bacteriadut can cause yeastand other vaginiris.ifyou havea bad vaghal infection dtring menstmation, it s bestnot to reue rhat spongeagain.Storeyour spongein a cloth or box betweenperiods. Also, aword about the Keeper,a litde 100o/orubber cap that you placeon your cervix to collectthe m.n.,,urlbtood. Empry,w,.h,nd repla.eir ev.rl 2- i hours.The keepe-i! Lnown ," bc reJlt comfombJc, safc,easyro useand w;ll be yours for n'any years.No necd for tanpax or pads,you're free! Bestpricc in Canada:$37.t9 (tx ind.) avalaiblext Frigo wcn (2130 McKay, Montreal, H3G 2Jr; 514 848'7586), or call Eco Logique at 1-800'680-9739, for mail order. This or email solution costsa bit ofmoney, but lastsalmost

'Pr"-u.rt"...'.t Svndrorne

(PMS)

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' L,9 Theseare varied;mood changes,irritabiliry, crmps, painfin or sollen breasts,headachcs, zirs,water retention, bloating, lack ofenergy, herpesourbreaks, 9s ard other digestivem:ltunctions, flulike symptoms,back pains...combine thesesymptoms wiLhm irreg"lrror prinn,l ." le sd l-r'vr gor rhe genericprofile ofa woman who's readyto kill. Most likely she,llbe prercribcdthe Pill to 'solve" all her problems.Medical geniusat it's finestlMethods of coPnS: Diet 0 Lower your inrake ofsalt. 0 Eat loods rich in porassium:bananas,potatoes, cabbage,pearsand almonds. 0 Ear a lot of seaweed:kelp (freshor in tabler form), hijiki, dulse... 0 Make foods high in vitamin 86 a regularparr of your diet: greenvegetables, so/ producrs,and nutritional yeast(you can also tale brewer'syeast capsuies) ; note that wornen who re prone to yeasr infections.hould avoid yeastat all times. 0 Take a lot of vitmin A, especiallyif you have paintul breastsand suffer from cramping.Carrots, onions.garlic.Lurnipr..pjna.h. lentiJs, apricor.. lemon<.ard raw . eger.rble oil, rre :Jl rich in 0 Drink lots of watcr.

I{erbal treatrnents 0 Follow the treatmentsfor hormonal imbrlances (p 3l).

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trnt.r Sone book provide a dctailedaccountof rne rote playedby hormonesin causingPMS-why we producetoo much ofcertain hormones,arrdnot enoughofothers. PMS is often causedby hormonal irreqularnies,and so it is helpful to read uo on this

Menorrhagia or Excessive

Flow

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Red raspbery leaves(p.45) are besrc they d nor .rop .ou from bleeding. bur h-p regul:' lour flow. Sr.rr r'ing thcm one-cel, b.fo,e period is due and conrinuethroughout rnenstruation.Repeatif nccessary.

The rollowins all hetp reduceexcessive mensrrual flow: 0 Vitamin C. 0 Vitamin T (sesameseeds,sesameburer).

Arnenorrhea or At)sence

0 Bioflavonoids(buckwhcat,dre skin ofcnrus fruits,

of Menses

This may be due to severalfactors.Normal absence ofmenstruation (missinga period, or sever,l); causedby pregnalcy, lactarion,and menopause. Amenonhca.an "Lo b, causcdby vervpoordicr. ex.essive exercising,losing )argeamounts ofweighr, fatigue,stress,hormonai imbalancc,going off the pill, or by meubolic problems:diabetes,liver disease, inconsistcncies in thyroid levels. Trytoeatwell.

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To bring on rnenstruation ? 0 A .prigot prr\le) inrrr.d * tur aspos
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0 Alfalh (2 handfLrlsoffresh sproutsor 3 rabletsptr day rhroushour your cvcle) 1l lessenyour

Dysrnenorrhea or Painf:ul Periods Most ofus experiencesensations ranging from mild discomlort to excruciatingpaj!r during menstruarion. Ve get crampsbefore,during, and after our periods.Medical scGncerells us that suffcringis part ofbeing a womm. But wc know they'reliars. (STD$ Sexuailytransmitreddiseases are sometimesrcspolsiblefor pain bur mosr ofrhe rimc crampsare causedby inflammation, swellilg md tension in the cei.r'ixmd urcrus. 0 Awoid sa1t,sugarand procexed foods (inci,rding whire sugar,whne flour and whne bread). 0 Eat foods high in porassiurneveryday: bananas, dry fmits, melons,oranges,carrors,1ea6.grcen vegetablesancl potatoes. 0 Eat dark greenvegerablcs and orang$ for vlramrn A (n reducestension). 0 Eat oatmeal,broccoli, p,Jdey (which cu b. mken asan intusio!), Brazil nuts, almonds,and seawccd for rherrhigh cahiumconren,rwhicheLminJ,"\ cranrpt. Smwrcd (kelp in particular)can be tatcn in tablet form. 0 Hot barhs,a hor warer bonle placedon the lower abdomen,smoking a joint, vigorousor light exercise,md orgasnx aLlhelp relievetensior, cramping and pain.

0 Yarow (p.47) tahenin capsulelorm, tincturesor intusionsprovidesvery good results.Begin 1 weel ir. b. f"rc your priod and .onrinue rl-roughouL

0 Ginger (p.42) infusionsrapidly relie.re cramps.You car alsochewthe freshroot. Tale asneededto relievepain. 0 Redraspburyleafrea(p.,15) -o.Ls crampsbut must weLlto alleviate be rakcn regululy (overa period ofmonrh$. It is mild alld call be usedfor long-term foot mrssage ro alleviate crarnps Massagethe uterineand ovarianreflexareas(located 'oehindthe ankles,just aboverhe heel). Pressnaro at whereit hurts. This areais generallyvery sensrrtve rhc onsetofmenstruation. Use your thumb to pur firm prcssureon dre area,for five minutes on each si.1c.Alternatemassagingeachfoot, asneeded.Thn yieldsxtonishing results,especiallyifit's massage done by someoneelse.

FOOT MASSAGE CHART I N S I D EO F

OUTSIDE OF FOOT

abourthe dmger
lhe u.i" kf; i l s AIDS is now a fact oflifc and oflove. More and rnore peoptewe love (friends,6mity, co-workers)are hins with HIV. Preventionis about loving yourselfenough to understandthe risksalrd to makedecbions for yourselfand thoseyou careabout.You set the rules. The rvay it rvas For rhe first eight yearsofthe pandemic,most researchers a.ndhealthcareprofesionalsignored the impacr ofAIDS on women. lnnial definitions of AIDS didn! include gynecologicalsympromsmd women who were nrfecredlud a nuch shoner lile expecrancl simply bccausethey wereonly diagnosed onccrh.1'rvere alrcaJrrery ill. l{'hen rho'e,n . h,rgedrd Jccidero pur *omen \ I undeIhc m;,ro.,op..rheir,otc.on.ernwd how,, women might spreadthe syndromeinto rhc "general ^/ ^ ^i , , t,..,,i,^" -' "

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Iexrs, the only studiesinvolving lfestern women r-rgered,erworkcr.rnd tpnrcnr::lrmo,hfl . Rescarchfocuscdon rhcir capaciryro transmir HIV, not cheirhealth or responsero medicarions.It wasni undl 1990 thar a sreaterrisk for cervicalcancd war lisredamongAIDS symptomsand ir wasonly in 1997 that prematuremenopauscwasalsolinked ro HIV infection in women. The rway it is MostAIDS educationis presenredaslcngdry liss of 'safe'and'unsafi'activities.This makesit a rx cas,cr to read rhrough rhe liss, declderhat most information doe*it apply bccause'Idon\ do rhar or 'I'm nor like that' and then smuglyreturn to p)easure asusuaI.Understandinghow HIV is transmittedis c,,y: undcr:,"ndirgh"* Lo"pplv rh.rr," you, l;r. I' . ;li, *. in;:"e, hone.,yr; re.os.;);"s ) '",, Very
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Blood Becauseblood is extremelyinfectious,needlesare often ref.rred ro a.sthe 'most efficient'meansof rrarsmitting HI\r. A needlewith microscoprcrraces ofblood in .r .an deliverrh"r blooddirecrlyinro yo.ri' you u.e ir. 'h.lringneedles blood,Lrerm "hen RussianRouletre.Ifyou don't havenew needles, dean used needles (alld worlcs) rhoroughly, several timeswith diluted bleachand water;Theserules o apply to body piercingand tanooing. \ ) ^ Sperrn I ' rhrr in"ol"e..perm J \s ror .c:ru:lconr,cr.,nwhrng involvts morc corrsideration than annhing that / doe.nr rhinkof ir a lm,ll dor ot le,bin. F-clunecJn crerrefri.tion that lead' to urivilcecJ. i'i"',i..," in L.:uc rrherirk i. morc likely ",!in"l wirh aral tissue,which is more fragile).Spermcan enterthe bloodstreamthrough thosetears.lfyou haveanotherinfecdon that involvessoresor lesions on your gmirals (for insrance,herpes)theseen :lso act asa oooNay ror rne vrrusto entel yo'lf bloodsrieain.The reverseis true if1'our partner has sores,and you are HIV+, especiallyifyouie Remember,blood caries a much menscruating. ofrhe virus rh,n nrghcrconccnrrrrion 'aginJ Oral sex can carry a rbk if you havc cuts in your mouth or alongyour digestivetracr (cold sores, blecdinggums,recenrdentalwork, etc.)Thais why somesourcescounselthc useofmouthwash insteadof a toothbrushifyou want to be minry cleanbeforesex. Condorns in thesesituationsis a iatex Your bestde€ense condom. HIV can'r passthrough latex. Using them properlymears alwayspinching the tip when it's pur on to ensurerhat no air is in it-rhais the leading causeofbreakage.Lots ofwater-basedlube alsohelps keepthe condom incactand diminish fricrion tirat could Leadto openingsin vaginalor anal walls. Oilbued lubes;an eat through condoms,making them Ifyou're allergicro latex,animal condomsare still arorrnd.Double wrap the penisin questionwith an animal condom on the side thar will come in conracr wirh alergic skin (on the outsideifyou have the aj1erg1,, on the insideifyour partnerrisks irritadon). ll,c I"rcxc"ndon will 'Lill .rop HIV Lrrnrmision .,, i ,1 -

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Sperrni-de-cide A smallwarning about Nonoxynol-9. This spernicide is ofren promoted aseffecdve in killing HIV, aswell assperm.The problem is, that it's a litde too srrong.I once watched an Ausualian sexworker use a single condom lubricatedwith Nonorynol-! to removenail polish offborh her hands.It may kill the virus, but it may earthrough your skin aswell, leavingyou more at risk for infection. Detergena,bubble bathsand other producrsmay alsoirritate delicaterissues,so be

