For approximately 2,000 years, Maca has been an important traditional food and medicinal plant in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia, where it is well-known and highly respected for is medicinal qualities. The Peruvians regard it as a highly nutritious, energy enhancing food, and as a medicine that increases strength, endurance. Ancient Inca Imperial Warriors reputably ate Maca before a battle to increase their strength and power.

Maca has been used for centuries to increase energy and fertility, and has a reputation as an aphrodisiac.

It is popular with menopausal women to prevent and treat the unpleasant symptoms of menopause, and can also be used during the child bearing years to regulate the menstrual cycle.

As with all herbs, avoid in pregnancy unless specifically recommended to you by a qualified herbalist.

Maca is a natural super food now available as a dietary supplement. It contains numerous minerals including calcium, phosphorous, zinc, magnesium and iron. Other  nutrients include Vitamins B1, B2, C, E, as well as 18 amino acids, essential fatty acids, and sterols.

Maca is beneficial for:

• Increasing energy and stamina
• An aphrodisiac for both men and women
• Improving general well being
• Menstrual problems
• Menopaual symptoms
• Supporting and nourishing the body

Click below to purchase in Australia:

If you live in the USA, click here to buy Maca

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The Women’s Wellbeing and Australian Bush Flower Essences Workshop runs over one day, and you do not need to have ever used an Essence or attended any other ABFE workshop to attend.

This workshop specifically explores the role of Australian Bush Flower Essences in assisting women to heal.

You will learn, how to easily, effectively and safely use the Australian Bush Flower Essences to help a woman achieve physical, emotional and spiritual balance in the following areas of her life:

• Menstruation

• Sexuality

• Fertility and conception

• Pregnancy

• Birth

• Mothering

• Enhancing relationships

• Menopause

• Growing older

• Common illnesses and health issues

Specific Australian Bush Flower Essences are covered during the discussion of each of the above themes.

Click here to see when Linn is next teaching this workshop near you.

For the full Australian Bush Flower essences schedule throughout Australia, North and South America, Asia, Europe and the UK, click here.

If you are interested in hosting an Australian Bush Flower Essences workshop in your area, please contact Linn on herbs.to.heal@gmail.com

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by Jo Hunter,

Homebirth Australia

Women and their families are travelling from all over the country to attend the MOTHER of all birth rallies on Monday September 7th, 2009.

The rally is to take place outside Parliament House at 1130am. We are expecting a HUGE turn out and plenty of media attention.

We have been contacted by many women who have been told by QANTAS that they will need to reschedule their flights as they have booked too many babies on their flights to Canberra over the 3 days surrounding the rally.

This has apparently never happened before.

If you are booked to travel by plane to Canberra it may be worth ringing the airline to check as some women have been told that they could be turned away at the airport because by law they are only allowed to have 8 babies per flight.

UNABLE TO ATTEND THE RALLY?

If you can’t be with us on September 7, please purchase a virtual rally ticket. Send us your headshot and message (please make this less than 25 words as it will need to be scribed) and we will create a cut-out to place in the ground outside Parliament House. Your pledge will go towards the printing and assembly of your ‘cut-out’ and will enable HBA to subsidise the travel and accommodation of those who may not otherwise be able to attend. To purchase a virtual rally ticket please click here.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in Canberra.

For more information on Home Birth Australia, visit their website by clicking here.

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by Justine Caines.

Homebirth Australia

Homebirth Australia (HBA) has played a pivotal role in the campaign to keep the option of private homebirth alive.

HBA successfully lobbied for the ‘Medicare related’ legislation to be examined within a Senate Committee. The Community Affairs (Legislation) Committee is currently looking at the 3 related bills. We believe 2000 submissions have been received, this is an unprecedented response. Thank you to so many who took the time to write.

We have now gained support across the Senate, The Coalition, Greens, Family First and Independent Senator Nick Xenophon have all expressed support to enable women to make important choices about their bodies and healthcare.

The Greens have announced that they will draft an amendment to include homebirth in any funding and indemnity insurance support developed for midwives accessing Medicare.

Minister Nicola Roxon has expressed concern regarding the availability of indemnity insurance for homebirth in the short term. Whilst we believe the Minister is supportive of finding a solution, and this has been confirmed in recent media click here.

We are less convinced that the Department of Health and Ageing are. It would seem that women choosing homebirth have been diminished and are now considered as ‘collateral damage’. Our understanding is that not one current homebirth midwife or consumer has been called upon to brief the Indemnity branch of the Department of Health or the insurance industry. Poor Nicola; how can anyone expect those who have no understanding of homebirth to make decisions about it, while they receive nothing from those with knowledge but rather a raft of ’spin’ from those with deep vested interest in medicalised childbirth.

