Herbal Womb Wisdom Kay'aleya Hunnybee

What does it mean to hold trauma in the wombspace?  And what are some signs that indicate that womb trauma may be present?

The topic of "womb healing" is a bit of a buzz these days and sometimes I wonder what people mean by that. I see social media profiles of "womb healing practitioners" and "womb healing" programs and honestly it's a vague concept.

It could be everything from someone who has absolutely no training in any therapeutic modalities but likes to position themselves as a self-proclaimed expert on instagram to someone like today's guest, Dr Sarah Wylie, who is a Naturopathic doctor who's trained extensively with Rosita Arvigo and other practitioners to cultivate her multiple decades of clinical practice working with abdominal, pelvic and womb care.

The truth is, when we hold story, energy, trauma, information in our wombspace, there are many paths to healing that exist. 

And it's really about exploring what works for you -- especially because so much of what's stored there is not just physical, but also emotional and even ancestral lineage stuff.

So a combination of modalities is often helpful. 

But what I love about the way Dr Sarah Wylie uniquely approaches this work is that she weaves together her naturopathic clinical training, lab work as needed, bodywork, and visualization techniques to both assess and support the release and tending of information held in the wombspace. 

She speaks in detail about simple signs to tell if you might be holding something there (yep, pain is a big one, but also bleeding patterns, cycle irregularities, etc) and then she shares a lot about her personal bodywork practice.

It's a beautiful collaborative approach to womb tending, release, and care and I'm excited for you to hear about it.

Listen to learn:
how a cervical dysplasia diagnoses changed Dr Sarah Wylie's lifewhy it's important to look beyond just physical trauma in relation to pelvic caresigns of womb trauma or imbalances in the wombspacea glimpse at her bodywork practice and how collaborative the work can bea guided visualization to help you sense a personal womb story or wisdom some inspiring thoughts on the womb through perimenopause
Resources:
Today's shownotes: Get links to Sarah's womb care courses + offeringsEpisode 10: Traditional womb healing practices w Sondra HamiltonEpisode 34: What if your womb was an altar? Episode 61: Pelvic wisdom with Dr Emily WilsonFree guided visualization: Womb embodiment and clearing practice

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DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner,
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Follicular, Ovulatory, Luteal, Menstrual. 

Inner spring, Inner summer, Inner Autumn, Inner Winter.

Waxing Moon, Full Moon, Waning Moon, New Moon.

The cycles of nature are tangible in ourselves, and especially for those of us with wombs while we're in our cycling years, we have the option to align ourselves with the phase of our cycle we'e in at any given moment. 

For instance, I'm currently in early Autumn. I just ovulated a few days ago, my temperature rose, my cervical mucus changed, and I can feel a subtle difference in my energy levels, and honestly I also feel a little warmer (well maybe that's bc I'm wearing too many layers, lol, but basal body temp DOES rise post-ovulation).

What phase of your cycle are you in right now??

Whatever phase you're in has certain qualities and characteristics, and it's important to learn your own rather than just rely on books or social media, because sometimes we don't fit the prescribed mold. 

However, there are general qualities that hold true for most folks... so it's helpful to learn those and then reflect on your own. 

Today's podcast guest, longtime yoga teacher and cyclical living mentor Rebecca Rankin, shares all about not only her life-changing experience with cyclical living but also how we can bring yoga postures and breathwork into the fold.

She shares a couple poses and breathwork options that suit each phase. I especially love how she includes a rolled towel to encourage ovarian circulation in the follicular phase in one pose and then that same rolled towel in a different location to encourage uterine circulation in the late luteal phase. 

It's really neat to consider the ways we can more intentionally bring our cycle into our yoga and vice versa.

If this intrigues you, I think you'll dig today's episode.

