Tag: Cynthia Koerner

Cynthia’s Favorite Resources

Women’s health has been my focus for many years and here are some of the resources I refer to when I need guidance.  I have attended online courses with some of these experts in the field and regularly enjoy listening to podcasts they produce. There is always more to learn and I am ready to absorb all I can get my hands on! Take your health into your own hands. It can be very empowering to know you have control and can change your health with the choices you make. I am available as a sounding board should you need someone to listen to your concerns and help you find the resources you need.

https://avivaromm.com/ – Aviva Romm MD is one of my personal favorites in women’s health.  She was a midwife and herbalist for 25 years and then went to Yale and became a medical doctor.  She specializes in women’s and children’s health.  Check out her blog posts and podcasts.

https://nutritiousmovement.com/ – Katy Bowman says ‘You are how you move’, and this website can help you restore your body by moving towards more nutritious movement. Move, have fun, and feel good!

https://wellnessmama.com/category/health/ – Be sure to look ‘all around’ this website from remedies to recipes to motherhood to natural home and more. Loaded with helpful information.

https://wholewoman.com/ – A revolution in women’s heath. Learn about women’s chronic conditions and how you can heal yours.

http://www.drnorthrup.com/ – Christiane Northrup MD is a visionary pioneer and a leading authority in the field of women’s health and wellness, which includes the unity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit.

https://www.sagemountain.com/ – Rosemary Gladstar, Herbalist.  This is the place to go to learn about herbalism.  I attended her three year online course,  ‘The Science and Art of Herbalism’ and gained a solid foundation in herbalism. I enjoy growing many of the herbs I use for cooking and medicine.

http://www.susunweed.com/ – Susun Weed, author of the Wise Woman Herbal series, is an extraordinary teacher with a joyous spirit, a powerful presence, and an extensive knowledge of herbs and health. She guides women in activating the energy of their bodies and reclaiming the wild in themselves. Understanding the creative essence within your own center is the key for giving life to your dreams.

 

Intentional vs Forced Self Care

This morning I was inspired to think about self care.  I have a friend that said she is so busy with ‘life’ that she really doesn’t have anywhere in her schedule that she can fit self care. I promptly told her that I believe that if we don’t take the time for our ‘self’, the Universe (or your body or whatever) will make it happen but not in a way we can actually enjoy, ie. you’re sick and stuck in bed for a week.

So what is self care? In a nut shell, I believe it is going within and consciously choosing to be present with yourself, your breath, your actions and acknowledge that you are important.  It can be done anywhere and only takes a moment if that is all you have.  It can be more, and is more beneficial if you do more, like the ‘conscious actions’ part of it.  Consciously doing what makes you feel good and gives you a sense of self worth.  I have a number of ways I practice self care.  One is by taking the time each morning to practice exercise,s and stretches in particular, that I know are beneficial to my body and make me feel alive and awake.  I am a birth doula and one of the tools I have shared with my laboring women is to ‘smell the flowers and blow the bubbles’ as a way to stay with the breath during a contraction.  I practice smelling the flowers and blowing the bubbles any time I feel stress arising and it works wonders at keeping me focused and in the moment.  Self care can also be as simple as being aware of how you are holding your body.  Many times our shoulders begin to tighten and rise closer to our ears as the day goes on; telling our body we are under stress.  A practice of tuning in and doing a mental check of our posture can tell us to slide the shoulder blades down our back, tuck our tailbone, pay attention to our breath.  We can slowly begin to consciously tune in and calm our sympathetic nervous system to save our health.

In today’s busy world, a lot of people have their sympathetic nervous system in constant alert.  That might be the same as never turning your car off and the engine running on high non stop.  If our sympathetic nervous system is in constant alert, our adrenal glands are also over worked and excessive amounts of adrenaline are produced, minerals are drained from our body and we become acidic. Acids then drain calcium from our bones and tissues causing a myriad of illnesses including inflammation and osteoporosis.  Excessive adrenaline also produces extra insulin that results in hypoglycemia and eventually diabetes. Take CARE of your body and practice self care! Something as simple as stopping and paying attention to your breathing for a few minutes can be enough for the parasympathetic nervous system to engage.

Phew! That was a mouth full and sounds scary! If you love your life, or want to love it more, get in touch with ‘you’ and let your mind, body and spirit know you care.  You are important and if you’re a mother there’s an old saying that ‘if mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy'(!) and it’s the truth!

Happy trails!

Lessons Learned From Lyn

Today I got to spend the day with one of my favorite ‘wise woman’ friends.  Lyn is always there to ‘bring me back down to earth’ and reassure me that I am fine and healthy and thriving and I needn’t get wrapped up in conventional medicine and look for something wrong.  Thank you Lyn!  Because I am in the wise woman menopausal years, I want to continue to nourish my mind, body and spirit in the most healthful way possible and by consuming calcium/mineral rich plants daily I believe that is possible.

Today I learned (again because I forgot) about nourishing herbal infusions for good health.  They are also referred to as food medicine.  I love it!  The infusions I am going to begin incorporating into my daily nutrition are (and I will alternate):

Oatstraw, tastes delicious(!), good for strong bones and teeth, stabilizes blood sugar, relieves depression and emotional uproar, nourishes strong nerves, high in b vitamin complex, eases bladder spasms, incontinence, uterine pain, and vaginal dryness.  Oatstraw infusion is good in your teacup and your bathtub (ahhh!) relieves physical and emotional pains and energy disturbances, and strengthens vaginal, bladder, and urethral tissues.  – Be an outrageously sexy old lady!

Nettles, are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, especially the critical trace minerals –  A quart of nettle infusion contains more than 1000 milligrams of calcium, 15000 IU of vitamin A, 760 milligrams of vitamin K, 10% protein, and lavish amounts of most B vitamins.  Herbal Wise Woman Susun Weed says “There is no denser nutrition found in any plant“. I prefer my nettles tea cold, or cool rather than hot.

Red Clover, is very high in protein, macro- and trace-minerals, and vitamins (except B12), it is an excellent source of phytosterols. Phytosterols are hormone-like substances found in many plants that can be bio-converted in the human gut into active anti-cancer estrogens, world’s leading anti-cancer herb; improves the memory, is also a fertility-increasing plant

Red Raspberry Leaf, well known for its benefits during pregnancy, but it is beneficial to women at all stages of life.  High in magnesium, potassium, iron and b-vitamins which make it helpful for nausea, leg cramps, and improving sleep during pregnancy. The specific combination of nutrients in Raspberry Leaf makes it extremely beneficial for the female reproductive system. It strengthens the uterus and pelvic muscles which some midwives say leads to shorter and easier labors.

There are other equally important herbal infusions I will incorporate as I develop the daily habit of using them.  I am currently enrolled in Rosemary Gladstar’s ‘The Science and Art of Herbalism’ online course and learning more about the benefits of herbs in my life.

HERBAL INFUSION PREPARATION:  An herbal infusion is a large amount of herb brewed for a long time. Typically, one ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar which is then filled to the top with boiling water, tightly lidded and allowed to steep for 4-10 hours. After straining, a cup or more is consumed, and the remainder chilled to slow spoilage. Drinking 2-4 cups a day is usual. Since the minerals and other phytochemicals in nourishing herbs are made more accessible by drying, dried herbs are considered best for infusions. I typically drink a quart (4 cups) of herbal infusion daily.

Lyn makes her infusions at night before she goes to bed and they are ready in the morning.  You can also find information on making them here: 

http://www.susunweed.com/How_to_make_Infusions.htm

Other helpful websites …… are:

http://www.wisewomanuniversity.org/

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Menopausal_Years.htm