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Ayurved

Belly Binding after Birth

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Belly Binding After Birth is a practice used around the world in older traditions, with good reason.  It offers such stability, and comfort, like being hugged at a time when there is so much flab or stretched tissue and empty spaces inside.   The body is able to work so much better, without so much slip and slide on the connections.  That will include not only tissue rejuvenation but bowels, digestion, reducing gas and bloating, even hormones and mood will be supported.

One of my students just asked about wrapping protocols for after Cesarian birth, and Dr. Claudia Welch recently asked my advice about how I use the practice of belly binding – what kind of wraps.  You might like to see these discussions.  It’s on my to-do list to make you a little video but for now, here you are!

Of course the “it depends” factor is there – cost, ease of access and use, appearances, fabric content, to wear over or under, how many to have, and time willing to invest.

I tend to go simple, and purchase/suggest purchasing a 5 yard piece of very lightweight cotton.  Depending on width, you get 5 or 6 strips longwise, and can choose to pretty it up with hem or not.  About 12″ wide, raw works good.  We lay it across the abdomen in front and have mama slowly turn, as it goes around, some up over kidneys, some down over hips sometime, depends how she wants to wear it so she can still use the bathroom, but feel snugged.  Cotton crinkle cloth works well, or lightest muslin, but the neutral colors have to be worn underneath for most people.

It helps them to have one or two in the wash, one to wear, one to loose, and – maybe one or two to give to a girlfriend.

Dr. Jyoti Jagtap, young vaidya and mama herself on our student forum, advises a minimum of 1/2 hour wearing a day.  We can most easily wrap them before their nap after their home spa treatment/postpartum warm oil massage (and a bathroom run!)   It is the best time for them to experience it with help, then not be afraid to try on their own.  Some put it on after bathing.  Some Ayurvedics advise to wear all day. Dr. Sarita Shrestha’s grandmother wore one all her life, and had best posture and digestion, passing over in mid 90’s.  I wore one for some months during premenopause, and took such comfort from it!

I hear of wide ace bandages which can be used more easily, but the degradation of the material from cleansing massage oil out of them does not make for smart investment.  Maternity stores sell one I think it is close to $50, maybe a $38 one (velcroed girdle style in synthetic, same laundering issues), and they also sell a $9 or so item which can be used they say in pregnancy and postpartum, but has so much give and so little hold it is a waste of money IMO anytime.

Japanese use the obi sash as a special gift sanctified in temple I think it is 5th month pregnancy, with her mother usually.  I’d like to hear more about this!

Malaysia they have a traditional muslin lace-up deal, being sold worldwide now, bundled with an herbal poultice to use underneath.  Valerie Lynn at mypostpartumwellness.com has done excellent and sincere job of marketing and product development sharing the traditional Malay ways. Many juicy tidbits may be gained from this and other cultures, though her food combining and meals are not quite up to my experience for many moms. It is fascinating to apply what we know to understand why this practice there, another practice in another culture – some of it is climactic, or what is availbale in the area plays a part. That’s an aside for another discussion! She has kindly quoted about our work in her well organized book in several places.

Because a C-birth mama has an incision with bandage needing changing, we work around that, and need for oxygen to the stitches.  I have seen such good results when they use lavender or helichrysum oil from Young Living, organic or better is essential to safe use w/o petrochemical solvents or synthetic molecular issues.   Also note, distillation method, temp and pressure varies and can affect effectiveness.  That said, since the essential oils help oxygenate, are antiseptic, analgesic and help wound /scar healing, that’s first priority, before thinking about belly wrapping.  If they want it also, assist them.

It works well to apply the essential oils as bandage is being changed, to simply drip 1-3 drops on the incision is usually enough.  On epidural site and base of brainstem when headaches are coming, also.   Those aweful headaches so often when the dural tube has been punctured, with CSF(cerebro-spinal fluid) loss and psychic separation from Baby during birth even, seems a huge issue these days with >33% of mamas having C-births.  And 2-3 drops real lavendula angustafolia combined with the mother’s abhyanga (gentle clockwise in this case, circular warm oil massage) on tummy usually takes care of cramping and enhances shrinking of the uterus – both much more quickly than the norm.

After surgery, I do not have official protocol word about when to start belly wrapping, from a vaidya yet.  Common sense says to go with what the client feels and is able to do for the first few days, and have her ask her doctor. Generally I see they are ready about 7 -10 days postpartum. If they want to before, and doc has no problem with it – gently, and more firmly as feels comforting.

Happy Postpartum Holiday Cooking!

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Anyone else like to talk about food?  Topic of the season:  Happy Postpartum Holiday Cooking!  OK, you can just order our cookbook, or get some great good ideas to start below and then, you will learn more than many yummy recipes, if you still order it, honestly.

How about preventing holiday overwhelm and exhaustion after having a baby?  For the winter holidays, we can choose Postpartum foods for happy baby (and mama!) tummies, to and support more lasting mood stability, lactation, rejuvenation, strength and of course, other benefits.  Lean into your choices with qualities of warm temp, oily, moist, sweet, maybe a touch of sattvic sour and salty.  The latter two tastes are better after the lochia has subsided and any swelling gone.  Support Mama to take a nap during the holiday festivities and not cook or wash dishes while Baby is passed around, too, if you want happy campers.  Moms often crash into some depression from the overwhelm on their fragile senses and other needs at these big loving parties and attentions, unfortunately, and naps as well as good food combining, support for her fragile agni, and extra digestible postnatal nutrition all really help.

The traditions I grew up with may vary from yours, but here are some Ayurvedically interpreted variations applied to some of our common foods, even if last minute Annie for this year’s Christmas day you may find these helpful.

