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Ayurved

Antiviral Essential Oils

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Protecting our children & ourselves

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Way back in the last century (1999) my 9 year old son and I were living in a home where I did childcare for two pre-school aged children. Three times that winter their whole family was diagnosed with strep throat, and took antibiotics for it. (They continued to eat cold yogurt, cheese, and other ayurvedically contraindicated things.) Even before their culture for strep was confirmed, I put one drop of a well researched antibacterial and antiviral blend of essential oils (Young Living’s Thieves) on my son’s throat, and 2 on my own throat (diluted with 1-2 drops of sesame oil), and applied a few more drops directly to our feet. I did this 3 times a day, and adjusted our diet away from cold, dairy and wheat for those few days. We did not get sick, though sharing a kitchen with this family. The third time it came up for them, I started to feel the tell-tale scratchy throat. My son and I each added one more drop of Thieves in the back of our throats 3-4 X a day. It stung, briefly. And WOW – immediately, the signs went away and stayed away! Now I may put a drop in ⅙ cup water and gargle instead – either way it stings but works fast.

Although streptococcus causes a bacterial infection, only about 5-10% of sore throats are actually bacterial — the rest are viral. I’ve worked with antiviral essential oils with amazing results, and often am asked by clients what they can do to most safely and gently protect their families when immune system is weak — like after childbirth, or during flu season. There are Ayurvedic insights on the use of essential oils, and diet, herbs and lifestyle changes which help refine our therapeutic choices when we are vulnerable (like choosing heating and drying substances for mucus problems and cooling substances for fevers, etc.) This wisdom also includes protecting our “head” or psychic space from fatigue, weakness and emotional impurity, since viruses can so easily enter our field if we are not feeling strong inside.

Fall and Spring are times of seasonal change when, as both public health stats and ancient Ayurveda explain, everyone is more vulnerable, and an illness can be easier to acquire and harder to kick. Right now children are returning to school, and bringing home colds and flus. And national news is reporting severe respiratory viral infections hospitalizing unusual numbers of children in this country, not to mention other scary virus trends around the world! Please get your essential oils first aid kit ready!

Here are my top choices for antiviral and respiratory supports, “distilled” from about 40 antiviral essential oils that I’ve come to know and love. First, the single oils:

Cassia and Cinnamon (two varieties of cinnamon): Jean Claude Lapraz, MD, found that viruses could not even live in the presence of cinnamon oil, so many of the best blends have this oil in them. Balance this for its hot, dry qualities.

Citrus peel oils: Inexpensive oils and good diffusers. More gentle antiviral and good for children (and inner children).

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata): Diffuses well, with benefits that cool and penetrate quickly. It is both antiviral and respiratory clearing.

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii): Specially valuable when the psychic space is fragile and compromised, this is an immunostimulant, mild antiviral and powerful anti-inflammatory.

Hyssop: Powerful antiviral used in biblical times during the plague. Balance for its hot, sharp, and drying qualities.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca sp.): Well known for its broad spectrum uses, tea tree is valuable and not too intense antiviral and antibacterial. 

Myrtle & Lemon Myrtle: Gently pitta and vata pacifying, this good antiviral also supports endocrine and clears respiratory systems. Myrtle is very kind and diffuses well.

Oregano: Strongly heating and drying. When prepared using low temperature distillation it offers antiviral as well as antibacterial and antifungal benefits. 

Thyme: Strongly heating and drying. When prepared using low temperature distillation it offers antiviral as well as the antibacterial and antifungal benefits.

I’m a Young Living EO fan because I have absolute faith in the purity and integrity of their oils. They have some amazing blended oils, and naturally I have some favorite antiviral blends. Well-combined blends are often better value than singles and have proven track records for broad spectrum effectiveness in one bottle.

** If you choose to take any essential oils internally, please be certain of the EO producer and the quality of their oils, and that they provide suitable instructions. Otherwise please do not use in this way.

Thieves — Blend with clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus radiata, rosemary: Number 1 for winter time and cold weather illness with excess kapha, and for boosting agni in Ayurvedic terms, it has strong antioxidant properties too. This blend was used in the 16th century plague time with unusual success — first by the body robbers of the dead and dying who were grounded from their shipping trade as oil and spice importers. Research shows over 95% kill rate on over 5 different groups of viruses plus highly antibacterial, antifungal effects.

RC — Blend with 3 eucalyptuses, myrtle, pine, cypress, lavender, oregano, peppermint and tsuga: Number 1 for inhalation for most respiratory issues, this has many antivirals in it also. Its sharp penetrating qualities are balanced by endocrine boosters, grounding evergreens and liver help. Balanced for multi-season use, valuable for diffuser method.

Raven — Blend with ravensara, eucalyptus radiata, peppermint, wintergreen and lemon: Also cooling and potent, it’s broad spectrum effects soothe inflammation, lungs, help kick phlegm, plus combat herpes and shingles.

