The Benefits of Red Raspberry Leaf

For as long as I can remember, I have believed that your body will tell you what it needs. Now, granted, we all have our bad habits & addictions ~ whether "bad" food, drugs, alcohol, etc. ~ but I believe that if you try to live a healthy life & listen to your body, it will tell you what is good for it. After all, no one knows yours body as well as you do.

One of my all-time favorite foods has always been raspberries. Mmmmm. It started early for me because the home I lived at until I was 12 years old was bordered by a large woods & it was filled with raspberry briars & mulberry trees! Oh . . . it was Berry Heaven!

So, when my quest to live a healthier lifestyle began several years ago, it was no surprise to me to find out that raspberries were good for you ~ especially for women. My only surprise was to find out HOW good they are for you.

Not only is it good for the whole family, but most especially, red raspberry leaf is good for pregnancy, childbirth/labor & breastfeeding moms.

According to the book "Be Your Own 'Doctor'", red raspberry helps with:

• easing morning sickness for pregnant women
• relaxing the smooth muscles of the uterus when it is contracting
• assists with the birth of the baby & the placenta
• calms uterine cramping during the menstrual cycle
• provides a rich source of iron, calcium, manganese & magnesium; Magnesium helps to strengthen the uterine muscle
• aids in fertility for BOTH men & women
• promotes a rich, plentiful supply of breast milk
• stops excess bleeding after birth
• treats diarrhea
• regulates irregular menstrual cycles & decreases heavy periods
• relieves sore throats
• reduces fever & fights the flu

**I will have to say at this point that in my research I have found a bit of a conflict as to whether women should drink red raspberry tea in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy ~ some resources say it's safe to drink the whole pregnancy, others say to only drink it while trying to conceive & then for the last 8-10 weeks of pregnancy to help your body prepare for labor ~ but ALL say to drink as much as possible during labor & while you are breastfeeding.

B.Y.O.D. Pregnancy Tea Mix 

~3 parts red raspberry leaf

~1 part alfalfa leaf

~1 part nettle leaf

~1 part peppermint leaf (for flavor *optional*)

Directions:

~Mix all herbs a keep in a glass container w/a good lid

~use 1 TB of the mix per cup in boiling water

~let steep for 10 minutes, sweeten

It is also said to aid those with incontinence "issues" & as a source of calcium & magnesium in "its most assimilable form."  Not only that, but because of the high absorption rate, it helps with BOTH improving uterine tone in post-menopausal women AND, when drinking it in the weeks after childbirth, it will help get the uterus back to normal size (as well as make your breast milk rich & plentiful ~ as mentioned earlier). As you can see from the list above, red raspberry leaf is so good for women. 

It can even help with teen-age acne by drinking 1 or more cups a day during a break-out!

Here's another plus: the late Dr. John Christopher recommended a red raspberry "flu" tea to rid &/or shorten the duration of a nasty cold or flu ~ both head & stomach flues. You can also drink this tea a an immune-booster to prevent colds & flu.

Flu Tea

~3 parts red raspberry leaf

~2 parts peppermint leaf

~1 part alfalfa leaf

~1 part nettle leaf

~1/4 part Yarrow flower

Directions:

1) Mix all ingredients together & store in glass jar w/a good lid

2) use 1 to 1-1/2 TB per cup or mug

3) at 1st symptoms or during illness, drink every hour

And, in case you are interested, here's 1 of my favorite red raspberry tea recipes:

~ 1/2 c. red raspberry leaves

~ 1/2 c. green tea leaves

~ 1/2 c. hibiscus flowers

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients & store in a glass jar with a good lid

2) use 1 to 1-1/2 ts per cup; steep 5-10 minutes.

Isn't it amazing what the Lord provides for His children?

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

**Please note disclaimer at bottom of page**