Insomnia During Pregnancy: Natural Relief

Insomnia during pregnancy is often related to the other various symptoms, aches, pains and worries commonly experienced in pregnancy.

While insomnia is extremely frustrating at night, if you are managing well during the day, you are probably getting enough sleep and should not worry. Your negative moods, fatigue, poor energy, and overall absence of wellness will let you know when this lack of sleep is taking its toll. Stress reduction and maintaining internal calm are crucial for health and well-being as is getting enough sleep, which is just as important, if not more so, than diet and exercise, so make them among your top priorities.

Please consult your integrative practitioner if this has been a chronic problem for you even before pregnancy, as you may suffer from clinical depression or anxiety, hyperthyroidism, chronic high levels of stress, or other health problems that should be evaluated.

Once more serious conditions have been ruled out, try the suggestions below. Also, consider seeking out a classical homeopath, acupuncturist, hypnotherapist, holistic counselor, or breathwork practitioner who can offer wonderfully effective alternatives to dealing with this problem.

Natural Insomnia Prevention

Many foods, drinks and drugs contain stimulating substances that disturb sleep. For example, coffee, tea, chocolate, and soda that contain caffeine, and certain cold, asthma, allergy, pain and psychiatric medications can all keep you awake. Avoid these whenever possible, especially after 4 pm, and ask your provider about alternative prescriptions. Avoid alcohol as well. Aside from its harmful effect on your unborn baby, it may help you fall asleep initially, but can disrupt your sleep cycle, causing early or frequent waking during the night.

Four to five hours before bedtime, depending on the severity of your trouble falling or staying asleep, avoid the following:

• Large meals

• Unhealthy vegetable oils, processed and refined foods, gluten and cane sugar

• Drinking lots of fluids

• Vigorous exercise

• Stimulating or upsetting books, movies, or news reports

• Performing busy work or frustrating tasks

• Intense conversations or arguments

• Electronic media

These activities rev up your nervous system, cause inflammation and blood sugar imbalances, make you feel tense, agitated or excited, and thus interfere with sleep. You do need to stay well hydrated by drinking at least 64 ounces of filtered, spring or well water per day between meals (at least 20-30 minutes before or 2 hours after eating), but try to do get most of your hydration during the daytime.

Do not go to bed hungry. Eat high quality protein and fat at dinner, and a bedtime snack before bed like a bowl of gluten free oatmeal with organic nut milk, avocado and egg, apple and nut butter, or a yummy nutrient dense nut/seed crunch or bar.

Shorten your daytime nap to no more than 20 minutes, or awaken earlier if this is the culprit.

Engage in moderate exercise for 30 minutes 5 days per week during the morning or afternoon (such as brisk walking, dancing, swimming, cycling, low impact aerobics). Regular aerobic activity has many health benefits, as well as helping you feel more energized during the day and sleep better at night.

Honor your body’s circadian rhythms, getting up and going to bed around the same time each day. Make sure you get plenty of fresh air and adequate exposure to sunlight. Weather permitting, try to spend at least 30 minutes outside with nature in the early morning or late afternoon sun each day. At night, keep lights dim. This is why people sleep better when camping - so if you need a reset, spend a week vacation camping!

In the evening, avoid prolonged exposure to blue and artificial bright light. Block out blue light with special glasses and if you must be online, download the free app to minimize blue light on your devices. Ideally, your rooms should be lit by no more than a reading light and amber colored fire like light like calming Himalayan salt lamps. During the day, get out in bright natural daytime light. If you can not go outside, use 150-200 watt incandescent bulbs or full spectrum fluorescent lamps that supply 2,500 or more lux (equivalent to 150-200 watts.) Keep the light within 3 feet of where you are sitting.

Minimize the time you are on the computer and smartphone, especially in the evening. Remove them from your bedroom, as you create an environment within it that is a calming haven for rest and sleep. For help breaking addiction to the smartphone, do read How to Break Up With Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price. Put anti electromagnetic radiation devices, crystals, including those made from genuine shungite or black tourmaline in your bedroom to reduce EMF exposure. Sleep with an EMR protective blanket. Explore additional resources for more information and other practical suggestions to mitigate EMR exposure, especially in pregnancy.

If you like making lists of what you need to do or buy at the store, do your to do lists during the day. The day is a better time to journal your feelings, or even better, move them through your body with music. 

PREVENTING INSOMNIA THROUGH STRESS REDUCTION

Life is stressful and always has been, and eliminating all outside stress is not an option. But, you can learn to activate your own relaxation response and quiet your nervous system with breath awareness and relaxation techniques, thought control, and cutting down on the added burdens in your life. While easier said than done, this is an important time to be clear about your priorities. If you feel overstressed, which is interfering with your ability to sleep at night and then function during the day, your body is sending you a warning signal to rearrange your schedule to protect the health of you and your growing baby. Don’t be afraid to ask family and friends to help with chores or child care, or even better, treat yourself to hired help and healthy take-out meals. 

Before going to bed at night, as well as before rising in the morning, periodically throughout the day, in transit, while waiting, and whenever you feel stressed, triggered down or upset, practice the following deep abdominal breathing exercise: 

1. Exhale slowly through your mouth with an audible sigh, while consciously relaxing any muscle tension.

2. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4. Imagine a pump expanding your abdomen, and lower back, down to your pelvic floor, causing you to inhale. Allow ribs to expand with air, then inhale air into your upper chest towards your collarbone and shoulders.

3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 4. Release effortlessly, in the same order you inhaled, returning to baseline, your abdomen, ribs, then upper chest. With each exhalation, try to let go and relax even more.

4. Repeat this cycle a total of 8 times or at least a few minutes. You may need to play with counts, using a count of 3 or maybe even 5 or 6. But keep the counts of inhale the same as the counts of exhale.  

5. Then extend, or double the exhale. For example, if you are inhaling to a count or 3, exhale to a count of 6, or if you are inhaling to a count of 4, exhale to a count of 6. And repeat this cycle for several minutes.

These are wonderful natural tranquilizers, especially if you do it often. While breathing be mindful, and just observe and release any muscle tension working your way slowly from head to toe, and then notice what you are currently seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, tasting. Just watch without judgment…this brings you to the present and is deliciously relaxing. When doing this, sit up straight but comfortably, with your eyes closed, internally keeping your gaze between your eyes, or open and focused on a nonmoving distant object or place like where the floor meets the wall. This is meditation, combined with the benefits of breathwork.

Another great breathing technique that disengages your conscious attention from thought and relaxes the nervous system, and can be done any time (like when traveling, waiting in line, resting, bathing, or on the toilet) is box breathing. With this exercise, you add a timed pause between each inhalation and exhalation. 

1. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes.  

2. Inhale deeply into your belly as above for a count of 3.

3. Hold without tension for a count of 6.

4. Exhale to a count of 6 while consciously relaxing more and more.

5. Hold again without tension for a count of 3. 

6. Repeat until your timer chimes. You may love this so much you will want to do it for longer.

One more breathing exercise to try is forced exhalation: 

1. After a normal breath, try squeezing as much air out as possible using your intercostal muscles.

2. Next, allow the breath to come in naturally and deeply, but automatically.

3. Repeat the cycle for several minutes.

These techniques are simple to do, health enhancing, totally safe and without side effects.

Try to stay away from things and people that agitate your mind and raise your internal tension, and instead surround yourself as much as possible with calm centered people, things, sounds and places that inspire, relax and restore you to inner peace and serenity. Make a conscious effort to work on increasing your own feelings of forgiveness, appreciation, love, joy, optimism and healing, while letting go of anger, resentment, envy, fear, sadness and negativity. Most importantly, make a conscious effort to be aware of anxiety provoking, tension causing thought patterns that are not serving you, and to stop them or shift your attention to something more positive and ultimately change your mental state.

You have the ability to change your attitude and reaction to life experiences to more health enhancing responses. For example, you can surrender to, and totally accept unpleasant events over which you have no power, or you can view them as a wake-up call - an opportunity for personal growth and redirection. 

You can always try to focus as much attention as possible on the present moment, literally without letting your thoughts wander into past or imagined future. For more information about this and other great ways to improve your health and well being, read a recent blog on Natural Remedies and Resources for Stress. While it is not only helpful to express your troubling feelings to a sympathetic ear, it is also essential to develop the skills of self mastery and empowerment.

Reduce inner tension and increase feelings of calm by taking a “healing interval” for a few minutes several times per day to sit quietly with your eyes closed and think and do absolutely nothing, practicing slow deep breathing, meditation, QiGong, Tai Chi, yoga (especially Yin, prenatal, gentle and restorative), or progressive muscle relaxation techniques (yoga nidra).

A popular relaxation technique is to tense your whole body and then relax each muscle one by one, starting at your head and face, then moving downward, ending up visualizing yourself completely calm, relaxed, heavy and limp like a rag doll or your napping dog or cat.