Purification — Blend with citronella, lemongrass, lavendin, rosemary, melaleuca and myrtle: Good diffuser for kids coming and going from school and fragile postpartum families. This is useful in hot and cold weather illnesses and against environmental radiation.

Exodus II — Blend with cassia, myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, hyssop, galbanum, frankincense (Boswellia carteri), and spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi): Biblical combo gives extra oomph on viral infections and kicking phlegm, and powerfully helps protect and clear the mind of high vata and kapha. Balance for hot, dry and penetrating qualities.

This list is offered for safe and powerful first aid for MANY uses besides antiviral and respiratory help. Over 5,000 research studies on essential oils are showing that they have significant therapeutic effects. Knowledge of Ayurveda enhances their use with guidelines for preventing vulnerability to disease.

With over 90% of the medicinal properties of many herbs evaporated when they are dried, essential oils are more potent for many uses. They offer highly respectable self and client care support, but need safe use and well balanced application. I’ve worked with essential oils for over 15 years, with respect and love for their blessings. I also know how overboard people get with them, forgetting the rest of their self-care homework, and Ayurvedic concerns for misuse.

Young Living oils test with 300-800 bio-constituents each, distilled to access each plant’s arsenal of integrated intelligence and protection like no drug can. It’s super important to know the quality of the essential oils you choose before using them for therapeutic purposes. A lot of extra care goes into creating a true therapeutic quality essential oil, and if your source distills many oils at the same temperature, they are likely missing key medicinal properties. The following guidelines are key for the kind of value I refer to:

  • Organic seed, soils untainted by pollutants, and proper plant variety for desired effects
  • Sustainably grown in their best climate and region around the world
  • Sustainably teaming with local growers for the grower, planetary and plant best interests
  • Grown without chemical pesticides, herbicides
  • Harvested and distilled with precise timing to ensure peak properties
  • First extractions only, according to the plant’s best/low temp and pressure to preserve bioconstituents
  • No synthetic essential oils added
  • Third-party plus in house cross-testing of every barrel
  • Stand behind any recommended internal use of their oils

Obligatory and honest disclaimer: Of course there is so much more than even my long winded articles can say about making the best use of these oils. This discussion cannot be misconstrued as sufficient information to handle a disease on your own, and the severity of some of the issues facing the world today requires in our opinion, a combination of careful medical care from your doctor, and careful preventive and supportive self care for best results. This is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor or train you to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

12 Factors for Baby’s Development

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Ayurveda defines 12 factors contributing to the quality of baby’s development. Visualize if you can, how nutrition can influence all these 12 factors:

1) Paternal influence

2) Maternal influence

3) Soul/ past life karmas (aatmaja)

4) Agni – Tejas (physical and mental digestive strength)

5) Soma – Ojas quality (immunity strength)

6) Vayu – Prana (vitality — life force strength)

7) The 3 mental Gunas – Sattva, Rajas & Tamas and their influence on mood and character

8) The 5 senses (strength of vision, hearing, smell, touch and taste)

9) The Mind – (stability and strength of focus)

10) The Buddhi (intellect or intelligence)

11) Smruti (memory and ability to retain and recall)

12) the 5 elements (the quantity of earth, water, fire, air and ether in a person’s constitution)

In a nutshell, shukra (sperm) and artava (egg) contain the maternal & paternal elements of heredity. These include components of the: 5 elements, 20 qualities of nature, 3 mental gunas (SRT), three doshas (VPK), 7 dhatus (tissues), and refined essence of the three doshas (ojas, tejas and prana–OTP), all of which shape the embryo  and are known as “basic units of hereditary.”

Within the first 2 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta is working, giving oxygen and life force to the baby. The prana taken in by the mother must be refined and delicate, not intense or jarring. Rasa dhatu (plasma) should be sattvic for this intricate process which means it needs to be clear of ama (toxins) or anything that may obstruct the tiny but critical developments. Pitta toxins and kapha phlegm both morning sickness which blocks the flow of prana. The invisible work of mothers in pregnancy is to provide a supportive harmonious energy field and nourishment for her developing baby’s body and blueprint. Proper nutrition of mind and body (the 12 factors) are what create this environment.

To learn more about the 12 factors for Baby’s development check out the following class:  Enhancing Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth with Ayurveda

 

4 Key Foods Throughout Pregnancy

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According to Ayurveda, there are 4 key sattvic foods used in varied ways throughout pregnancy for most mamas: new basmati rice, pure ghee, butter and milk. These foods are naturally sattvic (harmonious and pure), building, easy on the digestion when properly used, and do not create mental and emotional negativity in their nature.

