Getting GABAFoods that either contain GABA or boost its production are: fermented foods like miso, tempeh & kimchi, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, brown rice, soy and adzuki beans, chestnuts, sweet potatoes & sprouted grains There is also a plethora of medications that act on GABA receptor sites however they do come with a host of side effects. Interestingly, the most common one I have received from clients is "not feeling like myself anymore" or "feeling completely numb." There is also a GABA supplement however the jury is still out on whether or not it is even able to cross the blood-brain barrier and actually get to where it needs to get in the brain. We also have a long list of beautiful herbs that we evolved with that bind to GABA receptors in our brain, bringing sensations of calm & soothing with them... Herbs that Help Bind To GABA Receptors
Getting to Know Yourself & the PlantitasEach of these herbs have their own personality and profile... just as you do. Anxiety, mood disorders, irritability etc all show up differently in every body. So taking time to pause and be curious about where and how exactly your experience is triggered and then emanates is crucial for knowing what path to follow for herbal support. And in the same way, getting to know the plantitas, their personalities, the way they grow, how & where in your body they tend to concentrate, and what energetics they bring is crucial in choosing which plantita is right for you. So building relationahips with the plantitas you work with is always crucial.
Getting to know them just as much as you get to know yourself while diving into self-study as much as you dive into herbal-study is crucial. It is also always recommended to begin with a "simple" or a tea/tincture/smoke medicine that focuses on just 1 herb at a time so that you can perceive how it interacts with your organism. For example, if you tend towards anxiety with obsessive thoughts, Passionflower or Valerian Root would be the route for you. Or if your anxiety presents itself with a sense of weakness and fatigue, Lemon palm or Ginseng wouold be a better approach. Or if it is something that arises with PMS or perimenopause, Hops or St Johns Wort would be a better route... and it all also depends on your general health, the contraindications of herbs, making sure you do not have any conditions or are not on any medications that would be impacted by the use of these herbs, and understanding the proper dosage. Just like everything in Conscious Moonstration, the key is self-study, compassionate curiosity, and consciously & responsibly walking your path with sovereignty over your own health. However if you would like support in navigating which herbal protocol or formulas would be ideal for you, or navigating another path of how herbalism intersects with mental or menstrual health, those are my specialties so you can always book a consultation here: https://www.bloodmoonhealing.com/store/p85/Consultations.html Hope this proves to be a good launching point for your adventure with plantitas. Tiahui! #herbalism #anxiety #Herbalism #ConsciousMoonstration #mentalhealth #menstrualhealth
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When we are on a spiritual or healing path, many folks often turn to the Witch Trials to understand why they feel silenced, afraid of being seen for who they truly are, and afraid as being seen as “other” This is often an important part of our healing process because it helps us realize that our fear of being in our power and allowing others to see our gifts is a deep seated ancestral memory… but it goes even deeper than that… Those who do some research might find info on the Spanish Inquisiton and then deeper they find info on the “Burning Times” that actually led into the Witch Trials, which was a time of extreme femicide and attacks on those holding land-based traditions and knowledge, and anyone deemed out of control of the dominant political and religious institutions. This meant herbalists, midwives and healers but also queer folks and even political radicals fighting things like the emerging land owner class or shifting religious monopolies This is important but it actually still goes even deeper and deeper If we continue researching we find how back in the emergence of monotheistic religions like Zoroastrianism then later Judaism there were eras of deep fear mongering and violence against anyone who challenged their new systems But keep going and you find it goes even deeper still into the violent rupture of cultural traditions and political powers in the Neolithic Era when the northern Indo-European monotheistic patriarchal tribes came down into the Sumerian region and took over the lands of the Matrifocal & Matriarchal Goddess-worshiping or Earth-centered nations… this was the era of the great persecution and the source of the true Priestess Wound… and it is crucial we know this history if we are on a path of healing… This happened for so many