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caurious.The manufacturersofthese items doni alnaysthink abour whereand how they'll be uscd,so yot haveto. | : \

vasinar fluids \ J\ L

Informarion is not too clearon whethervaginal lluids (without the presenceofblood or other infections) carry enoughvirus for tnnsmission.Repons are infiequent and usuallythey involve the presenceof other risk facrors(like sharingneedles).It\ up ro you whetheryou want to be cautious.Ifyou are conconed, a condom,with the tip cut offand slit up onesid. ..rn :cr "" a barrierber*eenmourh rrc . Jnr. Non-microwavableplastilvrap can alsodo rn a pinch. Ifyou havecuts on i.our handsyou can gct larexglovesfrom your friendly neighbourhooddoaor or dentist.Try not to sharesextoys (like dilooq without rinsing rhem in warerand diluted bleachor coveringthem with a new condorn for each us€. Pregnancy Transmissionis alsopossiblefrom infectedwomen to then children through ptegnancy.This risk has grcadydininished (it\ lessthan 25% in Norrh America).h doesnot appearthat pregnancyitself consriNtcsrisk, but infection can occur during deliverywnhout precautions.Breastfeedingmay also involve risk becauseofthe possibiliryofpresenceof the virus in breast-milk(sincebabicsalsoingestsmall amorrntsofblood from chappednipples,it's difficult to determinehow infecdousbreut'milk n alone). Trearmentsareavailablethat greatlyredrce the risk of infection to unborn children of HIV+ pregnant women, though the long rerm effectson mother and .hild ,re .rill nor under*ood.Krowrngearlyin a pregnancywhcther or not you are HIV+ and proper follow-upc:n alto rcdrr,erhe'i.1.oi,-nrmi.:i.:. Knowing beforeyour pregnancywill ensurerhat neirherofyou becomeHIV+ rying to haverhe baby. This informadon is presentedsinply in terms ofhow easilyccrtain fluids can enteryour bloodstream duing different activities.\7c haven'rn::de any distincrionsabout whetheryou aresleepingwnh men and./orwomen, considcringprcgnancyor nor. HIV

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-{nd rernernber W Despitewhat you'd like to believe,HIV doesnot becomelesstmsmnsible ifyou reallylove eacrrotner, if you ve bourr e,.h orher: longrime.if you 'e decidedto live togetheror ifyou're sureyou'll never sleepwith anyoneelsc,evtr. And jusr how sur€are you, an''way? References Vamp:, Virgin: and V;aims: Hoa can aonenfght ,41D5?,by Robin Gorna, Cassell,London, 1996. lYonen and HIV/AIDS an international rc:osce boob, by MargcBereru irh sun:ndaRay.tandora.H-rper collins, 1993.

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, fr'ir{+?[f

\(e ortlate every28 days.Thars 15 to 20 dmes per yearand at leasr300 mensrrua.lcycl.s in a lif.time... For thosc ofus who deep wirh feilas,rhars thoLcandsofopponuniries lor gerdngpregnant.Ir's normal ro .h*ge your partners,mind and methods. It's nonnal to abort. It's normal ro frcak out! l " l" *' t 1'heserhingsmakc it evenhard.r "n 0 Men's indifference,and their ignoranceabout their c,wnfcrtiliry; men are fertile all the time, and x,e're h*e ro de.l *itlr ir. ,.1rn ,' l) .hc on.. I "ho 0 The added rcsponsibilityofcontraception od I

e',"'i'i"]"ys',11;1 l"llu l:lJ':'!)rD'

*.

0 l'he stresswhich resultsfrom having to constantly educaremcn about taking responsibilitieslor their bodies... and ours. It can seembleakar timcs...but heepin mind-lovers come and go. \bur body is yours lor the long haul. Bc soodr.1our Jf"bo'e Jl.,nd if'om.one,',., 'o persuadeyou odrerwise,askyourselfwhosernrerests rhey'vegot in mind. Our attitudestowardssexhave charged.They've had to n s a marter ofsurvival. Don'r rhink that women don't 'gef' AIDS: we do, n:rnbe . in, re-ing Jl rh. r.me.sJe <exi< \ ' essentialmd condomsoffer the advantageof i] A protecting againstboth HIV md unwan;ed pregnucies (seesafesex,p.l1). Mmy ofus have found "enfocins" safesexwith our lovershard. lt's a drag lntcning to"guyswhinc about condomsbeing uncomfonabieor unrxy. ft's evenmore ofa drag bcing in conflic*virh the personyou want to fuck, . .p . J lr\r b. tu. [ng rhr. 'lr, "'.cn ,oarguLng. lrelf iul \ nr in.r'eyou don r f"llou rhi, lin.: 0 Never think you'rc inlertile bccauscyou've never gonen pregnanrwhen you havehardly used ,,n ra..p i.e.. cvenov er. long pcriodof rime. 0 Avoid thc Pill; try to opt for alternadvemethods of connaccprion:condoms,cenical cap, diaphragm. \0lile they may seemrediousto use,thesemerhods rg'"fn", d
control ovcr our bodies.You may alsolind it usetul to chart 1'ourperiodson a nenstruzi calendar.lt may be necessalvto get vour ov:rries(etc.) rn oetrer shape;see"Hormonal Imbal:rrce" (p.31) or ,-le"n.ir g YoLrrt'en ..1. p \) . Rcd 'apberry leaf (p.45) is excellenrfor toning the utcnrs ,",i Your raginal rnucus (or dischargc)changesduring rhe monrhly cycle,and during ovulation it tales on r'ery specificcharacreristics *'hich allow a womm ro know ifshe is ovLrlatingor not. A sort of'mucus microscope'is available,to check ifyour ceriel mucus is leniie or not. The microscopemakes ir casierto idcnri! the variouspropertiesofyour rnucus.Ifyou havea microscope,practising this is easy.Sornehellrh food srorcsscll rhis gadgct; problem is, n costsabout $50. Onc solution is for women who Jivetogetherto shareit. Clonsultrhe referenccslisted bclow to find out more abour ofi'our mucus. YoLr idcntifiing thc characteristlcs car alsoexmire it wirhout a microscope. Make surc to rcad up on this subjectmd get ro know your cyclewhile usins a reliablemethod of binh control, to make sureyou can tell ifyour mucus is fertile or nor. Check

mucus

For rnore inforrnation The New Ou Bodie:, Ourseha (Updated and Expandedjir the 90), by the lloston \(omcn's Health Book Collective:drn is a good rcsourceon women's health issuesin general;this most rccclt edirionL,. becnetp;ndcd ro in.lud. ;r,I rn " ion or the mucus ncrhod and other alternadvesto chemical -^^,.---^,i .,-.

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'Ihe Ndacal Birth Contal,Baal, bv Art Rosenotoom. Availablc from thc Aquarian ResearchFoundation, 5620 Morton Street,PhiladclphiaPA, 19144 USA; tel,:(2r5) 849-3237. Naaral Bith Contal, by Katia & JonathanDrale: explains the temptrature metlrod.

Selj:i1el7,,Fertilit1 and B;/th Contol: A fmlnt't aplloacL to det.fnin;flg ourktion. Avzilzblefor $1.50US from The EmmaColdmanClinic for Vomen, 715 N. Dodgc, Iowa City, Iowa, 52240,

USA. 14

your

15

For info on lenility a*'arenessand natual brrttr B,rbaraFeldman.j4) E. tJk vork. Ny. t000J. u)A. 5,,ee,=D. New

s..

t Check our the researchand rechniquesofAvrva Srcinerand ReumaCohen, two women who have dcvelopeda method basedon using1'ogaald exerciseto inhibir the implantation ofthc eggin rhe Lrrcrus,alrd thcreforebring on menstruation.This can help too for nenopauseard menstrual prcblems.For more inlormation on the subject,call \'1ona Hebert, a homeopathwho giveswomcn's Tel: herlth worLshopsbasedon thos{:exercices.

(.5r4)5210745.

After

a Risky

Sexual Encounter

I

(Thescare nor methodsofbirth conrrol and should nor be usedon a regularbasis). t.,,^,.;. h", .,,".,^ - ,-,r -- ,,:.,'--. ^n,lcn breaks,the following merhodscan hdp preventan unwanredprcgnmcy. 0 ln rhe llrst momcn* following risky s* (or ifa condom breaks),insen one non-chewableVitamin C tablct (idolly a 500 milligram tablet) into the vagina.Thc acidiry rvill chmge the pH-balancein drc vaginaand preventspermfrom stayingalive. l)^.Js.: I ro 2 ubler, in'erredinro rhe vaginrevery 12 hours, for 3 days.This may burn or cause vaginelirrirarion; in rhis case,follow the yogurt rcame,n (see"Yect Infections", p.26). Take high dosagesof Viamin C orally Gee"A Simple \?:y of Bringingon YoLrrPeriod',p.t7). fhisisagooci medrod to Lrsewhen you'rc travelling,or asm emergcncymethod. 0 \(Jld carrot seed(p.47) can be usedro ryoid unwantedprcgnocies by preventingthe fertilized eggfrorn artachingnselfto cheutcrine wall. Iro-ge: I rca'poonof 'eed' cvcryd,1. . r,,ring a' rhe rimc ofovulation or immedhtely after unsafe sexduring the ferdle period. Somewomen take the e.d. for ore w*|. orh.r. unrrlbleedingLcgin'. You can chew on thc seeds,mke rhem in a glax of rvateror juice, or swallowthem in gelatin capsules. Male surethat the seedsyou buy have not been chemically*eated, asthis destroystheir elfectiveness.

A Sirnple 'W-ay of Bringing on Your Per iod (If you suspect alr Lrnwanted pregnarcy) This recipeshould not be Lrsedon a regular nor as a method ofcontraception. lr is easy prepare,cosrsalmost norhing, ard it is nor havc side eflecrs. fhe be.r rime to begir rhe rrerrmer:r .< rhe,1-y "n rhrr you u.rc uppo cd robeg'n men.r,u"(in8 o, rhe next day). L lnsert a sprig offresh parsleym lar aspossibleinto the vrgina. Changerhe parsleyeven l2 hours. Vhen soft, it may be difficult ro remov€,bur ihis is 2. At rhe sametime, drink p{sley infusions Gee 3. Drrring thcsc3 days,take hieh dosesof Vitmin C orally. The idet dosaseis 500 milligrams ."..y hour (6000 mg per day) for up ro 6 days.Vitamin C can bring on nrensrruatjoneven threeweels aftcr a "latc" period.You can bcgin taking Vitamin C orally immediately after urui! rx. Ifsuccessful,you should stan to bleedwirhrn two or drrcedavs.You should know rhat: 0 You nay havc crampswhcn you firsr srartto bleed; rakegingc infsions (p.1r2)m nmded. 0 Thar chmcesofthis nethod wori
^-^LL-_"

I{ o'rv to

Br ing on a Period flsing Ernrnenagogues ([.nmenagoguesare herbswhich encourage menstmal flow by promoting uterine contracuonsl. :' corraceprive.. Th*. me,hod.rft no' r^ hc 'r'cd The recipeshere usc more conccntratcd combinationsofherbs and arc designcdto induce a miscarriage.Theseplan* can be uscdifyou wish to abort natumlly, but must be usedin the manner .ndiuted hcre.We proridc rhe.crecip* bowins that only a few women will be ableto usethem undcr their optimal condidons. It's important to know thar thc carlieryou usethese herbs,the more effectivethey'li bc, but one

16

lt-

condnion is absoiurclynec€ssary: tou haveto be ar the end ofyour rycle. This meanstiat they will nor *ork rieht after ovul.tion, as it is not possiblero .lirninaie the lerdlized eggbeforeit hasadheredto rhe uterinerv:ll. Someherbssuch wild carrot seed ": car be usedto preventthe fertilized eggfrom arrachingitselfto the uterine wall G€ep.47). You $ou1d begin drinking rhe teasthe night before mensrruationis to begin;on that day, or up to 6 ttaysaftcmards-but noc larcrlYou may want to have a pregnanrytest to verify whe*rer you are rea1ly pregnantor not. Thes€Plarrtsare not toxic, but keep In m nd ,\ | ifrhp/.ar .rr. c a m'"rrri,gc. \cv ,re certainlyabletc, damagean cmbryo. Ifyou are sure yoLrarc pregnanr,rnakean appohtment for an .\..

..