For vegan mamas, the list of 4 becomes 1 – just new basmati rice (not aged, and not brown due to the heating quality of brown rices), and these mothers often crave the three dairy options during pregnancy. Whatever foods are actually used, much care must be taken to substitute for these foods with sattvic, pitta and vata pacifying, ojas building qualities of other foods. For example, some common substitutes for dairy include:

Old, processed or life-force weakened foods undermine nutrition, as does slow maternal elimination. The stress of our prevalent Type A/rajasic overdrive in modern cultures will deplete the life-energy and nutrients for mama and baby. Poor digestion or poor food choice can create ama, which can lead to morning sickness and other problems.

Many other foods are important too, of course, but these take a special grounding, pitta and vata balancing, and ojas enhancing role.

 

Panchakarma — Ayurvedic Cleansing for Conception

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To prepare for receiving the highest vibration soul and providing the healthiest new body for their baby, the mother and father both to need to calm and balance their doshas, eliminate ama and reduce rajas and tamas in their minds. This manifests as a need to purify body and emotions in some way.

Ayurveda spells out how we can prepare the body and mind for healthy sperm and ova and optimal conception. It’s called Panchakarma and post Panchakarma Rasayana (rejuvenation therapies). This is a fascinating education for practitioners, but you’ll want to attend the Dhatu and Panchakarma advanced classes with Vaidya Bharat (ayurvedsadhana.com) to unfold this juicy understanding.

Although each mother has brilliant natural maps for growing a baby, she and her partner can make choices in preparation for supporting baby’s plan for incarnation, to cleanse and then strengthen the intricate communications between Baby’s DNA and unfolding her subtle body blueprint. Conception calls on mother and father’s reproductive essence in the sperm and ovum, on their consciousness and on their desires, to match baby’s desire and life purposes. The blueprint structures are built to the soul’s purpose and style, and everyone wants this to be in greatest bliss and success for life.

Panchakarma has been proven to significantly, safely and gently remove significant amounts of petrochemical pollutants in a short time. The body stores these in fat, reproductive, brain and endocrine tissues and these are not easily removed by western cleansing methods. The unique methods of cleansing employed by Ayurveda are safe and gentle, but it is very important that it is done properly to prevent side effects; many practitioners are only partially trained.

Rasayana therapies are rebuilding and rejuvenative, perfect for preparing to concieve and the body receives the benefits of rasayana much more effectively after the Panchakarma sequences are complete. Cleansing without rejuvenation afterwards is not a good idea for those wishing to conceive!

Ojas: The Essence of Baby’s Development

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cute white baby

Ancient Ayurvedic texts by Vagbhat describe–in detail–embryonic nourishment at conception and for gestation by the 5 elements. They describe the seat of the soul as a sixth tissue (the nervous system), which is the next to last tissue in the sequence of tissue nutrition in the body. The quality of mind and connectedness to this life are dependent upon the quality of the nervous tissue. Vagbhat explains that ojas – the finest product of maternal and paternal digestion and contained in the reproductive seed material — is the essence of the embryo and fetus, and the first component for baby’s tissue formation, and Ayurvedic teachers explain that stem cells are nourished by ojas.

Nourishing mama’s ojas throughout pregnancy (and postpartum) is a central topic in Ayurveda. The many refinements on healthy digestion and transformation of food that is spelled out in Ayurveda are about creating good quality ojas — because ojas is the finest product of digestion. It is the foundation of good health.

When a mother enters pregnancy with a healthy diet and lifestyle, making the necessary changes to enhance ojas is straight-forward — and she can easily make proactive choices that will help build the best quality body for baby. But when she has pitta or kapha ama (accumulated wastes from incomplete digestion or toxicities in the body), or excessive rajas or tamas in the mind (anger, depression, and so on) these conditions can tend to vibrate at odds with gestational priorities, and undermine the baby’s development.

 

The Best 5 Herbs in the First 10 Days

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Whether you are an Ayurvedic, Chinese or Western herbalist, you may have a few favorite lactation herbs already. There are so many herbs to choose from.

When I ask myself, what are the top herbs for early postnatal use, then ask again, what are the top ones for lactation, my list is often the same, and ginger and pepper are usually at the top. Why? Because we are talking today about the first WEEK after childbirth, when agni is low and vata is high. For lactation, the body’s resources need to be flowing and nourishing, and mother nature does the rest best when she is assisted with certain pungent herbs. Their nutrition-transforming, fast-acting and channel clearing qualities are significant.

“Agni” – our digestive and transformative chemistries, are so important for lactation, happy baby tummies, rejuvenation, strength, mood and feeling light, clear and energized. You will find the postpartum agni needs help to make good use of food. That’s why it’s important to attend to agni first, especially before milk comes in.

