This is a first my friends. 

I can't always answer Q's, especially in my DM's and emails, from listeners so I thought this would be a great way to share my answers (which always tend to be more nuanced than a quick response, let's be honest).

If someone is asking these questions, my guess is that many more of you are too. 

So I hope you enjoy this grab bag of Q+A this week.

First I share my thoughts on whether or not it's appropriate to work with "hormonally active" herbs at different phases in the menstrual cycle.

Then I share some basics on how I navigate working with herbs when someone is on meds -- what the most important things are to consider, and how to think through this.

After that, I share some quick thoughts on what to do if you have quirky sleep and still want to get an accurate read for your basal body temperature when cycle tracking. 

And finally I share a few simple tips to encourage an easier sleep onset for those who tend to get that "second wind" at night rather than actually get tired.

I hope this is an enjoyable tour through these various topics. All the answers were totally off the cuff for me, so you'll hear my in-the-moment reflections. 

As I'm writing this, I'm feeling the vulnerability of trying something entirely new, *and* I'm also embracing the energy of playfulness today. 

So here it is, first ever Q+A. :)


Listen to learn:

• are hormonally active herbs appropriate in different cycle phases (including menstruation)
• why it's important to take herbs regularly for hormonal health conditions (we're talking months at a time, not weeks)
• when I might make an exception and choose to work with herbs in specific phases
• some basics on herb-drug interactions and what to look out for
• why consistency is more important than timing with your basal body temperature charting
• several simple ideas you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to encourage sleepiness and reduce the chances of staying up til 2am (again!)

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Q+A with me
• Episode 17: How stress messes with your hormones
• Episode 54: The many faces of chaste tree for "hormonal balance"
• Episode 86: Herbal spotlight on ashwagandha
• Free guide: Start tracking your cycle with Fertility Awareness

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

I'll be the first to admit that it irks me when people use the term "plant medicine" to refer to psychedelics, or what perhaps could be more properly termed "entheogens."

First of all, half of those are isolated compounds that are created in labs (perhaps originally derived from plants, but not always) and others are derived from fungi or animal compounds. 

Like, they aren't even all sourced from plants. And I don't love the usurping of a name that I've been using for almost 2 decades to refer to my love of the practice of people's medicine, or herbal medicine.

That said, I'll also openly acknowledge that psychedelics and entheogens have been a significant part of my path TO herbal medicine. And to healing arts overall.  And to nature connection before that. 

They are profound and powerful and I deeply respect them. I just think we need to be more precise about what we're talking about. 

Today's guest Allison Avalon shares about her relationship with entheogens and how, alongside silent meditation and foundational nutrition and lifestyle practices, they have had an immeasurable impact on healing her wombspace, jaw, and overall anxiety and depression. 

Her story starts in a place of deep suffering in a spiral of anxiety and depression, intense jaw clenching she'd bite into her cheeks and intense menstrual pain -- and while she was seeking answers she found powerful entheogens that changed her entire life, partly by facing death -- and what she calls "death practice."

We talk about all of this and how free and relaxed the flow of energy is through her body. How she no longer has menstrual pain or jaw clenching AT ALL. 

It's really an inspiring and hopeful story full of so much wisdom. 


Listen to learn:

• what entheogens are and some possible ways they may support you
• how "death practice" can actually help you LIVE more fully
• ways our wombs can support our healthy relationship with death
• how the pelvis and throat/jaw are connected
• Allison's story of complete relief from her lifetime of her chronic jaw clenching
• the surprising way releasing jaw tension was mirrored in her pelvis
• the power of intentional entheogenic practice
• how silent meditation can support integration
• an example of how the foundational pillars of health are essential in healing 

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Links to the Entheogem retreats + Allison's offerings
• Episode 10: Traditional womb healing practices w Sondra Hamilton
• Episode 27: Sex + Psychedelics with Juliana Rose Goldstone
• Episode 61: Pelvic wisdom + healing trauma w Dr Emily Wilson
• Episode 77: Myofascial release for pelvic bowl w Lindsay Courcelle
• Free offering: Womb connection + clearing meditation

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any person

Click here to send me a quick message :)

We all know loss, grief, heartbreak. But how many of us know how to tend it in ourselves or in those we love?