. : , : . , L- , -

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a- . lu- c eeC_

Ifyou knorv you rre pregnanrand arc surerhar you ,nlo rermrnre rhc pr.bamry. a., r qui.lJy ,' " posible. \flomen who are awareoftheir cycleshave greatestchancesofsuccess.These recipesare not miraculous,btr ifvou do them earlr/enough, chanccsof succeeding:refairly good. Use only one of tne hllowing 2 recipes. recipe #1 Emmenagogue lngredients Mo*rerworr, mugi,'crr" goldensealroor, blue cohoshroot, frcsh ginger root. Pennyroyalcan be substitutedfor mugworr, bowevcr,it is hard ro find in nany prns ofCanada (especiaLly in QLrtLec). I lnfuse: 1/2 ounce (14 grams.)ofmothcrworr (a medium*ized handful) md t/2 ounce (14 gr.) of mug*on .r mcdiunr rzedh,ndful\ rn 2 or {.ur boiling water;steepcoveredon low heat lor 20 mlnuresaod stf n. 2. Mal<ea decocion of I ounce (28 sr.) ofblue cohoshroot ir 2 cups ofcold water. Simmer on low hcat for 20 ninutes (covered)and strain. '. Vr. rh. rntr.ion /iro n rcpllrnd'hcdeco,rion (trom srcp2) togedrer. Dosage Drink hor, 1/4 cup, 4 to 5 times per day, or drink a rotrl of t arrd 1/2 cups pcr day, taking a small emount everyhour. In addition Take 2 goldenscalroot capsuLes 3 cimesa day; chew on freshginger rnd/or drink as many ginger infLxions(p.42) aspossible.

!rr. eqn q.S ".+.'U \ri

t8

Y,/

I{eep

in rnind 0 The inlusion tasresratherawful: add 0 Srop taking rhe mixture assoon as you srarrblccding, or after taking ir for five da1's*'ith no results.

0 Mosc women should begin menstruaringwithin 48 hours or so after beginning the rrearr;rcnt. 0 You should Lnorv drat rhescherbscm causc lots ofrest is advised. contractions.nd/or dizz-iness; Thcl m-y.11."irrdu,cn.u.clnd/or .um;ri,,F:F'I lightly. 0 Do rheserreatmentswirh a ftiend. They crn check 1,ourprogress,give support, masage,keepy". C Pracricchasshown that the more advanccdth. pregnmcy, the more severerhc sidc cffects.\re stressonce again that this trcatmentshould not be done more then 6 daysafter a mixed prriod. 0 Seenote important' following rccipe#2. Emrnenagogue recipe #2 Ingrcdicnts 0 2 tablespoonsdried blue cohoshroot. 0 3 tablcspoonsdricd pennyroyalleaves. 0 2 tablespoonsdried tansyleavesand flowcs (or lcrcs from rhe plmt in flowo). Put the bluc cohosh root into 6 cupsofwatcr and bring n ro a boil. As soon asn boils, rdcl the remaining herbs,coverand removefrom hear.Let ir sreepfor at least30 minutes.Srrainout rhc herbs t-^it\ \-r.,-. :", 'o Jt- I ,::. Jrd ,.h..,, d. I ashot aspossible,cvery3 to 4 hours for no morc *rm 5 da1s.Drinking thn recipewhile sirtrngm r hor bath ircreasesirs cffccrivcncss. recipe#1 (sec Side effecrs:sameas for ernrnenagoguc IMPORTAN'I': Even though conplications are very, very rare,ifyou experienceany ofd,e follo*ing symptoms after usirg one ofrhese recipes,go to a hospital immediarely:extremelyseverenausea,very liigh,.,v., 1r0 .r0l dcgr"erF', lemorrh,gi,,g (oaking through more thm 2 padsm hour for over :n.^npl, 4 hou,,r. rn ,h.,, . -rn,..,"rirsr (indicaredby passing"r,, large blood clorsandror hemorrhage),a tl & C (dilation and curcnageor scrapingofrhc utcrinc wall) may be nccessary. Emmenagoguerecipesrumbers I md 2 should not be ured rogeLler.Y"e . n ra-ke s:rrg- infu.ior. 1p.42)or earfreshtinger roor wf ile using emmenagoguerecipe#2.

t)

Other ernrnenagogues Tarsy leavesand flowers(p.46) carrbe taken in Thi, rnfu.ionor r ncrurero bring on r mrscarriagc. menstrual flow' Dosage: I cup plarit helpsstimriate .linfu.i.ne"ery 2 hour. or 10 lsdropsofrincture in warm *arer every 2 hours. fennyroyal (p.44) can bring on a miscarriageby causingLrtcrinccontractions.?reparean intusion of pennyroyalicavesard drink it rs hot aspossible you r dr rnk ir whilc .irringin r hor barh.Ma'rimum dosage:4 cupsper day for no rnore than 5 days.A teespoonofbrewer's yeastin eachcup hclps rncreas€ the effecriveness ofthis plant. Never ingest pennyroyal oil; it is highly toxic and can cause death (no jokel). Note: Unfornrnatelypennyroyalis hard to find in many parmof Canada,so grow your ownl

:chinesy.s h o uld

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Make sureyou choosegood-qualirydried herbs. u.ins V."ulizarionmd medir" ion help "hcn imaginerfe eggbcingdrdodged enrrncn,gogr.s, 6om the rrerrrsand then expelled.Having someone massage or pressdown on your lowa abdomencan hclp sdmulateurerinecontractionsarrd induce Alcohol, sugar,nicotine and caffeineall interfere with the body's abiliry to absorbherbs.Try to during the minimize your intale ofthese substances courseof thesetreatmenrs. Drir k,,' of *rter *helr,ing oy of rhe recipe. and herbslisted abovc. Do not, under any circumstances, exceed dre recommendeddosages.Once again,eventhough complicationsare very, very rm, ifyou do ,
Thewne Vonan Ilobalfo theChiAbeanryYtar Ey Susun S.Veed,AshTrecPubli'hing,woodstockNw York Vhilc desiered for rvomenwlo wantb havea bxby,the Lr co c J "irh\"rr: n,r\od lor.vo:dngro r-cy.Ard .houldv"u srr D1"gr I n:nJ,:ng.- unw"nrcd '. $ou J ik" ro.on(erve dec;dc mind rcd nee rour -n "ou ad rhr biookis a veryhelpfulguideto a hcalthypregnang' childbnrh. Guidto Ahon ' I ate Btk Yatrt tfe:A wnqn " ProfaneLxistence Nicia nor' Grata, Hcahh Care,by MIN 55408,USA P.O.8722,Minneapol;s, Collecdve, (Send$2 Us).

20

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#*ffiffi?wr"ffi h s a good idea to go lor regulargynecologicalcheck ups;ifa problem is diagnoscd,you can then decide not ro tre.rtit with chemicalpiils or creems.Ycu sho d Jso have Pap testsdone on a regularba-sis (oncea year,in most cces). Chemicalanribioticsare nor advised(especiallyiF you vc alreadyraken them a nLrmberof times) bccausethey tend to weakenthe immune systemas well m yoLrrdefensesagainstother ill,csscs. Though you rnay wmt to avoid medicaltreaoncnr, clinicsoffcr testsfor the problemsmd STDs mcnrionedin rhis section.Someoftheir symproms arc very similar, and n's bestto determinewhich STD you havebeforetreatingyoorseffwnh herbal remedies.Certain STDs such as gonorrbeacan resuk in pelvic inflamrnatorydnease(PID), inlenility and other complicationsif lefr unrreated.lf these rreatmenrsdo nor work for you, be surc to re a good gynecologtr for mcdicaltrearment. The treatmentssuggesred on the fo owing pagesare plancbased:sonc ofthern are natural antibrotrcs that strcngthcnthe immune systen to combat disease or infection. Thn explainsivhy the rrerrmenr,,.rnlr.rr lhe' ff- ,.n-,.. "rgrin, however,is high asthcseplantsclcanserhe body whiJediminishnrg rhe chancesol:rcinfccrion.Even if you're pretty sureyourve gotten rid ofdre infection, get a test alier complcting m herbal treatment just in ceseyou stitl have un
ti

Ifyou decideto taLechemicalantibiotics,you're bomd to get a yeastinfection. Eat lots ofplain natural yogurt (the kind with active bacteria) to restorethe vaginas natural pH balance.Avoid acidic fruits ad sugr. Vaginal yogun tablets or acidophilustabletscan alsopr€venty€asrinGctions. Or with the help of a specuium you can insen yogurr into the v€ina using a small spoon or a large "baby syringe" (onewhich doesn'thave a needl. p.37). Red raspbenyleaftea (p.45) or yatrow (p.47) can be usedto resroreequilibrium to the genitals after taking antibiodcs. Take these lor a month or \flhen consulting a physicianor gynecologisc, it's not a bad idea to iind out ifit's absolutclynecessaryro rrearyour condition ivith chemicalmedicine (rnforrunarely,sometimesit is).Ask about alternarives-sympathetic doctorswill understmd Most doctors push artibiotics on us for eventhe n"^, minor 1v.Ll.,n<.vrdpharmaceur.cal compui:r make a huge profit from this. 1Wedon't have to support th€m. Herbal medicinehasproved itselffor centuries...md the choiceis yours. lfyou havean infectior or STD, it's importaat that both you arrdyour sexualpanne(s) follow *rese $earmcntsar STDSare easitypa,ssed back and fonh this will help you avoid reinfection after completing a rreatment. Men can heal themselveswith these rreatmen$by tahing tie herbsin infusion or tincture form (referto speciflcnotesin tex$. Keep in mind that practising safesex carr prevent rhe trusmission ofmost STDS, and reduc€sth€ risk of reinfection after a trearment.

Crabs Everyone,even smallchildren caa get crabs.They r.e riny in.c,r likc crearurcrrh,r Ia1r-heirrgs
oil) ca" be rubbed onto the infeaed areas(skin and hair) and left on all night. \Cash offwith ,""p. Repeatas nceded.Ifit's especiallybad, apply 3 dmes a day or more. Drink thyme inlirsions (p.46).

S cabies Scabiesare tiny parasitesthat live ard leed tnder tle our€rmostlayerofour skin, diggiry long furrows where the female lays her eggs. Syrnptorns A-frcrm inc rbarionperiodofse"eralweek, ,, uLe irchyspo,< appe;rduringrhe nighr. \\ . "ill ,l':.e:t.n'u*es

and^'p'eadsrcd

t\* \l*, \ \Y I

'he lIn.s. nmd\. berwe.nth€ trnger(.wa,rs, i dbo*.. armpn', LheeenirJ nea and ankles are wnerescaDrcs tcncrto h3!g our.

V/hat to do 0 Samerreatmentasfor crabs,rub affectedarea.