Consider making yoga, breath awareness, conscious breathwork and meditation a regular part of your daily routine, even if just for 20-30 minutes each morning or evening, in addition to the “healing intervals” throughout your day. 

Focus on the moment and what all your senses are telling you, just watching feelings and thoughts come and go without judgement as if they were flowing with the river. Locate the nearest Zen Center (Zen is NOT a religion and does not conflict with any religion), read Marc Lesser’s Book Accomplishing More by Doing Less, or any book by Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, or Shunryu Suzuki to learn the basics of mediation and Zen practice.

SLEEP HYGIENE

Develop a regular bedtime relaxation routine such as:

• Gentle stretching

• Yin, gentle, or restorative yoga - like spending 10 minutes laying down with your legs resting up the wall

• Meditation 

• Gentle breathing exercises

• Soaking in a very warm bath with Epsom Salts and 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil. 

• Reading from a boring, soothing or light drama book before bed

• Recite a calming mantra if needed as you close your eyes

• Listen to effective audio programs that actually train your body to sleep, using sleep phones.

• If noise or lights are keeping you awake, use noise canceling headphones and eye mask combined and/or install black out curtains.

You can create a regular winding down and soothing ritual at night before going to bed, combining a few calming and nurturing techniques like preparing a cup of relaxing Chamomile, Lavender or Lemon Balm tea, turning on some soft tranquil music and lighting a candle, while you take a warm bath with a few rose petals or lavender. Follow this by 5-15 minutes of various restorative yoga poses in silence, eyes covered with a lavender infused eye pillow. Don’t forget to pee just before bed. Read a little inspiration and settle into sleep.

High calcium/magnesium and soothing herbs can help, which include nettle, red raspberry leaf, oat straw, and dandelion greens prepared as infusions. To make an infusion:

1. Combine a handful each of nettle, red raspberry leaf and dandelion with a pinch of oat-straw.

2. Add mixture to 1 qt boiling water in a glass canning jar.

3. Cover and steep for 4-8 hours. 

4. Strain.

5. Add fresh lime or lemon juice, mint leaves or a dash of honey to taste (optional).

6. Drink 1-4 cups daily.

You can make a lovely calming infusion for your evening tea, which is more effective than the ready made teas, by mixing a pinch of each dried herb: chamomile, lavender and lemon balm. Add to 1 cup boiling water, steep covered in a glass mason jar for 15-20 minutes, strain, add lemon, fresh mint or honey to taste, and drink. If you are concerned about drinking too much before going to sleep and needing to get up to go to the bathroom, use capsules or tinctures instead.

Experiment with essential oils, alone or in combination in your bath with Epsom Salts, and see what will best help you sleep. Add 5-10 drops of the essential oils of Chamomile, Vanilla, Lavender, Rose, Geranium, Frankincense, Jasmine, Marjoram, Basil, Citrus, Sandalwood, and/or Neroli to your evening bath, in your diffuser and onto your pillow if needed. Soak for awhile in the bath, and practice your mindfulness. Let the feel, sound and smell of the water and essential oils ease your tension and consciously allow your muscles to release and relax.

Make sure your mattress is comfortable, you have enough pillows and blankets, the noise is minimum, and the light, temperature and ventilation are adjusted to your comfort level. Use natural bedding to minimize toxic exposure that disrupts sleep. Try sleeping on Earthing Grounding sheets. Many have had much success with using a white noise machine, Dream Pad pillow or pillow speaker, which creates soothing sounds that helps promote sleep. Others like the Dream Pad Pillow or pillow speaker, or find that earplugs and an eye mask help to cut out noise and light they can not control. Create a restful environment in your bedroom and keep all of the things that cause you stress (like computer, smartphone, to do lists, unpaid bills, unfinished work or projects) in other rooms. Get a simple alarm clock without light instead of using your phone, and keep it out of your easy reach or vision while in bed. Or use a Sunrise alarm clock with sunset nightlight.

Many sleep better when the room temperature is cool (in the mid 60s degrees) and they are not hot, by adjusting the thermostat, open a window, use a cooling mattress pad topper or Chilipad. Be sure to make your bedroom as dark as possible.

Ideally, go to bed not much later than 10:00 or 11:00 PM and get up at a consistent time each day. Try not to sleep in more than an hour, even on weekends, to keep within your circadian rhythm. The later you go to bed, the more trouble you will have sleeping, even though you are exhausted.

SLEEP SUPPLEMENTS

Reputable brands of the supplements and remedies I recommend include Innate Response, Wish Garden, Gaia, Herb Pharm, Wise Woman Herbals, Pure Encapsulations and Eclectic Institute, or any of those in my online holistic apothecary.

Take 500-1000 mg of calcium and/or 500-1000 mg of magnesium before sleep. Natural Calm is a wonderful powdered liquid magnesium. It is important to understand that individual needs will vary. Some individuals will need more Natural Calm than others. Start with 1 teaspoon daily, and increase your dose up to the point of loose stools. This will be the dose you will need to maintain for regular use. The final amount taken could range anywhere from a 1/4 teaspoon to 3-4 teaspoons. This could be taken all at once or split into 2-3 smaller doses throughout the day. If you get diarrhea, it is a sign that you used too high a dose, and you need to cut it back to the point where the diarrhea does not reappear. Also, some feel better using an equal ratio of calcium to magnesium, others do best taking double the amount of calcium than magnesium, or vice versa.

Try homeopathic Calms Forte if your symptoms are related to stress, refer to books like Homeopathy For Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Year by Miranda Castro for a remedy specific to your unique symptoms, or consult with a classical homeopath for more personal guidance. Get a flower essence kit and look for a Bach Flower remedy that fits your particular situation, such as White Chestnut if persistent unwanted thoughts or mental arguments are preventing sleep.

Also, you can try fresh creamy milky oat tops. Take 1 dropperful of the tincture of fresh creamy milky oat tops in its most potent form 1-2 times daily, especially effective when taken over time. 

Add a TBS of all natural grass-fed gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate in a little apple sauce or gluten free oatmeal in the evening, or about an hour before bed.

Other herbs helpful for insomnia for occasional use only are listed below. Try each of the natural remedies for a few nights to see what is most effective. If it is going to help, its benefits should show up within a day or two (unless otherwise specified).

• If insomnia is related to feelings of internal stress and anxiety, try Passionflower. You can take capsules with at least 0.8% flavonoids, as directed on bottle 2-3 times per day as needed, or 1-2 dropperfuls of tincture 1-2 times before bed (after the first trimester).

• Motherwort, ½ - 1 dropperful of the tincture in water or juice no more than every 2 hours, or up to 3 times per day in a period of more acute stress.

• Skullcap, ½ dropperful twice before bedtime with a 15 minute interval.

• Chamomile tincture, 1-2 dropperfuls before bed. 

• Lemon Balm in doses 300 mg early evening and before bed. This can be quite sedating, so take precautions, or try lower doses in effective combination formulas.

• St. John’s Wort, 1 dropperful of tincture or 300-600 mg of capsules at bedtime.

• Valerian, 2 capsules of standardized extract or one dropperful of the tincture in juice to help with taste a half an hour before you go to bed..

• CBD from hemp oil. This is the new rage, as it is gently calming, relieves anxiety and helps with sleep without the potential risks of the THC component of cannabis on the developing fetus. Results from anecdotal evidence and preliminary research, although sparse (as is common with most natural remedies in pregnancy), are promising. Make sure it is absolutely pure, and from a reputable source who can recommend proper dosing or from pharmacies licensed to dispense it. It is usually taken as several drops under the tongue every hour or so in the evening a few hours before bed.

When not pregnant, you can try the following and see what works best for you:

• Encapsulated Lavender oil - 1-2 80 mg capsules an hour before sleep, is as effective as benzodiazepine medications.

• Hops - If your sleeplessness is related to muscle tension or poor quality, broken light sleep from feeling stressed. Take 2 capsules of freeze dried extract of Hops at bedtime or a dropperful of tincture twice, ½ hour apart, starting an hour before bed for a nice deep sleep. 

• Ashwagandha - If you feel burned out, overstressed, exhausted but too wired to sleep, dissolve 1-2 tsp of the powder in your smoothie, tea or warm milk for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times per day, or take 2-3 dropperfuls of the tincture twice daily and before sleep, or 2-5 grams of the capsules daily in divided doses. 

• Rhodiola - As a tonic herb, take 100-200 mg twice daily (an extract standardized to 2-3% rosavins and 0.8-1% salidrosides). This usually improves anxiety and sleep, but needs to be taken more regularly. Obviously stop it if it is too stimulating and worsens insomnia.

• Magnolia - 200-400 mg an hour before sleep.

• Reishi mushrooms - 1 gram (2 capsules) an hour before bed.