Using herbs which are easily accessed in the west, here are my picks. These 5 herbs work like a team to make lactation easy:

  1. Ginger – Enhances digestion and warmth; purifies and clears breast, lymph, respiratory channels and fluids; helps burns toxins/wastes; reduces gas and bloating; lowers vata and kapha; is sattvic–promoting clarity, lightness and purity of mind; and is immune protective.
  2. Pepper – Enhances digestion and warmth; purifies and clears breast channels, lymph, respiratory channels and fluids; burns toxins/wastes; reduces gas and bloating; lowers vata and kapha; strongly immune protective, including antiviral and antiparasitic; special muscle tissue purification, energizing (rajasic).
  3. Garlic – Strong galactagogue; enhances digestion and warmth; purifies and clears lymph, blood, respiratory channels and fluids; burns toxins/wastes; reduces gas, bloating; lowers vata and kapha; strongly immune protective including antibacterial and antiparasitic; energizing (rajasic), grounding (tamasic), strengthening (rajasic); protects the subtle energy field. * Must be well cooked.
  4. Fennel/Anise – Good galactagogue; antiparasitic, digestive, anti-acidic (fennel), moves gas out and shrinks bloating, (gentle deepan and pachan actions); cooling/warming (respectively), gentle anti cough/kapha; anti vata; gently estrogenic; sattvic.
  5. Fenugreek – Good galactagogue, antiparasitic, heals small intestine wall and digestive function; helps loosen retained placental fragments and brings down upper body heat; helpful with fever; gently warming, gentle anti-cough, anti-vata and anti-kapha; sattvic. Not very effective in capsules for many.

Do you see how all these 5 herbs help digestion? Continue with these digestives, adjusting heat level gradually as appropriate, over the next weeks and months postpartum for best results. But please don’t take them in capsules – make teas and season your food with them.

What are the next 5 herbs on your list? 

There are quite a number of herbs which help hormones, digestion and lactation together, and also help keep the body relaxed and warm. When you are creating an herbal formula, think about all of these properties.

If you are thinking that shatavari or borage might be good additions to the list, think carefully. Surprisingly, shatavari – while it is a an awesome galactagogue and female rejuvenative – is not appropriate for the first 9-10 days for most mamas. Both are too heavy and cooling for early postpartum (borage is a refrigerant), and should be avoided. 

If mama is having hot flashes, hot tea using cumin, coriander and fennel is a better choice in the first week or so, with shatavari coming in after agni is strong and channels are working well.

And if you are wanting to put raspberry leaf, nettles, gotu kola or oat straw on your list? You’ll want to add 1 or more of the first 5 from my lactation list, to help balance their cooling, drying, and/or astringent qualities – which are all vata increasing.

Dr. Aviva Romm recently wrote a great blog post called Five Favorite Herbal Medicines for Women you will enjoy. I love that she addresses the western woman’s herb resources. These herbs are not our favorite picks for the first few days after childbirth however, just because we have these needs which are not well understood yet in the west.

If you want to learn more about the Ayurvedic approach to postpartum herbalism, you can take our Safe Postpartum Herbs class.  In this 5 hour lecture series, you will learn how to safely help a mother and newborn with many common issues. There are basic Ayurvedic principles which are not widely known and really complement the western–or Chinese pharmacopeia. I hope you will learn these secrets and practice them.

Big Elephant Herb for Maternal Health…

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This featured herb for maternal care punctures tires, yet makes the urinary channels feel like silk!

Tribulus terrestris is one of the most important herbs in Ayurvedic medicine. This “noxious weed” in the US is called Goat’s Beard or Puncture Vine.  Ayurveda calls it Gokshura.  It offers the  practitioner many uses in maternal healthcare, and though found all over the southwest US, it is seems little known in western herbalism. Perhaps because this hard, multi-sided sharp thorny seed (actually a fruit) easily punctures shoes and bike tires?gokshura triptik

I was looking through my notes recently for perinatal and infant health content.  So much to digest and use, so many little known abundantly growing herbs!  T. terrestris rightfully makes many south-westerners give up their off-road bicycle habit, but when ground it makes the urinary system – and more – very happy.

For pregnancy and postpartum food and medicines, the gokharu (gokshura fruit) was one of the staple herbs in village use. It can be given within the first 10 days after childbirth with guduchi for abnormal postpartum discharge in addition to its applications with the common issues of swellings, burning urine, and rejuvenation. It is an aphrodisiac (rasayana i.e. rejuvenative tonic), helps in conception, preventing miscarriage, certain vaginal disorders, impotency, and shows some effects similar to ashwagandha with animal research. Many other applications below are noted for your interest.

A favorite support best known for kidney function among Ayurvedic students, as herbalists, we often study its gentle effectiveness.