Today I made a chutney recipe for my client (let’s call it “relish”. No worries it is very well cooked, and mama-baby do so well with it! It is such a favorite of my clients ever since Aparna Khonalkar shared it with me.

Instead of all the different carbs, let’s choose.  Everyone’s tummy will be happier actually, even if not so sedated, their inner light’s ability to share in joy in community, and to see how to help mama=baby best too, will be stronger when we are not so dulled out with partying.  So, hmm – Better than the drying astringency of white potatoes, or heavy complicated digestion of stuffing, how about baked (or your family favorite recipes for) yams, with lots of clarified butter, salt and pepper?  Leave off the marshmallows if possible….  If you want, add some iron rich sugar – easy!

Instead of so many different dishes, make some of them freshly prepared tomorrow, so baby won’t get gassy from all the leftovers.  Pretty guaranteed, I have to tell you.  And repeated gassiness can build into colic – it takes a few weeks then oh my, you don’t want that.

And/or Pumpkin soup can be soo soothing; use ample butterfat and ginger among your ingredients, garnish with bit of fresh minced cilantro and ground toasted almond, cashew, or even for the adventurous, toasted ground fenugreek seeds. Yum! If she is non-vegetarian, use a base broth freshly made not from a box, of poultry, long cooked stock preserving the fats, bone and other nutrients. First few days, mostly broth. Some asparagus in there would be a treat! Eggless pumpkin pie for later in the perpeureum.

Dress up steamed and generously buttered (clarified butter is best) rice with minced dill weed – it is lactation enhancing. Use enough S&P to balance astringency and flavor. After a few weeks, garnishing with fresh yoghurt (just a little) but don’t forget the spice. Toasted cumin seeds are one of my favs if the meal isn’t already rich in cumin.

Rice or pumpkin pudding, no need for eggs in early weeks – served hot with extra ghee or even butter, and with ginger and cardamom in it, will be very likely big hit for her, and baby.

How does a well cooked gingered and coconut sugar (ok, something iron rich and flavorful) glazed carrot dish with orange zest, S&P sound?

Instead of hot mulled cider, try hot mulled dark grape juice (more iron, more soothing, great for liver and pittas), with pinch saffron, some rose petals, and fresh ginger. Oh Yes, or see Emma’s post here, similar. Or a little pomegranate-grape juice in wine glass not chilled to sip for pittas may feel great too. The warm liquid is divine though.

We even have a soaked cashew eggnog recipe in the postpartum cookbook, Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Recipes in our shop.  OH dear, it is not in current version – ask me for it if you like I’ll post.  It is delish!  We do have Joseph Immel’s Pumpkin Chai in the book, inspired from his website, Joyful Belly.

If a salad type prep is wanted….you can steam beets, asparagus, just about any veg on the postpartum list, and marinate with a roasted garlic/lime juice vinaigrette to give more than satisfaction. Make sure Mom gets some, with everyone else filling their plates!

What’s your call?  There are so many things we can do, of course.  How about Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s fare?  Absolutely, we do not need to compromise deliciousness or happy traditions!

2 Kinds of Colic

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Colic is not something to joke about, and it is not easy to manage.  Both kinds are too little understood; both more easily prevented than many are willing to do the homework for, until they realize what it is like to have a baby with colic.  Yes, it may take a few days to turn around, but it need not take 3 months!

As cited on Wikipedia,

The strict medical definition of colic is a condition of a healthy baby in which it shows periods of intense, unexplained fussing/crying lasting more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks.[4]However, many doctors consider that definition, first described by Morris Wessel, to be overly narrow and would consider babies with sudden, severe, unexplained crying lasting less than 3 hours/day as having “colic” (so-called “non-Wessel’s” colic).[5]   1 in 6 children are brought to the doctor/emergency rooms for evaluation of persistent crying[20].  

Crying and exhaustion may also contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and suffocation (from agitated babies flipping onto their stomachs, concerned parents placing fussy babies on the stomach to sleep, tired parents falling asleep with their baby in unsafe places, like couches or beds with bulky covers),[28][29][30] .

Colic (also known as infantile colic) is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or displays symptoms of distress (cramping, moaning, etc.) frequently and for extended periods, without any discernible reason. The condition typically appears within the first month of life and often disappears rather suddenly, before the baby is three to four months old, but can last up to one year.[1] One study concludes that babies who are not breastfed are almost twice as likely to have colic.[2] Epidemiology suggests that Chocolate, Brassica, Onions, and cow’s milk are among the foods that a lactating mother may need to avoid.[3]

Ayurveda suggests a longer and somewhat differing list.  Food combining issues, cold temperature of food and drink, old foods (leftovers, canned or frozen) over 6 hours is the general rule we work with, too heavy (red meat, heavy fried or complex baked items, fermented foods, raw vegetables are among factors not generally understood or observed.  Yes, raw onion and garlic, undercooked or most brassicas and green leafies, and cow’s milk the way most people use it will be problematic.

Interestingly, as we see with most of our clients who have genetic history of using milk, and often to their surprise, cow’s milk is not disturbing baby’s tummy.  Per Ayurvedic medicine, organic cream top cow’s milk properly used in terms of when taken, food combining issues little known, what temperature, and other factors,  is so rejuvenative, mood supportive and even lactation supportive.  It is not a galactagogue, yet the influence encourages good breastfeeding experience.

Ayudoulas confirm that full blown colic is more likely to be the final stage of a condition that has worsened for a few weeks, dietarily.  We spend more than a weekend in training learning about factors for happy baby tummies, through dietary influences from breastfeeding mothers, or from formula fed diet and digestion factors.

There is another type of colic which manifests right after baby is born.  This type has to do with birth traumas to nerves, muscles, cranio-sacral disturbances, and emotions, from the birth experience.  If unexplained crying lasting long time begins in the first week or 2, please find an expert in newborn cranio-sacral, Tibetan Cranial, polarity therapy or chiropractic work.