• Kava Kava - A few drops up to a dropperfuls of the tincture or 150 -450 mg of the encapsulated liquid capsules before bed can be taken for occasional short term use only. Do not use if you are taking any substance including alcohol or medications that affect the liver, or you have any liver issues. This is one of my favorite herbs for anxiety and/or insomnia from inner stress and is usually well tolerated and very effective.

• California Poppy - Also for periodic use only, take 1-2 dropperfuls of the tincture before bed.

• Melatonin - Best for jet lag and after working the night shift, take under the tongue before bedtime starting at 2.5 mg and increasing up to 5 mg if needed.

Another helpful approach is using natural amino acid supplements:

•  5-HTP (hydroxytryptophan), 50-150 mg before going to sleep or up to 100-300 mg 2-3 times daily if anxious.

• L-theanine, 100-200 mg twice daily at lunch and bedtime is also very calming.

• GABA, up to 500 -700 mg, depending on how much you need to get to sleep.

For more information on using amino acids and increasing them naturally in your diet, read The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. Also read The Chemistry of Calm and The Chemistry of Joy by Dr. Henry Emmons for a more detailed and thorough information on the supplements, as well as wonderful suggestions for what really is most effective in the long term: self-relaxation and visualization exercises to deal with stress, quiet the mind, and find a stronger sense of long lasting true happiness.

DURING TIMES OF INSOMNIA

When sleeplessness strikes, don’t worry or fight it. Instead, try forcing yourself to stay awake with your eyes open rather than fall asleep, and simply lie there and rest. You may suddenly find yourself waking up in the morning. If you are still up after 30 minutes, turn the light on and read, listen to soothing music, a podcast or a radio talk show, fold laundry or do some other repetitive sedating chore, and then try again only when you start to feel sleepy.

To break an insomnia pattern, set a time 1-2 hours after your usual bedtime and force yourself not to go to bed until then. You’ll probably worry more about how to stay awake that long than about your inability to fall asleep, and you’ll be tired the next day, which should help you fall asleep easier the following night. Each night, move your “later bedtime” 15 minutes earlier until you’ve forgotten about your insomnia altogether. 

If you are having difficulty stopping all the worrisome and anxiety provoking thoughts, write them down with an action plan to deal with them in the morning. Now is the time to get out of your mind and focus on your breathing, practice your muscle relaxation techniques, visualization exercises or meditation and use your skills of self mastery.

Ideally, it is best to avoid sleeping pills on a regular basis, as some can have negative side effects for you and your baby, and they can lead to addiction. Please let your practitioner know if none of the suggestions mentioned above help and you are suffering and at your wits end, as they can prescribe relatively safe medications for occasional use.

If you need more personal guidance, schedule a consultation with me.

Want a comprehensive holistic reference guide to the journey of getting pregnant, being pregnant, birth, breastfeeding, postpartum and beyond? Check out the second edition of my international and national best selling book Natural Birth Secrets.

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This is your key to an immensely positive birth, feeling confident, strong, relaxed, and empowered during the entire process, regardless of the twists and turns it may take.

Stomach Bug or Food Poisoning During Pregnancy: Natural Remedies

Whether a stomach bug or temporary bout of food poisoning, having an upset stomach during pregnancy can be especially uncomfortable. 

Although you may feel very sick, vomiting and diarrhea are important defense mechanisms, enabling your body to rid itself of harmful substances like toxins and germs. Therefore, it is best to allow most simple cases to run their course without suppressing your symptoms.

Make sure to get plenty of rest, to enable yourself to heal.

Home Remedies for Stomach Bug and Food Poisoning

FOOD AND DRINK

The main concern with stomach bug and food poisoning is excessive loss of body fluids resulting in serious dehydration, which in pregnancy can increase the chance of premature labor. When an acute bout of vomiting and/or diarrhea occurs, the first thing you need to do is let your irritated gastrointestinal tract heal by avoiding all food for 12-24 hours. But, try to keep hydrated by drinking frequent sips of filtered, spring or well water, or other clear liquid every hour or two (¼ cup water every 15-30 minutes is the minimum).

After 12 hours or when your symptoms have calmed down a bit, try taking clear fluids in sips or spoonfuls as frequently as you can tolerate. The ideal is to drink a total of at least at least 64 ounces of fluids daily, and you may need more if you have been dehydrated. Avoid oily liquids and milk at this time, which irritate the intestinal tract and interfere with its healing.

Better choices include:

• Filtered, spring or well water

• Electrolyte infused Smart Water

• Pure coconut water

• Diluted fruit juice

• Herbal teas with honey (like ginger, peppermint or chamomile)

• Miso, bone or vegetable broth

• Chicken or any other low fat non-dairy soup stock

• Rice or barley water (drink the water used to cook barley or brown rice)

• Frozen fruit or fruit juice popsicles

• Recharge or organic Gatorade electrolyte drinks (avoid the standard chemical-laden Gatorade)

• A homemade electrolyte concoction:

  • Combine ⅛-¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp calcium/magnesium powder, 1-2 Tbsp honey, 1 qt spring or pure coconut water, and juice of 1 fresh lemon or lime to taste.

• Drink a cup slowly every 1-2 hours. Even if you vomit it up, you will still get some.

After 24 hours of only liquids and as the symptoms improve, advance to a bland diet for the next day or two in addition to frequent fluids. Good food choices include bananas, applesauce, white basmati rice, dry white toast, white rice cakes or crackers, hot rice or wheat cereal cooked in water sweetened with pure maple syrup or honey, and mashed potatoes with a little salt.

Continue to avoid fats and dairy products (other than organic live culture yogurt), spicy or sugary food, caffeine and alcohol. An oil that actually helps relieve diarrhea is made from flax seed but you may prefer to take it as directed in capsule form. For now, stay away from high-fiber foods, like most raw fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Wait 48 hours after your symptoms resolve before eating these foods and returning to your normal diet. An upset digestive tract, like any other injury, needs time to heal. 

For any type of dysentery, eat unripe green bananas and basmati rice with plain yogurt for optimal gut health. Also eat fresh papaya with a FEW seeds, as they contain substances which kill many types of causative organisms responsible for intestinal infections. However, don’t ingest more than 1 Tbsp of the seeds daily in pregnancy. 

HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Reputable brands include Innate Response, Wish Garden, Gaia, Herb Pharm, Wise Woman Herbals, Pure Encapsulations and Eclectic Institute, or any of those in my online holistic apothecary.

As with any infection, eat a bulb of garlic once per day. You can bake the cloves in a little olive oil, salt and pepper, or cut it up raw and swallow a few cloves as pills, but you are more likely to tolerate taking New Chapter’s Garlicforce. This product is a wonderfully effective and very mild tasting encapsulated supercritical extract of garlic. 

You can also try Gaia’s Echinacea Supreme herbal tincture, 1-2 dropperfuls every few hours daily in juice. This will help kill germs like viruses and strengthen your immune system.

Drink a strong red raspberry leaf tea, or even better, make your own infusion of red raspberry leaf by immersing one ounce dried herb in one quart boiling water, brew for ½ hour, strain in a glass canning jar, and drink ½ - 1 cup up to every 30 minutes to 1 hour, according to the severity of your diarrhea. Add fresh mint, juice of lemon or lime and honey to taste.

Take Klaire labs probiotics twice daily for at least a few weeks to help resolve the diarrhea and replace healthy intestinal flora.

Slippery Elm is reputed to be the best herbal remedy for soothing and healing inflammation of the bowel and/or acid reflux irritation commonly felt after vomiting. Take capsules 3 times daily, suck on lozenges, or make your own paste by combining the powdered form with a few spoonfuls of honey-sweetened water, applesauce or hot cereal.

Ginger is great for relieving nausea. Try:

• Making ginger tea by boiling a tiny piece or 1 tsp fresh grated ginger root in 1 cup of water for 5-15 minutes. Strain into your glass canning jar, add honey and/or lemon to taste, and sip up to 2 cups throughout the day. 

• Drinking all natural ginger ale.

• Taking Ginger Honey tonic, 1-2 spoonfuls as often as needed plain, in tea or sparkling water.

• Sucking on ice cubes of ginger tea.

• Ginger hard candy, chewables or candied ginger slices. 

• Taking Ginger root powder in capsules, 250 mg up to 4 times per day (if no history of 2 or more miscarriages).

Dr. Andrew Weil recommends Blackberry root bark as a good herbal remedy for diarrhea. Take 1 tsp of the tincture every 2-4 hours, or make your own infusion by steeping a handful of the dried herb in 1 quart boiling water for 20 minutes, straining in your glass mason jar, and drinking a cup every 2-4 hours. He also advises carob powder, which is very soothing on irritated intestines after diarrhea. Mix 1 Tbsp with applesauce and honey for taste, and eat on an empty stomach 1-½ hours before or 3 hours after eating. If you have a lot of painful abdominal cramping, take opium tincture, 10-15 drops in a small amount of water every 3-4 hours for no more than 2 days. But take care, as it can be quite sedating.