reasons and in so many ways. They burned libraries and took over temples. They subjugated and enslaved nations. And they turned the mythological and spiritual customs on their head. But a key element in the brutal and savage take over was by destroying the temples and raping, pillaging & murdering priestesses The priestesses were often the economic and political leaders in matrifocal cultures, holding openly powerful positions of spiritually, economic & political responsibility for their communities. There are so many accounts from varied sources that mention these ancient societies and the remnants that resisted the shift to patriarchal power or who held on to their traditions in pockets across Mesopotamia and the Middle East. The northern Indo European tribes knew that to be able to take over this rich basin of resources they had to attack the priestess and their hold on power. They knew if the temples and libraries fell, the rest would follow After years of truly vicious attacks they co-opted their laws (Hammurabi’s code is not the first as we are often taught) and started implementing their laws from the north. These new takes on laws forced women out of politics, took their ability to hold wealth out of their hands and attacked any non binary and gender nonconforming folks as they were a direct challenge to their binary system. Whereas queerness was viewed as a fact of life in these earth centered societies with benign worldviews, now anything was a threat and they ruled with violence… There is so much more to share, so many interesting facts and realizations that emerge as we put together the pieces that we will be discussing in my coming Healing the Priestess Wound workshop Howerver I feel stronlgy that this is a crucial part of history that needs to be known by more foks, that is intentionally not taught and needs to be the baseline from which we go into this workshop on June 28th. Because when we realize there have always been other ways, abolishment becomes a more viable option. When we are shown examples of how it can work, we are able to radically imagine other possibilities. And we’re not even talking about all the possibilities the Americas’ indigenous nations have to offer us yet! The potential for systemic change blows open but even more so the potential for healing is what is most amazing We’re talking an ancestral wound that goes deep into 9000-3000 BCE in the Neolithic Era. Into our intergenerational cycles of violence and harm. It goes deep into our psychology and has impacted how we view power + wealth, the gender binary, race, class, ageism, neurodivergence, reproductive soveriegnty, otherness or those that are “weird”. It has impacted how we view money and how we share it. It has harmed men’s psyches keeping them clueless on why they feel this never-ending defensiveness as much as it has harmed women’s & nonbinary folks’ psyches… And this is just where my workshop Healing the Priestess Wound BEGINS. There is so much more meat to this history that we will dive into, not to mention the beautiful examples of the Toltekatl Tlamakazkes (priestesses/priests) that offer us so many lessons on alternative methods of political organization & how it can be integrated into today's society This is a piece of history that is NOT taught in mainstream education but is such a crucial piece of knowledge we all need to know …
 If you’re irritable the 10 days before your period arrives, suffer from PMS & PMDD or have menstrual imbalances such as very heavy periods, cramps, acne, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids and more, chances are you may need to take a second look at your nutrition… This is something that all Conscious Moonstration Alumni understand: Its astounding how big of an impact nutrition can have on your menstrual health, especially our micronutrients... Micronutrients are vitamins and trace minerals that are essential to menstrual health and health in general. And while there are nearly 30 vitamins & minerals that the body cannot create on its own known as micronutrients, there are only a few we actually need to supplement outside of our diet. This is usually related to reduced soil health, lack of sunlight, reduced water quality and our modern lifestyles… Micronutrients are always a part of my herbal protocols for my clients. They are the building blocks of our process before moving into the many herbs, foods, remedies, conversations & referrals I include in our consultations... Magnesium for example has such a powerful impact on mitigating menstrual symptoms Lara Briden calls it “the Miracle Mineral for Periods” as it often has such a profound impact on calming symptoms and reducing pain… The top 6 Nutrients that are crucial for a balanced menstrual cycle are:
