Womens Health: From family planning to menopause.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
This post is for all of the women out there, seriously.. if you are a woman I am sure you can benefit from this post in one way or another! If you are a man, you would probably prefer a different article! Like this one (Rosemary Mint Shaving Cream)
My story:
I decided to write this roundup post because one of the first things I looked into when making holistic changes in my life was my monthly cycle. The worst part about my story is this: I decided to leave my health in the hands of companies that were looking to profit off of me versus help me heal.
When I was fifteen I started a period cycle that would last for two years. I'm serious.. two years of daily, heavy, continuous bleeding, and cramping. I was always tired, I had severe motivation problems, although I played sports and kept up my straight A's in high-school, when I came home from school I slept... a lot!
My mother took me to an OBGYN that she trusted, and the first medication I was given, of course, was the pill. While the birth control pill usually gave the consumer a light monthly period, mine got worse. Then they tried the Depo shot, next was the Depo shot un-diluted; both failed horribly and honestly just made me feel worse. The doctors were astonished that I was loosing that much blood and wasn't bed-ridden.
Two years later (at seventeen years old) when the doctors ran out of birth control options, I had an exploratory surgery. The surgeon found out that I had a rare cyst on one of my fallopian tubes and Endometriosis. This surgeon/ OBGYN decided to try an experimental shot that was typically used in treating prostate cancer on me.. called Lupron Depot.
I remained on this shot for two years, and while it stopped the bleeding it had MANY negative aspects. A well known side effect of Lupron for women is that the shot sends your body into false menopause (yes I was 17 with hot flashes, mood swings, etc). You also have to take calcium supplements to prevent an early onset of osteoporosis. When I was 19, and met the love of my life we decided as a couple that I should try to come off of this shot. Just on the off chance that I ever wanted to have children.
You have to wait one year, per six months of taking the shot, before your monthly cycle returns to normal and you can even think about having children. After I quit taking the shot it was four years before I began having a regular period again, during those four years I would have a few days of spotting but that was always around six months apart. I have had regular periods again for a little over a year now and I'm now dealing with the pain of Endometriosis again, but I am SO thankful to be off of that horrible medicine. My bone and teeth health is something I am also working to rebuild since I was neglectful and did not take my calcium supplements during treatment.
-Another example (so I don't sound quite as crazy) of a terrible Lupron experience: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/09/lupron-part-one.aspx
-My personal choice for relief during discomfort caused by endometriosis is a roller bottle with fractionated coconut oil and 10 drops of eucalyptus.
-For other Natural Endometriosis treatments/ recipes look here: http://theresanoilforthat.blogspot.com/2009/04/endometriosis.html
For the remainder of this Women's health related round up post, I will share helpful links that I have found while researching holistic health. These are topics that specifically relate to women's health. Since I have been through false-menopause (for two years) I also felt the urge to include some menopause related links! I hope that this information helps you as much as it has helped me!
"The Change" (aka: Menopause): http://www.oil-testimonials.com/essential-oils/2484/clary-sage-for-hot-flashes-menopause-insomnia
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| I love the cloth pad tutorial by littlehouseliving.com |
Menstrual Cycle:
Synchronizing with the Moon: http://empoweredsustenance.com/balance-hormones-with-moon/
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| Natural Family Planning post by How We Flourish |
Family Planning:
Reasons to consider opting out of birth control: http://www.howweflourish.com/2013/08/26/why-you-should-avoid-hormonal-birth-control/
Natural Family Planning: http://www.howweflourish.com/2013/08/30/natural-family-planning/
Natural Infertility Solutions: http://wellnessmama.com/1326/how-to-get-pregnant-naturally/
Wellness Mama Instructions on how to make a natural labor and baby Kit: http://wellnessmama.com/2541/make-your-own-natural-labor-and-birth-kit/
Where should you give birth? http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2012/02/a-comparison-of-birthing-settings-home-hospital-and-birthing-center-births.html
Teas & Tinctures:
Feminine Balance Tea: http://realfoodoutlaws.com/feminine-balance-tea/
Teas to help cramping: http://overtheteacups.com/teabriefs/herbal-teas-help-menstrual-cramps/
Tumeric Tea: http://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/menstrual-cramps-remedy-heavy-bleeding-remedy-turmeric-tea/
Apothekayla's Healing Salve: yep healing salve is "tha bomb" this mixture also helps your menstrual cycle, simply rub it on your abdomen: http://www.apothekayla.com/2013/04/cuts-scrapes-or-burns.html
Well my friends as always I want to thank you for reading! Without you, I wouldn't do what I do! Let me know if this roundup post has helped you, and if you love any of the linked posts please show the post author some love by commenting or joining up with them on your social networking sites! Until next time -Kayla! =]
Rosemary Mint Shaving Cream
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
I asked you all, over on the Apothekayla Facebook page, which recipe you wanted me to write about first, and the shaving cream won.
Shaving, why do we do it and why does it have to be so complicated? Personally I feel it is purposely made to be complicated so we have to purchase several products in order to have the closest, longest lasting shave possible, and if your shaving cream irritates your skin don’t worry; there is a product for that too!