Listen to learn:
how becoming a mother catalyzed Rebecca's cyclical living  journeywhat cyclical living is and a couple ways it's changed her business + lifeways that natural cycles mirror and inform embodied cyclical livinghow even when you're no longer cycling, you can still attune to cyclessome yoga postures + breathwork for each phase of the menstrual cyclea guided "Apana" breathwork practice helpful in menstrual phase + whenever you need some extra tethering to the earth
Resources:
Today's shownotes: Get Rebecca's links to her journal, website, social mediaStart tracking your cycle with Fertility Awareness Method (free guide)Episode 42: Reclaim your menstruationEpisode 69: Cyclical archetypes w Em DeweyEpisode 73: Cyclical movement w Tara Lynn SteeleEpisode 78: Your cycle superpowers




If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  



And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️




DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.
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Well, today I decided to go for it and talk about everyone's favorite topic... poop. 😂

But for real, the quality and regularity of our elimination has a huge impact on our overall health. 

And unfortunately, we've all but normalized constipation. 

Most folks go to the doctor and when they're asked, "Do you have regular bowel movements?" They respond, "yes." Because regular just means at regular intervals, right? 

The answer to that is... NO. Ideally we all poop at least once a day, if not twice. 

And those eliminations feel complete, relieving, relaxing. 

If you're pooping every 2-3 days, or even longer intervals (I've known clients and friends to say they have "regular" bowel movements every 10 days), that's constipation. 

For some people pooping only once a day could be a form of incomplete elimination that may be a slight constipation. 

What's "normal" or "typical" is not necessarily healthy. 

And constipation, whether it's chronic or occasional or situational, wreaks havoc on multiple systems of the body - so it's important to eliminate every single day not just for your digestive discomfort but also for your whole health (and yes, your hormones too). 

I share all about this and a lot more in this week's episode.

Listen to learn:
what constipation is and how to tell if you have it (it's not always obvious)how to determine your transit timethe many forms of constipation and when they might show uphow constipation impacts your hormones, cholesterol levels + skinthe direct relationship between your gut and your mental healtha few ideas about how to encourage more optimal elimination (aka how to help you poop)
Resources:
Today's shownotes: What's constipation got to do with it?Free guide: Dandelion recipe collection Episode 11: Dandelion herbal spotlightEpisode 17: How stress messes w your hormonesEpisode 58: Gut health + your hormones


If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  



And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️




DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.



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When you think about the menopausal transition, what comes up?

I'm genuinely curious actually... 

Is it the end of the cycling years, no more bleeding?

Or the hot flashes, low libido, dry vaginal tissues, maybe even need to focus more on bone or heart health?

Does it feel liberating or like something you're dreading?

I know some folks here are already well beyond their menopausal years (and I love that you're here), and others are barely even thinking yet about this transition. 

And that's the thing, many of us don't begin to even think about this time of our lives until we start to experience the symptoms that make it obvious. 

Today's guest, herbalist and homeopath Seraphina Capranos speaks about menopause from the lens of the Wise Woman Tradition which approaches this transitional time as something to prepare for by focusing on deep nourishment, nervous system and adrenal health. 

While of course alleviating symptoms is important, there's also an art to preventing them even occurring in the first place. 

So many of us run ourselves to the ground, trying hard to keep up with a world that glorifies over-extending and production over rest and replenishment. 

And let's just say, that go-go-go energy is the opposite of what we need to be doing as we head into our transitional years. Instead, we need to be caretaking ourselves.

Seraphina shares about some of her favorite herbs to incorporate into this time of life (and before), and also a whole different perspective on what's possible as we pass through this transition - how instead of an entry into the elder years, it's actually often a time of new beginnings and empowered action.

Listen to learn:
how Seraphina braids together herbalism, homeopathy and ritual into her workthe power of touching your own breasts/chestwhat the foundations of the Wise Woman Tradition arethe Wise Woman approach to health care (and how integrative it is)ways to prepare your body and mind and spirit for menopausea few herbs Seraphina thinks are key for most of us in this timewhy menopause is not typically the entry to "crone" years in modern times
Resources:
Todays shownotes: Get links (and discount) to Seraphina's programs + workFree guide: 10 key herbs for hormonal healthEpisode 37: Easing into menopause w Dana LaVoieEpisode 40: Herbal spotlight on schisandraEpisode 70: Is it perimenopause?Episode 86: Herbal spotlight on ashwagandha



If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  



And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️




DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.