For just this herb, we received many pages of information. Here’s a few tidbits (OK, more than a few):

  1. Certain types of lactation problems respond very well to a preparation of gokshura with guggulu (gokshuradi guggalu), to remove poor water element management from waste products in the lymph/lactation ducts.
  2. Gokshura was used in a nutritious sweet for both men and women for rejuvenation. (The sweet component is important to it’s effectiveness for rejuvenative purposes).
  3. The saponin fraction from Gokshura was demonstrated to exhibit a hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-diabetic rats, with a commensurate reduction in serum triglycerides and cholesterol, and a rise in serum super oxide dismutase (Li et al 2002). Vitiation in triglicerides = tired pancreas.
  4. The poor people in India used to make a vegetable dish out of Gokshura leaves (though its use is being forgotten).
  5. The powder from its fruits used to be mixed with other flours to make traditional Indian bread – at least one teaspoon and up to 25% in small batch helps to reduce urinary problems in elders maybe 7-10%. I now add the powder into a flat bread/chapatti, after learning this is standard preventive fare among many village elders. I’m 64 – perhaps one of your village elders.
  6. An infusion is used to relieve painful micturation, to increase the flow of urine and as a vehicle for diuretic medicines. Used also in incontinence of urine.
  7. It can reduce allopathic dosages needed in certain cases. You will have to ask those questions of the doctor directly, he gave one example in the lecture and we asked about many other things!
  8. With black sesame seeds, helps reduce bad energies- circle the person with mix in a bowl, and throw into fire. (Or burn leaves of flax, or keep a bowl of the flax seeds nearby the fragile – helpful for babies, new mamas, the hospitalized, and others. Our unit on Flax brought many new applications for that plant also!)
  9. With Aam Vata (reheumatoid arthritis) – a decoction with ginger and gokshura is used.
  10. With ascites and piles.  The association of water element managements in the body is related to the reproductive system and emotions around the 2nd chakra, some lactation issues, pancreatic function and a cascade of concerns.
  11. It may help with cough and asthma, alone or mixed with honey as soothing expectorant.
  12. It has analgesic effect;  may help with pain from neural debility.
  13. In Paralysis, the preparation called gokshuradi guggulu is particularly good.
  14. Helps dissolve urinary stones an cystitis. Fresh leaves dipped in water can be drank for medicine, as it creates slipperiness to help release. This remedy is also being forgotten in Ayurvedic practice.

Properties of Gokshura

  • Guna (qualities): Guru (heavy), Snigdha (slimy)
  • Rasa (taste): Madhur (sweet)
  • Virya (energy): Sheeta (cooling)
  • Vipak (post digestive effect): Madhur (sweet)
  • Very good rasayan

Effects on body channels

  • Dosha: Tridoshshamak (cleanses all 3 doshas)
  • Dhatus (tissues affected): Shukra, Mamsa, Meda, Rakta (reproductive, muscle, fat, and blood)
  • Mala: Mutra (waste system affected: urinary)
  • Organs: Urinary system, Cardiac system, Reproductive system, Nervous System
  • Dosage: Fruit powder – 2.5 to 5 gm, Decoction – 60 to 100 ml
  • Contraindication:  Should not be given if patient is suffering from dehydration.

Topics for each herb in the Nighantu class include – an herb’s names and citations throughout the ancient texts; when it began to be used; traditional village dietary and medicinal recipes; which Ayurvedic text says what about it, pharmacokinetics; all useful parts of the plant; effect on metabolism in Ayurvedic and allopathic terms with therapeutic uses and recipes; chemical constituents, uses for each of the shrotamsi (channels) and body systems; herb drug interactions; research on it; growing conditions; varietals; and any contraindications.

As with all information provided, please understand this is partial information. Proper use of herbals per the individual case and condition as well as proper combining, timing, and delivery media are all part of herbal training, and very important. This is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified physician nor prerequisite studies in Ayurvedic medicine.

Ayurvedic Bodywork in Pregnancy

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If you are an Ayurvedic masseuse or have specialized in postnatal bodywork, consider expanding your package of offerings to a value specific month by month service for your clients.  Here is the advice sourced from the Dhanwantari Institute, from some of the classical texts, with a few comments from the peanut gallery.

Because the fetus in the first three months is of very unstable, jelly like consistency and hyper-responsive to maternal experience, Ancient Ayurvedic texts tend not to advise regular massage the first three months. Some gentle oil/massage on marma points and especially the hands and feet (not deep digs however) is considered often beneficial however.  Points to avoid are similar to in accupuncture and other modalities.

Oiling in general is considered to increase warmth in the body, and mama’s pitta is up especially in the first trimester, so warm oil massage may not be best idea as full body treatment.  Use of coconut will be preferred, or more energy work such as marma therapy, polarity, acupressure, etc.  Heightened pitta continues though generally not as dramatically, with vata on the increase naturally also after the first trimester.

In any case, what mama experiences, Ayurveda believes baby experiences, so stress or intensity to maternal body can create some strain to baby’s system which is living in heightened sensitivity and delicacy at this time.  Or mild massage can be be beneficially stimulating to the marmani for mother and baby.