For diarrhea, Bentonite Clay that is safe for ingesting, is studied to bind and rid the body of toxins and irritants, which provides effective relief of acute bouts of diarrhea. Take 1-2 Tbsp dissolved in distilled water 2-3 times daily for a few days. Another impressive complementary remedy is activated charcoal taken as directed on the bottle. It is said to be safe in pregnancy up to 50 grams 3 times daily for no more than a week. 

The essential oils of Chamomile, Peppermint or Geranium may be diluted and massaged into your abdomen to bring relief. Or, place a few drops in your essential oil diffuser, or glass spray bottle of water and spray it near you periodically.

Dr. Aviva Romm, in The Natural Pregnancy Book, recommends taking 2 capsules of goldenseal after the first trimester, every 4 hours for no more than 24 hours in cases of more severe dysentery. Stop if you feel your uterus contracting more than usual. She also writes about a wonderfully effective Japanese treatment of topical salt packs if you feel a round of vomiting approaching or if you have been vomiting frequently. To prepare:

1. Heat ½ cup sea salt in a pan for 3 minutes.

2. Put the salt in a pillowcase or cloth bag.

3. Fold into a rectangular pad or small square, and wrap in a towel if too hot.

4. Apply directly to your stomach (not belly).

Always remember to wash your hands with soap after going to the bathroom, and use separate towels until you are well again.

Homeopathic remedies are remarkably effective and safe in treating common ailments like a stomach bug in pregnancy. You can consult with a classical homeopath, or refer to books like Homeopathy For Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Year by Miranda Castro for a remedy most specific to your symptoms. The remedy that works best for me is Arsenicum. Others report much success with Weleeda’s homeopathic combination Nausin (7–10 drops four times per day) especially for nausea. 

Do not take any medications (even the over-the counter-ones) without consulting with your practitioner, as many are not safe to use in pregnancy, slow your body’s attempt to heal yourself or mask important symptoms and give a false sense of reassurance.

If you need more personal guidance, schedule a consultation with me. If you are feeling overwhelmed, or do not even know what questions to ask, I can help you!

Contact your practitioner if these suggestions do not help and there is NO IMPROVEMENT in 24-36 hours, especially if:

• Diarrhea and/or vomiting is incessant and you cannot keep anything down. 

• You have severe abdominal pain.

• Your temperature is over 101.

• The vomiting material or stools is unusual (bloody, black tarry, grey, white or resemble coffee grounds).

• There is yellowing of your skin or eyes.

• You experience dark colored urine.

• You have unusual fatigue for more than a few days and your discomfort is in the right upper part of your abdomen.

• There is evidence of dehydration - your mouth is without saliva and your eyes are without tears, your eyes appear sunken and your normal skin texture is lost (if you pinch up some skin and it does not immediately snap back into place), and/or urination has reduced or stopped.

• Your symptoms occurred after an injury or ingestion of a drug or poison.

• Other family members or close contacts have been diagnosed with hepatitis.

• You suspect a bacterial or parasitic infection (like Shigella, for example).

• You experience regular uterine cramping or hardening, a new pattern of lower abdominal or back ache or pressure, vaginal bleeding or leaking of amniotic fluid.

• Your baby is not moving as much as usual.

• You are worried that something isn’t right.

Want a comprehensive holistic guide to the journey of getting pregnant, being pregnant, birth, breastfeeding, postpartum and beyond? Check out the second edition of my international and national best selling book Natural Birth Secrets.

Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy: The Dos and Don’ts for Natural Relief

Hemorrhoids during pregnancy are so common as to be considered normal, unless they cause symptoms that bother you (such as itching, pain and bleeding). In this post, you will find tips and tricks for preventing and reducing those irritating symptoms, and you can also refer to the blog about remedies for varicosities.

But first, some clarity. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins (enlarged blood vessels) that develop inside or just outside the anal area. They are caused by a combination of factors:

• Increased pressure on veins in the pelvic area from the growing uterus 

• The hormones of pregnancy, which increase blood volume and relax the vessel walls, allowing them to distend and become congested 

• An inherited tendency

• The pressure of gravity from being overweight or excessive weight gain in pregnancy

• Constipation and straining to push out a bowel movement

Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy - The Dos

DO EAT THE FOLLOWING

A variety of foods that nourish the circulatory system, such as:

Okra
Citrus fruits
Berries like strawberries, blackberries and raspberries
Black currants
Plums and prunes
Apricots, grapes, cherries, cantaloupe
Broccoli and asparagus
Avocado
Alfalfa sprouts
Tomatoes
Green peppers
Carrots
Squash and sweet potatoes
Fresh parsley
Buckwheat, oats, wheat germ, quinoa, and other whole grains
Nuts
Brewers or nutritional yeast
Eggs
Fish
Organ meats

Use lots of fresh garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric in your cooking. 

Eat a bulb of fresh garlic daily. You can eat it roasted, sautéed, or raw, or even make a nice garlic-infused olive oil. Just peel and crush a full bulb, and let it soak in 1 cup of cold, expeller-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, for a couple of days. Use in dressings and marinades or any other way you use olive oil. If you’re not a garlic fan, try New Chapter’s Garlicforce caps.

And be sure to keep hydrated with at least 64 ounces of filtered, spring or well water or herbal tea daily between meals (at least 20-30 minutes before or 2 hours after eating).

DO KEEP MOVING 

Exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes 5 times per week like brisk walking, swimming, dancing or prenatal yoga.

For relieving pressure on the lower veins do one of the following for 10-20 minutes twice per day (come on - they’re fun and a time for you to relax!):
Inverted yoga postures such as bridge, headstand and shoulder stand modified as needed. Use the wall for support, and don’t forget to support your body with props like blankets, bolsters or blocks . 

To try legs up the wall, lie flat on the flow with your buttocks all the way to the wall elevated on a folded yoga blanket, bolster or block. When dealing with hemorrhoids using props is ideal. Let your legs rest straight up the wall for 10-20 minutes 2 times daily. Take this opportunity to relax and focus on your breathing.

While doing bridge, practice strengthening your pelvic floor muscles by placing a yoga block under your sacrum and another block between your thighs. While inhaling, tilt your pelvis up toward your face as you slowly squeeze the block and draw your entire pelvic floor upward and inward, starting from its center. Hold as long as is comfortable, then release and return to resting your sacrum on the block as you exhale. Let your breathing be smooth, relaxed and deep as you do this. It takes practice but you will get it. Start with 25 repetitions per day, and work up to 50. This exercise also provides other benefits like:

• Easier birthing

• Reduced tearing

• Less urinary incontinence

• Better sex

• Improved exercise and yoga performance 

• Enhanced well-being

Do robust pelvic tilting for 5 minutes once or twice a day. Get on all fours and move your pelvis up and down or forward and backward. It is very helpful to coordinate the movements with your breathing. For example, you can inhale while tilting forward and exhale while tilting back, or vice versa. Gradually make the movements stronger and faster, using your core muscles to protect your back. 

You can also circle your hips in both directions and do figure eights. You can also try them while standing by tilting your pelvis back and forth in the same way. Some good dance music can help you get into the rhythm!

Make sure when pushing during birth, to be on hands and knees, kneeling or standing leaning forward, or side lying, which lessens pressure on veins.

Photo by Julia Sywers

DO SUPPLEMENT

Most of the supplements and herbal remedies I recommend are available on my customized online holistic apothecary. Find the best supplements that have gone through my thorough screening process there. Look in the category for hemorrhoids and varicosities or search them individually. My online dispensary is a convenient way for you to purchase my hand-picked, professional-grade, whole food supplements and other natural health products. Ordering is simple, and the products will be shipped directly to your home or work within a few days.

Follow this supplementation protocol:

Make sure you are taking your daily supplements including whole food prenatal multivitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, so that you are getting all the nutrients you need. In addition, each day take:

• 1000 - 1500  mg of vitamin C with bioflavonoids until 36 weeks pregnant, then reduce to 500 mg

• 500 mg Rutin 1-2 times per day

• Whole food B complex, or 50 mg of vitamin B6 1-2 times per day

• 500 mg of evening primrose, borage, black current or flaxseed oil after the first trimester

• Kelp powder or capsules as directed on the container if you do not have hyperthyroidism or a sensitivity to iodine

• 200 - 600 IU of vitamin E until the seventh month if you are otherwise healthy, then taper to 400 IU

• 400 mg Magnesium

Take the homeopathic remedy Hamamelis 30 c three times per day.

If you are anemic, use herbal iron to avoid constipation.

