Chapter List

• Why Use Herbs
• Healing Not Just Relieving
• Natures Therapy
• Sidestepping Side Effects
• Back to the Future
• Environmental and Ethical Concerns
• Herbal Preparations
• Preparations for Internal Use
• Preparations for External Use
• Homemade Medicinal and Cosmetic Herbal Products
• Choosing the Best Herbal Products
• The Brain and the Central Nervous System
• Addiction
• Depression
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Memory
• Pain Inflammation
• Pain Nerve and Muscle
• Stress
• The Heart and the Circulatory System
• Angina and Irregular Heartbeat
• Arteriosclerosis
• Blood Pressure
• Varicose Veins and Hemorrhoids
• The Digestive System
• Appetite Loss
• Bowel Diseases
• Candida
• Adult Constipation
• Adult Diarrhea
• Diverticulitis
• Food Allergies and Reactions
• Heartburn
• Gas
• Indigestion
• Nausea and Motion Sickness
• Parasites and Other Alien Invaders
• Ulcers
• The Immune System
• Boosting Immunity
• Cancer
• Chronic Fatigue Multiple Sclerosis and Other Serious Diseases
• The Liver and the Gallbladder
• Liver Diseases
• Gallbladder Problems
• The Urinary Tract the Kidneys and the Bladder
• Bladder Infections
• Kidney Stones
• Water Retention
• The Skin
• Psoriasis Eczema And Other Skin Diseases
• Herbs For Healing The Skin
• Sending Parasites Scurrying
• Womens Health
• The Estrogen Story
• The Progesterone Story
• Anemia
• Cervical Dysplasia
• Endometriosis
• Fibrocystic Breasts
• Heavy Periods
• Womens Infertility
• Irregular Menstruation
• Menopause
• Menstrual Cramps
• Ovarian Cysts
• Pregnancy
• Premenstrual Syndrome(pms)
• Uterine Fibroids
• Vaginal Infections
• Mens Health
• Baldness
• Genital Rash Infections and Irritations
• Impotence
• Mens Infertility
• Male Menopause
• Prostate Enlargement
• Swollen Testicles
• Childrens Health
• Asthma
• Baby Skin Care and Diaper Rash
• Bedwetting
• Childhood Diseases
• Childrens Colds and Flu
• Childrens Constipation
• Childrens Diarrhea
• Earaches
• Fever
• Food Allergies
• Hyperactivity
• Intestinal Parasites
• Sore Throat Congestion and Swollen Glands
• Stomachache Colic and Nausea
• Stress Headaches and Insomnia
• Sugar Blues
• Teething Pain
• Thrush
• Herbs to the Rescue Herbal First Aid
• Stocking Your Herbal First Aid Kit
• Cautions and Considerations
• Safe in Moderation
• Rare Reactions in Sensitive Individuals
• The New Herbal Outcasts
• Some Old Cautions
• Using Herbs and Essential Oils Safely
• Mistaken Identity
• Not Guilty
• Protecting Yourself from Contamination
• Endangered Herbs
• Aromatherapy Healing the Emotions
• Aromatic Research
• Using Aromatherapy
• Aromatherapy Techniques
• Aromatherapy for the Emotions
• Measurements
• Skin and Hair Care
• Body Care the Natural Way
• Back to the Basics
• How to Customize Your Skin and Hair Care
• The Face
• The Body
• The Hair
• Body Care Extras
• Cooking for Health
• The Basics Soup
• Oils and Vinegars
• Spice of Life Seasoning Blends
• Middle Eastern Cuisine Garlic and Parsley
• Pestos Basil and Sage
• Greens Dandelion and Nasturtium
• Hot Stuff Mustard Horseradish and Peppers
• Saucy Dishes Cranberry Elderberry and Tamarind
• Down to the Roots Burdock and Chicory
• Sweet Treats Ginger and Horehound Drops

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The Progesterone Story

Progesterone is an equally important female hormone. It helps you feel content and emotionally balanced in a number of ways. It reduces stress, uterine spasms, water retention and muscle weakness and helps the body to handle alcohol, sugar and food cravings. As with estrogen, high progesterone levels also pose problems—they can lead to sluggishness, tiredness, muscle aches, low blood sugar, increased appetite and weight gain.

It is a medical fact that progesterone and estrogen keep each other in balance. In fact, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), irregular menstruation, menstrual cramps and a tendency toward miscarriage may be at least partially caused by an imbalance of these two hormones—too much estrogen and too little progesterone. For this reason, women with PMS or uterine fibroids are sometimes given progesterone to adjust this imbalance. In a study conducted at the Johns Hopkins University, in which a group of women were given 800 International Units of vitamin E for ten weeks, results showed that vitamin E corrects the progesterone-estrogen ratio, increases a woman's libido and normalizes her menstrual cycle.

While we are on the topic of hormonal balance, let's not overlook the liver. Ask any herbalist: Liver herbs such as burdock and dandelion often help women with hard-to-treat health problems. This is because the liver deactivates estrogen, especially the carcinogenic form, which tends to settle in breast and uterine tissue. For more information on herbs to help maintain the health of your liver, see chapter 45.