When I was in my 20s, I knew a young woman who became pregnant and was thrilled about it. However, over the course of her pregnancy, three of her teeth fell out. She was astonished and worried. It may have been a case of insufficient nutrition, especially calcium, or it may have been from other contributing factors. Regardless, making sure you are getting enough nutrients while you're pregnant is essential, and herbs can help.

Pregnancy Herbal Tonics

To ensure you’re getting enough nutrients in your diet, be sure to eat well (exceptionally well) and consider herbal tonics to supplement your diet. An herbal tonic is a very safe plant that can be consumed daily–in fact, it’s so safe and gentle it can be considered a food. (And no, the word "tonics" does not refer to mineral water or alcoholic drinks). 

One popular herbal tonic is stinging nettles, Urtica dioica. Nettles is an herb that, when drunk as a strong tea, can supply you with the micronutrients you might otherwise be lacking, and it strengthens you from the inside out. It is rich in micronutrients and supplies minerals and vitamins that might otherwise be lacking, especially when the body is creating a brand new being. Tonics are helpful at every stage of life, and especially when you are pregnant.

Examples of Pregnancy Tonic Herbs

There are several safe and effective tonics (both herbs and foods) that you can enjoy during pregnancy. Many pregnant women rely on the following:

nettles (Urtica dioica)--pictured above,

oats (either as milky tops or as oatmeal, Avena sativa),

raspberry leaf (Rubus ideaus),

alfalfa (Medicago sativa),

linden (Tilia europa),

and gotu kola (gotu kola, especially during the last trimester).

How to Take Herbal Tonics

The best ways to get these nutritious herbs into your diet is to eat them, and there are a variety of ways to do this.

Fresh salads are great, and you can throw raw red clover petals into your salads for a bit of extra calcium. Oats are easy, too: eat plenty of granola and cooked oatmeal.

Powders are effective as long as they're fairly fresh and not old. An old powder will smell like nothing, whereas a fresh herbal powder will smell strongly of the herb. Oat, nettle and gotu kola are readily available as powders at most health food stores, and they can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, and juices. My favorite way to use them as powders is in a small jar with apple cider; put the lid on and shake, and drink it up.

Nettles makes a delicious food. Nettle leaves can be cooked or steamed (watch out for the sting as it has formic acid that will make your skin itch if you touch it), and enjoy nettle leaves cooked in soups, tomato sauce, on sauteed on top of pizza, in stir frys, and any other way you would cook something similar such as turnip greens, spinach or chard.

To learn more, check out our course Herbs for Mama & Baby or deepen your study with our Herbal Medicine Foundations Certificate course.

#Pregnancy, Mama & Baby, #Home Remedies #Pregnancy Herbs #apothecary #tonics