3 Ways Red Raspberry Leaf Supports Women's Reproductive Health (PMS, Period, Pregnancy, Childbirth).
Raspberry leaf offers amazing support for women's health during our childbearing and reproductive years. Its reputation as a "women’s herb" is well founded, with a long history of usage in treating everything from heavy bleeding during menstruation to easing and assisting with childbirth and postpartum recovery.
While the berries are grown and cultivated for us to enjoy as a rich fruit, the leaves can be used medicinally, especially in women's reproductive health.
In this article I'll be sharing three ways women can use red raspberry leaf to support their body.
1. Red Raspberry Leaf is a highly nutritive herb.
For starters, Red Raspberry Leaf is a true nutrititive herb that contains many vitamins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese and vitamins A, C, E, and B complex. And if that wasn’t good enough, raspberry leaves also has strong antioxidant properties due to the bioactive compounds found in the leaf.
Alot of the nutrients that rapsberry leaves offer are lacking in the diets of many women, although vital for our female body. And as always, because these nutrients are coming from a a botanical herb ( a real food source), the nutrients are easily assimilated by the body. This is something that can’t always be said for lab-made supplements and prescription drugs.
You can find red raspberry leaf in my Period Tea, Pregnancy Tea, Postpartum Tea or Raspberry Leaf Extract.
2. Red Raspberry Leaf helps relieve PMS symptoms and period cramps.
Along with being a good source of nutrition for women, red raspberry leaf benefits also include help and relief for PMS symptoms and period cramps. The leaf contains a compound called fragarine, which helps to tone muscles in the pelvic area and can help relieve menstrual cycle discomfort like premenstrual syndrome (pms), and period cramping and heavy bleeding.
For women, getting enough calcium and magnesium also helps with PMS symptoms, since calcium plays a large role in regulating hormones and magnesium a role in muscle relaxation throughout the body. Elevated levels of hormones can be responsible for cramps, irritability, and mood swings, so getting an adequate amount of calcium may relieve some of those symptoms.
As noted before, the nutrients in herbs are easily assimilated, so that means it can actually be absorbed and utilized by the body. To relieve your pms symptoms, period cramps and heaving bleeding purchase Period Tea, Period Support, Raspberry Leaf Extract or Womb Steams.
3. Red Raspberry Leaf can help assist with labor, childbirth and postpartum recovery.
Red raspberry leaf is perhaps one of the most historically venerated herbal uterine tonics -- and throughout history has been associated with pregnancy and childbirth. It is used during pregnancy to strengthen the uterus, improve labor outcome, and prevent excessive bleeding after birth because of the astringent powers of the leaf.
As mentioned before, because red raspberry leaf is highly nutritive, the herb is packed with nutrients that can help nourish and build up women’s body as we take on the epic task of growing a new life. For many women, morning sickness can also be managed with raspberry leaf infusions or tinctures.
As childbirth nears, raspberry leaf helps to strengthen the uterus and pelvic muscles. This is what helps to lessens the mother’s pain and helps to facilitate an easier birth. A HUGE bonus for me is that raspbery leaf when uses appropriately can help reduce complications and interventions in labor and childbirth.
During postpartum recovery after the baby is born, raspberry leaf can continue to nourish the mother’s body and restore important vitamins and minerals. This can also help support healthy milk production for mom and baby.
Supplements you can purchase are Prenatal & Beyond Multivitamin, Postpartum Tea or Raspberry Leaf Extract.
In Summary...
Red Raspberry Leaf is an herb that can support women at different stages of our lives, and is one of the popular reproductive herbs I use in my practice and offer in the herbal apothecary to support women's hormones, period, pregnancy and postpartum wellness.
Love and health,
- Shavonne