World renowned expert and trainer in this field, Dr. Ray Castellino called me one day to explain why a client near him I was researching local help for had so much pain, separation anxiety and other symptoms.  It was very enlightening, and quite an honor.  This man usually charges $250/hour on the phone, and he did it on Saturday night, just to make sure I understood.  But that’s another story and topic you will hear more about in class  if you can join us.  For more in-depth on his work, here are a few articles, and you will find some lovely u-tube pieces about babies as sentient beings.

Would you like to learn how to prevent, as well as help parents reverse the conditions of colic?  There is much little known wisdom and skills.  Because it is so little known, Ayudoulas are asked to learn about the bigger picture, what is really going on in maternal as well as newborn psychophysiology.

Colic is a seriously difficult way to start life.  Baby and mothers both deserve better, and the answers, though even well known midwives tend to say they don’t know what causes it, the ancient wisewomen and medicine people of many traditions had more than clues.  I have found Ayurvedic medicine to give the most comprehensive understanding and tools.

Tips for Tempers

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Here’s quick tips to teach your client, and more if you have time to read the full blog.  These are good supports, and important preventives.  This first is free and she can do this while baby is falling asleep in her arms – “alternate nostril pranayama”.   More tips below are low or no cost choices also.

This breath practice balances the hemispheres, calms, freshens, and brings peace and contentment.  Yoga teachers, Ayurvedics and Doulas – be sure to teach your client the gentlest form of this yogic technique at this time.  It helps so much for life force purifying, freshening, moving and balancing.

Here’s instructions for your client:

  1. check which nostril you are breathing from now.  Right is solar and heating, left is lunar and cooling.  Let’s balance first, then can do more cooling “lunar pranayama” if you know it and need it.
  2. sit comfortably upright or in whatever rocking chair is comfortable.
  3. use your free hand (right if there is a choice); thumb is used for closing one nostril, ring/little fingers for the other, when it is time.
  4. breathe in and out nice easy and full.
  5. close one nostril with thumb and breathe in the other.  Naturally full breath in.
  6. switch to close other nostril and breathe a Naturally full breath out, then in on that side.  No strain or holding.
  7. switch using thumb.  Out, then in.
  8. Switch,  Out/in.    Switch Out/In …
  9. Continue, for 10 minutes.
If temper is up, do it.  If fear or anxiety dominates, do it.  See what two times a day does.  You are sitting with your baby falling asleep in your arms anyway, right?
Often we need more tools.  Here are some insights into what an AyurDoula can do.  These involve simple changes, it does not have to be about taking something away.  I believe in the crowd out instead of take-away approach.

When we get stressed and tired, it is so easy to loose it.  How many mamas have not experienced this?!    It is common and natural to snip or even have thoughts of hurting someone – our baby! for a few moments when we feel trapped in overwhelm.   Yet consistently negative emotions are the highest risk for baby – and for mom.  They can, left to grow, become life threatening, as we all know from the news*.

“Type A” – “pitta” mamas especially – and – at the end of pitta season all of us,  which is right now creates  special call to attend to such conditions.  Overlay the astrology if you believe in it, which says especially until the 23rd of this September, there are extra influences to promote short fuses.  Here’s some tips for your clients.

Postpartum mothers are on duty 24/7, no matter what help they have.  Think about the many bodily changes – tons of invisible work Mama has to do in addition to being on call for Baby.  Do I need to elaborate on other responsibilities?  We do what we can.  And we see the need for a better way!

This is where DOOOOLAS can dooooo so much in such simple little things ways, to prevent problems.  We mother the mothers at this time with the umbrella of love, wisdom, timely guidance practical supports. – Ayudoulas are specially trained for this work.  Or call on whatever friends and family and other helpers are there, under organizing guidance of an Ayurvedic who understands the special management of this “42 Days for 42 Years” window.

Let’s start with what Ayurvedics know as Vata dosha – the air and space element metabolic functions in the body.  Yes, even with high pitta (fire/water) dominant in a mother’s constitution, vikruti (imbalance) and summer to fall seasonal exacerbations, we have to look at calming vata after birth.  It can push the pitta overlays to flare up quickly.  And vata needs warmth among other things.  How to?

Avoid energetically heat producing foods and favor the season’s coolers – succulent sweet fruits and vegetables, coconut, some pomegranate and grape is great, gently cook more coriander and cilantro into foods, and organic milk rather than yoghurt or cheese helps.  But take them room temp or warm, not cold, to prevent gas, bloating and even colic contributing influences.

Also very important – enough good fats, carbs and snacks promote much needed stability and rebuilding.  At this time of year, favor clarified butter (“ghee”) and coconut oil, for their cooling properties.  Ghee not only cools, it strengthens digestive enzyme functions, and helps carry out impurities from the cells better than butter right now.

Many common chill out measures especially pitta dominant mamas will call on – can be shifted.  Most of her chill down choices make her feel more dry, brittle, fragile, emotionally chilly, ungrounded and fearful, ie, vata exacerbated.  Minimize and replace things like