Once we've made it into adulthood, many of us have experienced heartbreak -- a total shattering -- at least once, if not multiple times. 

And as we move onward into midlife and beyond, the heartbreaks just compound, don't they?  We begin to identify, for years, sometimes decades, with parts of ourselves that have to dissolve in the wake of heartbreak. 

It's no quick or easy task, especially when we truly give our presence to it and allow it to transform us. 

Today's guest - author Sara Avant Stover - speaks about how one immense heartbreak (relationship) led to a cascade of others (abortion, fertility journey, health, finances, community, career), and shares about her gradual journey to healing.

We discuss big and small heartbreaks we often don't talk about. 

Along her healing journey, she found Internal Family Systems (IFS) and it changed everything for her, and she shares all about that too. 

It's a beautiful, wise conversation and I hope you love it. 

Listen to learn:

• how cervical dysplasia sparked self-reflection and healing for Sara
• what immense heartbreak led Sara to write her book
• why it's important to allow ourselves to feel the emotions as they come
• how alone Sara felt after her abortion loss
• the difference between slow healing and spiritual bypassing
• what Internal Family Systems is and how it can support us to heal at a deep level

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get the link to buy Sara's book or check out her podcast
• Episode 16: Healing from narcissistic abuse with herbs + flower essences
• Episode 34:  What if your womb was an altar?
• Episode 49: How to create a sacred window for times of change 
• Episode 65: Grief and pleasure (postpartum and beyond)
• Episode 98: Reclaim your cervix
• Episode 112: How to tend your grief with earth connection
• Free resource: Womb connection and clearing meditation

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Support the Show.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

Herbs and pregnancy.

Let's just say this is a topic with all kinds of perspectives depending on who you talk to. Or what link you click after your google search. 

So, how do you know what's safe, what's not, and who to trust when it comes to herbs, like for instance red raspberry leaf, in pregnancy?

Well, it's a multi-layered response really, which is why I recorded an entire episode on it. 

But the short answer is:  there's evidence in the literature saying that red raspberry leaf has potential to stimulate contractions of the uterus, but there's also evidence showing that it supports uterine relaxation too. (mostly in rats, btw)

That said, Red Raspberry Leaf (Rubus ideaus) tea has been used traditionally in pregnancy for at least hundreds of years as an herbal ally to nourish and support the womb in pregnancy and labor, and is probably one of the most common herbs taken in pregnancy. 

And there's published surveys showing that those who used red raspberry leaf in pregnancy had slightly shorter active labors with less augmentation (meaning less inductions and other interventions). 

So... what's the deal? How do you decide what's right for you?

I go into some of the nuances that I think are most important to consider, plus offer some ideas around herbs you might blend red raspberry leaf with to make a really nourishing pregnancy tea blend, in this week's episode.

Listen to learn:

• why people work with red raspberry leaf in pregnancy
• a nuanced perspective on using herbs in first trimester
• the best way to take red raspberry leaf in pregnancy and beyond
• a glimpse into some of the published research on RRL and pregnancy
• how to use red raspberry leaf tea during labor
• why it's essential to listen to your own body

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Go check out the research studies on RRL + pregnancy
• Episode 11: Dandelion herbal spotlight
• Episode 22: Nettles herbal spotlight
• Episode 85: Acupressure for pregnancy, birth + pp w Sarah Tewhey

Support Herbal Womb Wisdom!!
I have a new link where you can donate to support the show. Please consider offering something if you've enjoyed or benefitted from the years of weekly episodes. It's currently a labor of love, and I welcome donations to help sustain my efforts of creating this kickass resource :) Donate to support the show here




If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing

Support the Show.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

What does it mean to hold trauma in the wombspace?  And what are some signs that indicate that womb trauma may be present?