(;enrtal

\i/ arts

\rl

'2flK*

Vhile they are often calledvenerealwarrs,you don r nccc*arilygcr Ihem Grough sexuJronr:, r V4rether it's on the cervix or on your finger, a wart is a wart. \7ans calr disappearwithout rreatmenrbut it's best ro take action early.Their presenceis said to reflectsomesort ofdeficiency (vnamin, nutritional, etc.). \?arts will often appearduring pregr,..y or with vaginJ infecrionrand rendro disrpperr aficrrruds.Cenitalwansofrenrc.cmblcordinaq wartsand somerimesappcarto be shapedlike a rooster'scrown with white dps. They cm grow internally and exrernally,in the anat arrdgenital 'u?l at to do Doctors treat wartswith a toxic oeam, Podophyllin, or by hrr,hcr mcrhods:c[.rrolysi<.liquid nirrogen. Iaserrherrpyor \u'8ery.Ask lbr docrrmenrrrion. Ahome remedyyou can usebeforeseekingmedical 0 Treat your immune sysrem:three wc€l$ of echinaccaroot (p.41) followed by one week of goldenseairoot (p.43). Also douchewith arr infusion ofgoldensealroot once or twice a weeki rhis is effectiveagainstitchiness.Do rhe treatment for four weels; repeatif necessary after a threeweek break.You can take tinctr:resinsteadofinfusions, ar they are much more convenientfor long,term 0 You can alsorub a clove ofgarlic, cur in ha1f,

0 Thyme. red rhyme (more porenr) or hvendar es'enri:loi.lsdilured;n oliveoil i2 ro J rexpoon. of essentialoil for cvery5 ouncesor 142 ml. ofolive

12

ll

0 Freshchickweed(p.40) is very effectivein dissolving warts over an ertended period of sweral months. Eat the fresh pla.rr or make an in6rsion (p.34). The only way to get fresh cirickveedis to p;ck ir youself-ir g'o-s aJJoucrthe.ig ,"d in rhe {p.38t.lfyou car't find the freshplant .oLrnrry'ide you carr take chicl:weed in tincture form

Diet 0 Crapesarerdr i<edlor rieir .vrri-,ir:1properr;c.. concentratedin their skins. 0 Bre"ers ye^r (rn rablcr').Reminder:this is not re proneLoyeasl adv;ed ro' "omcn "ho infecdons. 0 Vitamin C, vitamin A" vitamin E.

Take note: Valts calr be easilyspreadthrough handto-genitalard genital-to-genitalcontact Some t to warts man omerFyou .houJdrale pre.audons, ,se condomor den,,l " dr- rr you .r your p*n ner r
"

0 Tal<e800 ro I 000 milligram.of lrsinedailylor one to nvo weeks-not longer. You car repear this treatment after two week'sbreak. 0 Try to undersmnd what dggers an attack stress, *hich ioods.clorhes.mensrruarron. depression. etc... and try to avoid what you can.

Pap test

0 Avoid cotree,chocolate,nuts, sugararrd alcohol. 0 Take los ofgarlic (freshand in tablersor

Herpes FIerpe.SimplexII is very
24

)

For more information about herpes,consult Ze New Our Bodiet Ozralzas, by the Boston l(romen's

\w I

Bladder & {Jrinary Infections

Symptorns Having to peeall the time, pressurein the bladtlcr, feelingthe urge to pec but nothir'g comes(or maybe just rwo to threedrops), blood in the urine, dark urinewir-ha vrong odor. Be c.rreful. rhe<esisnrray be indicativeofa rnore seriousinfection such as PelvicIn0ammatory Disease(PID). Check wnh a doctor ifyou'rc not sure. Causes Imbalancein the intestinal bactcria, wiping ftom back to front, nylon underwear,chemicalfoms, suess, cold, analpenctrationfbllowed by vaginalpenetrationwithour clemire rhe fingcrs,pcnis or sextoy in between. 'N7hat to do 0 For thosewho consisrendysuffer from this rype of infection, drinking cranberryjuicedaily is a musr. DrinI a sirccn oun.e glas'hourlyar rhe firsr.:gn' ofan infection. This wiil usuallystop it in a couple of hous. Continuedrinking 16 oun.cso{ .ranberryjuiccar lcxr rwicea day for prevenrion. Ifnothing but water is availabledrink a sixtecn ounceglassho"rly, ald make sureyou areCrinking a day after that. ar leasr6ight glasses 0 Bearbery (alsocalledUvrusi, p.39) in intusion or tincure is very good. You'll probably feellike your bladderis going to burst but it's sureto get rid ofthe infection. 0 Take yarrow (p.47) in inlirsion or tincture. g*1

x'))

7t

0 Trv a more alLalinedier comprisedoffruits, almonds,leeks,rurnips and bidey. Avoid cotree, rea.merr. u hite llour. sug:r ald acidgeneraring foods.

during sexr.ral intercourse.Ifyou havea yeasr infection,penetrationofary sort (penis,sexcoys, fingers) is not recommended (even with a conoo'n, sinceit can aggravarethe iritation.

0 In addition, take goldensealcapsules(p.43) for two

Vash your hards ald genitals alier ary sexual contact with arr inlicted partner as it is very .ay ro becomereinfectedthrough intercourseor hand to-

or 0 In caseofpain, eke ralerian (p.46) capsuJes

.:;i;;;.". ffiffn^

ehbmydia ofrenoccur.wiuhoutl mprom, in many women. Its presenceis indicated by an infected cervix widr a yellowish color (checL with a speculum),a burning sensationwhen urinaring artd heary vaginal discharge. Chlamydia can also be asympromatic...You can alsocontact chlamydiain your rhroat during oral sex.Ifyou suspectthar you may haveconrractedchlamydia,or ifyoule noc sure ofyour symproms,have a tesr done. Ifgone untreated over a long pciod of tine, dJamydia cu lead to long-term complications lil-e PID =:ra sterility. No joke! V/hat ro do Take echinacea(p.41) twice a week for 3 weeks. Takc echinaceain tincture to facilirateabsorption. Douche wnh a decoction ofechinacea,rwice a week for 3 weeks.In addition, eat raw garlic or take garlic capsulescveryday. Duration ofthe treatmenr I to 2 monrhs, dependingon the severityofthe infection. After the treatment has ended have another res done to rnake sure the infection is really gone. In caseofsevereinfecdon treat with goldcnseal(p.43).

Waginitis

& V';lwitis

This is a carch'all term for s*eral disorders:ycast infections(candida),trichomonasand gardnarella. Thesecondirions are inflammation ofthe vagina arrd ofthe vulvi; they depend upon many factorsand are nor causedexclusivelyby sexualintercouse Spermicide,andbiorics,latex and perfurnedsoaps car induce vaginitis or vLrlvirisin cerrainwomen. Sensitivityto theseand orher irritants varieswith cachand everywoman. Specificcauses:nd their

Yeast Infections

& Ca n d i d a

r

+

This infection is causedby a yeastJikefungus (called candidr)normallyfound in rhe vrgina.-l he vrginr usuallyproteca againstinfection through ctre production ofbacteria which maintain its natural acidity. en this acidig' is altered,it allows b,crer:asurh ascmdidr ro muJriplyin lrrge numbers,causingthe i"fecdon. Yeastinfectionsare nor considereda sexually transmitreddiseasebut they can be transmitted

26

Causes Neruomness, fatigue, pregnancy, heaq a sudden change in your life, a new sexual panncr, stress, vitamin B deficiencv,e.:rins roo much -_bsupr .. . , : . . w errrng ti ghr-l rl trng' or s],nrherrcl mdrrue l] - . . .

Antibiotics will often bring on a yeasr infection rs they wipe out many of rhe vagina s natural bacteria, allowing candida to reproducein high nmbers.

@

Syrnptorns Thick, white discharge wich a sweetishodor. Itchiness of the v';I...acr in rhc vagina followeo ov irrirarionard ,we|Jingofrhe labir. Ir ses *orse if

0 Plain natural yogtrn is very effective. Insert it with a teapoon (usinga specuJum ifnecesaryt.V*r a prd ;s rhe yoguri will flow out. Mal<e
27

Diet 0 Avoid acid-gencraring foods (citrisfruit, romatoes, erc.),sugar,white flour. Iat foods rich in vitmin B (drk leafi vcgetables). Eat largequantitiesof yogourt and raw gnlic daily.

lf richornonas This is a one-cellparasiticorgnism, olien transmittedduring s*ua1 contactor by humid rer Ln,ar'on. '-ndi,;^, F,.qJ.n. r. r.-re'rce.trer Abundant yellowishdischarge, "i"hy" smell,itching; sm:ll ""pleas,r"t on the ..d dots on rhe "agi.,1w"1ls -d cenix (viible with the speculum); rhreadlike secretions,some mes foamy; irritation around the vulva and the openingof rhc vagina. rX4rat to do 0 Garlic clovescan be inserrcdin thc vagina,uy ror ni.k the.lo'c wl,cnpcelirrgir. \r('r:pit up in a '. cheeseclorh or gaure (you car leavea "mil,' which can rhen be ued for e.sy removal, rnuch like a rampon),alrd dip n in olive oil or almond oil to avoidirritating the mucous membrane.Changethe clove2 to 3 times a day fbr the frrst two daysmd rhen onceh rhe morning md once at night for 5 ro 6 days.Men can drink garlic infusionsor take g:rlic rablcrs. 0 l-akegoldensealcapsules(p.13) orally. Do dis rreatmentlor two wcckr. Accompmy rhis rrcarmentwith vaginaldouchesofthe infusron, oncc a day (p.37)-this getsrid ofthe itching. Rcduccthe lrequencyofdouching for the second

Gardnarella S)'*Pto'.'" Greyishvaginal dnchargewith a srrongsmcJl. 'What

to do Samerrcatncnt aslor trichomoms.

Bacterial Infections & GonorrLea Theseproblemsindicatc that thc immun€ systemhas r" be..rio.r.lyrrclcd rnd builLup. Bcparientthc rr..tments can bc long. Theseproblemscan recur irequ-rrlyafrelhe fir'r arra"kr.r'. bcrrcrro gcr rid of them for good. Syrnptorns Vcry lighr grryish.ecrerion..r.rrible.mcll. irir,rjon or itchinessofthe vulva. Often occurswithour

28

V4rat to do 0 Echinaceadecoctionor rincture (p.41) for 2 to :t months, accompiniedby a vaginaldoucheofrhe decoctionI to 3 times a rveekuntil the vaginai dischargeand irching have disappeared. Do not douchetoo ofte". Take valerian(p.46) to relicve discomfortifnced be. 0 Echinacea(p.41) fof 3 weeksfoltowedby golderxeal(p.43) for I week.It is recommendeil that you take theseherbsin tincture form to faciliratetheir absorption.Tal<ea one-weekureatr and repeatthe sarne'patrern" 2 more times. Do rhis with your parrner. di ,4'f.hS

Dou(hewi,h sojdensear a neededir Lhere i' a lo( ofdis.hargcand ir.hine*. \'alcrian tp.tr(,)relinr. di\omfon a. needcd.

'i , .

0 Douche wirh waccrand clay: put 6 ablespoonsofwhite clay ilto a pint oflulewarm water.lrt the day setdeat the boftom ofcontaherDo not stir. Use enoughwatcr to dou;he- ith, do this oncea day or as neededfor 5 days.Avoid metal utensilswhen using clay.

Douching with claywater hasprovedto be effective in healingmost typesofraginids. 0 In caseofgonorhea or syphillisyou'd be well advisedto consult a naturopath,herbalistor homeopath, md ifnecessary,a gynccologist.