Dietary

  • cold temperature foods and drinks – replace with thermous of cooling but digestive and lactation supportive weak herbal teas kept in a thermos for easy access.  Fennel, cumin, coriander, fresh ginger are good helpful – 1/2 tsp of the mix to 1 quart of hot water!  Cooling grains, like basmati (not brown) rice, quinoa and oat are preferred; cooling diary – clarified butter and organic cream top milk vs other forms, and taken warm temp cools; cooling or make the most of it – iron rich – sweeteners vs honey; cooling proteins include easy to digest small legumes, or poultry for non vegetarians.
  • bland foods – add “middle of the road” enzymatic seasonings which don’t spike heat but help digestive “fires” and make the food tasty too – food needs to be appeetizing!
  • Cucumber – and salads in general – by my experience is guaranteed gas for mom and baby used raw – I’ve cooked and seasoned it to delicious satisfaction, or you should avoid these.  Try steaming asparagus or another vegetable on the “foods to favor” list in our cookbook, and serve with a lime not vinegar vinaigrette with well roasted garlic.  This will probably satisfy salad desires for now.
  • dry quick foods like toast and crackers constipate and don’t satisfy – serve flat breads with soups and lots of ghee or other suitable fat to ground and nourish.
  • high sugar low fat sweets hit fast and hard and though even this is preferred to nothing when tempers flare – give her a little to keep blood sugar up then make a sweet with lots of butterfat, coconut, cacao butter, nuts or full fat dairy – you see adding protein and fats gives startup fuel from the sugars and carbs last a little longer, then the fats give stable long burning fuel.
  • chocolate has sweet, oily and bitter taste.  Good change she needs more of all, but craving chocolate let’s look at adding more bitter taste appropriately  – turmeric, fenugreek, and maybe a little well seasoned and cooked dandelion may crowd out that craving.
  • leftovers or pre-prepared foods to save hot kitchen time are generally devoid of prana – life force – and we say, are tamasic.  This means heavy, dulling, depressive, frustrating energies prevail with these.  Use easy cook methods and make smaller portions.

Lifestyle

  • Eating out gives probably GMO and free radical producing fats and other non-rejuvenating foods, though it gives her a break from the kitchen.  Ask if you can work with her best friend to renew the food chain a little longer if that is what’s needed.  Use this budget towards a postpartum home spa treatment instead.  Three in a row can really not just safety net but reverse many in free-fall emotionally.
  • An intense, distracting movie increases the fire element – singing or story time with family at night, more sattvic (light, love and peace filled) movies, like that are best.
  • Skipping naps.  Guess what……..this is high risk emotionally.  Need help fitting it in?  Let’s talk about the many factors, and who/what might best help.
  • Spending hours talking, processing your emotions – usually means you skipped your naps, as well, and probably ate fast food.  Can your friends value their time with  you at even $5 or $10/hour in contribution to your care at this time?
  • There are many ways to think creatively and each situation needs it’s own TLC this way.  AyurDoulas are trained to apply the needed principles to whatever resources are at hand to make the most of a mother’s experience.

Moms need to feel growing stability and rejuvenation, as well as fresh qualities in their early postpartum, even though many foods and lifestyle things that give these can complicate there are many which help.  For both hot tempered impatient or blaming moods,  and fearful, depressed and anxious moods settle, we see them settle down much with simple measures.

Stability and tissue rejuvenation are among the top priorities for mothers after childbirth according to the ancient Ayurvedic medical textbooks.  We see that the psychology, the heart and mind can be saved from self or other’s blame and most efficiently addressed taking proper care of her body’s needs at this time.  Such a blessing!

* Those mothers, whose anger or negativity became so serious we heard about them  in those very sad news stories, were all on some mood medicine cocktail inappropriate for them, according to Dr. Ann Blake-Tracey, and her website, Drug Awareness.

Of course – many mothers have pushed the envelope too far or have such fatigue their genetic predispositions are giving serious conditions beyond the scope of a general article.  We can’t presume to diagnose, treat or cure in this piece or as Ayudoulas in practice, and must encourage appropriate consultation for a client’s primary health care provider.  Postpartum mood disorders can be life threatening.

These simple supports are likely to still be helpful under this greater umbrella of licensed medical care, and for some clients, their path takes them out of our hands.

Finding Mama Medicine & Food in the Rose of Sharon

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Today I snacked on a treat… sweet petals of “Rose of Sharon”, combined with a few iron rich Monukka raisins, pine nuts and I must admit, some dark organic chocolate, in sweet coconut milk.  Exquisite!   In the heat, that is all I wanted for a light supper actually.   But what are the medicinal properties, I wondered?  (Certainly the chocolate is not wise for a postpartum mama-baby.)  A shrub called Rose of Sharon is blooming in my back yard, and I felt her qualities might have gifts for new mamas.

There is much more than expected, for good mood food and herbal supports!   There are stories about  two plants sometimes of that name, with similar medicinal properties and growth patterns.  Cistus Ladanifer, Rock Rose or Rose of Sharon was used in biblical times medicinally.  Hibiscus Siriacus or Rose of Sharon is a relative of Hibiscus and Hollyhock, all in the Malvaceae family, and though little used in western herbology it is well known to the Chinese.  Writing about these helps me honor  them both.

Googling for pictures, we can see here the different leaf structure, with similar large blooms of 5 petals usually with dark red spots on each near the middle, and very

 similar growth pattern as the plant gets to full size, even to how the many buds form at the stem/leaf bases abundantly up the tall shrub’s long stems.  They bloom similarly – both species – from late July through September or later.  Cistus – Rock Rose flowers, above, are more papery.  Leaves of Cistus Ladanifer are more narrow, thicker and with more resinous sticky essential oil (still not a lot) and a smaller, narrower but thicker leaf.  It is more drought resistant.

Hibiscus Siriacus – Rose of Sharon flowers, below, are more demulcent.  Leaves of Siriacus often three lobed and serrated, are larger and make a more tropical looking bushy plant. Although my Rose of Sharon lives very happily in Albuquerque, she needs more watering to keep from drooping than the obviously more resin protected Cistus, which at least one source calls an evergreen.    Hibiscus varieties are definitely deciduous.  Flowers of both Rose of Sharon and Rock rose look and grow much the same, even growing from buds placed on stems in similar fashion.