The topic of "womb healing" is a bit of a buzz these days and sometimes I wonder what people mean by that. I see social media profiles of "womb healing practitioners" and "womb healing" programs and honestly it's a vague concept.

It could be everything from someone who has absolutely no training in any therapeutic modalities but likes to position themselves as a self-proclaimed expert on instagram to someone like today's guest, Dr Sarah Wylie, who is a Naturopathic doctor who's trained extensively with Rosita Arvigo and other practitioners to cultivate her multiple decades of clinical practice working with abdominal, pelvic and womb care.

The truth is, when we hold story, energy, trauma, information in our wombspace, there are many paths to healing that exist. 

And it's really about exploring what works for you -- especially because so much of what's stored there is not just physical, but also emotional and even ancestral lineage stuff.

So a combination of modalities is often helpful. 

But what I love about the way Dr Sarah Wylie uniquely approaches this work is that she weaves together her naturopathic clinical training, lab work as needed, bodywork, and visualization techniques to both assess and support the release and tending of information held in the wombspace. 

She speaks in detail about simple signs to tell if you might be holding something there (yep, pain is a big one, but also bleeding patterns, cycle irregularities, etc) and then she shares a lot about her personal bodywork practice.

It's a beautiful collaborative approach to womb tending, release, and care and I'm excited for you to hear about it.

Listen to learn:

• how a cervical dysplasia diagnoses changed Dr Sarah Wylie's life
• why it's important to look beyond just physical trauma in relation to pelvic care
• signs of womb trauma or imbalances in the wombspace
• a glimpse at her bodywork practice and how collaborative the work can be
• a guided visualization to help you sense a personal womb story or wisdom 
• some inspiring thoughts on the womb through perimenopause

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Sarah's womb care courses + offerings
• Episode 10: Traditional womb healing practices w Sondra Hamilton
• Episode 34: What if your womb was an altar? 
• Episode 61: Pelvic wisdom with Dr Emily Wilson
• Free guided visualization: Womb embodiment and clearing practice

Support Herbal Womb Wisdom!!
I have a new link where you can donate to support the show. Please consider offering something if you've enjoyed or benefitted from the years of weekly episodes. It's currently a labor of love, and I welcome donations to help sustain my efforts of creating this kickass resource :) Donate to support the show here




If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role i

Click here to send me a quick message :)

Follicular, Ovulatory, Luteal, Menstrual. 

Inner spring, Inner summer, Inner Autumn, Inner Winter.

Waxing Moon, Full Moon, Waning Moon, New Moon.

The cycles of nature are tangible in ourselves, and especially for those of us with wombs while we're in our cycling years, we have the option to align ourselves with the phase of our cycle we'e in at any given moment. 

For instance, I'm currently in early Autumn. I just ovulated a few days ago, my temperature rose, my cervical mucus changed, and I can feel a subtle difference in my energy levels, and honestly I also feel a little warmer (well maybe that's bc I'm wearing too many layers, lol, but basal body temp DOES rise post-ovulation).

What phase of your cycle are you in right now??

Whatever phase you're in has certain qualities and characteristics, and it's important to learn your own rather than just rely on books or social media, because sometimes we don't fit the prescribed mold. 

However, there are general qualities that hold true for most folks... so it's helpful to learn those and then reflect on your own. 

Today's podcast guest, longtime yoga teacher and cyclical living mentor Rebecca Rankin, shares all about not only her life-changing experience with cyclical living but also how we can bring yoga postures and breathwork into the fold.

She shares a couple poses and breathwork options that suit each phase. I especially love how she includes a rolled towel to encourage ovarian circulation in the follicular phase in one pose and then that same rolled towel in a different location to encourage uterine circulation in the late luteal phase. 

It's really neat to consider the ways we can more intentionally bring our cycle into our yoga and vice versa.

If this intrigues you, I think you'll dig today's episode.