#

Remember,though you may want to avoid medical treatment,many clinics offer testsfor the problems and STDs mentionedin this secrion.Someoftheir 'i-.' " u,l i, . h".' '^ de:eraile which STD you havebeforetreatingyourselfwith herbalremedjes.Cerlain STDs suchas gonorrhea can resultin pelvic inflammatory disease(PID), iniertiiny and other compiicationsifieh untreareci. Ifthese trearmentsdo not woi< for 1'ou,be srrreto seea good gynecologistfor medicalreatmenr. fohpe, itc synptom.:nd diagno.j,.inl'ormarion on using a speculum,consuft Thc New Our Bodies, ourselrs (Updzted and Expandedfor the 90t) by tne BostonVomen's Health BooL Collecrive. TabeBach Your L{e: A \u;nnen': Guide to Abematiue Heabh Care, by Alicia non Grara. Publishedby PrcfaneExistence(addressin "InterestingReading"sectionon p.{8).

f

2'

i et 4t" Tfl*CIv dnd-r p TA

Owarian

rrl

El"wc

Pain

#

This Lrsuallycomesbetweenthe tOrh and l5th day ofthe cycle,counting from the onsct of menstruation.A sharppain on either or both sidesof rhelowerabdomermcrn. rh,r rhe eggi. being d.lficulry.Thi. c, r also.:u.e releaed 'potting. ".rh ile theremay be internal inilammation, rr rs usuallytensionthat causespain. 0 K.ep . hot wate' bottle on thc lower abdomen 0'iake an infusion ofginger (p.42) or red raspberry leaves(p.45) or cdery sced(p.40) or valerian(p 46) for pain ifneed be. 0lmproveormodifrlourdtct (ee 'ugg. tronsin tlie seciio.,s"PiamenstrualSyncirome, p 7 and "Dysmennorheaor Paintul Periods",p.9).

Owarian

Cysts

Medical sciencetends to over-dramatizeand rr) too ofrcn treatscystswith surgery.Cystsare quite comrnonand in somewomen they appearregularlydrroughout the courseof rheir mensrru:l rydes. Tiny at first, they become hrger during *re cycleand then d
t

Ntl: Cyststhar do not go awayna7- requirelongr..- reatment, and.'.n medicalaacnrion, as they cm becomemalignant;thn is especiallytrue of V/hat to do cornbinedwith 0 A diet basedon raw vegetables daily excrciseencouragesc1'srsto dissolve. 0 Red raspberryleaftea(p.45) raken fo.3 to 6 monrhrimpr.vc' rheoveralls ateof thc o"arie' nd reorrce'inllnm,rion o'.ys's rhecau'erhey tste good, rxpberry leavesarc easilytaken for long periodsof rime). 0 Ifthe cystsare reallybotheringyou, take 3 capsules of cayennepepper(p.40) ev..y d"y, asweli as intusionsofyarrow (p.47) for 6 weeks, acconpaniedbv intusionsor tincturesofred raspb.iry leavei.Do this treatmentas nc.d.d. 0 Chickweed(p.40) in rincture fonn is very effective cysts,when for dissolvingcysts,espcciallyova-riarr rakenover long periodsof time. 0 CheckrhequJ ry ol your dge.rion:in c.riral re ofren consripationl oroblcm'r'uch a. ear -d cysts. coniuseclwirh pdn rrom

30

0 For pain: r.aierian(p.46) in tincrure asneeded. 0 lFp.rinper.i*<seer h"meop,r\ or a rarurop 'rF. or seekmedic:l amention.

Fibroids in the (Jterus Most ofthe dme rheseare benign, but thi:y do have a rendencyto grow largerduring the cycle.Afrer menopausethe tumors usuallydiminish alrd disappear.Twenty to rhirty per cent ofwomen ovcr the ageof30 have flbroid tumors. Somerimesa vigorousexercisingprogram will gct rid ofthern. If the fibroids grow fasr,arc large and painful p.cs ", on the bladderand rhe colon rhey must be surgically removed.Aside from exceptionalcases,this docs not mean that a hlsterectomy is neededbut rathera myecromy-rhar i'. rhe fibroid rumor Jon. i, V4rat to do 0 Try cleansingyour geniul organs(p.32). 0 Stimuiatebloocicircularion by taking cayenoe peppercapsules(p.40) and rry rhis dnsdc nrerhod: sit in a nb ofcold water cverymorning for 2 to 5 minutes (or evenlonger ifpossible). 0 A dier rncorporaring lor. ofraw vegerrLle, is 0 vslefian (p.46) asneededtor pain. 0 Be patientl

Varicose Veins on the Cerwix Visible wirh a speculLrm,thev are thin, purpie, spindlyvcins which resemblevaricosevejr,soii thc leg<.Thel rcndto bc paintul beforemen rru"rior 'What to do 0 Cayenncpepper (p.40) for thc rholc morrh or rhe few daysbeicre menstruation. 0 Vitamin E (nu$, bran, wheat germ) and vrtamrn C.

I{orrnonal

Irnbalance

You may expcriencea;r hormonal imbalancedue to menopau.e. rakingrhe pill. losinglargeam.o-unrr of

weightandseriou stress. Hormoneimbalances canresultinr 0 Mnsedperiods. 0 Unusuallyshon or longperiods; unusuallylight or hearyflow. 0 An extremelylong or short menstmal cycle(eg., gening your period every 10 ro 21 days,or evcry35 to 42 dayO. 0 SeverePMS or heary cramping beforeand at rhe onsetof menstruation.

3l

rr-B:Someor all of theseslmptoms may be present in women *'ho go offthe Pill-sometimesfor up ro 6 V4rat to do Use a combination oflicorice root, red raspberry leavesand rosehips: I. lr{ake a regulardecoction(p.35) using 1/2 ounce licorice (14 sr.) and 1/2 ounce rosehips, in 4 cups 2. Make a regularintusion (p.34) usins 1 ounce (28 gr.) ofred raspberryleavesin 2 or 3 cupsofboihrg :1.Srrainaj1dmix the nvo preparations. Dosage:t/4 cup 3 times a day. Do this treatment for 6 weeks;stop for 3 weeksand smrt againasneeded. ,Alr easierway is to use all these planm in tinctures, availablein healthfood stores.Tale 5 to 10 drops of eachherb tincture 2 to 3 times a day. Other, more elaboratetreatmenrsare availablebut are roo long to list here. Diet Lat seaweedregulaly or take in kelp capsul* c"-y

d"v.

Cleansing Your Genitals The follownrg herbscleanseour genitals rvhcrecysts,adhesions,fibroids, etc. take retuge... 'fhn combination ofherbs w;ll help in casesof painful, irregular,overly heary or absentperiodsand sometimes,infertility. rWhat to do Preparean iniusion with yarrow, red raspberry leavcs,and freshgingo root (gratem inch or nvo of sinsef). Use 1 ounce(28 gr.) ofred raspberryleaves ,.J1. ^'nrf . f..,.,-.,"17))n,l"inpe, in6ro8 cupsof*n... Dosage:1/2 cup 3 times a day. Also rake 1 capsuleoicayennc pcppcr (p.40) 3 rimesa

t8l l l

lAfkro dislar y f f i @F NJ are spices.Theywork on the erogenouscennesby .:'1 rns ,n rnren.eflo r or blood ro rheper.ph.'.l ,,imulr .o' . orsar.. *h ch in,u,n lcrd. ro 'cxurl Bc,u.cof Lhrir.rrong-rom, :ndrhe in.r.rc i' cnergrpro'ided.'pi.e<excite,ensorJper'cprior, . Dc0nitely worth rryingl (stick or powder forh) Cinnarnon sork 20 gr. otcinnanon in onc liLreofq eerq ir, for 10 days arrd drink two small glassesevery day. Simmer 20 gr. of cinnmon with a few clovesfor 1520 minutes in one litre ofgood red wine; sweeten wnh honey and drink I cup as desired.

Ginger Grate a good quanriry ofthe ftesh roor, add to water and simmer covaed for menty minutes. Drink a .nr,ll ,:p ri"r mcJ'. lhr< aJ,. rmpr"'- d;g'rorr. Clowes Mix halfa rerpoon of powderedcloveswirh honey. Use it like jan. Infuse 2 or 3 clovesin one cup ofboiling water. Steepwenty minutes. Drink 1 to 2 cupsper day. Steep2 to 3 doves in one cup ofgood hot red u.ine for a few minutes;add some lemon rind, cinnamon and a pincb ofnutmeg. Rosernary Sreepone hardful in boiling water. Drink 2 to 3 cups everyday. trfuse 50 gr.ms of ieavesmri brmchcs in I iitre oi dry white wine for 10 days.Drink 2-3 small glasses

d.v Follow rhis treatmentfor 6 weeks.Consideringthe facr rhat clrosing is a slow process(it rakesar ieast asmuch time co clemseourselvesasit took for the systemto clog stop the ueatment for 3 weela "p), and srarragainlor a 6 week period as needed. llcre againwe can make n easieron ourselvesby taking rhe herbsin tincrure lorm (5 to l0 drops of eachplant, 2 ro 3 rimes a dal; cornbinethis with iniisions ofginger (p.42) or eat thc fresh grated 0 Drink lots ofwater with all ofthese treatn'..u. Again, other, more elaboratctreatmmx are available but aretoo long to list here. For further reading \YxcVonan Hobaffor thcChidbearihgY.dr,by SBM\Xtee,l

32

San'ory lnfuse one handful in boiling water; drink 3 cups per

d"v.

For very efftcientresults,poLrr4 to 5 drops ofsavory essentialoil on a pieceofsugar. Take everyday or as

Chinese

her bs

Ginsengand royrl jelly are also aphrodisiacsard Avail"bl.irnd lc* expenrrvein t hine.e 'onic,. herbalstores,ginsengis usedin Chinesemedicine to strengthenthe elderly and is alwaysusedcarefull)'. Seekadvicelrom the salesperson. NB: Ginsengis commonly uscd for men, royal jelly

JJ

Hvw To DTPpA.l*1|t -: I

l]

&u[t

'n f r hd use ' het.$s ry

P*p*el*l"r*,r*;;"+*-.-..r"3,F .r rc,, preparirgherbalir'iu-ion'md d.corrion. for rnedicinalpurposes.Avoid using pots, pans or utensilsmade ofaluminum. Go lor enamelrco, sninlessstcl or glasspots with wood utensils.Use 'ilreredonpr.ng w;ter ior moreporenrpotions. Note rhar rhere are severaldifferent ways to prepare infusions,decoctions,tinctures,etc. Opinions on llhar constirutesan infusion or decoctioncarrrary from one herbal thenpisr or pracritionerro another. \,'t,r ue h.rvechorento do is to providcrhc erriesr mcthodsofpreparation, while ensuringpotent alrd effecriverreatmenrs.These are good for &ied herbs, use slighdy more wlen they ue fi*h. Ifyou do want to turther exp)orethe subjectofplant preparation,consultthe "Herbal Pharmacy"section ofeirher ofSusun S. weed's two t'ooks Gee 'lnterestingReading"p.48). They are excellent.

Regr.rlar infrrsion

:tf

ES

lor most flowers,leavesand stems A very basic method 2 cupsofboiiing water per 1 ounce (largehaldfrn) ofhsbs, leavesor flowers.This is good for &ied hcbs, use slightly more when they ae fresh. Add plant material to boiling water; removefrom heatmd cover.Infuse (sreep)for at least20 mrnutes

NB: This method is more effectiveas it extr:crs more ofthe plant s medicinal propcrties. Use 2 ounces(2 largehandfuls)ofthe plaot pans for e"ery4-5 cups ofwatcr used (or I ouncc ofplant per 2-3 cupswater). Ilring the water ro a boil. Put the plant material in a n*on (pickling) jar. Pour the boiling water into the jar over rhe plant material;try to leaveaslitde air as posible. Screwrhe lid on tighdy. Let it steepat .oon remPerarure: 0 for flowers:2 hours 0 for leaves:4 to 6 hotrs 0 for llower and leaves:4 hours 0 for seedsand beries: 30 minutes 0 for roots and barL: 8 hours or overnight Srrainthe infusionwhen it is rcady. (NB: roots, bark, berriesarrd seedscan alsobe preparedas decoctions;seebelow). Nevcr boil infusions,evenwhen reheatingthem. Boiling destroysthe potency ofthe plants. Intusionscall be preservedin the liidge for 2-3 days, in tightly cappedjars. This way you can prepare them in advance,and reheatthem asneeded.