From 4 months to labor, massage has specific advisories also, according to the Dhanvantari Institute. In our forth month, gentle massage which benefits mama’s mind and mood helps stabilize baby’s heart, taking extra care around mother’s abdomen.   We know that just applying warm oil against the lay of the hair increases neurotransmitters in a good way.  Applying oil is a more appropriate way to speak of massage style than what most call massage for this time.

At this time oil padding over the vagina is recommended also.

In the 6th month, gentle breast massage, especially nipples, is advised with herbalized or plain coconut oil.  Why 6th month specifically, I have no idea.  Perhaps this is recommended from 6th month on; I would say so.  Modern research has found that twisting and stretching of the nipples this early does not seem to really make a difference, similarly starting so early on stretching of the perineum.  Oiling serves to promote natural elasticity and comfort however.

In the 7th month, an herbal paste on the stretching and sometimes burning tissues along with massage is valuable, and massage can be especially helpful with swelling on the feet.  Although the article does not say which herbs, I would choose demulcent and skin herbs and oils, and essential oils like myrrh, geranium, ylang ylang, chamomile, rosewood and vetiver for the skin which are seriously committed to quality, as they will be influencing baby in utero also.

Massage schools teach what therapists agree, with the strain on body mechanics of weight changes, deeper work along spine, hips and neck/shoulders feels especially good, done in well supported side-lying position.  Yet, due to softening of connective tissues from the hormone relaxin in some mothers early to mid pregnancy, deep work may need to be modified to not overstretch already easily stretched ligaments and tendons.  Again, mothers may crave and need some extra support to pregnancy discomforts, so personalized choices by therapist and mother are important.  Use of the Ayurvedic abhyanga style oil massage gives many relaxing and balancing benefits without going into excessively deep tissue work.

In the 8th and 9th month, vaginal massage and oil padding of the vaginal area is advised, and from 36 weeks/9th month a small 30 ml basti on alternate days is advised on regular basis to lubricate the tissues. The quantity of oil does not significantly increase apana vayu, but offers good preparation for birth in multiple ways. This practice is discussed by several practitioners including Vaidya Seema Datta in the UK, on Jan 13th, 2013 in the pertinatalayurveda forum.

“Tissues being softened and elastic, less resistance during the delivery results in bearable pain and many of our mums are able to deliver without any intervention with much less average delivery time” reports Seema. She advises this protocol regularly with all her expectant client at 36 weeks with olive oil or sesame oil, unless mother is post due date. Then a mix of castor and sesame is more indicated.

Once a mother has gone into early labor, another warm small oil enema of about 1/3-1/2 cup, after full body abhyanga (oil massage) is advised for natural body relaxation and easier labor.  Ayudoulas know that the mother with vaginal delivery can benefit from postpartum massage as soon as she would like.  After major abdominal delivery, application of warm oil all over her body except avoiding abdomen is still very beneficial for maternal Vata, but massage is contraindicated until the wound is sealed, mother feels ready, and doctor or midwife gives the ok for this gentle treatment.

Ysha Oakes, LMT, CPAD

Homemade Gripe Water Recipes for Colicky Babies

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8 tips for Baby’s immediate support

Food related colic takes about 2-3 weeks to accumulate.  Let’s first talk about immediate comfort!  When baby is uncomfortable from colic or the beginnings of it, it usually takes several things to keep comfort on the rise.   If the cause is birth trauma or structural, it will show up right away.

Beautiful work is being done for the latter with Dr. Ray Castellino and others.  If you would like to understand preventions for the all too common dietary factors, treating the cause, and why the following works (breast or bottle fed) , check out our core webinars, Ayurvedic Maternal and Newborn Care and Nutrition.

Here are 6 Homemade gripe water recipes

  1. fennel tea – 1 t boil 3-4 min in ¾ cup water
  2. 1 c water, ½ t each coarse ground dill, ajwain, fenugreek, and fennel seeds. Boil 3-4 min. cool, strain, use dropper to relieve gas, help burp, reduce tummy aches
  3. coarse grind 2 tsp ea coriander, cumin, ajwain, anise, dill, vidanga. Add to 250 ml water. Slow boil to 100 ml. Strain and give. (parasites too).
  4. ¼ small onion, boiled 5 min. in 2 oz water. Strain, Add 2 oz cool water, 1 tsp succanat or agave give in bottle. or use 2 cloves garlic, prepare similarly. Allows support to suck, breaks up gas.
  5. tea of organge leaves – wash, boil to sterilize and bring out properties, with a little succanat or agave to taste
  6. last resorts, still gives comfort:. Beer w/o carbonation. or Dissolve peppermint candy in Hot water, give 15-20 ml of either in bottle. support to burp.