Listen to learn:

• how becoming a mother catalyzed Rebecca's cyclical living  journey
• what cyclical living is and a couple ways it's changed her business + life
• ways that natural cycles mirror and inform embodied cyclical living
• how even when you're no longer cycling, you can still attune to cycles
• some yoga postures + breathwork for each phase of the menstrual cycle
• a guided "Apana" breathwork practice helpful in menstrual phase + whenever you need some extra tethering to the earth

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get Rebecca's links to her journal, website, social media
• Start tracking your cycle with Fertility Awareness Method (free guide)
• Episode 42: Reclaim your menstruation
• Episode 69: Cyclical archetypes w Em Dewey
• Episode 73: Cyclical movement w Tara Lynn Steele
• Episode 78: Your cycle superpowers

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

Well, today I decided to go for it and talk about everyone's favorite topic... poop. 😂

But for real, the quality and regularity of our elimination has a huge impact on our overall health. 

And unfortunately, we've all but normalized constipation. 

Most folks go to the doctor and when they're asked, "Do you have regular bowel movements?" They respond, "yes." Because regular just means at regular intervals, right? 

The answer to that is... NO. Ideally we all poop at least once a day, if not twice. 

And those eliminations feel complete, relieving, relaxing. 

If you're pooping every 2-3 days, or even longer intervals (I've known clients and friends to say they have "regular" bowel movements every 10 days), that's constipation. 

For some people pooping only once a day could be a form of incomplete elimination that may be a slight constipation. 

What's "normal" or "typical" is not necessarily healthy. 

And constipation, whether it's chronic or occasional or situational, wreaks havoc on multiple systems of the body - so it's important to eliminate every single day not just for your digestive discomfort but also for your whole health (and yes, your hormones too). 

I share all about this and a lot more in this week's episode.

Listen to learn:

• what constipation is and how to tell if you have it (it's not always obvious)
• how to determine your transit time
• the many forms of constipation and when they might show up
• how constipation impacts your hormones, cholesterol levels + skin
• the direct relationship between your gut and your mental health
• a few ideas about how to encourage more optimal elimination (aka how to help you poop)

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: What's constipation got to do with it?
• Free guide: Dandelion recipe collection 
• Episode 11: Dandelion herbal spotlight
• Episode 17: How stress messes w your hormones
• Episode 58: Gut health + your hormones

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

When you think about the menopausal transition, what comes up?

I'm genuinely curious actually... 

Is it the end of the cycling years, no more bleeding?

Or the hot flashes, low libido, dry vaginal tissues, maybe even need to focus more on bone or heart health?

Does it feel liberating or like something you're dreading?

I know some folks here are already well beyond their menopausal years (and I love that you're here), and others are barely even thinking yet about this transition. 

And that's the thing, many of us don't begin to even think about this time of our lives until we start to experience the symptoms that make it obvious. 

Today's guest, herbalist and homeopath Seraphina Capranos speaks about menopause from the lens of the Wise Woman Tradition which approaches this transitional time as something to prepare for by focusing on deep nourishment, nervous system and adrenal health. 

While of course alleviating symptoms is important, there's also an art to preventing them even occurring in the first place. 

So many of us run ourselves to the ground, trying hard to keep up with a world that glorifies over-extending and production over rest and replenishment. 

And let's just say, that go-go-go energy is the opposite of what we need to be doing as we head into our transitional years. Instead, we need to be caretaking ourselves.

Seraphina shares about some of her favorite herbs to incorporate into this time of life (and before), and also a whole different perspective on what's possible as we pass through this transition - how instead of an entry into the elder years, it's actually often a time of new beginnings and empowered action.

Listen to learn:

• how Seraphina braids together herbalism, homeopathy and ritual into her work
• the power of touching your own breasts/chest
• what the foundations of the Wise Woman Tradition are
• the Wise Woman approach to health care (and how integrative it is)
• ways to prepare your body and mind and spirit for menopause
• a few herbs Seraphina thinks are key for most of us in this time
• why menopause is not typically the entry to "crone" years in modern times

Resources:

• Todays shownotes: Get links (and discount) to Seraphina's programs + work
• Free guide: 10 key herbs for hormonal health
• Episode 37: Easing into menopause w Dana LaVoie
• Episode 40: Herbal spotlight on schisandra
• Episode 70: Is it perimenopause?
• Episode 86: Herbal spotlight on ashwagandha

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

Something that always surprises me is how powerful it is to share stories, especially when they relate to "things we don't talk about."