The shrub and many medicinal descriptions and qualities are similar but it seems the mucilaginous properties of the hibiscus varieties dominate, and the medicinal resin also called Labdanum even in the Bible, is special to cistus.  Dried flowers of the hibiscus family are often used in Chinese medicine in tea form for multiple purposes, including as gentle and mild laxative, although dried powder used in large quantity reverses and can be constipative.  So though delicious and nourishing as fresh blooms for a cooked food item, we should also observe its effects with our clients, after testing on ourselves.  I am new enough eating these I can’t give you feedback yet, except that one of the fresh large blossoms did not make any change in my stool.

Western herbalists do not seem to use these plants much for medicine.  I was delighted to find some pages on Rose of Sharon in a book called Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West : A Guide to Gardening, Herbal Wisdom and Well Being.  Great detail is there about how the Orientals have used this plant for long time.  In moderation it may serve many uses including gentle demulcent benefits for irritated or inflamed gut.  The flowers may be used externally as an emollient and internally in GI tract support.  It reduces BP, is hypotensive and mildly diuretic, according to the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine quoted on Wiki.  White flowers are favored for their best medicine apparently in both plants.  Flowers, shoots and unripe seed pods can be used in healthy stir fry from all I see and will be experimenting with.

A sticky resin like substance on bark and leaves of Cistus, called labdanum, has been used since ancient times and is spoken of in the Song of Solomon in the Bible, reports the Essential Oils Desk Reference third edition.  There 2/3 of a page speaks of the essential oil called Cistus ladanifer, also called Rock Rose.

The ants were all over my shrub in the spring- it is sweet and a young shoots a little sticky.  But this plant matches visuals for the Hibiscus variety.  Ants didn’t like the neem spray I used, and the plant has gained it’s strength and is not much attracting them now.  It is blooming prolifically every day so I have begun drying some flowers. They are slower to dry than, say, dandelion leaves, which indicates more nourishing than cleansing bio-constituents in them.

So my plant is in the mallow family – as is okra and hollyhock.  Gentle properties are found especially in the flowers of this plant.  “Medicinally, rose of Sharon’s flower buds contain mucilage, a gooey medicinal compound made of polysaccharides, found in most species of the mallow family; think of okra’s sliminess. Mucilage can be used to heal burns, wounds, gastric ulcers and internal and external inflammation and irritation, such as sore throats or urinary tract infections.”  This information and much more is found in the “Urban Forager”, herbalist Holly Richey’s article, Eat Your Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus and Hollyhocks.  I love it!

Reducing to inflammation says reducing to Pitta dosha and alkalizing; the mucilage is reducing to Vata dosha; rebuilding for tissues, and soothing.  Whether it is actually cooling or not, it is gently so, and at least one of these “Roses” may have some prabhav for the mind and cellular rejuvenation.

Cistus ladanifer is an evergreen shrub  say some, and Hibiscus Seriacus deciduous.  The latter growing it appears even more readily to a mature 6 to 12 feet tall and about 6 feet or more in diameter.  Both drought tolerant and love full sun if possible say the growers.  Ladanifer may be very fragrant; Hibiscus Seriacus in my yard is only very mildly so, but still sweet.

Bioconstiuents which stand out are the sesquiterpenes in the labdanum.  Sesquiterpenes among other gifts are excellent at oxygenating and favored for support of brain function.   “The essential oil of Cistus comes from a rose that has a soft, honey-like scent. It is believed to be the biblical Rose of Sharon. Calming and uplifting, it is helpful for meditating and counseling. Traditionally, cistus has been used for respiratory support.  Cistus has an approximate ORAC of 38,648 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter,” according to Young Living Essential Oils company.

Rose of Sharon essential oil, also called Cistus ladanifer, give Labdanum or Rock Rose essential oil.  It is steam distilled from the plant leaves and branches.  It has been studied for its effects on the regeneration of cells, is antiviral, antibacterial, andihemorrhagic, anti-inflammatory, supports the sympathetic nervous system and stimulates immune activity.  It is used with hemorrhages and arthritis, and lifts the emotions.  Mood supportive, VATA and immune supportive – nice!

This essential oil may be – if known as organic and distilled without solvents – for inhalation, dietary or topical use – Topically, up to 2-4 drops can be used on an area, touched on chakra, marma or acupressure centers, and it can be used of course by direct inhalation – rub 1-3 drops in hands and cup over face, breathing into respiratory system.  When using as a supplement, dilute one to four drops in 4 fl. oz. of liquid such as almond, coconut or rice milk, not water; or use in few drops of coconut oil in a blend or in capsules, in clarified butter or other dietary fat.  These are all preferred uses in my opinion, as those plants which are less abundant in oil are costly to use in baths, diffusers, and full body oil mixes.    Up to 10-15 drops can be added to your bath water by first mixing with milk or 1-2 Tablespoons of salt, and then adding to the bath. (Essential oil mixes well with milk or something with protein or fat; it does not mix with water and would float on top of the bath water risking skin irritation.)

For reducing skin aging and wrinkles, a drop can be mixed with night cream or oil and applied to face.  Given possible skin sensitivity issues, I would slightly dilute in some way, if using anywhere the sun will shine much, or with any repetition.  If pregnant or under a doctor’s care, we must advise to consult your physician who probably has no knowledge of this dear plant’s virtues, so I would come prepared with some good source material besides my blogpost to gain his blessings.

Naturopath Ann Hill cites the Bach Flower remedy uses of Rose of Sharon for complete exhaustion with underlying anxiety.  She gives recipes for preparation, and to use 3 drops 3X daily.  I am happy to find this; anxiety underneath complete exhaustion is not uncommon and risky postpartum issue.  We know from Ayurved that support is needed to reduce the Vata, rejuvenate nervous system, support deep rest that transcends the high Vata conditions.  Sometimes we find so much deep anxiety that bringing in energetic medicines like the flower essences as well as the physical food/herb and essential oils help a client turn around much more easily.