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Something that always surprises me is how powerful it is to share stories, especially when they relate to "things we don't talk about."

It's pretty easy for us to share stories about how our day went awry, or something funny about what our kids did when trying to get them to eat their dinner. 

But what we don't talk about are often the things we are socialized to keep quiet. 

Which tends to be, oh just about anything related to our pelvis and wombspace, especially when we're feeling vulnerable or like we're the only ones who must be experiencing this (insert very common reproductive or sexual or hormonal health issue here). 

The reality is that many of us have been socialized to feel shame around anything we experience related to "down there" and since we only see the happy moments and smiling photos of postpartum parents and families, it's easy to believe no one else is struggling.

But let's be real. Especially for first time parents, but also any subsequent birth, there are SO MANY unexpected things that show up.

From perineal tears to healing from a cesarean to feeling scared to poop to prolapse to incontinence to massive mood swings to beyond-imaginable-fatigue to being responsible for another human to nipple soreness and figuring our nursing and on and on and on. 

But who talks about this? So much of the focus tends to be on preparing for birth and often very little if any heads-up about what to genuinely expect in those days and weeks after birth, physically/emotionally/mentally, etc. 

And this. This is what Zulilah Merry's documentary film,  No One Told Me, vividly portrays in observational form. 

Simple, observational, real-deal postpartum journey. 

Which is both refreshing and a gift to see. 

We talk about her film and her journey to making it, as well as way more about what is profoundly missing in our current individualistic, "I can do it myself," society. 

And how important it is to find ways to connect and build community in this world that is endlessly asking us to stray from it. 

Listen to learn:
the premise of No One Told Mewhat prompted Zulilah to make this filmwhy the style of observational documentary is powerful in the postpartum contexthow sharing honest views into this time of life can support otherswhat might be possible if we center connection versus individuation
Resources:
Today's shownotes: Get links to Zulilah's website and social mediaSign up for Tending the Loss of Abortion (starts April 7, 2024)Episode 25: Immediate postpartum care the herbal wayEpisode 49: Creating a sacred window postpartum and beyond

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  



And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️




DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.


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As humans, we love stories. And sometimes physiology can be boring and heady and unpalatable. But what if we tell the story of what's happening instead?

What if we see the primordial germ cell that may become an oocyte and may ovulate and then travel from the ovary through the uterine tubes and beyond as an epic tale?

Honestly, I've fallen in love with physiology, and the burst of potential life that exists in our oocytes is as fascinating as it is mysterious. 

And that makes it... magic. In my mind, at least. 

Some might say we can understand it all scientifically, but can we?

In this episode I dive into my own version of what I see happening, from the original primordial germ cells we create when we're inside our mother's (or parent's) womb all the way to ovulation as adults and potential fertilization. 

I actually think this physiology is a good foundation whether you're trying to conceive or trying to avoid it... it's the 101 (okay, well maybe 202) glimpse into what's actually happening, how it happens, and why it matters. 

This process is both scientific (and yes, I talk some researched science) and mystical. And I personally think it's best that way. 


Listen in to learn:
the scientific and mystical elements of eggs and their monthly journeyhow and when your potential eggs start forming (hint: when you're an embryo)the myth around the amount of eggs you have in your lifetimewhat the process of oocyte development and ovulation looks likewhat happens once the oocyte has ovulated (how does it get out?)what your cervical fluid does to spermthe myth about the fastest sperm being the one to fertilize the eggwhat happens after fertilization
Resources:
Grab the FREE Track Your Cycle Naturally guide here.Today's shownotes: Get links to the references + articles I mentioned todayEpisode 38: Your menstrual cycle is a vital signEpisode 98: Reclaim your cervixEpisode 105: What is your fertile window?


If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  



And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️




DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.
Support the Show.