Nettle and Oatstraw are herbs known to strengthen the vascular system, lessen varicosities and prevent them from feeling uncomfortable and swollen. Drink 1-4 cups daily of the recipe below, according to how severe and extensive your hemorrhoids are. To make your own infusion:

1. Soak a generous handful of dried Nettle leaf and a large pinch of Oatstraw in 1 quart boiling water for 2 hours.

2. Strain to a canning jar.

3. Add a dash of honey, lemon or lime juice, or fresh mint leaves to taste.

4. Drink hot or cold.

You can also take standardized extract of Horse chestnut or if higher doses are needed for more extensive cases, Venistat and use as directed on the bottle. If you are not pregnant and otherwise healthy, take Butcher’s Broom as directed on the bottle. 

DO TRY AND RELAX, AND USE THE POWER OF VISUALIZATION

While sitting or lying in a comfortable quiet place, take some slow deep abdominal breaths until your mind is quiet. Then visualize your blood flowing easily through your veins in your anal area, back up to your heart, without any resistance. Imagine your varicose veins getting smaller and smaller, then eventually resolving. See yourself as healthy and strong. This can be easily added to your regular meditation practice.

DO TRY SOME HOME REMEDIES

When experiencing a hemorrhoid flare-up, there are a number of natural home remedies available to ease your discomfort.

Wear a small soft ice pack held in place close to the affected area by a belly band for vulvar varicosities.

Applying local herb infused compresses to the area can be very soothing and healing. You can make your own by soaking a small cloth or round pad to make a compress with the essential oils of lavender or frankincense.  Make a bunch in advance and freeze them in a zip lock bag. Also try applying these and do regularly what feels best for you:

• Wet or dry baking soda to relieve itching

• Lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar to reduce swelling or bleeding

• Raw potato to ease swelling and pain

• Garlic oil, or a peeled clove of garlic inserted into the rectum overnight to reduce swelling.

• Regular Black tea bag, steeped in a little hot water for a few minutes, then squeezed to remove the water; apply it several times daily as a poultice to your hemorrhoids

• Pure Aloe Vera gel to reduce bleeding

• Herbal ointments containing Comfrey to help reduce swelling, bleeding and pain

• An herbal combination of Plantain, and Yarrow ointment or salve to relieve pain and shrink hemorrhoids quickly

• Horse Chestnut can be purchased in liquid form, and made into a compress, especially in combination with Plantain, Witch hazel, and even Pilewort and Yellow Dock root, which can be applied locally as often as needed. You can also add to your compresses Yarrow, Oak bark, Calendula, Don quai, Bayberry bark, and/or Mullein to help relieve aching and swelling, and tighten the distended veins. Any combination of these herbs can be used topically as a gel, salve, cream or ointment.

• Combinations in an herbal salve or ointment to soothe and relieve hemorrhoids

• Already made Witch Hazel compresses (known as Tucks in the pharmacy or Hamamelis as a homeopathic remedy in the health food section) to reduce inflammation and swelling

• Homeopathic or herbal hemorrhoidal ointment or cream throughout the day and before bowel movements to ease their passage

You can also wipe yourself with these compresses after a bowel movement instead of toilet paper, or moisten the toilet paper with liquid Witch Hazel. 

Smear the hemorrhoids with cream or soapy water and try to gently push them back inside. Then tighten your perineal muscles, your mula bandha and practice Kegel or pelvic floor exercises for a few minutes to help them stay in.

Try a soothing warm sitz bath for 15-20 minutes, followed by 1 minute of a cool sitz bath 4-6 times per day. A sitz bath is a special shallow container designed to sit in that fits on most toilets, and directs the water and healing herbs to the perineal and anal area.

You can add the above mentioned essential oils, herbs or Epsom salts to the water. Most hemorrhoids will shrink after a few days of frequent herbal sitz baths. This herbal sitz bath will come in handy postpartum as well, to cleanse, soothe and hasten healing. 

Use a pillow or special round donut cushion when you need to sit on a chair.

Sleep on your side.

Shine a red heat lamp to affected area.

Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy - The Don’ts

When dealing with hemorrhoids, there are some foods and activities to avoid. For example:

• Excessive weight gain and constipation, as they will aggravate and contribute to varicosities.

• Straining on the toilet or sitting in the squatting position for prolonged periods, as it increases pressure in the area and encourages hemorrhoids.

• Highly processed and refined white flour products, foods that are high in sugar, refined vegetable oils or partially hydrogenated fat and chemicals.

• Long periods of sitting or standing (try to rest on your side with your hips and legs elevated three times daily).

• Sitting on hard surfaces (instead, use an inflatable tube seat or cushion).

• Squatting while pushing in labor.

Consuming the following can aggravate hemorrhoids:
Cayenne
Mustard
Black pepper
Hot sauces and curries
Coffee (even decaffeinated)
Alcohol
Cigarette smoke

Consult a professional homeopath or acupuncturist skilled in traditional Chinese medicine, osteopath or chiropractor especially if none of the above suggestions help and your problem is chronic.

Contact your provider or schedule a consultation with me if nothing seems to work or if you have severe pain, persistent bleeding or lumps. Also, check with your provider before using any over-the-counter medication, as most drugs relieve symptoms without healing the problem and contain toxins like mercury or other substances that are not safe during pregnancy.

For further inspiration and optimal health during pregnancy, birthing and postpartum, please make sure to take my online Love Your Birth course, so you can ROCK your journey wherever and however you plan to give birth.

In adjunct, for additional helpful and uplifting information, insights and tips you can read my Natural Birth Secrets book.

Suffering with low back or pelvic discomfort? Having common pregnancy aches and pains and need some additional support?

Check out Bellefit’s prenatal support wear here.

Natural Remedies and Resources for Stress in Pregnancy and Beyond

Pregnancy can be an emotional rollercoaster, a time of increased sensitivity, and life circumstances often feel heightened. However, there is a wide variety of natural remedies and resources to help steady moods and enjoy the beautiful experience of pregnancy. The below recommendations will not only assist with stress relief during pregnancy, but during many stages of life. Also, do check out a recent related blog where I talk about 40 wonderful ways you can manage the powerful waves of emotions in pregnancy and beyond.

SUPPLEMENTS

For general health and physical and emotional well-being during pregnancy, make sure to eat healthy foods, stay well hydrated, and take supplements to make sure you supply yourself with needed nourishment not supplied by diet alone. Take:

• A whole food prenatal multivitamin with minerals

• Fish oil tested free of pollutants, for omega three essential fatty acids, 1000-2000 mg 1-2 times daily 

• Calcium, 250-500mg 2-3 times daily

• Magnesium, 200-500mg 2-3 times daily

• Vitamin B complex, 20-50 mg daily

• Vitamin D, 1000 -2000 units per day, more if low blood levels

• An excellent mega probiotic once daily

Get screened for iron deficiency anemia, which is common in later pregnancy, as it can exacerbate your emotional symptoms and is easy to treat. If you are prone to low iron levels, since it is almost impossible to get the necessary amount of iron in pregnancy from diet alone, you may want to prevent anemia early on by taking an herbal iron supplement like Floradix Iron tablets or in liquid.

MINDFULNESS

A wonderful life-changing approach to internal stress, feelings of depression and anxiety is learning about present moment awareness and mindfulness, and incorporating it into your daily life.

Try to make a conscious effort to increase feelings of forgiveness, appreciation, love, joy, optimism and healing, while letting go of anger, resentment, envy, fear, sadness and negativity. Most importantly, increase your awareness of anxiety provoking, tension causing, or depressive thought patterns that are not serving you. Try to shift your attention to something more positive and ultimately change your mental state. You can actually transform them at their deeper subconscious roots with Clarity breathwork. 

Know that you are in charge of your feelings and how you react to stressful or painful situations, and that you have the ability to change your attitude and reaction to life experiences to more health enhancing responses. For example, you can surrender to and totally accept unpleasant life events over which you have no power. You can also view them as potential gifts, powerful stimulus to change, a wake-up call, an opportunity for personal growth, redirection and spiritual practice. 

You can always try to focus as much attention as possible on the now, literally without letting your thoughts wander and dwell into the past or imagined future. Mastery over your thoughts, attitudes and reactions can have a dramatic impact on your brain chemistry, balancing the hormones responsible for affecting moods and emotions, and preventing and even treating clinical depression and anxiety.

Reduce feelings of tension and increase feelings of calm centeredness and balanced grounding by taking a “healing interval” to meditate for 10-20 minutes 2-3 times per day. Sit comfortably and quietly. Keep your eyes closed and internally focused between your eyebrows or softly gazing at a low, still object or place (like where the floor meets the wall). Turn off the mental noise and think and do absolutely nothing. Simply be aware of your breathing in all its details, the present moment and everything that you notice within it. If you get lost in thought, simply bring your attention back to watch your breath.

Tap into your spiritual self and practice slow deep abdominal breathing, yoga (especially Yin, prenatal, gentle and restorative), QiGong, Tai Chi, progressive muscle relaxation techniques (yoga nidra), visualization and guided imagery, or cutting edge stress reduction audio programs and courses. For example, imagine you are in a place where you feel whole, inner joy and peace, and spiritually connected. Or think of a healing or rejuvenating spiritual energy or light flowing through and around you. This is an essential, yet easy to learn, tool with endless benefits and rewards to your physical and emotional health. Locate your nearest Zen Center (Zen is NOT a religion and does not conflict with any religion) or read any book by Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, or Shunryu Suzuki to learn the basics of meditation and Zen practice.