Whether we are looking at Cistus ladanifer, or to lesser extent perhaps the Hibiscus Siriacus, the medicinal properties speak of Vata pacification, rejuvenative powers, immune supportive and gentle effectiveness.  The ladanifer in particular strongly whispers of precious ojas enhancing and sattvic effects; special gentleness, rejuvenative powers, physical and mental protective potency.   This journey of discovery brings me to cherish – and use – a little bottle I have had in my Biblical essential oils kit for many years, called Cistus, alias Rose of Sharon.

A little on my neck this evening has been calming and refreshing!   You can be sure the next time I teach about essential oils and perinatal uses, as well about herbs and perinatal uses, these plants will be included.  And I will be exploring culinary uses – stir fries, (the rare even for me, salads and decorating sweets), edible presentations, as dried herbal, and such as in one old herbal recipe for administering flowers of Rose of Sharon, biscuits.  My rose petal shortbread was great – this should be fun too!  I hope this brings you closer to exploring these plants if they are available in your life also.

 

Herbs for Mood – Depression and many related conditions

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Herbs for Postnatal Moods – We use several really good ones.  Front line – I often call on Tulsi with Gotu Kola or another Brahmi tea – serotonin enhancing in Nature’s user friendly bio-balancing way that can be tandemed for month or more before beginning to SLOWLY reduce other herbs, according to some experienced Ayurvedics.  Transitioning off over at least 6 months, according to Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, if on mood meds for over a year.  She does not however have Ayurveda’s toolbox, so I believe there can be more help up front while still proceeding so very cautiously.   (Good results for a few days do not mean all is well – the medicines have stored in high quantity in brain tissues and begin to download in chunks into blood).  So this is just a beginning discussion of a number of mood supportive herbs.

These 2-3 herbs are also gentle at a time we need to be gentle!  They are key manas (Mind) rasayana (rejuvenative tonic) herbs.  Yes, they are safe in pregnancy and postpartum.  Especially for Mamas, I combine them a bit of digestive (ginger, pippali, or even cardamom), with shatavari (wild asparagus root) to potentiate the manas effects (connecting to body/hormones, and enhancing to lactation anyone?) and/or ashwagandha (more root chakra and Vata grounding/pacifying, also helps lactation).  There is controversy about use of ashwagandha in pregnancy, some are big on it, others totally avoid, I take a more middle perspective, in smaller amounts and well combined.  We can discuss that again another post.

Although there are many distinct diagnoses for mood issues after, or before childbirth, in Ayurveda we see a common thread during the postpartum time of high Vata, which may also push another dosha out of it’s right place and function.  We can consider support with herbal foods – a gentle benign tea – and leave the legally appropriate scope of practice in hands of licensed practitioner.

Tulsi-Gotu Kola Tea is on sale – just received the message today – with this wonderful company, Organic India .  I so honor this company – they sustainably employ thousands of families now in India in organic herb production.  They have loose leaf tulsi and brahmi (gotu kola or bacopa both work similarly and are called “Brahmi”).

I learned this from Ayurvedic practitioner of many years, Sarasvati Buhrman – she gives 4-5 drops nasya (nose drops/nasal administration of herbs) per nostril of brahmi decocted into ghee for Vata depression, varying it for Pitta and Kapha, along with 4-5 cups daily of the above tea as front line support while the rest of needed “homework” is being put into place.  I’ve worked with an older woman her family sent me East to support for a week, in severe suicidal condition under Dr Bhurman’s advice, and watched it really help, but please note that nasya is contraindicated in Pregnancy.

And severe cases MUST be under her doctor’s umbrella of support and referral.  Particularly with pitta cases involving violent impulses or thoughts which are highest risk.  There may be risk to baby or mother’s life.  They often have many issues and sources of advice, which can throw them off from prioritizing use of your support, even dietary and massage gets de-prioritized.  So this is offered as beginning discussion on long term project for education and care research perhaps.  We would want to look at the individual’s other issues in postpartum time and prioritize for it all to create their unique herbal formulation, under client’s and Doctor’s OK.  Research projects would start with much simpler parameters of course, and less potent results for many.

How does all this fit in context of a postpartum care practice?  

The following perspectives and the best possible care are especially important!  Mood support is greatly aided with the following knowledge and skills which may be much less difficult to implement than herbal formulation.   A mother’s special abhyanga (massage) given 3 days in a row absolute minimum, or 5-6 days (not spread out, in a row) as a wiser minimum for more serious cases, so helps ground the herbal effects and not just pop back out of benefits to this process.  It is a deeply significant component of postpartum care and of mood supports,  actually advised for all mamas, not just mood challenged, for 42 days daily.

Also deeply important are the rather unique even to Ayurvedic students and many western trained Ayruvedic practitioners, dietary recommendations after childbirth.  You can learn more in my basic webinars on Ayurvedic Maternal and Newborn Care.  Also useful is the e-cookbook and e-handbook for your clients, Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Care/Cooking with Ayurveda.    The advanced 5 hour webinar on Safe Postpartum Herbs is also available, and will be most valuable to those with some knowledge of Ayurvedic herbology.  Those wanting to get started with potent supports right away can begin studying client and practitioner use of aromatherapy.   A 2 hour Essential Oils (More than) Basics class is also now recorded and getting really good reviews – as I must say I expected – even from experienced aromatherapists.

The early post-pregnancy time has been called “The Black Hole in Health Care” by Dr. Jeanne Watson Driscoll PhD,APRN,BC.  It is a big Y in the road, and effects easily last for decades – “42 Days for 42 Years” according to “Mother of Ayurveda” in the west, Dr. Sarita Shrestha.