8 General support keys for baby include:

  1. Infant massage is well researched for it’s benefit to unhappy tummy times.  Be sure to do the belly massage techniques, including Paddle Wheel, I Love U, and Sun Moon strokes, and use something like a baby hot water bottle – she can lay tummy down, enjoy the water rocking warmth, breath more easily for the lift at the midsection, and be more easily patted to sleep.  (use the linked green text to access our 3 hour distance learner’s recording or webinar option, or 8 hour training to teach Mamas).
  2. Babies go into light sleep first, not deep sleep like adults, so it takes a while when their tummies hurt!  It often may take 10-20 minutes.  Help them stay relaxed, and don’t blame yourself if it takes a while.  That’s your job priority, not cleaning the house.
  3. Take a hot bath together, then sleep (together!).
  4. Use ghee or castor oil for constipation – on nipple, fingertip, or sometimes also to rub the anus when tight.  Or give Baby 1 tsp extra virgin pure olive oil.  See in 10-15 minutes, they are likely to be quiet.  Learn at least 2 reasons why this and other remedies work in our core course, Ayurvedic Maternal and Newborn Care and Nutrition.
  5. Sometimes we may need extra oomph.  Essential oils topically of fennel, ginger, basil, nutmeg, chamomile or stronger used topically, can give quick relief.  Let baby’s nose help you choose, but just waft it for a moment under their nose, don’t hold it there.  Watch their reaction.  Dilute 1:2 with food/massage oil.  How to use safely and which, with opportunity to ask questions, in our Essential Oils, More than Basics.
  6. If nursing or formula feeding, the quality of the milk should be evaluated.  AyuDoulas are trained to help mothers be nourished themselves in a way that best nourishes baby.
  7. This is a big one too – Avoid overfeeding – after 2 weeks with term babies, give 2 hour gap from end to start of next feeding, for digestion (more time with formula). Sweet milk on top of part-digested milk creates ama, wast products which complicate.
  8. Handling yourself and Baby – such a dear and valuable discussion is found in Robin Lim’s classic reference, After the Baby’s Birth (ignore her food chapter, it has tummy and mood issue creating recipes)

So there is immediate things we can do, and if full blown colic has manifested, it will take some time to reverse.  In the meantime, here’s a toolkit for palliative care.  At the same time, it is important to assess and correct maternal diet, emotional climate best you can, and if baby is using formula, choices there.   A newborn human’s digestive system is immature for at least 6 months.  Adding complications to this maturing process sets a long term stage for health issues.

Addressing the root cause takes more time, and is SO worth it.   Quality of digestion and results of the digestive process through all the layers of the GI tract as well as for the 7 layers of tissue nutrition (dhatu prinanam), 3 waste products of the body (malas) and more are specialties of Ayurvedic medicine.  All contribute to short and long term health.

Ysha

How to use Superfoods for Mamas

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How to use Superfoods for Mamas is a big topic!  And yummy one.  And this post is currently in kinda messy draft version, but perhaps you will find value anyway.  It’s time sensitive, with focus on hot weather.

Shall we share favorites and “chew” on it together? I have my faves, but I also am concerned for how some of them are used for postpartum mamas. And oh my, just starting to think about it, there are layers of discussion so, here goes a few of them.

There are some fun guidelines with food tastes and colors and their effects on the natural needs to balance for the weather, as well as the “season” of our bodies after childbirth. There are some very noteable exceptions, good to know about! And we should look at superfoods for restoring balance when immunity is down but the need for lactation and energy to take care of baby is up.

Let’s do summertime today, as it’s summer here. It is time to keep cool! Yet mother’s digestive “fires” are already low, and need help. She needs special help keeping them burning, and reducing hot flashes is not about ice water, it is about stabilizing, rebuilding body and hormones.

Everyone wants to use ice to cool down – makes sense, right? Not in the gut. Oriental traditions even in their hot climes in South East Asia, India and CHina know, it doesn’t work well. Why, they can’t all explain, but even airplane hostesses at least used to know, never offer a Chinese ice water!

Ayurvedic medicine explains the effect is to constrict digestive enzyme effectiveness, and the stomach itself, and to create indigestion, gas and bloating, depending upon the person’s specific strengths and weaknesses. All postpartum women are extra sensitive to cold temp foods and drinks.

So – how to keep cool without cold temp? Energetically, those foods which are sweet, astringent, and bitter tend to cool us down. Yet those which are really astringent, like cranberry and grapefruit, increase vata and are not satisfying or rebuliding – too cleansing is not where mamas need to go, with so much rejuvenation, lactation, and 24/7 on call duties.  Rose is bitter and sweet, and combines well with more nutritive substances.  It gives it’s properties best in a cool infusion.

Rose Infusion

Veggies with oxalic acid like chard heat. Leafies in general have their own issues, being very floppy and unstable in the winds of change; they more easily get frayed, and that is the effect on early pp mamas. Dandilion too – has to be balanced with oil, well cooked garlic, well cooked themselves, salt, lime, maybe some toasted cumin, and served with a root vegetable like yams – now we are talkin’.

