Mother's FAVORITE Plant - and soon to be your favorite too!
Motherwort leaves growing in the springitme.
More of a drawing than a picture, you can see the flower stalk that forms on the top of the plant where the seed pods form after bloom.
Motherwort is the herb that every Mama should have.
Motherwort
a.k.a. Lion's Ear
Botnaical Name: Leonurus cardiaca
Annual
As with all mint family members, it is easy to tell it's a member of the "Mint Family" by the square stem. All mint family plants have square stems. An unusual oddity in the plant world that makes them easier to identify.
Motherwort also has a tell-tale stalk with small purplish flowers, which become the spot for sharp, pointed seed pods in the fall that will make you respect the plant after one touch. (See the drawing above.)
This is not what I'd call a "common" weed/herb, but there are people who have it grow in the wild. It naturalizes well. Once you have it, if you can tolerate the seed pods and let it seed out, you'll have more! Like most annuals, it re-seeds well. It likes full sun, but will do ok with partial shade. It does fine in an average soil, but will thrive with darker leaves in a rich soil. I likes well drained soil, not wet feet. It's really not very fussy. Just be sure you water it well and repeatedly if transplanting.
Here's my nut-shell comment on Motherwort:
If you are a Mama,
or you have a Mama,
or you know someone who is a Mama,
you should have this plant!
I've seen tea from this plant relieve round ligament pain, after birth pain, speed postpartum recovery, and relieve menstral cramps. But that's just the start of what it can do!
If taking during pregnancy, use it in the third trimester only. You'll be glad you did. Especially if you've had a baby before without it - you'll likely know the difference in recovery time and postpartum pains. My experience has been that 2 to 4 oz of tea per day during the last month and for the first couple weeks postpartum is enough.
There's plenty of good sites extolling it's virtues. I've pasted 3 quotes with links below. Do check out the links, each quote is only a portion of the info you'll find on the site.
These sites primarily talk of using a tincture. I've typically used it as a tea.
Either will work. An you can make both easily.
Benefit of the tea is you can make it in just a few minutes of when you need it, and you can store that tea in the fridge (well sealed) and continue using it for several days. Or freeze the tea as ice cubes and you'll have tea cubes whenever you need them.
Benefit of the tincture is it is portable, long-term storable, it is more concentrated, and the dosage is more easily regulated.
See the "Herbal Preparations" spot elsewhere on this site for details on how to make tincture or tea.
This herb has a BITTER flavor. It's not a plant you'll enjoy drinking tea from, but any Mama, and plenty of non-Mamas, will enjoy the benefits received from the tea. Sweeten the tea with honey, or dilute it with some other tea or juice (you don't have to drink it warm). The good news is: you don't have to drink a lot of it. An ounce or two at a time, a couple times a day is usually sufficient for prevention or maintenance. If you need a quicker kick (like for some "special" day in the month), go for a whole cup of it and see how you feel. But really, you'd be better served having a smaller amount per day a couple days before those expected days come.
Here's those quotes I mentioned earlier:
“Motherwort”. As the name suggests, this wonder herb is a woman’s best friend, right from when she hits puberty to menopause to right up until our last days. Here’s how motherwort can help you (and your daughters, sisters, mother, grandmother… you get the picture) live a happier, healthier life:
PMS Relief
If you are like most women, no period goes by without some uncomfortable cramping. For those with mild to moderate cramps, try taking 5 to 10 drops of motherwort to ease your cramps in under 10 minutes. Continue to take another 5 to 10 drops every 10 minutes until your cramps have been absolved completely.
If you suffer from irregular periods, this has been known to help regulate your menstrual cycle, as well as help prevent any bloating. Taking small yet frequent doses of motherwort throughout the day will help cut down any bloating in a matter of hours.
Motherwort also tones the uterus, which in turn reduces the chance of cramps in the future. This also, of course, helps prepare our bodies for both pregnancy and childbirth.
Pregnancy and Birth
Not only is it a uterine tonic, but it also seems to be a vaginal tonic as well! Motherwort encourages blood flow to the pelvis and helps thicken the tissues of the organs in the area (such as your bladder, uterus and vagina). This will tighten and improve the elasticity of your vaginal walls, as well as help keep you from feeling the urge to pee so often!
Motherwort has been well known to help promote the flow of a mother’s milk, so if you find your milk not coming in so quickly after baby’s born, take 10 to 15 drops of motherwort daily for best results.
Menopause
Tired of waking up in a soaking sweat at 3am? How about those hot flashes that strike in the middle of the day and cause that horrible dizzy sensation? Motherwort can help reduce the duration, frequency and severity of your hot flashes, as well as take away the faint sensations you may experience. Try taking any where from 15 to 25 drops daily for 3 months to help you with this condition.
Uses that Both Sexes can Enjoy
Yes, men can enjoy a “mother’s” touch too! For any bouts of insomnia, take 10 to 15 drops of motherwort and follow it up with a gulp of water. This will help calm you and soothe away any nightmares you may also be experiencing (this is common for women in menopause).