Make sure you are getting enough sleep at night, and rest during the day. Listen closely to your body’s messages. You may need to either slow down or become more busy with things that bring you deeper satisfaction and enrichment. You may need more time for yourself, or you may need to focus more on giving or helping others. It is extremely beneficial to find a small way to help someone in need each day, by giving your time, energy and presence to ease the burden and increase the happiness of even one person. Focus on connections with family and friends, healing relationships, making peace and giving love.

Minimize or avoid watching and reading the news, or take periodic news fasts. Unplug from the computer and smart phone as much as possible, especially reduce time spent on addictive programs and apps (including computer games, social media, and even email) as they increase inner stress, anxious feelings, impair well-being, and cause a variety of health issues. Empower yourself to listen to your body and choose limited times and online activities you enjoy or absolutely need to do. For additional information and guidance, read “How to Break Up With Your Phone: The 30 Day Plan to Take Back Your Life,” by Catherine Price.

BREATHWORK

Start with being breath awareness - being more conscious about your breath, and simply focusing all of your attention on your breathing. Get curious about all the details of your sensations as you inhale and exhale, without trying to change anything. Notice what you are currently seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, tasting. Just watch without judgment. This brings you to the present and is deliciously relaxing. 

Before going to bed at night, as well as before rising in the morning, periodically throughout the day, and whenever you feel stressed, triggered, down or upset, practice the following 3-part breathing exercise: 

1. Exhale slowly through your mouth with an audible sigh while consciously releasing any and all muscle tension.

2. Imaging a pump expanding your abdomen and lower back as you breathe down deep into your belly.

3. Allow ribs to expand with air, then inhale air into your upper chest towards your collar bone and shoulders 

4. Inhale in this way for a count of 4.

5. Hold for a count of 4 while staying relaxed.

6. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 4, releasing in the same order as the inhale, collapsing/returning to baseline, your abdomen, ribs, then upper chest. This is the ideal form of breathing, as opposed to rapid shallow breathing. With each exhale, let go and relax more. 

7. Repeat this cycle a total of 8 times or at least a few minutes. 

Once you get the hang of it, play with various types of breathing. Try  several minutes of inhaling and exhaling, each to a count of 3, 4, 5 or 6 without the hold, keeping it smooth and even. Then double the length of exhalation. For example, so if you inhale to a count of 3, then exhale to a count of 6. 

See how it feels to triangle breathe for a few minutes. Inhale for a count of 3 or 4, exhale to the same count of 3 or 4, then pause for the same count of 3 or 4, while consciously and deeply relaxing your diaphragm muscle of respiration, as well as all other muscles. Repeat for several cycles.

Then see how it feels to box breathe. To do this, inhale to a count of 3, hold for a count of 6, exhale for a count of 6, hold for a count of 3. Repeat for several minutes. Many love this type of breathing so much they do it as often as they can, such as while waiting, in transit, before rising in the morning and going to sleep at night. 

These are wonderful natural tranquilizers, especially if you do it often. While breathing, be mindful and just observe and release any muscle tension working your way slowly from head to toe, and then be mindful of what you are currently seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, tasting (just watch without judgment …this brings you to the present and is wonderfully relaxing). You do this and you are getting the benefits of both slow deep breathing and meditation.

Another great breathwork technique that disengages your conscious attention from thought and relaxes the nervous system, and can be done any time (like when traveling, waiting in line, resting, bathing, or on the toilet) is forced exhalation. After a normal breath, try squeezing as much air out as possible using your intercostal muscles, then allow breath to come in naturally and deeply, but automatically. Repeat the cycle for several minutes.

These breathwork techniques are simple to do, health enhancing, totally safe, and without side effects. If you need more personal guidance, schedule a session with me. 

LEARNING MATERIALS

For more information about thought and emotional mastery, and other great ways to improve your overall well-being, read more from the variety of resources below. Make a commitment to practice and transform your life for the better. It is beyond worth it to feel your absolute best. There are amazing books about miraculous tools to remedy wounds from the past, relieve internal stress, tap into your inner power and basically heal almost all stress-related problems of the heart, mind and body to live a vibrant, joyful life.

Some great books include: 

Just Breathe by Dan Brule  

Breath Love  by Lauren Chelec Cafritz

Breathe Deep Laugh Loudly by Judith Kravitz

Conversations with the Goddesses by Agapi Stassinopoulos

Pussy: A Reclamation by Regina Thomashauer

Practicing the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

From Panic to Power by Lucinda Bassett

Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life by Wayne Dyer

Loving What Is by Byron Katie

Full Catastrophe Living by John Kabat-Zinn

Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach 

True Refuge by Tara Brach

Accomplishing More by Doing Less by Marc Lesser Book

The Journey: A Practical Guide to Healing Your Life and Setting Yourself Free by Brandon Bays

Natural Health, Natural Medicine by Dr Andrew Weil

A Mind of Your Own: The Truth About Depression and How Women Can Heal Their Bodies to Reclaim Their Lives by Dr. Kelly Brogan

Own Your Self: The Surprising Path beyond Depression, Anxiety, and Fatigue to Reclaiming Your Authenticity, Vitality, and Freedom by Dr. Kelly Brogan 

Websites

drwaynedyer.com for more resources from Dr Wayne Dyer.

thework.com for more from Byron Katie, about loving what is.

stresscenter.com to learn about Attacking Anxiety and Depression, a Self-Help, Self-Awareness Program.

behavioraltech.org to locate a cognitive behavioral therapist closest to you.

mbct.com for resources and info on a proven mindfulness-based cognitive approach to feelings of chronic unhappiness and depression.

mindfullivingprograms.com offers courses using the mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR).

drweil.com to learn more from one of the founding fathers of integrative medicine - merging complimentary alternative health care with science addressing the mind, body, heart and spirit.

avivaromm.com is an excellent resource for herbs and natural remedies for common aliments facing women and children, including depression and anxiety, by renowned midwife, physician and herbalist, who bridges traditional wisdom with modern medicine.

neuroassist.com provides information regarding amino acid support for emotional health.

thejourney.com offers retreats and local practitioners teaching deeply awesome and extremely effective mindbody approaches to health.

kellybroganmd.com for wonderfully effective holistic and integrative psychiatric approaches to mental wellness without medication.

mamagenas.com the official site for Mama Gena’s School of the Womanly Arts, leader of a global movement to reclaim the feminine, helping countless women to reclaim their power, feel exquisitely comfortable within their bodies and souls, and live with radiant pleasure.

Ibfbreathwork.org the international organization for conscious breathing and breathwork for optimal health and well-being. This site also lists local practitioners and retreat workshops that are extremely transformational and profoundly healing for thousands and thousands of people around the world.

HERBAL STRESS RELIEF

Most of the supplements and herbal remedies I recommend are available on my customized online holistic apothecary. Find the best supplements that have gone through my thorough screening process there. Look in the category for mental/emotional well-being or search them individually. My online dispensary is a convenient way for you to purchase my hand-picked, professional-grade, whole food supplements and other natural health products. Ordering is simple, and the products will be shipped directly to your home or work within a few days.

Herbs are mentioned last, as they can be used as supportive to your personal growth and self mastery efforts and, except for nourishing tonics, are for short term use only. For best results, they should not be relied upon alone, used without the above mentioned techniques. Inner peace and happiness are an inside job. 

Drink Red Raspberry leaf, Skullcap, Motherwort, Chamomile, Lemon balm and/or Lavender tea to relax you. Peppermint or Spearmint tea will lift your spirits.  You can make a lovely calming infusion, which is more effective than the ready made teas, by mixing a pinch of each dried herb: chamomile, lavender and lemon balm. Add to 1 cup boiling water, steep covered in a glass mason jar for 15-20 minutes, strain, add lemon, fresh mint or honey to taste, and drink. 

Nettle and Dandelion are common herbs recommended in pregnancy to take as a nourishing tonic, but they are also wonderful for regulating blood sugar, supporting the adrenals, improving nutrient intake and building iron levels. In turn, this can balance your emotions, lessen mood swings and irritability.

To make an infusion:

1. Soak a handful of each dried herb in 1 quart of boiling water for 3-4 hours.

2. Strain in a mason glass canning jar.

3. Add lemon or lime juice, fresh mint or honey to taste.

4. Drink 1-3 cups per day. 

Nettle and Dandelion can also be taken as a tincture, 1 dropperful each 3-4 times daily.

Oatstraw works best to nourish and calm the nervous system when taken over time. You can add a generous pinch of the dried herb to the infusion above. Or, take 1 dropperful of the tincture of fresh creamy milky oat tops in its most potent form 1-2 times daily.

