Overview–
Your animated helper will orient you to this lesson. Please take a moment to invite her onto your screen and read the chapter before you join us at Aphrodite’s Lounge beside the Salon. There, you can enjoy an overview video on this vast and vital topic and a Voki video with Duchess Anna.
This page also includes links to herbal remedies and many ideas. Although we do not emphasize herbs in this aromatherapy course, you might be interested in pursuing these ideas when navigating your hormonal health. Therefore, we have included some herbal remedies.
Introduction to the Aromatic and Herbal Approach to Gynecology
Hormonal Issues, Perimenopause, and Menopause–
The power to start new cycles every 28 days and the magic of creating another human are all gifts delivered via our reproductive system. This body area is complex, and much happens in a small space. Essential oils are one tool to help keep balance within one of your major power centers.
Hormonal
Vaginitis–
There is often a whitish or yellowish discharge. This can be a yeast infection. Reduce sugar and alcohol (beers, wine), etc. If you are unsure, get the condition diagnosed medically.
If it is Candida albicans.
People with blood sugar issues, even borderline, may have more trouble with this issue, as it may be influenced by blood sugar balance. If this is your situation, please make sure your blood sugars are being taken care of. Other common causes are overeating sugar and carbs, especially if you have taken antibiotics recently. Candida albicans can colonize different parts of the body. Sometimes it shows up in the vagina.
For everyone who has Candida or vaginitis, be careful not to bathe in detergents or commercial bubble baths. Wear loose cotton, bamboo or modal panties, not synthetic ones. Ensure the panties are laundered with boiling water to discourage yeast. Do not wear clothing that is too tight around the crotch or that rubs. Synthetic panties, nylons, and trousers that do not breathe may aggravate the problem. Candida can be passed back and forth between partners, so please make sure everyone involved is treated.
Clean your sex toys well. Use tea tree essential oil to wipe them off before and after use. Rinse them with plain water before using to ensure no residue of the tea tree, as it can sting!
Some white vaginal discharge is natural. Some women have quite a bit naturally. The end of a menstrual period encourages yeast growth. Blood is alkaline, and the vaginal ph is naturally acidic. Some menstrual pads aggravate the situation, as they aggravate a damp environment.
This is what helped me:
There are many approaches to Candida, so do some research. An approach that worked for me was two-pronged. Treat the body systemically and treat the vagina locally.
Systemic Approach:
Has the individual suffering from Candida been on antibiotics often or recently? Limit sugar intake, which feeds yeast. Add garlic and probiotics into your diet to help get the issue under control. Wine, beer and fruit juice must be avoided when the yeast problem flares.
Local Approach–
Bio-K is a living probiotic. Insert a dropper full of Bio-K into the vagina 2 X daily. Take acidophilus internally. Unsugared and unflavoured, Kefir is also superb. Test yourself with this approach initially to be sure you respond well to the Bio-K or Kefir.
Sit in a warm bath with a few drops of niaouli, tea tree, Roman chamomile, geranium, eucalyptus or lavender. e.o.s dispersed well in the water.
Two drops of yarrow or roman chamomile essential oils may be effective when applied in a douche for vaginal irritations and infections. Ensure there is no sensitivity to these oils before creating the mix. The topic of using a douche is controversial. I would not tamper with a healthy vaginal situation. I would only intervene by using a douche in a vaginal terrain that is already very troubled.
Yoni Cleansing Spray-
Recipe inspired by Mindy Green
Could you get a 50 ml spray top glass bottle?
Mix 30 ml of seabuckthorn seed oil with 20 ml of apple cider vinegar.
Apply as a gentle vaginal wash. Rinse well with cool water.
Overview of the Gynecology Chapter Video
Gynecology-
Amenorrhea– delayed or stopped menstruation and aggravated by stress, shock, excitement, weight extremes, and excessive exercise. Ensure you are not trying to get pregnant before using these essential oils. Dilute two drops of the essential oil in a Tbsp of carrier oil and rub into the tummy, or add a few drops to the bath.
Essential Oils- basil, clary, fennel, galbanum, hops, juniper berry, marjoram, melissa, mugwort-white, myrrh, peppermint or rose otto. Use two drops of the essential oil in the bath or massage onto the lower back and abdomen.