It's pretty easy for us to share stories about how our day went awry, or something funny about what our kids did when trying to get them to eat their dinner. 

But what we don't talk about are often the things we are socialized to keep quiet. 

Which tends to be, oh just about anything related to our pelvis and wombspace, especially when we're feeling vulnerable or like we're the only ones who must be experiencing this (insert very common reproductive or sexual or hormonal health issue here). 

The reality is that many of us have been socialized to feel shame around anything we experience related to "down there" and since we only see the happy moments and smiling photos of postpartum parents and families, it's easy to believe no one else is struggling.

But let's be real. Especially for first time parents, but also any subsequent birth, there are SO MANY unexpected things that show up.

From perineal tears to healing from a cesarean to feeling scared to poop to prolapse to incontinence to massive mood swings to beyond-imaginable-fatigue to being responsible for another human to nipple soreness and figuring our nursing and on and on and on. 

But who talks about this? So much of the focus tends to be on preparing for birth and often very little if any heads-up about what to genuinely expect in those days and weeks after birth, physically/emotionally/mentally, etc. 

And this. This is what Zulilah Merry's documentary film,  No One Told Me, vividly portrays in observational form. 

Simple, observational, real-deal postpartum journey. 

Which is both refreshing and a gift to see. 

We talk about her film and her journey to making it, as well as way more about what is profoundly missing in our current individualistic, "I can do it myself," society. 

And how important it is to find ways to connect and build community in this world that is endlessly asking us to stray from it. 

Listen to learn:

• the premise of No One Told Me
• what prompted Zulilah to make this film
• why the style of observational documentary is powerful in the postpartum context
• how sharing honest views into this time of life can support others
• what might be possible if we center connection versus individuation

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Zulilah's website and social media
• Sign up for Tending the Loss of Abortion (starts April 7, 2024)
• Episode 25: Immediate postpartum care the herbal way
• Episode 49: Creating a sacred window postpartum and beyond

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

As humans, we love stories. And sometimes physiology can be boring and heady and unpalatable. But what if we tell the story of what's happening instead?

What if we see the primordial germ cell that may become an oocyte and may ovulate and then travel from the ovary through the uterine tubes and beyond as an epic tale?

Honestly, I've fallen in love with physiology, and the burst of potential life that exists in our oocytes is as fascinating as it is mysterious. 

And that makes it... magic. In my mind, at least. 

Some might say we can understand it all scientifically, but can we?

In this episode I dive into my own version of what I see happening, from the original primordial germ cells we create when we're inside our mother's (or parent's) womb all the way to ovulation as adults and potential fertilization. 

I actually think this physiology is a good foundation whether you're trying to conceive or trying to avoid it... it's the 101 (okay, well maybe 202) glimpse into what's actually happening, how it happens, and why it matters. 

This process is both scientific (and yes, I talk some researched science) and mystical. And I personally think it's best that way. 


Listen in to learn:

• the scientific and mystical elements of eggs and their monthly journey
• how and when your potential eggs start forming (hint: when you're an embryo)
• the myth around the amount of eggs you have in your lifetime
• what the process of oocyte development and ovulation looks like
• what happens once the oocyte has ovulated (how does it get out?)
• what your cervical fluid does to sperm
• the myth about the fastest sperm being the one to fertilize the egg
• what happens after fertilization

Resources:

• Grab the FREE Track Your Cycle Naturally guide here.
• Today's shownotes: Get links to the references + articles I mentioned today
• Episode 38: Your menstrual cycle is a vital sign
• Episode 98: Reclaim your cervix
• Episode 105: What is your fertile window?

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)