Who wants to be less stressed out? As with the sleeping remedy, motherwort eases nerves and helps eliminate stress with 10 to 20 drops of this tincture. Continue to use it every day for the best effects, and take ever 5 minutes if you are experiencing a lot of stress and need some quick healing.
For those looking for a stronger heart with a regular pulse, look to motherwort yet again (this herb didn’t get the nick name “lion-hearted” for no reason!). A 1 ml. drop of motherwort will ease heart palpitations and tachycardia, and hypertension after extended use.
Looking to improve digestion and eliminate constipation? Try adding 5 to 10 drops to your daily regime.
Lastly, if eliminating depression and increasing your life expectancy is what you seek, motherwort can help you with that too. Try taking motherwort in the morning rather than your caffeinated coffee – I guarantee you that you will be feeling happier and healthier in no time.
Right click this link to open in a new tab or window and learn more from this site:
http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/go/index.php/89/uses-for-motherwort/
This herb is beneficial in balancing hormones and women's menstrual cycles. It has a reputation for soothing stress and tension during pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood.
It is often taken two to three times daily, in the last few weeks of pregnancy, to encourage coordinated contractions of the uterus.
It's also used to treat heart disorders, anxiety and palpitations. It strengthens the heartbeat and increases circulation to the heart without increasing the pulse rate.
This herb may be used for irregularities such as arrhythmias and palpitations which are associated with anxiety and tension. The glycosides have been observed to have a short-term ability to lower blood pressure.
Motherwort is used to strengthen heart function, especially in conditions where the heart is weak. A gentle sedative and antispasmodic, it promotes relaxation rather than drowsiness. However, it does stimulate the muscles of the uterus, and is especially suitable for delayed menstruation, menstrual pain, and premenstrual tension.
As a nerve tonic, motherwort is taken three to four times per day on an empty stomach. The best times are 15 to 30 minutes before meals and before bed. During acute stressful periods, it is taken more frequently.
Motherwort is a first-class relaxing nerve tonic with valued for its ability to bring cal without drowsiness. Taken throughout the day and before bed, it helps insure restful sleep. This herb is also an antidepressant and very slightly euphoric for some people.
The aerial parts are used medicinally in teas and tinctures.
CAUTIONS: Motherwort should not be taken during the first two trimesters of pregnancy. Should be used cautiously by pregnant women as it is a uterine stimulant. Should not be used if menstrual bleeding is heavy.
Right click this link to open in a new tab or window and learn more from this site:
http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com/Motherwort.html
As its Latin name cardiaca suggests, Motherwort has traditionally been used to treat heart conditions. The ancient Greeks and Romans employed Motherwort to treat heart palpitations as well as depression, which they considered a problem of the heart. Centuries later, Europeans would believe Motherwort helpful for "infirmities of the heart", but also considered the herb to have strengthening and stimulating effects on the uterus, using it to bring on a delayed menstrual period, as an aid during labor, and to relax a woman's womb after childbirth. These uses of Motherwort also correspond well with those in traditional Chinese medicine, which employs another Asian variety, Leonurus artemisia, to treat menstrual disorders or to help a woman expel a dead fetus and placenta from her womb. In eastern China, women still drink a syrup made from Motherwort to promote the recovery of the uterus after childbirth; the herb has a strong bitter taste, so visitors to a recovering mother often bring along sugar as a gift. Europeans used Motherwort as a sedative as well, inducing tranquility in times of anxiety, or when there is restlessness during fevers. Germany's Commission E has authorized Motherwort for the treatment of heart disorders caused by anxiety and stress, as well as part of an overall treatment plan for an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). These two uses are linked by the fact that both stress and high levels of thyroid hormone can increase the heart rate. Motherwort is an excellent heart tonic, and research has shown that it is able to calm palpitations, tachycardia and irregular heartbeats. The primary chemical constituents of Motherwort include alkaloids (stachydrine, leonurinine), ursolic acid, flavonoids (quercetin, rutin), bitter glycosides (leonurine, leonuridin), caffeic acid, essential oil, tannins, resin, beta carotene, and potassium.
Especially valuable for PMS, menstrual pain and delayed menstruation. Gentle sedative. Helps calm the entire nervous system. Strengthens the heart and often prescribed for palpitations.
These uses of motherwort correspond well with those in traditional Chinese medicine, which employs the Asian variety, Leonurus artemisia, to treat menstrual disorders or to help a woman expel a dead fetus and placenta from her womb. In China, women still drink a syrup made from motherwort to promote the recovery of the uterus after childbirth; the herb has a strong bitter taste, so visitors to a recovering mother often bring along sugar as a gift.
One component of Motherwort, ursolic acid, appears to possess antiviral and anti-tumor properties. However, a highly preliminary animal study suggests that Motherwort can both inhibit or stimulate the growth of breast tumors. The alkaloid leonurine produces central nervous depressant and hypotensive effects in animals, and stachydrine may also be involved. The glycosides have a short-term ability to lower blood pressure. Chinese research has found that this herb reduces blood platelet aggregation and decreases levels of blood lipids.
Right click this link to open in a new tab or window and learn more from this site:
http://www.mdidea.com/products/new/new03103.html