Endometriosis and Essential Oils-
Endometriosis is a painful condition that affects many women. The endometrial tissue that usually lines your uterus grows outside of the uterus. It can become attached to organs and other tissues. It is an inflammatory condition.
Here is a link to an article on Endometriosis and Essential Oils.
Dysmenorrhea- Heavy or painful periods-
Choose from peppermint, lavender, Roman chamomile, marjoram, frankincense, cypress, juniper berry, melissa, rosemary, rose otto or ginger. Rub a diluted mix of 2 drops of essential oil in 1 Tbsp. Of carrier oil into the tummy area clockwise. Apply two drops of yarrow and one of mint to the inner portion of a sanitary napkin.
Bath, warm sitz baths, warm compresses on the abdomen.
For Cramps, as an herbal tincture, try squawvine and crampbark every 20 minutes until you experience relief.
You can take extra magnesium internally; an Epsom salt bath can be helpful.
Menorrhagia- (Excessive menstruation.)
Roman and German chamomile, cypress, and rose otto: Rub two drops diluted in 1 Tbsp of carrier oil into the tummy or feet.
Have a physician check your iron and ferritin levels, as they get quickly depleted with heavy, long-term menstruation.
PMS Puffiness: Geranium, fennel, rosemary, clary, cypress, grapefruit, and sage in a bath, massage, and body rub. Drink sufficient quantities of purified water. Avoid or reduce salt.
Premenstrual migraines: (Robin Depasquale, Bastyr University.) 
This happens mostly to people with a cold/dry body type. Supplements- magnesium – 1,200 mg. per day, feverfew preventatively- 12 mg. per day. Butterbur root and leaf (Petasites). Use an alkaloid-free version. Two 50-mg. Tablets per day.
Ginger root is another specific remedy for headaches and migraines. When you first become aware of an upcoming attack, stir two heaping tablespoons of dry ginger powder into a glass of water. If it restarts a few hours later, then repeat the dosage. A better remedy is to juice fresh ginger root when feeling well. Freeze and store in ice cube trays. Thaw and take when feeling an upcoming attack.
Mood Swings:
Take time for yourself. Figure out why you are irritated or upset. Is there a real cause or theme? Have you been too busy or afraid to address sensitive issues? If so, be honest with yourself. Do tasks that are more solitary or less upsetting at this time. I used to experience mood swings that were jarring to me (and my husband) for three days before my cycle. They ended immediately with the onset of menopause, to my relief. Now I’m just a bit more “testy” overall, all the time. :)
Essential Oils for PMS and emotional upsets.
Bergamot, clary, fennel, frankincense, rose geranium, jasmine, rosewood, and lavender are all helpful EOs for emotional upset. A massage is an excellent way to receive these oils. But you can also try a quiet bath and then a lotion or carrier oil-based body rub with a mix of some of these oils.
If your cycle is predictable, mark solitary time off the calendar just for you ahead of time to prevent upsets.
Take time to breathe, meditate, journal, and write before your cycle if you are someone who benefits from time alone. It is a good time for solitude, although this only sometimes correlates with other engagements and commitments. Yet, it is not selfish to keep this particular time of the month as accessible as possible. It is easy to quickly create a lot of dysfunction when needing solitude. It is sometimes better to stake out time alone preventatively and get what you need without causing outer upsets. We can be much more responsive to and responsible for our emotions when we take the time to feel them and ask ourselves what we are doing and saying to cause ourselves to feel that particular way. A potent practice!
Supplements for PMS
Try Evening primrose oil internally, after ovulation, and fish oils before ovulation (at least 1 tbsp per day) to relieve some PMS symptoms. Carlson’s Cod liver oil is excellent. Wild yam and Saint John’s Wort (in herbal form) are helpful if the depression is ongoing. Melissa, blue vervain, or motherwort as herbals may also help. You may need to try things out, experiment and find what works for you.
Peri & Menopause:
Essential Oils Useful for Perimenopause:
Essential oils include Rose, geranium, fennel, yarrow, melissa, and patchouli. Put a few drops of one of the above essential oils into a spray-topped bottle in a base of cool water. Spray yourself when you need to cool down. Or, if you have good circulation, add a few drops of one of the above essential oils to a cool foot bath and soak your feet. If you have cold feet to start with, use a warm footbath.