Motherwort is great for occasional use after the first trimester, to help restore emotional balance when feeling stressed, restless, irritable, or overwhelmed. Take 1/2 -1  dropperful of the tincture. Repeated if needed every 15-30 minutes for 3 hours or up to 2-3 times daily for 2-3 days.

Skullcap has a similar effect as Motherwort, but more helpful to calm, and can be used regularly. Take ½ - 1 dropperful of tincture a few times per day. Both Skullcap and Motherwort are helpful to have on hand in labor as well as postpartum.

Passionflower is a great herb to take when feeling cranky, short tempered, anxious or experiencing frequent changes of mood. Try ½-1 dropperful of the tincture or 2 capsules of standardized extract up to 3 times per day as needed.

Reishi Mushroom is an excellent natural remedy for stress and anxiety. It is calming and also helps with sleep. Take 1-2 capsules up to three times daily. 

Valerian can be taken on occasion, especially if you can not fall asleep at night because of feeling stressed or anxious. Take 2 capsules of standardized extract or one dropperful of the tincture in juice to help with taste.

CBD from hemp oil. This is the new rage, as it is gently calming, relieves anxiety and helps with sleep without the potential risks of the THC component of cannabis on the developing fetus. Results from anecdotal evidence and preliminary research, although sparse (as is common with most natural remedies in pregnancy), are promising. Make sure it is absolutely pure, and from a reputable source who can recommend proper dosing or from pharmacies licensed to dispense it. It is usually taken as several drops under the tongue.

Bach Flower Rescue Remedy can be used in temporary stressful situations, 4-6 drops every 10-15 minutes for a few hours.  Repeat as needed. There are many flower essences effective and safe for specific transient emotional symptoms on an energetic level, developed by physician Dr. Bach. If you are interested in exploring this modality, get yourself a wonderful reference and a a starter kit for you to use now and beyond for your growing family.

Homeopathic remedies are wonderfully safe and effective for relieving emotional stresses and imbalances. You can consult a classical homeopath, or refer to books like Homeopathy For Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Year by Miranda Castro.

Dr. Aviva Romm advises in “The Natural Pregnancy Book” taking a small dose of American Ginseng, Schisandra Berries and Eleuthero, 1/2 tsp each alone or total in combination 2 times per day to nourish your adrenals especially if you are overtired, burned out, overworked or overstressed. I would say it is best to avoid them in the first trimester. See her recent more comprehensive blog on remedies to support your adrenals in stressed modern times.

St. John’s Wort can help relieve mild to moderate depression. Take it if you are not pregnant (although if you are expecting, it may be a safer alternative than the common antidepressant prescription medications, to take in consultation with your provider).  Dr. Andrew Weil advises 300 mg three times per day of an extract standardized to 0.3 % hypericin. Allow at least 2 months for the full effect, and minimize sun exposure if you develop a photosensitivity reaction. 

SAMe is another natural remedy for mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends the butanedisulfonate form, in enteric coated capsules or tablets, 400–1600 mg. per day on an empty stomach. 

If not pregnant, lavender Oil can be taken one capsule before sleep for the occasional bout of insomnia or anxiety. You can try Blue Vervain, 1/2 to one dropperful 1-3 x daily. Also take Rhodiola - as a tonic herb for mild depression, anxiety and stress, 100-200 mg twice daily. Choose an extract standardized to 2-3% rosavins and 0.8-1% salidrosides. This usually improves anxiety and sleep, but needs to be taken more regularly. Obviously stop it if it is too stimulating and worsens insomnia. You can also try Ashwagandha, if you feel overstressed and burned out. Dissolve 1-2 tsp of the powder in your smoothie, tea or warm milk for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times per day. Or, take 2-3 dropperfuls of the tincture twice daily and before sleep, or 2-5 grams of the capsules daily in divided doses.  One of my favorite remedies for calming anxiety and inner stress related insomnia is Kava Kava. You can take a few drops up to a dropperfuls of the tincture or 150 -450 mg of the encapsulated liquid capsules before bed for occasional short term use only. Do not use if you are taking any substance including alcohol or medications that affect the liver, or you have any liver issues. This is one of my favorite herbs for anxiety and/or insomnia from inner stress and is usually well tolerated and very effective.

Dr. Aviva Romm is an excellent resource for herbs and natural remedies for depression and anxiety, and if you are struggling with psychological symptoms, integrative holistic psychiatrist Dr. Kelly Brogan’s online course and associated resources are a must.

Contact your provider if these suggestions do not help and your negative emotions are persistent and becoming too frequent or strong to cope with, especially if you:

• Have a history of depression or anxiety needing prescription medication

• Are having trouble functioning

• Are eating or sleeping too much or too little

• Have frightening thoughts

• Experience severe oscillation of moods between wild elation and despair

• Feel at risk for harming yourself or others

Such severe symptoms require psychiatric evaluation and often medication to prevent or treat a more serious illness. However, try to avoid mind-altering drugs and medications (such as sedatives, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antihistamines and steroids) unless absolutely and medically necessary.

Do not take any herb or medication before discussing it with your provider, as many are not safe for use in pregnancy. Do not take any prescription anti-anxiety or anti-depressant drug unless you are really suffering and none of these suggestions help, and you are closely supervised by your psychiatrist.

Check out my number one international best selling book Natural Birth Secrets second edition, and in adjunct, my Love Your Birth course, an online version of how I have helped thousands in my local practice. Both resources are unique, but each provide an in depth, one-of-a-kind holistic approach created by me, a seasoned nurse midwife of over two decades, who has seen everything! In both you will learn how to master your inner calm for pregnancy, labor, birth and life beyond.

For more information on having the pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience of your dreams, check out my Love Your Birth Online Course.

Skin Changes In Pregnancy

Skin changes in pregnancy can be a nuisance, but there are a number of home remedies available to alleviate discomfort and improve appearance. But, it begins with embracing all the normal changes as beautiful marks of blessing, wisdom and transformation to not only appreciate but also to celebrate.

The hormones in pregnancy cause a variety of skin changes, such as:

• Darkening of your nipples and areola

• Darkening of existing moles, freckles and birthmarks

• The development of dark patches on the face

• A dark line in the center of the abdomen

• Stretch marks

• Red palms

• Spider veins

• Dryness

• Sweating

• Itching

• Increased sensitivity to irritants

Skin Discoloration

To minimize skin discoloration, avoid tanning salons and excessive sun exposure, especially between 10 am and 2 pm. During these peak hours, apply low dose natural sunscreen containing an SPF of at least 15-30. Protect yourself with a big brimmed hat and light clothing as needed.

Make sure you eat foods high in folate, such as whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and liver. Alternately, you can take a prenatal herbal supplement that provides 1 mg methylated folic acid which has other benefits as well, like prevention of fetal neural tube defects. It also comes in chewable form. 

Avoid hydrocortisone cream and coal tar preparations.

Red palms may be caused by a deficiency in vitamin B6 which is unlikely if your diet is healthy and well-balanced, as B6 is found in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein foods, as well as in prenatal vitamins.

Consult your dermatologist if a mole develops changes other than simply darkening, such as becoming larger, irregular, discolored, or irritated.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are made worse by increased weight gain and skin stretching, like with large babies or twins. If you have a tendency to develop stretch marks, you can help to prevent or minimize them with a regular massage to the vulnerable areas with equal amounts of the essential oils of argan, bitter almond, gotu kola, pomegranate, lavender, bitter orange, rosehip, vitamin E and dragon's blood extract sap diluted in a container of almond, coconut and/or wheat germ oils.

Try experimenting with creams said to help, such as those containing cocoa butter or shea butter, elastin, vitamin E and any of the above essential oils. Massage them slowly into your body with love and honor for your goddess self, looking for and admiring the beauty inside and out. Take time to breathe in a sense of deep gratitude for the blessings in your life, including the ability to bring a new baby into your family.

Wear a supportive bra and a good maternity girdle, and watch your weight. Remember, you only need to gain 3-6 pounds during the 1st trimester and ½ -1 pound per week for the remainder of your pregnancy, for a grand total of 25-35 pounds.

Get 30 minutes 5 days per week of moderate exercise like brisk walking, dancing, swimming, cycling, and low impact aerobics, as well as muscle toning through floor work exercises, light weights, Pilates and/or prenatal yoga. 

Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily. And eat lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and lean protein (like organic eggs, tofu, wild clean water fish, turkey or chicken), and use olive or coconut as your primary oil. Avoid products high in refined white flour, sugars and saturated or partially hydrogenated fat. 

Be sure to supplement your diet with prenatal vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and other nutrients needed to sustain a healthy pregnancy. 

