Letha’s Asian Health Secrets

Everyone has heard of womens’ herbs such as golden seal, recommended for urinary and intestinal infections; or red clover and licorice, which are estrogenic. But no one, up to now, has investigated kitchen spices to treat female wellness issues. We spend significant time cooking or washing dishes, which presents an opportunity to use spices at hand to ease common complaints. For detailed information see Chapter 6. “The Taste and Energy of Foods” and Chapter 7. “Culinary Medicines” in Asian Health Secrets.

Spices like herbs can be separated into several energy categories. Some, like cinnamon, feel warming because they enhance circulation and help us sweat out a chill. Some, like ginger, are considered digestive. Some stimulate vitality or cleanse impurities. Using a spice in hot water as tea has a stronger effect than using it in cooking. For indigestion, drink a spice tea with meals. Drinking an energizing spice tea between meals is recommended for non-digestion problems. For example, if you had a cold and wanted to sweat out a chill or if you had eczema you wouldn’t want to increase sweating during or just after a meal. That would scatter digestive acids, slow digestion and bring out a rash.

Herb/Spice-Usage Rule of Thumb:

Digestive complaints – use herbs or spices with or after meals
Non-digestive complaints - unless otherwise instructed, use natural remedies between meals so they do their work without interfering with digestion.

Spicy Suggestions for Female Wellness

**PMS & Menstrual Discomforts that Feel Better with Application of Warmth. Period blood is watery. Chills.

This kind of discomfort can make periods irregular, watery and weakening. If you feel chilled even in warm weather the cause is internal. It might be related to diet, lifestyle, low blood pressure, surgery or illness, or other causes.

Chronic chills that hamper the period often affects slender or weak women, after childbirth, or people who eat lots of salad or drink iced beverages. They may feel depressed, out of sorts, or obsessive. They may have ice cold feet.

If you have a pale tongue, a slow pulse, and low enthusiasm, consider a warming spice to brighten your day.

Cinnamon powder
Up to 1/4 tsp. per cup of warm water as tea

The important thing is warmth applied to the middle, or bending over to protect and warm the uterus area feel BETTER. In this case warmth gets the blood flowing. Cinnamon also works well for early stages of a cold when you feel chilled or for hypothermia after being out in cold weather.
Avoid getting your feet cold and wet at PMS time.

Ginger Spice Tea
1/2 tsp. of raw sliced ginger, fresh mint or lemon grass

These delicious digestive herbs improve circulation, reduce chills and cramps. If you do not have fresh herbs, you can substitute dried herbs or powder using a small amount (up to 1/4 tsp. of each powder for 2 cups of hot water)

** PMS & Painful Periods with Hot Burning Pain, warm menstrual blood, clots, acne, irritability, and hot temper

Inflammatory discomforts can result from hot spicy foods and alcohol, stress and emotional upset, blood deficiency, perimenopause or other hormone imbalance. Suitable cooling cleansing spices that affect the sexual and urinary area include the following list. Make a tasty tea by combining several. If you are constipated, liverish or jaundiced add some Tarragon. It is ok to sweeten this with stevia especially useful for diabetes. You can drink the tea as long as you need it to cool inflammatory problems at any age.

Coriander seed – diuretic
 Fennel seed – soothes digestion and cramps
Dill weed – diuretic
Parsley - diuretic
Lemon grass, sliced or powder – soothes cramps
Saffron, a pinch – soothes the liver, pain and irritability
 Spearmint - reduces cramps
Peppermint – reduces cramps and is digestive

**Swollen Painful Breasts

This can result from poor circulation, hormonal changes, emotional issues or other reasons. The spices are used to enhance circulation in the area and reduce swelling. They can be used to help bring milk for nursing mothers.

 Dandelion and Turmeric Tea
Take 2 -3 capsules of dandelion (herb and root both work well) with 1 cup of water in which you have added 1/4 tsp. of turmeric powder. Do this 1 – 2 times daily between meals.

Dandelion tea or capsules – diuretic, laxative; increases flow of milk, reduces fibroids lumps, stones, and cellulite
Turmeric powder – anticancer, enhances circulation, antiinflammatory for arthritis or other auto immune illness.

**Urinary Tract Infections; Burning, dark or odorous urine (without infection)

If you suspect you have an infection because you notice a persistent thick vaginal discharge, odor or pain with urination, get a medical check up. A urinary infection may result after surgery or a stay in the hospital because you are run-down or taking medicines. Urinary infections are also more frequent in sexually active women if they are not careful about hygiene. The vagina and anus are close. To be safe, urinate before and after sex to clear the urinary tract of germs.

If there is no infection, a simple diuretic such as the spice tea below can increase urination and ease burning pain. Here are some cooling diuretic herbs and spices useful to ease urinary pain.

Cilantro Leaf or Coriander Seeds-Parsley tea
1 tsp. fresh cilantro leaf and parsley leaf per cup water
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds and dried parsley per cup water

**Urinary Incontinence; Low Sex Drive; Shortness of Breath or Wheezing Asthma with profound Fatigue

Clove Powder
Up to 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. in a cup of warm water (Caution)

Clove is a very warming spice for the lungs and kidney/adrenal energy. Use it sparingly as needed. It can increase urinary urgency (need to go.) In most cases it works best for girls and women who feel weak, chilled, low spirited, have a late, long lasting period, lack sexual enthusiasm, or for anyone after surgery or childbirth that has left her feeling bottomed-out. If you use it but do not need a heating spice, you may feel temporarily dizzy, flushed, or headachy. Not recommended for hot flashes.