Find a nurturing exercise that you enjoy- This is important to help with body image, depression, and insulin resistance.
Eat plenty of legumes, veggies, and good omega-3 oils. (Fish & flax).
Spend time journaling. How do you want your life to be? Start implementing changes. If not now, when?
Build up your adrenal glands- (Robin Depasquale, Bastyr University’s information will be used for the following paragraphs, up to the section on hot flashes.)
Herbal Ideas:
The adrenals are now taking over the job of hormone production from the ovaries and are often exhausted. American ginseng and Rhodiola are herbs that may be helpful.
Peppermint, yarrow, licorice, dandelion, and artichoke tea, as herbs, may ease the load on your system and help you rebuild. Lady’s mantle and wild yam as herbals may also help replace estrogen and progesterone and regulate hormones.
Dang Quai and white peony to balance. Alfalfa and red clover contain phytoestrogens.
Oatstraw for bones. Nettles for nourishment.
The thyroid may overreact during menopause to make up for glandular rebalancing. Seaweeds feed the thyroid.
Perimenopause is a time of imbalance. Seek balance.
Menopause is a time to nourish who you’ve become.
Hot Flashes During the Day – Spray on rosewater or add two drops of spearmint essential oil to 50 ml of water as an aura spray. Wear loose cotton clothing. Licorice, actual Solomon’s seal, and American ginseng are possible herbal supplements.
Night Sweats– Clary, patchouli, cypress, rose, vetiver, peppermint, spearmint, and sage are possible essential oil sprays that may help. To make the sprays, dilute two drops of essential oil in 50 ml of water. Shake well before spraying.
Use layered blankets for on-again, off-again ease. Some women prefer Bamboo as a material for pyjamas and covers, as it is absorbent, soft, and relaxed. Black cohosh, vitex, dong quay, and wild yam may be helpful as herbal tinctures. The Tincture of burdock and dandelion moves the liver chi. Vervain and motherwort strengthen the nervous system. (Robin Depasquale, Bastyr University).
Sage, peppermint, and spearmint tea may be consumed cool.
Vaginal dryness: topically- vitamin E capsule, coconut oil and seabuckthorn oil.
MCT coconut oil can also be taken internally.
As supplements -Vitamin E, black cohosh, omega 3 & 6, red clover, and alfalfa.
Repa Gyn vaginal inserts made from hyaluronic acid and beeswax are also a gift from Aphrodite.
Heart Palpitations– hawthorn and motherwort as tinctures, says Robin Depasquale of Bastyr University. Of course, check out this issue medically to eliminate more serious causes. Essential oils of geranium and lavender diluted as a massage bath oil or water spray may also help.
Fuzzy Thinking– Gingko, Gotu kola, cayenne, ginger, holy basil tea in herbal form. Peppermint and rosemary essential oil diffused into the air also help.
The Insomnia Video with Duchess Anna
Insomnia-
Try passionflower, skullcap, Californian poppy, chamomile, linden, oats, and motherwort in an herbal tincture form and warm milk. Some people respond well to valerian. Personally, Valerian makes me feel like a zombie.
Make your bed beautiful. Allow extra hours to be in bed if insomnia is a problem.
Melatonin can be very useful. I like the spray; it washes out quickly and doesn’t leave me groggy.
Flower Essences–
Cherry plum– let go and let happen.
Cerato– Strength of inner knowing.
Scleranthus– Brings balance to a chaotic emotional state. It helps us make decisions.
Shasta Daisy– Puts the large picture of life together.
Walnut– To allow the old to fall away.
Manzanita– Body image issues.
Wild Oat– Puts one in touch with soul purpose.
“Never know what you want, but won’t be happy until you get it.”
Olive– Deep restorative.
Flora Sleep–
To learn more about flower essences, visit our website at selfhealdistributing.com and click on Flower Essences. There is information in written form, and the animated helpers will explain more about the concept on the Self Heal site.
Check your Practical Potions Journal for your downloads.
The gynecology and pregnancy lab is back in unit 3A, downloads.