34

Decoction

for r oots

& bar k s

I ounce (nedium handful) ofdried root or uart lai' . .<,1 Cove! and simme. Glowly) for 20 minutes. Do not boil. Strain. Can be kept in fridge for 2 to 3 days. Roots arrd bark c:n be soai<edin the same amounr or water overnight,beforesimmering; this incrcases

Decoction Grindlighdy

for ber r ies

& s eeds

Use3 teaspoons for eve.y: ."p' of-"t..

ffi

Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Do not boil. Srrain

anddrink 3 cupsper day. Norrnal

dosage

(adults)

for infusiom md decocdons

For intusions: 1/4 to I cup, 3 to 4 times a day (unlessspecifiedothevis.); dosagesfor e.ch individual plart are speciied in the chaprer"Herbrl P.^-"*i".,.,.t f)^...". l-ordecoction':.r ounce./l /4 .upr J Lo rime<" ' day (unlessspecifiedo*rerwise);dosaseslor each individual plaat are specifiedin rhe chaprer"Herbal It is recommendedto take the herbs 6 daysa week, for a paiod of 6 weeks.This processcm be repeated sevcraldmes (unles specifledothemise). Vc haveto keep in mind that everyone'sbody reactsdifferenriy to herbs (accordingto weight, agc,erc...)To adapt to our needs,we can slightly decrest or increaserhe qumtities arrdduration ofthe rreatments.Use your Tinctrrres fincturescontainrhe alkJoid prrr' of plan,. 'he ;q alcohoi,aoorc crrra,rcd rd prcserucd r ici"" .l- u'n.e", o, er;c.,i,.. A. u'.(vrr" ..;;""-.d herbalextracts,they remarn porenr tor a iong I can be carriedand ingestedeasily,are easy ltime, - ro p'eprr artdr.r qur,ldy. I heyare,old in herb storesand health food stores.V/trile tinctues may seemexpensiveto buy (their pricesrarge from $9 to $14 per dropper botde), drcy lasra very long time; considerthe fact that antibiotics can cost anyr-r'here from $20 to $60 a bottle, for a 7 day dosel Tinctures re useddiluted in warm water {abour 15 drop. in r lirrlebir ofr:rcr. J rime' : dayr.

To rnake your

own

tinctures

Tinctures are surprisinglyeasyto make. 0 Always uselresh plant material: flowers,srems, 0 Dried roots can be tsed but are not as potent as fresh ones.

li

I .. dru n^on lp.clJing'irr uir\ " rigl-r- .le:n. firring Jid-it's not a bad idea ro boil ir first, ro make surc iis serile (1crit dry out completelybefore ". i g.o rr r:rc u.c Donorrv-horin.eoLl mareriai.Freshroots can be scrubbedor pec{cd. e ,..-y.l- p 'hc DJ r' o'11,.pl,,rr vo.lx" u
a

L a p su le s \) , i l:. u\cs:Ju:J pJwdered \!rb. /c,. -, ,,.i.nn. p"pp.,.q.ng., l v., ."r l,y.-y,iy ,f g . l .r .n.,p'u lr . L iz
ce

A poultice rlticeis essenriallycmshcd plant material, applied externallyto rhc infectedarea(eg. sores,cuts, burns...). For freshplants, chop or grarcrhe pl"nt mar€rialajld apply it direcdy to the :rffecredar.a. Dried plants:pour boiiingwater ovcr the plant, cover and sork for halfan hoLrrto 4 hoursGee infusiond. Stranr,then sque€zethe water out arrd .pply them to the aFcctedareas.You can alsowrap po"ltices in a thin layer ofgauze beforeapplying The liquid can be tsed as arr infusion or a soak Gce bclo*l.

36

'S7-ash (also called a soak) L,.,..r ir i.i r . ::r r r ' ' .F.\

ls

1",i.'."J.i. i f..'l;'t j;j ".'%'' :":;t:1. direcdy ln the wash,or dip a clea,rcloth into dre washmd apply n wherevernecded.

Paste A pasteis made by miing the powderedhcrb (eg, goldensealroo$ with a small anlounr ofivarff. lh€ pasteis then applied externallvto the affectedarca.

Vaginal douches & "sitz" baths #'\ 38,rrldor.h. Li,.r. ,oldin Jr .g, - .

u{fl Dou.hc qr r o inru r"n "r "ons o.,o 1,on ''l$rabour I.up ' a body 'emperlre. Do r^"'over-usevaginaldouch* as rhn cm disturb rhe .^ _. hould I h,-,. -i . t --".,., " not Lrscdouches.fhe doucheswe mention h rllis bookler ue medicinal douches;avo;d scenred douchs sold in pharmaciesfthe kind d,at male yor 'smdl bener') astheybavebcenlinkedto Pel'ic lnfhmmatog' Discasc(PID). IMfOR-|ANT: Always douche gendy; douchlng lorcetully can worsenalr infection bv forcrngn up inco your uterus,which carrthen causePID. For malc genitals,soakthe infectedarea.

"Baby

syr inges "

Theseare reladvelylargesyringes(abouran inch in diameter)with an opcning at thc rip thcy do nor h.vcancedc. ll-1.,rrb.u'-d lo, i,, ", ;.")oF,,' into thc vagnraor lor douching. Thev cur be found in manypharmacies.

i.iotes Cenain infusionsand dccoctionsdo not rastev€ry good,add h^n-v .r l"rnon.Vo r prep,r"r "n. should be ral<enwrm unles speclfiedoth:o"se For long'tom umrments, rememberrhat tincture: are Most ofthe plarrrsmentioned in rhis booklet gro* in Nonh America and are thereforeavailablebotli in the city and in the country, aswell asin rnanyherb/ healrhfood stores.Keep in mind drat herbsare not drugs bur foods.They provicienourishmentfor rhe body to heal nse[. Although someherbsare not to be taLen during pregnancy,there re genoaiiy no side effects.h is a normal reaction,however,to havc lessofu appetiteand/or lighr diarrheadunng a treatment.You may haveto urinareoften. Alrvays drink lots ofwater during a trcatm.nt. You should J'o nor Lh"rfre.h herb, -nd Linc r-are more potent than drGd herbs,evenwell' Don t hesitateto seekhelp from expcnsin your area and remembercenain chronic prol:lens or acure condnionswili need more elaboratetrcat"-'..

w q o i( k"n T u y r wh

lrr[

,4

'l^bl#'tt':! W--r ffin'4

.>

easilylound growing in the countryside;many of rhem are also commonly found in gardens :rrd crpry loLsin r\e ciry.Chmomile. chiclveed.red .xpberry le."es, tansy, wiid carrot seedarrd yarrow arrd easiestto spot. amo"g rhe most "bundant "'. Picking your own herbs givesyou the advantageof gening the freshestherbs possible,:rllowingyou to prepare your own tinctures arrd dried herbs, a-ndit cm also saveyou money. However,if1-ou do mnt to pick youi own herbs, rhereare a f.w thi"gs you shorid know: 0 Someplants arepoisonousand evendeadly if ingested(for example,wild carrot seedis easily confusedwith poisonhcmlock which can be f.tal). You sirould be i00o/osurethar rtrc piancyou are plcLing is rhe one you reallywartl Unlessyou've donerhisbciore.ir. besrro goon,'field rrip" with someonewho knows their stuff, in addidon to . on. rlrirg a fieJdguidcbool ,o hclp you re.ognire end idenriff plants.Get to know someofthe different plantswell; take note ofhow they look and smcll beforeyou embark on picking anlthing. Ifyou're everunsure,evenslightly, don't ta-ke chmces.Always take a field-guidc book with you.

The Englishmd Frenchcommon names(eg, bearbery in Erglish: busserolein French)ofthe plantsare provided,asare their Latin names(eg, A'trostaphvlos tva u,l. \e'hen bLryingh.rbs. al$ay. ral<enore ofthe Larin nameofrhe plmr you needr rhis will cnsurethat you get exacdywhat you're lookingior. lr al,o hclpfrl for buyingherhs in non. ' Englishor Frcnch,pealingregion,or counrrin.

You shouldknow that consumingcaffeine,mcoune, alcohol alld sugarinterfereswith the absorptionof plmr m:reri.l1. rrraminsand mineral..maI;ng rhe treatments lesseffecrive. Try to limit your intake of rhe.e.ubsLrn.clqhcn u'ing hcrbalremedie.. Ifyou buy herbs,mal<esureyou buy good qualiry, well p'esewrdd,;ed he!b\.D-i.d hcrbsremain potent for abour 12 months. Storethem ir brov.'n paper bagsor dassj*s, in a cool, dark place Commcrciallysold herbsshould be colorful ard aromatic.Buy herbsthat havenot beensprayedwith pesticidesor other chemicals.Consult the resources secrionfor a list ofreliable herb stora and mailorder disuibutors. NB: \Vhen we talk about using the whole plant, we mean the stems,leavcsand flowers;this doesnot

0 Be respecful. Never pick more than l/3 ofthe planrsarailab1e... this ensuresthat thcy'll come backthe folJowingyear.

Bearberry

0 lt's 1ir better to pick plants in rhe courtry rarher rhan the city. Ifyou must pick'em in the city, get rhem from parks or empry lots locat€d far from , .rd. b, *".ring;-- rime"J.rn'l*y"" 'nry plantslocatednear roadwaysare high in lead and orher contamnunts.

Bearberryactsspecifically on the genital-uinary system.lle useit to treat the prosrate,cystiris,thc kidneys,bladdcr inflmmation, uterine and laginal

0 Rcadup on the subject.Know when to pick thc plan* and plant parts you need.For example,roots arebesthanestedin the fall, flowers right after thcy For further

reading

ThelVne WonenHzrbal: Healing Wie, by SusunS. \feed. PetersonField Guilet to Met;cinal Pknts M;iflin Company)a'e *ceJJenr lHor-rghron for identifying plar.rts.The one we use here in Ontario and Qudbec rs t\e Eastcrn/&ntral 3zl1z. Other guides to Nor*r Arnerica and even Centrai and South Amedca are also

available. A Citl Herbal, hy Maida Sil.rcrman,1977. Knopf. Lxcellentfor ciryherbpickingl 38

(uva-uisi) ArtostaVhyks uu-ursi 0 t>rss*ole

Infrrsion: Make a regularinfusion (p.34); take 1/2 cup, 3 ro 4 rimesdailn Douche: Use an intusion at body tempcrarure,once d"y. "

Blu e Co h o sh Ro o t Cattkphlllun thalntroidts 0 actie bleue Blue cohoshis usedto treat amcnorrhea, dysmenorrhea,mginal inflmmadon, slow or hafted contractions(during childbirth), nervousness, exhaustionard spsmodic cough (asthma, bronchitis,whooping cough).Do not useduring PregnaJlcy. Make a regulardecoction(p.35). Take 1 tealoor !o I rablespoon,3 rc 4 times a day. For amenorrhea and dysmoothea: 1/4 cup of the hot decoction,3 times a day. Spasms:Takc strongerdosesor ingestmore often-

J'

C ay enne P e p p e r Capncun futescen: A poivre de cayenne pan used:ftuit Cayennepepper(alsoknown ascayennepowder, as ir most oiien comesin powdercdform) is a sdmulanc,a tonic, an asringent, a blood-cleanser ard an anriseptic.It inducesswearingalld is excellentfor blood circulation,to stimularethe herrr, cleanand restoreclasticityto the veins arrd arteries,regulateblood pressuredd lelieve congcsdonin the mucus nembrmes. Cay€nne soorhesmd healssoresin *'e stomachand intcsrinal rissues.It stopsboth internal arrdexternalbleeding md accelerares coagulation.Cayenneis effectrvern . ofano.eriaand liverconge.rion. Ir..r,r hclp "se. y"u . ,y aw-l" l"r longperiod orrime.sirgive. encrgy.It:1so strengrhensthe immrrne sysrcmand is exccllcnrfor coldsmd mrhma. Male sureto buy medicinalcayennepepper;the kind that is usedfor cooking hs beenro.itcd, making it loseirs therapeuticpropefties.Consult your local herb srore. for colds:l/r to t rea.poonin hor w.rrer.J rimc. dai\'(veryhor). Capsules:i/4 to I reaspoonin a capsuletal<enwirh a hot beveragc, 3 rimesper day.