I must make clear disclaimers to this post – it cannot be intended to replace the advice of your medical doctor or primary practitioner.  Information here is presented for educational purposes and  you must complete your own homework and work within your appropriate scope of practice.  For serious concerns, you may wish to also look at the reports by Dr. Ann Blake Tracy on a well researched website maintained for many years, Drugawareness.org.  She still offers phone consultations if you feel you are having adverse reactions to mood meds.  For some of the heavy social/medical industry implications – The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is a nonprofit mental health watchdog, responsible for helping to enact more than 150 laws protecting individuals from abusive or coercive practices.  This is not a first focus recommendation for mothers, please; there is a serious political and social conscience and service they provide for those so inclined to work in that arena.

In your service,

Ysha Bhu

Why avoid yoghurt postpartum, and why is it overrated?

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Why/when to avoid yoghurt postpartum, and why is yoghurt overrated for probiotic use?

Hello Cheryl !

It sounds like your lassi was yummy!   Yoghurt does have benefits after childbirth, after 2-3 weeks, in specific preparations.  And it has some not critical but – for some moms can be more of an issue risks, depending upon when and how it is used.

After childbirth our digestion is so fragile, and little things make a big difference for mama and baby sometimes for long time to come.  “42 Days for 42 Years” is a pretty stunning statement about it!  Yoghurt is creamy, cloudy, sweet and sour inherently – these things can help rebuild and knit tissues back together, sour can even help digestion.  It contains a little, or more probiotics, not a lot.  It is taken usually cold which complicates maternal digestion and absorption of the nutrients.  It is sour which has it’s place and risks.

Lassi is a dilute yoghurt, buttermilk or Kefir drink.  If not made with ice or fruit, and including some digestive spices (yes and with sweet or pinch salt), can act as a digestive with a non-meat or egg based meal, esp legumes, esp lunch time when our agni is highest.  Note that postpartum legumes have to be cooked to thin or light creamy broth also for a few weeks.

Yoghurt and soured dairy in general are advised to avoid for all of us after say 2pm, or certainly after sun goes down. Though the least problematic of this category, yoghurt is more phlegm producing than *properly used* milk. Agni (digestive fires or enzymes) are weaker at that time of day, and these foods even yoghurt easily clog channels in this way.  I believe it has something to do also with how much time it takes for the layers of yoghurt vs milk digestion, and that in the nighttime, more food means less of Ma Nature’s intended work on the body.

The all so popular yoghurt or any dairy with banana is also contraindicated for everyone.  This food combining tends to create some heavy incomplete products of digestion which clog the “shrotamsi” (channels) and risk buildup into carcinogenic influence, per Dr. Vasant Lad.

Postpartum conditions in first few days are such that although we need some very specific digestive spices which are also warming, and warm temp foods, other warming energetics with includes sour and even salt for 2-3 days or more, is generally contraindicated. Add to that the heavier nature of yoghurt, classical ayurved as I have learned it avoids yoghurt even in lassi for at least the first 10 days after birth.

That time period is when the body is still strongly bleeding or just lightening up, and at risk of increase after decrease is still high. IE, excess even to hemorrhage, and especially in our culture of doing too much after childbirth.  Sour, salt, laxative foods and herbs, doing too much, the wrong type of heating influences all can increase blood loss.

And most people eat pre-prepared yoghurt. If made with sweeteners, the culture value is pretty much stopped.  Yogurt past a day they say changes properties to more sour, less digestible, more phlegm producing. The probiotic value is minimal also compared to what is needed to re-culture the gut flora after antibiotics. Best use something more focused there – a liquid or rehydrated powder preferred.

Homemade Kefir seems to have better culture also, and should be treated like yoghurt when using.  Store bought kefir, IMO, and we know this about many yoghurts, must have some milk added to it after culturing, to even out the flavor and stabilize it form souring too fast.  But this creates another food combining issue.  Sweet milk and soured milk digest in different time zones and locations in the gut, and confuse the body, creating ama also (incomplete products of digestion) .

It is quite the story, isn’t it?  Controversies are I’m sure tweaked reading this post.

Add to all this, the sequence of dhatu (tissue) nutrition, so little understood in the west.   For instance, one’s self-assessments which really do not go beyond, for those who even make the connection, whether we have gas, bloating, constipation, loose stool, or heartburn from our food. Per Ayurveda from food to finest product of digestion, beyond rejuvenating the deepest tissues (reproductive), is at least 32 days most foods – who knows how to “feel” what our food 4 weeks ago did?  To say nothing of the extra time involved after childbirth, at least 42 days instead of “32”.  There are exceptions, including the fact that sweet taste is the first digested from upper stomach where generally it is absorbed. And milk properly used, is said to potentially convert to ojas in a few days.

As you must know, occasionally breaking the dietary “rules” or advice is not nearly the issue as is often doing so.  I hope this discussion helps?  And encourage you to just lean into any changes.  It takes time to make changes and we have to honor gentleness there too, of course.  Sometimes the scales are hard to read, which is priority.  This is one of the reasons to have someone who knows how to make the postpartum “rules” delicious and satisfying, helps so much!

Great to be still in touch, I honor our connection and all the amazing work you do.

Ysha

Baby’s genetic memory

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Baby’s genetic memory – Do your clients understand the impact of their choices?  Sometimes they can use a nudge to enhance as we have to call it, “compliance” with our health recommendations.  This one may be a sleeper, yet deeper than most realize!  New studies confirm what Ayurved has known for thousands of years.