Why we do it is another question that personally I think is entirely cultural. All humans have leg hair, arm hair, most men and some women around the world have face hair.. it’s natural. Why do most humans shave off their hair in the attempt to pretend it was never there in the first place? I think most of us associate not shaving with looking like a caveman, so to prevent caveman syndrome I will share this rosemary mint shaving cream with you and tell you why it’s awesome!
This is a recipe that I took great care in perfecting. My husband and I both have sensitive skin, conventional shaving creams usually leave our skin irritated and extremely dry. I tried several different combinations of ingredients before I nailed down the perfect recipe. My husband uses this shaving cream on his face and each time he uses he says “I can’t believe how well this shaving cream works!” His face feels baby smooth and he smells great, there is no need for stinky astringent/ toner because it is included in the recipe! I use this shaving cream on my legs and under my arms. I like to rub it on my legs before I get in the shower so it has time to moisturize the hair follicle and my skin, which makes shaving a breeze. I’ve always heard the key to shaving was a good razor, but after using this recipe I’m thinking the key is actually the shaving cream you use. Most shaving creams are harsh and clog up the razor, you also have to use a lot of it to cover your hair before you shave it. Then when you finish shaving you have to apply a lotion to your arms or legs and either aftershave or astringent/ toner to your face. I have noticed when I am finished shaving I actually do not have to apply lotion because this recipe is so nourishing to my skin. After continual use neither my husband or myself have had a single ingrown hair or clogged pore after shaving.
Notes:
Astringent and toner have always been confused and you will find it really depends on the person or company as to who calls it what. What are they? “Generally speaking, toners and astringents seek to do many things as sort of a skin care workhorse. They simultaneously try to soothe, close pores, disinfect, nourish, control oil, and mildly exfoliate dead skin cells” (1). Most astringents/ toners contain alcohol; alcohol can lead to overly dry skin which in turn makes your skin unbalanced. Your skin will try to make up for this by producing extra oil, which will leave you with oily skin.
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- Rosemary Essential Oil- Rosemary is a natural toner which helps to tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of pores, it is a natural cleanser, it gets rid of acne and cellulite (for those of you who plan to shave your legs with this recipe this is just an added bonus), and it is extremely beneficial for restoring the hair growth cycle which will continue to be useful each time you shave.
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Peppermint Essential Oil- Peppermint also has the deep cleansing and toning qualities. Peppermint oil is used to relieve skin irritation and itchiness while reducing redness.
- Peppermint and Rosemary are both well known for reducing head and neck tension, strengthening mental clarity, and improving mental function (which has nothing to do with shaving but these are qualities I couldn’t leave out).
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Aloe Vera Gel, Coconut Oil, and Shea Butter create the perfect blend for thickness, smoothness, and when you add the baking soda you end up with a whipped cream consistency. All of these ingredients are useful for improving skin quality and healing any irritants (in this case the shaving).
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Dr. Bronners Magic Soap- The first time I made this recipe I didn’t include the soap. However I added a small amount the second time I tried it and I was very impressed. The third and final time I altered the recipe I decided to add enough to create a slight lather so that I could wash away all of the dead skin/ shaved hair after shaving. The soap also helps to remove hair from the razor so that it doesn’t get clogged up while you are shaving.
For those of you that follow me on Facebook, I told you this recipe came with a hidden secret.
I have very sensitive scalp, too much conditioner will make my hair very oily, and certain shampoos will leave my scalp feeling sore and scabby. So after I made my own shampoo recipe I was thrilled because for the first time in many years my scalp and hair felt normal. I have been using my own recipe for shampoo for a while now, and every once in a while (change of seasons, too much sun, getting in a swimming pool with chlorine, etc) my hair will be a little dry. I quit using conventional conditioners because my shampoo recipe is usually moisturizing enough but there are times where a deep conditioning treatment helps. This shaving cream recipe is an amazing deep conditioner. When I decided to try it for this purpose I was skeptical about how it would work but I thought it was worth a try. Before I got into the shower I applied this cream to my scalp and worked it through my hair until about 50% of my hair was covered with it. I let it sit on my scalp and hair until I was done washing my body and washed it out of my hair with my normal shampoo. I honestly felt like I had just left the spa after using it and this combination of ingredients is perfect for conditioning, then rinsing away excess oils (with the Dr. Bronners and baking soda). So the big secret is that this shaving cream doubles as a deep conditioner for your hair. Earlier I mentioned that peppermint and rosemary essential oils are very beneficial for the growth cycle of hair, and as such these properties are also extremely beneficial in a deep conditioner. Let me know what you think if you try it this way!
Want the details on the ingredients I use? Email me: kayla@healing-salve.com
As always I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and I hope you will leave comments/ share this recipe if you really loved it! Let me know how you have altered the recipe for your personal needs or if you have found another great use for the recipe! Thanks for reading -Kayla
1: http://www.shaving101.com/index.php/education/mens-skincare/262-the-details-on-cleansing.html
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