What Helps Postpartum Care

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin found in foods including fish (salmon, trout, sardines) and mushrooms (morel, chanterelle, oyster, shiitake), but more substantially from sun exposure, as the sun’s ultraviolet rays trigger synthesis. 

Iron is a mineral naturally present in foods including meat (beef, lamb, pork), seafood (clams, shrimp, oysters, mussels, tuna), poultry (turkey), vegetables (spinach, sweet potatoes, peas, broccoli, kale, chard), fruit (strawberries, watermelon, figs), and beans & legumes (lentils, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans).  Iron is essential for blood production, oxygen transport and DNA synthesis. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are essential fats absorbed through food including fish (mackerel, salmon, seabass), vegetable oils (flax oil, soybean oil), nuts (walnuts) and seeds (flax, chia, hemp). There are three main Omega-3 Fatty Acids: ALA also known as Alpha-Linolenic Acid, EPA also known as Eicosapentaenoic Acid and DHA also known as Docosahexaenoic Acid. ALA is found naturally in plants, while EPA and DHA are found in fish. Omega-3 Fatty Acids maintain heart, vascular, lung, brain, immune and endocrine system health, while reducing inflammation.

Saffron is produced from the threadlike stigmas of the Crocussativus flower. The bulbous perennial with blue-violet flowers is harvested by hand during a short autumn blooming season. Originating in Greece, it historically has been used to treat a variety of conditions from asthma to menstrual disorders to pain management. Saffron is revered for its variety of antioxidants, in addition to antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric is made from the dried rhizomes of the Curcuma longa plant, belonging to the ginger family. Native to South Asia, Turmeric has a long history in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. The key component is the organic polyphenol, curcumin, which is responsible for giving the plant its yellow color. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have been used in the treatment of arthritis, digestive disorders, respiratory and metabolic issues.  

Magnesium is an essential mineral for the human body absorbed through foods including nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts), beans (black beans, edamame) and vegetables (spinach, potatoes). It is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body helping maintain nerve and muscle function, a healthy immune system, blood glucose levels, as well as, aiding in energy and protein production.

Passionflower, Passiflora incarnata, is a climbing, flowering vine native to the Southeastern United States, South and Central America. 16th century Spanish explorers introduced the plant to Europe, where it became widely used in traditional folk medicine for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, seizures and hysteria. Studies have shown Passionflower increases gamma-Aminobutyric acid, also known as GABA, which lowers brain cell activity, increasing relaxation.

Ashwagandha, also known as Indian Ginseng, is the root extract of the Withania somnifera plant. The herb boasts a horse-like odor, hence the Sanskrit name meaning “horse-smell”. Native to India, Africa and the Mediterranean, this small, woody shrub has been prescribed in Ayurvedic medicine for over 3,000 years. It’s anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory properties have been used in the treatment of stress, fatigue, gastro-intestinal issues, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep disorders, as well as, topically as an analgesic.