C elery Seed Aptun grarnhuA

grzinesde cileri

Celeryseedis a diuretic. It will loiver high blood pressure,rclieveheadichesand nervousness. Infrxion: Grind [ghdy and put 3 teaspoonsin 3 cupsofcold wrter. Cover and simrnerfor 20 m;n. Srrain.DrinL hor, 3 cupsdai)y.

Charnornile Mattnarla chanon;lla ot Maticarza rccstu 0 camornille Chamomile is a ,cdarivefor rhe nerves.nd a roni. for the intestincs.lc is usedfor ear aches,toothaches,lor dow or dificult digcstion,insomnia and rhc flu. Inftrsion: l/2 ounceofflowcrs, in 3 cups ofwarer. 'I'ake 1/2 to 1 cup, 3 to 4 dmes a day. For colds: I/4 teaspoonofcayennepowder in I cup ofcharnomile intusion;add honey. Drink hot, 4 to 5

Chickvveed Stelkria nezlia 0 cera:srcvd,gnre pan used:whole plant ChlcLweedis found in abundanceall over the countryside and city. lt is an expector.nt, a laxative, relievcsgasand colic, helpssoothemd protect mucuousmembrancs,and promoteshealingboth

externally and internally. F'reshchickweed car Ji..olve* u r'; in rinctureFormir i, efferriv. in dissolving rysts, especially ovuiar cysts. The leaves can be made into a pouldce (p.36) or wash(p.37) ro treat externalinlectionsand irritations, including pinL'eye. rnfusion: Make a regularinausion(p.34). Drink l/2 cup,3to4timesaday. For constipation:Take I cup ofthe intusion every3 Tincture: 15 to 20 drops in a glassofwarm *'arer, 2 to 3 times a day. (Thh carrbe used* a iong-rerft treatment for cysts.) Freshplant: The more you eat, the better!

Cinnarnon Cinnanonun zefuninn 0 carne e pan used:bark Cinnamon is usetulin caseofmuscular pains,flu, and digestivespasms.It is alsom aphrodniac. Decoction:Ma.kea normal dccocrion(p.351;take l/4 cup 3 to 4 rimesdaily.

Clowes Eugenia caryopb/lzta Q clou de gnofle part used:dried flowersarrd buds clo! e5frcit;,",. . itcul,,ron.rjr bodv Lemperarurc. stinularcod dninlecrrhe sromr.h.sLn. Lidne)s. intestines,lungs ald bronchii. Clove oil is ar analgesicthat stopstoothacheswhen applieddirecdy to the tooth or cavity. Infirsion: I teaspoonclovesin 2 cupswater.Take 1/8 ofa cup, 3 times daily. (Purple conenower) Echinacea Echinaceap p rea t atg6tofol,20 rudbeckie parr ued: the rooc A blood purifier, ir stimolatesthe prcducrion of white blood cellswhich destroybacreriaor vrruses. Echinaceais arrherbalsubstitutefor mdbioucs c r srrengrhcnsthe immune system.It is usedfor blood poisoninB, poi,nnou,(Ling,and Lires.chronrcor acutebacterialinfecions, vaginalinfectlonsand hcmorrhoids.A good prostatetonic, it alsofaciliratcs the climination offat. Eclinacea is non-toxrcmo cm be taken ovcr long periodsoftimc. Decoction: Make a regulardecoction(p.35).Add licoriceroot ifthe nste males yor feelnauseous. Take I to 5 tablespoons,3 to 6 dmesa dan Tincture: 15 to 30 drops in a litle wam warer every I to 6 hours, dependingon rhe severityofthe infection. Douche: Use a decoctionat room temperature,2 ro 3 times a weekfor 2 weeks.

4l

G ar lic Allirn

satiutm 0 ail

part use
Rrw garlic:r^hopo, pre* garlicclovc.f:-tc"rrh .old w"reror mir *irh honey.fton r walt morerhan 5 minutes:fter you cut th. garlic cloveto consum. it. Ear one or more clovesoffresh garlic3 to 4 cimes Douche: Boil waterlor I5 minutes.Vhen coorco down to body temperaturc,add the juice ofone or Ear'achc (ear infectioa): Peelone gadic clore wnhout breal
G i n ger Zingiber fficinah 0 gingembre pan used:rhizone and root Ginger is a stimula-.t,an anJgesicand m aphrodisiac.lt is usedlor boils, bronchitis,colic pain, d;.-hea, flrr, sorc throats,hemorrhageofthc nruse;.neurlgir. rd lun3 . prntul rheumaisrn. Ginger is prticularly effectivefor abdominal probirms.lt can bc talen in capsoles with a h"t beverageo. .dd.d to y"L,r bath for f."". an.i skin irritatiors. It carralsohelp bring on a iate pcriod. It can be usedin powder form, but the fresh root is much more porent. Intusion: Freshginger:Grate a good qumtiry ofthe roor md infusein boiled water for 30 to 60 mrnures. Porvdoed ginger: t texpoon per cup ofhot water uirh honcyald lem on.Dr ink I cup 3 rime.a d:1 rvith honey. For colds,add 1/4 teaspooncayenne pepperto eachcup. Capsules:Fill the capsuleswith gingerpowder, t:*e 3 capsulesdaily. Freshroor Simply chcw a good quandty ofrhe root severaltimes a day with rvater,or grateit and mix

42

Go ld e n se a l

Ro o t

Hldrattn canadensn0 hydraste carladier ^--,,.-,1. -^^. " -,.1,L;"^-Similar to echinaceaand mynh, goldensealroot rs a powerful natural antibiotic. lt is usedfor viral and bacteriaiinfections.Goldensealis a remedylor severe inflammationsin the nose,rhroat, stomach,colon, md is alsogood for hemorhoids. Especiallyeffective for Herpes-typevnLrses(cold sores,shinslet, n n also excellent as a douche lor vaginal infections, as an eyewashfor conjunctiviris,anrisepticmouthwash, md for skin probiemsand burns. Intusion: 1/4 teaspoonof the powderedroot in I cup ofboiling water. Mix well. Tale 2 to 5 tablespoons4 times daily. NB: this mstesvery bitter. Capsuls: Measure 1/4 teaspoonofpowder. Fill 3 capsuleswith this amounr. Take 3 capsulesdaily. Tincrure:l s drop. in warm warer,3 timesa d:y. Paste:Mix a small amount ofporvderwith water to mahea light paste.Use externallyon skin infections and coverwith a cloth (it stains). Douche: Use a strong infusion drdng a trcarmenr.It is good ro usegoldensealboth intermlly ud externally.VARNING: goldensealis toxic when usedexcessively; do not usefor longer rhan two wceks.Do not useduring pregnancy.

Lawender Laoenduk ofi ciul;s Q lavan le part used:flowers Lavenderis a sedativearrdarr:,rti-bacterial.Usc the esential oil externallyon open soresand to soothe insectbites.Vash it offafrcr about 15 to 20 minutes,asit cm burn. lor a reluing bath, prepare ar infi*ion oflavender arrdadd it to the wa-., o. add a few drops oflavender cssentialoil.

Licorice G\qnhim glabta Q reglisse part used:rhe root whole, broken up inro piecesor Licoriceis an emollient, an *pecrorant and a gentle lxadvc. It also containssubstances similar to esrrogen(asdoa sage).In Chinesemedicinerts nicknameis "the reconcilor"sinc. in addilion ro being usedon its own, it can be combinedwirh all the other herbs.Its presenceincreases rhen medicinal propcl ic, whrlcma.Lng rlrebirrerrr.re ofcerra;n herbs. Decoction: I ounce or more oflicorice root. Simmcr for 20 minutes in 2 cups ofwater. Take 1/4 cup 3 to 4 times a day. This quantity carrbe addedto other decoctionsor infusions. Laxative:1 teaspoonofpowder nixed with honey. Chcwing on the dried root (in sdck forn) helps regulatcdigcstiveproblems.

Red Raspberry

Moth e rwo r t t "ono us.a,lia,a 0 E;Lpaune A rcally good uterineand hean tonic, mothervort .rlsorelievescramps.k can be usedin strong doses ,nd I r Iors pe ioJ
Mugrvort Atcn ;s;a w lga* 0 armoise pan used'whole plant Emmenagogue,anti epilcpcic,anti-spasmodic.Do not rakein caseofutcrinc inllamrnation or during P.cgnmcy. Make a regularinfusion (p.34). Take 1/4 cup 3 to 4 timesdaily.

Parsley Petoselinum satiuun 0 persil pan uscd' *hole plant l'arsleyis rich ir mineralsand containsmore ,ron rhr any othcr greenvegetable.ft is rich in utamrns rr rnd B ad hasthreetimcs more vitmin C tharr cirru fruirs. Parsleyis *cellent lor kidneysand bladdo srcns, good for the optical and cen-ica1 nenes, the suprarcnalglmds md blood vessds.ft pr*er,ts rhcumatistr,::ril hdps inflan'.edglards and mensrruaiproblerns.The roots and seedsarc usedin decoctlon.Ifyou havea hard rimc eatingenough freshparsley,takc it in infuion instead.In caseof kidney infecdon, rakeginger (which k an antt' inflammatory) instead. Intusion: Make s normal infusion (p.34). Take 2 to 6 rablcspooru4 rimesa day.

Red raspbefy leavesare usedfor di,rrhea, hemorrhoids,vaginitis,hormonal probicmsand during rd afterpregnancy.Th€y ire by far onc of the bestuterinetonics. Thcy stimulate menstrual flow by toning the ovariesand the uterusand improving their functions. Taken during menstruation,red rmpbery leavesrelicvccrarnps and regularethe f1ow.They alsohelp wirh digesrion rnfusion: Make a regularinfusion (p.34). Tat<e1 cup, 3 tima daily. Douche: Once a day with a concentratedinftLsionat room temperature.Do not usefor morc than one

Ro se h ip s Rosacanina Q iglamier A tonic lor fatigueand vitamin deficiencicsand a diuretic, rosehipsconrain a 1ot ofvirmin C. They arc excellenrlor rhe skin, and help balan- hormonal irregularities-goodfor irregularmenstrualcyclesand heary white vaginaldischarge(lercorrhea). Make a regL ar intuion (p.34); rake the rccommcnded do.age/p Js, l{orchip,rn infu .o,l uc excellenr cold wirh Iemo"

Rosernary Ro,nar;nu! ofrcindlii 0 rcnaril often usedfor headaches, colic pains,colds, newourne. d.pre,.ion.palpnarrons od urerire .ongcsrion. A pLrJmon.rn cler.er. ir : r.o hJpful for arlhoa whcn the steamis inhaled: add a strong infusion ro your bath. M.rJre . regrrJar iniusronrp.J. r: drin . I /r , up. J ,o

Sa g e

Pennyroyal Mentha Puhg;un 0 poiiot part uscd,*hole plant Itnnyroyal (oftcn refrred to asAmerican which facilitates pcnny.oy"l) is an expeccoranr evrcuationofbile and is usedfor bronchni. ,rrd whooping cough.It zlso inducesuterine conLrr'rion.. Do no, ure duringprrgn.ucy Pcnnyrolzr in herb form cm be hard to find in rnany parts of Canada. Essentialoil: Rub die skin, it keepsmosquitoesaway and ca" g.t latemcnst.uation ro staft.1VARNING: lennyroyal cssentialoil is toxic {ao cause.learh

FOREXTERNALUSEONLY. 11

Leaves

Rubus ;daeut 0 ferl|Ies de fiamboisie,

satu;aofrcinaha suse Usedfor sorethroats,to bring down high feversmd ro srinularecircul.rrion od digestion. S.rgermprr. l,.ration rdriesup morher''milkr This hob rn.r,r-. estrogenand can help wirh certain menstrual nregularities. Intusion: Make a regularinfirsion (p.34). Take 1 ro To dry up mother's milk 1 cup ofcold infuslon To garglewith: Make arr infusion using 1/2 cup of water and I /2 cup ofapple cider vinegar.