You can also try homeopathic remedies called Calcarea fluorica, Graphites and/or Silicea to prevent stretch marks. It is usually given in low doses, several pellets of the remedy most specific to your symptoms a few times daily. Homeopathic remedies are safe and amazingly effective in treating common skin issues during pregnancy. You can consult a classical homeopath, or refer to books like Homeopathy For Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Year by Miranda Castro. 

Most skin changes resolve during the early postpartum months, but stretch marks are often referred to as one’s mark of motherhood since they never completely disappear. Try to think of them as reminders of the gifts that have been bestowed upon you, to be thankful and appreciative of your ability to bear children. Try to see the beauty in a pregnant belly. As one wise African midwife once remarked at a midwifery conference, there are many infertile women who would do anything just to have those stretch marks.

Renowned holistic MD, midwife and herbalist, Aviva Romm, in “The Natural Pregnancy Book” views stretch marks as “silvery jewelry on the belly of a woman adorning her and reflecting her ability to grow and change.” She further states that contrary to the values of American society, we need to “take pride in our individual form, shape and markings…to love ourselves with awe and admiration at the amazing accommodation your body is giving to your growing baby.”

Rashes and Itching

If you develop a local itchy rash, it may be the result of a mild allergy to something that never bothered you before. You need to experiment by paying attention to everything that comes in contact with the affected area of your skin. Eliminate possible culprits one at a time. Common causes include:

• Bath soap

• Laundry detergent

• Synthetic cleaning soaps

• Household and workplace chemicals

• Environmental toxins

• Synthetic clothing

• Cosmetics

• Metal on watches and jewelry

• Poison ivy or poison oak 

• Certain foods (like cow dairy, gluten, soy, certain fruits, nuts, or chemical additives)

Watch for improvement after switching to all-natural hypoallergenic products available at most health food stores, wearing only cotton close to your skin, putting the laundry through an extra rinse, taking off your metal, gardening with gloves and protective clothing and avoiding these plants altogether, or cutting out a specific food item for a few days. 

Try to avoid scratching as this makes the rash worse. If your skin is irritated, take a hot or cool water bath as often as you need and add a packet or ½ cup of Aveeno colloidal oatmeal or cornstarch to the water. Once your skin is completely dry, apply aloe vera gel, a few drops of lavender oil or calendula salve, or herbal combination lotion or cream to the affected areas. Ointments or creams containing Tigar Balm, Ben Gay, or Vitamins A, E, and C may also help, as well as a homeopathic remedy specific to your symptoms. If you do touch the poison ivy or oak plant again, you have 20-30 minutes to wash the oil off with soap and water, or up to 24 hours to wash it off with Tecnu lotion or Zanfel, which is more effective. 

Most of the supplements and herbal remedies I recommend are available on my customized online holistic apothecary. Find the best supplements that have gone through my thorough screening process there. Look in the category for skin changes or search them individually. My online dispensary is a convenient way for you to purchase my hand-picked, professional-grade, whole food supplements and other natural health products. Ordering is simple, and the products will be shipped directly to your home or work within a few days.

For itching skin without a rash, make sure your diet is high in organic whole foods, with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans. Minimize processed, refined, chemical laden, and deep fried foods. Drink at least a half gallon of water daily.

Keep cool with loose comfortable all-cotton clothing. Try soaking in a hot or cool oatmeal or cornstarch bath, and apply calendula oil or rub cocoa butter on the itchy part of your body. Prevent skin dryness with almond or coconut oil. You can add to the oil a few drops each of the above mentioned essential oils of lavender, rosehip, bitter orange and pomegranate.

Try aqueous cream with aloe vera and/or collagen, and consult your homeopath for a remedy specific to your individual symptoms. Supplement with 1000-1500 mg evening primrose oil and 400-600 mg DHA/EPA essential fatty acids commonly found in fish oil tested free of common pollutants.

A wonderfully effective herb that helps with generalized itching and is one of the finest nourishing tonics in pregnancy is stinging nettles. You can make your own tea by adding a handful of the dried herb to 1 quart of boiling water. Steep covered in a mason glass canning jar for 4-8 hours and drink several times daily. Or, you can take 1-2 of Gaia’s or Eclectic Institute’s capsules of freeze dried extract every 2-4 hours as needed. 

Another effective remedy recommended by Dr. Aviva Romm in “The Natural Pregnancy Book”, is made by combing ¼ -½ ounce each of bulk echinacea root, burdock root, licorice root (only if blood pressure is normal, and not high) and dandelion root. Steep in 1 quart boiling water for 4 hours, strain and drink ½ cup twice daily until condition improves. You can try adding lemon or lime juice, fresh mint, and or honey to taste.

Women who suffer from chronic allergic skin complaints often find that they clear up in pregnancy, but occasionally they do get worse. 

If you have eczema that is not improving, try eliminating all cow’s milk and gluten products from your diet for 2 weeks to see if that helps. If you see improvement, resume dairy or one grain at a time for 2 days and note if the symptoms recur. If so, you will need to avoid that food completely. But, if they do not recur, then you can safely eat that particular food item. Other common allergen triggers to experiment eliminating and resuming one at a time include soy, corn, eggs, and yeast. 

Increase intake of other foods high in calcium (like dark green leafy vegetables, sesame seed dip/tahini, wild clean water salmon and sardines) or take supplemental 500 mg Calcium Citrate with Magnesium 2-3 times per day. Cook with fresh turmeric and ginger. Dr Andrew Weil recommends taking 500 mg evening primrose or black currant oil twice daily, and applying chaparral salve or aloe vera gel to the affected areas when skin is still moist after bathing. 

Reduce inner stress and increase inner calm with regular practice of yoga, meditation and breathwork, and do what you can to reduce stressors in your life. This includes unplugging from your smartphone and computer as much as possible to connect more with life, yourself and others, and doing what you really love. Doing this is probably the most important remedy, as the mind and body are exquisitely connected, and inside stress is a major cause of health problems, especially chronic allergic skin issues.

If you have psoriasis that is not improving, increase sunlight exposure to affected areas. Weather permitting, spend at least 20 minutes in the early morning or late afternoon sun. Take 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed daily. You can add to hot or cold cereals, baked goods, smoothies or yogurt. 

Apply topical applications of aloe vera or chaparral lotions or salves, take a good prenatal multivitamin and mineral supplement (like New Chapter or Innate Response) with omega threes. Dr. Weil advises additional antioxidants that include:

• 10,000-20,000 IU mixed carotenoids (a safe source of Vitamin A)

• 400-800 IU Vitamin E

• 200 mg Vitamin C

• 100-200 mcg selenium

• 60 mg coenzyme Q10 softgel capsules

And you can try 2 capsules of Gaia, Wish Garden or Eclectic Institute’s Milk Thistle twice per day if needed. Allow at least 3 months for optimal effects.

For both psoriasis and eczema, explore wonderfully effective alternative modalities such as hypnotherapy, visualization, breathwork and guided imagery therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Read Dr. Andrew Weil’s Natural Health, Natural Medicine, which provides information on improving nutritional habits and practical ways in which you can reduce inflammation, as well as internal tension, and enhance your own health and well-being safely and naturally.

Increased Sweating

If you perspire a lot, make sure you replace fluids by drinking extra water. Bathe or shower 1-2 times daily as needed. Wear all-natural roll on deodorant from the health food store or just use plain alcohol, scented as you wish with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Avoid antiperspirants, as you do not want to interfere with the sweating your body needs to do.

Sweating is made worse by being overweight, as well as over dressing and wearing clothing made from synthetic material like nylon and polyester instead of cotton. Dress in layers of loose cotton clothing, and eliminate coffee and other sources of caffeine from your diet.

Slippery elm bark powder or marshmallow root powder can be your applied creases, to reduce chafing or rashes from heat or increased sweating.

Consult your provider if your skin changes become severe or associated with other unusual symptoms not related to pregnancy. For instance:

• Your rash is spreading all over your body

• General itching without a rash, especially on your palms and soles 

• You have a sudden appearance of hives and your throat feels constricted

• You develop a fever, chills and/or muscle aches

• The above mentioned suggestions do not help and your symptoms persist or worsen 

Many of these changes respond well to homeopathy, especially if they bother you. Seek out a classical homeopath, who can prescribe a homeopathic remedy specific to your individual symptoms.

For those with any sort of chronic frequent skin problems, from acne to eczema and psoriasis, to hives and allergic rashes, in which serious causes have been ruled out and none of the natural and allopathic remedies help, consider reading the book The Mindbody Prescription By Dr John Sarno, MD. He’s an amazing pioneering physician whose brilliant approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people without drugs, physical measure or surgery. Also schedule several Clarity Breathwork sessions to clear inner repressed stress, trauma, anger and grief from your body and increase your inner calm and joy. Check out Brandon Bays’ book The Journey, and her intensive workshops for extremely effective mindbody cutting edge methods that have also lead to transformational healing for thousands of people around the world.

If you need more personalized guidance, you can make an online or in person appointment with me. I am happy to help.

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