Ayurvedic medicine reports that our ancestor’s illnesses, viral and otherwise influence our genetics, and show up with iridilogical analysis (iris diagnosis).  For instance, even if Baby has not been exposed to a certain chemical this life, and Grandma has, Baby shows genetic influence of this toxin’s damage.   Recent studies add important weight to this discussion –

“We find that a single exposure to a common-use fungicide (vinclozolin) three generations removed alters the physiology, behavior, metabolic activity, and transcriptome in discrete brain nuclei in descendant males, causing them to respond differently to chronic restraint stress.(http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/05/15/1118514109.abstract)”

Find an interview video with the head researcher, Dr. David Crews and more understanding how the impact manifests epigenetically, i.e. on  genetic expression: http://www.naturalnews.com/035965_epigenetics_inheritance_synthetic_chemicals.html#ixzz1voBpzwHt ”

Then find our discussion of how and which essential oils can help clear both the receptor sites for DNA expression, and miswritten code, in our class, Essential Oils Basics.

We have profound tools from Ayurvedic medicine for preparing the body even to genetic level with Ayurvedic Panchakarma cleansing, and special preparations targeting the nuclear level of the cells such as tikta ghee.  Those who are not yet pregnant and seek to be are in best position to reverse unwanted changes.  Those who are, or with newborns and older, have much to gain also – each according to their specific “season” of life changes, body type and imbalances, and season in the more commonly understood term.

We have much support we can give our clients, and they so often need it, more than ever.  Even those who seem well, eat organic, all these things are less than enough in our polluted times and with the blessings and challenges of our forefathers and mothers.   Native American elders’  warning takes on depth, not just cultural, to make choices for positive influence on the next 7 generations.  And we have the burden of correction for the many who have not made wise decisions.  I hope you will take to heart and into your toolkit resources and service which deeply helps.

Peace –

Soy formula, birth defects, GMO, and Ayurvedic analysis

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Birth Defects are showing in studies now from Roundup ready soy crops.  That is a lot of the soy in circulation, including formula, but it begins before the many babies being fed non-organic and GMO soy.  Mamas are ingesting lots of soy in good faith about it’s benefits.  Make sure your clients who are attached to their soy understand 3 or three things as they make their choices if you can.

  1. Research is strong now showing long term genetic effects on sterility third generation – we haven’t as humans given this a chance yet, but scary animal research.   Already known in humans to reduce testosterone levels and M/F libido, not just from ingestion or absorption of the pesticide, roundup, it is also from the soy itself.   But lots of Roundup is being used on Monsanto’s directly influenced growing soy market – from seed to farming.
  2. Ayurvedic medicine explains the properties of soy are cold, drying, heavy, difficult to digest.  IE, increasing to the metabolic imbalances already most naturally experienced already after childbirth – VATA dosha.  If using soy, a) use partially digested via fermentation (this is the ancient use of it, anything else was for animal fodder, or came up just a few centuries ago at most) – which is heavy energetically and emotionally postpartum even if easy to digest, or b) use freshly made (tofu, soy milk) and cook LONG and with generous digestive spices – ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, clove etc.  And use organic GMO free!
  3. The story with soy formula influences is appalling – babies are coming up with many times normal adult levels of estrogen in their bodies just the beginning.  Risk of fibroids 25% higher in adult women fed soy formula.  Often high aluminum, risks to thyroid and more.  GMO author Jeffrey Miller and Dr. Joseph Mercola are just a few blowing the whistle. Discussed in the core class, Ayurvedic Maternal Newborn Care and Cooking in the chapter on Baby’s Best Nourishment.

Although Ayurveda didn’t predict many of these things, the qualities of soy are contraindicated for early postpartum mothers and for babies already, or anyone with delicate system.  It could be enough, or maybe you need to cite corroborating discussion for your client such as these links or this great article by Sally Fallon, The Ploy of Soy.  She wrote it in the 1980’s!

Peace is beyond understanding, thank God!  And more essential to our practice than ever.

Ysha Oakes, LMT, CPAD, D.Ayur.

Dean and Founding Faculty

 

 

Radiation – urgent issues, help from Ayurveda

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Although  I believe the blackout on severity of Fukushima reactor #4’s vulnerability can truly be covering up the 2012 catastrophe that changes life as we know it on this planet, I DO NOT like to be a scare monger.  Especially with fragile populations.  So I speak to those who care for them, please see this significant data link.  Regardless of this news update, we should be talking dynamically together, how to protect mama and baby from radiation.  We do not have to be alarmist to be very timely.  They are among the most vulnerable populations to any kind of pollution and we are surrounded even w/o a 10-85X potency Chernobyl.  I will be addressing what can mamas do short of migrating to ?? which most won’t can’t and shouldn’t, in terms of daily care, in my cooking and consulting classes in June.  The June classes and Tuesday night series on herbals do have a prerequisite class running now and are being recorded.

Dr. Vasant Lad recommends postpartum mamas eat 2 tsp daily of tikta ghee.  These bitter herbs are not appropriate taken alone  – might even reduce milk supply that way in early postpartum, but prepared in ghee are not only padded, but work more effectively.  Best taken in 1/2 cup hot water or tea.  Tikta ghee addresses the nuclear level/dna and helps cleanse and reset the ether element among other things.

Dr. RamaKant Mishra speaks of the similarity between radiation and lightning strikes, distorting at the level of the ether element, which is nuclear energy and cell nucleus and DNA level.

There are of course other modifications to the abundant advice running around to protect mood, colic and other issues from being side effects, included in my 6 page article, Radiation Exposures – Protecting Mothers and Newborns with Ayurveda.

Please see this  urgent letter to two key UN reps signed by a long list of Japanese dignitaries and organizations with the news updates which cite important references, requesting urgent immediate organizing assistance for masterminding and global resources to deal with this issue.  I will post any update on how to easily participate in this campaign along with an article I have written for adapting radiation supports for mothers and new borns tomorrow.  With the news blackout on the topic, I am quite convinced we have to go viral best we can on it, and that this will happen God willing, via many channels.
Wishing  you the Peace Beyond Understanding, Strong community coherence, and health,
Ysha