4i

Tansy

{Bitter Burtons) Tanacenn u"lga,e Q tnaGie vulgaire pan usedrleaves,flowersand sceds

convulsions);cayenne(for oamps); anise(for digestirr disorders);gingu (for menstrual iuegularitied.

Tans.ris usedfor amcnonheaand dysmenorrhea. The seedsc:-r be usedro expelworms. It is an emmenagoguewhich can be used ro promote regular periods.\(arning: Tansy can causehearTbLeedingin *omcn who usuallyha"e a heary menstruall1ow. Do not contuse widr tansy ragwort.

In6rsion: I ounce ofroot, 2 cups ofboiling warer. Steepcovcredfor 45 minutcs. Take 1/4 cup, 3 ro 4

Tahe in small ard repeateddoses.Extralarge doses car causecongestionand result in discomfort to rhe abdominal organs.

Tincture: 10 to 15 drops in a lltrle water, 3 to 4

rWrild Carrot (Queen

Anne's

Seed lace) Daucus carota Q ca:otte sasvage

Infixion: Prepre a regularintusion (p.34) using 1 ounc. herb to 1 pint (500 ml) watcr. Take I cup, 3 times a day beforemerls.

parr used:sceds,rooa

Tincture: 10 to 15 drops in rvarm water, 3 to 4

The seedscan be Luedas a "morning afterpill, ro prc"cr,r'hc impl;nrationofa lenilizedegg ee ' p.t6).

Thyrne Thlnu

n!sr!:

,r Tbnu: pulzgion!* Q th,y:t

Roorre, i. r diurcri, helpseliminarc urinrry "hich stonesmd worms-

\fild carrot seedis easilyfound in the ciry and country; the seedsshould be picked in rhe nitidle r" end ofseprember (consuftsomeoncwho ha done thn befor€).\|ARNING: be very ereful a'uout idend$ing this plant. It is easilycontusedwith poisonhemlock,which can causedeath (no 1o"e7.

fever,colds, Thvme is usedfor headaches, bronchiri, cramps,digestiveproblems,nignrmares, whooping cough,wounds, toothaches,scabies,ulcer, sorerhroats,worms, fneumausm,eo as a oeooofanr and a mouthws:h.

Yarrorw

Intusion: 1 reaspoonofthyme in one cup ofwater. I ahe I cup, 3 to 4 rimes a day.

Ach;tba nitqoti"n part used: flowers and leavs

For coughrMix with honey; take I to 2 teaspoonsas

Yarrow is a deallser.rr is urd for cordsand flu, hemouhagesofthe lungs md rhe inrcsrines,vaginal and bladderintcctions,menstrualdisordcrs, hemorrhoids,facigue,and circulaticr problems.

For fever:Drink a hot infusion. Vrap yourselfin biankersso as to sweat;then take a shower. For worms: 1 to 5 drops ofthyme cssentialoil with honey and someolive oil, 3 tima daily. For skin prohlems,scabies,parasites:Mix 2 ro 3 reaspo""' rhyme essentialoii in 5 ounccsolivc oil. Apply 3 or moLetimes everyday to the affected areas.Also takerhyme infusions 3 times a day.

Valerian Valet;ana ofic;naln o vtertne V-er.,,r i' u.eJ in crsesofar>.iery.depre*ion. digcstiveorcirculation disorders.It is good lor rrcermgproblemsrelf,teoro worry, sp.rms, cprlepy. neuralgir.Ir i
c achilliemi1le,fcuille

lnftsion, Make a resular infusion (p.34). Drink 3 ro 4 cups daily Decoctionr Start with a regularinfuion rhat s been preparedmd suained.Simmer until the liquio rs rcducedto halfits original volume. Strain.Driok cold halfa cup, 3 times daily. For flu md coldsi Drink one to rwo cupsofrhe hot infusion. For colds,wnp yoursefnr blanketsaftcr drinkng in order co sweat,then take a barh. For rbdominatpain or hcarr bteadine:fakc , hoL infuion heloremer.rrullion o, a, nc;ed 1.,

s.\l rr_h* -+F'rrr g{.;-, \-i'-e,

.W

N-

47

lnlerpl;ilL*s TheNea Ou Bod;es,Ourtelues.Updmed and crpandedfor rhe'90s. By Se Boston \(omeni Healrh B,iok ahlecrive. Touchsrone.1992. D e'p knte! qti gltiis e,t. By MarieProvosr.Bibliothique 1991. qudbdcoise. Natural nelzcinefor chiAr,. ByJulian Scottph.d. tnd;an htbohg in North Aneria. By Nma R. Hutchens.Merco,Canada.1973. wise Wonan Herbal for the Childbearingyatt. By SusunVeed. Voodstock, 1985. erbal: Hcaling w;te By Susun S. Thc W;te Voner weed. Liou Ind;ans ue wild lk* i2'r food, nedzcineand a@. By FrancesDensm"r;. tiove.. 1974. Hlgenia, a wonan habal ByJeannePmati Greestone.1978. TheInunrbb E4i/cn;r. Thestoryofwonex andAIDS. By GenaCorea.Harper Perennial1993. Susie SexpettiLubian SexUz,/rl By SusieBrjght. CleisPres. 1990. TaheBacl YoroL;Ji. A Winnin: Guide To Alternatitte Ilealth Catr- By Nic\a non Grata. Available atr Profale ExistenceCollecdve,P.O. Box 8722, Mirneapolis, MIN 55408,USA. Senci$2 US. Maling it vfe. Ry Cildy P*ton. Fnd onb;ningfor heabh.By Doris Grmt & Jean Joyce.ThorsonPublishersinc. HetbdlIlone Hcalth Cal. ByJohn C.ntoPher.Provo. Utal. BixorlC publisher.1976. La l-loteLaatntienne.By FrdreMdie-Victoln. dc l'UdM. Montrdal. 1964. Presses t'trton lnld Gidet to Med;chal Plznx.Itorghon Mifflin Company. A C;tyHerbal.Ity Ma;da Silverman.Kropf. 1977.

-Wornen's health

. eudbec

Womens Cenrerof Vonudal: i585'ues.tin' Urbain, Monrr,:al, Qc (51.4) 842'4780 women's HealrhCenter:1I0J boul. SairtJo'cph Est, Montr€a1,Qc, H2J IL3 \514) 270 6\i0 Clinique Actuel: Gynecoloer',::sts,HIV. Monrrualr

\5r4)524'100r Stella:S*workers r*ource cencer,Monr€al; (514) 285-8889 Canada/Maritirnes ' Atlantic Cmadiaa Coalition of Womeni Groups:Mount St. Vlncent University,166 BedfordHwy, Room 9 Scton Annex,Halifa, NS, B3M 216;(902) 443'4150 Nita:sinan,AOP Innu ResourceCentet: Sheshetshit, lM0 Ne*foundlmd and Labrador'Women'sInstrtute: P.O.Box 13785,St.Johns, Nfld, A1B 4C3; (709) 754,0690 Vo,--en's Institute FederatioaofPlI: P.O. Box 1058,Charlonetown,PEI, CIA 7M4: (902) 368' 4860 'Ontario Hsde FreeClinic for'Women: 566 Church Street, Toronto, onr; (416) 922'0566 Native Vomo s ResourceCenter: 345 GerrardSt. East,Toronto, onr, M5A2Gr 1416)963'9963 VoicesofPositive Women: P.O. Box 471 Stn. C, Toronto, Ont, M6J 3P5;1416)324-8703 ' Pacific Collccdve,2l'r.16L VmcouverWomen'rHeaft-h Vest 8rh Ave.,Varrcouvet,BC,V6J 1v2t (6A4)736 5262or736-4234. PacificAIDS ResourceCertre I107 SeymourStreet, Vucouver, BC, V6B 5sa, (604) 893-2210

::::roidnr{ier

SainrD"nis, L bottineaurherbes: :778 A 'ue Monrr€al,Qc,I{2V 2Mr Caradz:(5\4) 845-1225 Mail order.Goodqualiy Le i,udindetournesols: organicherbs.22-ALesplatcau,Arse ScJean,Qc, (418)272'3115 u0\' U0 Canada; Herbs:Mail order.Rt. 5, Box 1042,rva, Blessed MO,65608USA ArenaBotmicals:Mail order.P.O.Box365,\x'cst Ro&pon,ME, 0'1865USA H*b Pharrn;Mail order.Box 116,Viltiams,OR, 97544U51' 48

organizations/referral/

This is theengtishtanguage aoaphddnofC !rr /o4Jrr{ (hauddonst?r (uto cs dcrlli, J r.tr.sAt$avs Horin Grls'Pants). by Tsabelle cauthier This edirionwas collectively wrjtten by IsabelieGauthier andLisa Vinebaum HIV/AIDS sectionby KarenH€rland. Translduon: R"chercudy. ManineBaza,.Lisa!inebaun, PenntPattison.TanyaWalers.Jenniferperela l]oofrading: Mariannopedretti,Arllle Hendemon,Carla Nemilo4 Marlinda Zunic, Lisa Vinebaum. Layout and desigr Mlriam Cliche {over page:IrdneMayer &hvork: Isabeliecaurhier Editionr Hd Panrz First edition: Montrdal-Toronro-Vancouver-Maison d€s Souris, I 994. Secondedilion: Monrr€al, 1995. Third edirion: Montrdat, 1998 Specia]thaN {or inspimrionto JoyceRedik€r,t,a Feedcs Ros€s,SueAnn Harkey. Womenare encouragedto shrre tbis infomatioq amongs themselves.Therc is no copyrigbtoa Hot pantz-Howe,ta, we ask $ar you pleasecopy or sharErhis inforrnadon rcsponsibly,aid give qedir 10the authorsrrheiE Individual and butk ord ersol Eot pMtz c nt c obtained by writing to the addressbelowi DIEsc €ndose$3 (plus$r postrg€)per individtratbootler Dohalions are welcome to subsidizethe costsof distribution to women who cannot atford to buy trIrl P/nIz. f,or comnents, orde6 lnd inlormationi ttot pantz CP 871,Succ.C Montrdal Qc 1f2L 4L6 Canrda For copi€sin rfte UK rnd €urope,seerhe codhavetr Irk detailsal.he front oflhr palnphtet L.belle CauLhjer,otd, c degRe in herbdtrneEp\ she srJdred riib loyce Red:keror te urand Monde de, Herbe, in VoDutal is a herbal pracririone. wfth severat yeals of etjve -d

Vjrebaun j! an aJrisrand activisr Shehrs beenlsing herbal py o. herself and otherselecredviclims for a nmb€; or