Every one of these are essential to stabilizing our endocrine, thyroid, immune, liver, nervous system and digestive functions… Every one of these are needed to maintain a harmonious balance… like a well tuned orchestra… (i miss playing my cello…) I myself take all of these micronutrients but am most faithful right now to iodine, magnesium glycinate and B6 to help combat previous deficiencies and support my moon cycle. 🌛If you want to learn more about how to balance your menstrual cycle in a an all natural & holistic way join me for the Conscious Moonstration Course beginning Oct 9th But first lets dive into the first of these Micronutrients: ZINC  ZINC Zinc is an incredibly important micronutrient for our womb health. It is anti-inflammatory which will, in and of itself, mitigate or reduce SO many uncomfortable symptoms throughout our whole menstrual cycle. However it also shines in that it helps regulate the HPA (hypothalamus - pituitary - adrenal) Axis thus reducing stress & cortisol levels, which can be responsible for menstrual discomfort & imbalances like lack of regularity, delayed periods & estrogen excess . ZInc is a key component in the synthesis, transport & actions of all hormones. Including thyroid hormones AND its a vital androgen blocker, anti-oxidant & anti-depressant According to the World Health Orginaztion Zinc deficiency affects nearly 1/3 of the world's population, especially in those who don't eat meat. This I am sure, is one of the many causes for why the majority of folks who menstruate report having discomfort & pain. Zinc definiciency has been proven to play a role in a myriad of menstrual health imbalances:
Sources of ZincThe National Institutes of Health recommends people get 8 to 11 milligrams of zinc each day. And its important to note that we are not able to actually store zinc in our body, so we need a small amount every day. The best sources of zinc are by far oysters,at 28 to 32 mg per serving! However other great sources are beef & blue crab at 3.8 & 3.2 mg per serving respectively and pumpkin seeds at 2.2 mg per serving. Other sources include
Reminder:
👁️This is not an all encompassing list...just a snapshot 👁️This is not medical advice, always consult with your doctor if you have any health concerns, especially thyroid imbalances... Additional Resources: Micronutrients on Harvard Health Publishing National Institute of Health Zinc Fact Sheet for Professionals Zinc & PMS Clinical Trial PMID: 31154571 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-019-01757-9 on PubMed Zinc & PCOS Clinical Trial PMID: 26315303 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-015-0480-7 Hormone Intelligence by Aviva Romm Period Repair Manual by Lara Briden
How it works: Although it contains no hormones or hormone-like substances, vitex influences hormonal activity by stimulating the anterior pituitary gland & hypothalamus to produce more luteinizing hormone (LH) and decrease secretions of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). Which then helps our ovaries to produce more progesterone a hormone crucial to health and balancing estrogen levels. Before their periods, many folks find themselves irritable, depressed, & bloated. These typical PMS symptoms may occur because of an insufficient production of progesterone in the two weeks prior to menstruation & Chasteberry helps to normalize the ratio of progesterone to estrogen. In a study of premenstrual folks, 90% of those who took Chasteberry reported that they experienced a reduction in PMS symptoms. It may be as effective as another common PMS supplement, vitamin B6, which clears excess estrogen from the body. While a German study actually found chasteberry to be superior to vitamin B6 for resolving PMS symptoms, if you suffer from PMS i would recommend trying the two together for maximum relief. But this herb isn't just for female endocring health. Chasteberry has a long tradition of being used for male reproductive health as well as
No wonder it was considered sacred... It is amazing. But remember, like many other herbs, don’t expect to see immediate results. And just like any herbal protocols for your menstrual cycle you're going to have to take it for at least 3 to 4 months before seeing symptom relief. But because its a slow-acting herb that’s how you know deep & long lasting healing is happening.  My favorite ways to use Chasteberry/Vitex:
There are some side effects (dont take if pregnant or on meds without consulting your physician as always, and try to avoid it if you're on any parkinsons meds as it can interfere with medications) so I recommend booking a consultation with me if you want to know if it will be of benefit for you You can also join us in my next Conscious Moonstration Course cohort beginning Sunday October 9th to dive deeper into this beautiful herbal gift and how it best works with our menstrual cycle. We will be exploring this herb during week 6! |
AuthorClarissa Ixpahuatzin Mazehuani is committed to decolonizing and reclaiming nature-based methods of self-healing. All her work is focused on honoring our natural rhythms and the cycles of Mother Nature and Mother Moon. Archives
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