There are exceptions to the taste and color “rules” – like even sweet citrus, pineapple and early season mango heats, except a little lime is cooling. Red, orange and yellow colors to lesser extent as food and drink tend to warm, including beet, except pomegranite which is awesomely cooling. White things tend to cool nicely, and coconut is superiour here. Yet ripe banana for all it’s virtues including potassium, is heating. Everyone wants banana to sweeten their smoothies as if using fruit was better than natural sugars. Food combining wise, you are creating problems long term if not also short term.

Some favorites and how to balance them
Goji has some warming effect. Sweeter, non citrus juices like grape, blueberry, acai, even apple and pear, and especially pomegranite are lovely complements. My fav? Young Living’s Ningxia Red Juice (goji, aronia, blueberry, et al with stevia, low glycemic!!!) 1-2 oz, with 5-6 oz of Annie’s Coconut water with pulp. If you use pomegranite instead, then it combines nice with chia, or even avocado and spirulina.

Acai is more cooling, and some preps less interesting than others. Lovely with pure pomegranate! I don’t have a favorite brand yet.

Banana is lovely pureed in coconut milk or water – how about adding rose water or rose infusion also, or a splash of vanilla, and soaked dates for iron nutrition? Pinch of cardamom is important here, and for early mamas, wait a week or 2 on this, adding fresh grated ginger too. All but the banana are cooling balance and ripe this time of year.

Spirulina and chlorella – if you don’t know their virtues for many things including recent research on benefit to babies used in pregnancy (link to it), please ask our friend google. In the meantime, 1/2-1 tsp in an easy to digest blender drink like grape or pomegranite with a pinch of himalayan salt, and maybe avocado and maple syrup (cooling, honey heats but is GREAT with avocado in cool weather), maybe 2-3 mint leaves too – and some fresh grated ginger ladies for mamas, blend it well and enjoy! A squeeze of fresh lime with the avocado and greens is magic here. These supergreens need help digesting though small molecules, being cold energy. Fresh ginger is more tridoshic and refreshing than dried.

Chia is warming, but the qualities and nutrition both are lovely for postpartum. We see above use of super greens, pomegranate and grape and others with it. If you use coconut with it, will be creamy, yummy, and need both sweet (soaked dates?) and spice for digesting – the standby, grated ginger and or cardamom, are especially good. Or try clove or black pepper! Clove is postdigestively cooling but really helps agni (our digestive enzymes).

Good fats, like Ghee and coconut oil are too, and these two are cooling.  Research years ago linked low blood lipids with postpartum depression.  In many mama’s smoothies, I will add 1-3 tspoons of good fats, not just thinking about efa’s here – choose by taste as well as priority effect. We need good cholesterols for feminine hormones, efa 3s for brain, breast and other functions, and toasted sesame has special flavor and health virtues which are well added to the warm almond milk – curried spirulina smoothie with ginger! That one is not so cooling, but great in damper climes.

Almonds and almond milk smoothies … Almond, vanilla, acai, organic milk and other foods are among special hormone or neurotransmitter supportive foods, before we even begin to talk about the buz around certain herbs.  Almond and dairy milk though, are great places to add these herbs, as they deliver into the deeper tissues for rejuvenation that way.  Serve warm, chai type spices and or soaked saffron and cardamom, teaspoon of ghee with, and maybe some soaked dates.  It is a delicious energy drink!  Avoid fruit and almond together, please; milk and almond is wonderful.

Yoghurt and kefir are sour, especially after first day freshly made.  They clog channels more in early postpartum, and the sour is a taste to minimize for about 10 days.  Then – a thinner yummy lassi (2-4 parts water, with spices and sweet or salt) is lovely, before 2 o’clock, with a vegetarian meal.  Avoid with fruit, especially banana though.  You can sweeten with dates again, which are cooling, and don’t make us gassy as easily as other fruits do with their post digestive sour / gut fermenting effect which interferes with the other digestive stages in the gut.

Carrots are warming, even more, beets. The raw is not a good idea first few weeks after birth. Favor soup! Then? Carrot juice with coconut, and maybe fennel powder maybe great! will balance the heat – Let the fennel hydrate in bit of hot water to access properties for lactation and digestion – and take the temperature chill off the vegetable juice. I’d put pinch mineral salt, tsp or more grated fresh ginger or citrus zest in there, and no greens until her tummy is free of gas and dosha vikruti (imbalance) not showing vata.

This is just a beginning, of course…. What are your favorite smoothies?  What would you do for good food combining and postpartum use?

Think Rebuilding, good food combining, hydrate dry stuff well, use some fat, and some spice that is not too heating or in small amounts, make it fresh daily, and make it delicious!