A feminist academic, and coincidentially a homebirth mother, Monica Dux argued most eloquently that this struggle was simply not about homebirth, but more so that of a fundamental right for women. Her opinion piece appeared in The Age on 17 July:

The assumption…that minority rights are unimportant and can be casually overridden – is both offensive and antithetical to the fundamental values of a liberal society… It is not only the rights of the minority who undertake home birth that are at stake here. This is an issue that impacts on all women.

In the past century we have seen a profound shift in the status of women, from being virtual chattels owned by husbands or fathers, to the attainment of full citizenship and (supposedly) equal rights with men. This hard-won legislative and cultural change has allowed women greater freedoms, but it has also given rise to an expectation of physical dignity, and of ownership over our own bodies, as epitomised in liberal abortion provisions and stricter sexual assault laws.

The legislative squeezing-out of home birth represents a serious regression in this reform process. Given that the new laws will effectively make private midwife-assisted home birth illegal, the Federal Government is acting to deprive most women of the ability to make a fundamental choice about their own bodies; the choice to birth in a non-medicalised environment.

Home Birth Ausralia has just learnt that the Bills will be debated next week in Parliament (how can the Senate committee work through 2000 submissions in such a short space of time?).

Around 6 months ago I made a joke late at night on Facebook that I felt like a Suffragette, I feel like one 24/7 now! I look forward to a fantastic rally in Canberra on September 7. We are looking forward to a very BIG turnout. Women are coming with bellies and babies in tow to give a very clear message to the Rudd Government. ndividual women will decide where and with whom they share the intimacy of birth NOT politicians and bureaucrats.

It has also been confirmed today that Homebirth Australia has been invited to provide oral evidence before the Senate Committee on August 6.

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The Australian Bush Flower Essences range includes many flowers to help with issues specific for women.

The most important flower of all for women is She Oak. It is excellent for helping to restore female balance at any time during a woman’s life, be it puberty, menstruation, conception, pregnancy, menopause or aging.

Sometimes a woman is unable to fall pregnant, yet all the medical tests show that everything looks fine and there is no reason physically which she is not conceiving. In these instances, She Oak is worth considering.

Birth can be an extremely empowering experience for a woman if she is supported emotionally and encouraged by those around her. Even in the absence of this, Bush Fuchsia will allow her follow her own gut instincts in regards to her pregnancy, birth and mothering style.

Many emotions and thoughts around sexuality, touch, and intimacy can also be assisted with the Essences.

Flannel Flower (above) helps you to feel more comfortable with physical touch and enjoy your sensuality, while Billy Goat Plum addresses iissues surrounding body image.

For relationships, Bush Gardenia has helped many a couple reconnect and remember what first brought them together, to be more considerate of each other, communicate more deeply, and rediscover the passion of the early years as a result.

Old Man Banksia can be very helpful if you are feeling bogged down, especially if you are feeling disheartened, weary, burdened or frustrated. I often give it to women who are feeling this way after having a baby or around about the age of 40 or at menopause. Times of hormonal change are when we are often more prone to these emotions, and Old Man Banksia can be of great assistance. These are times when we tend to re-evaluate our life direction and goals and any discontentment with our situation becomes apparent.

The aboriginal women were well aware of this and considered this flower sacred and a symbol of female spirituality. This is not surprising given their strong connection to their land and with the plants and animals they shared it with.

To meet Old Man Banksia out in the wild and learn more about its healing qualities, have a look at the video below.

Have you used any Australian Bush Flower Essences?

• Which of the Essences in this post have you used?
• How did you find them?
• Would you like to know more?

Please share your experiences in the comments section below.

If you would like to learn more, Australian Bush Flower Essences hold their one day workshop ‘Australian Bush Flower Essences and Womens Wellbeing all over the world. For details on the next one near you, click here.

Have you done The Women’s Wellbeing workshop?

• What did you think of it?
• Did you gain any insights?
• How has it changed your life?

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Motherwort is one of my favourite herbs and I reach for it daily in the clinic. It is wonderful for women of all ages.

In the olden days herbs were often given a common name reflecting their use – Knit bone for Comfrey for example. Wort is the Olde English word for herb so this plants common name is literally Mother Herb.

During child bearing years, Motherwort is great for treating Pre Menstrual Syndrome, painful or late periods and irritability. To settle even the heaviest of periods it is one of the best herbs of all.

Motherwort assists with long difficult labours and Chinese herbalists often use it to slow down post delivery bleeding. According to the famous 16th Century herbalist Nicholas Culpepper, There is no better herb to drive melancholic vapours from the heart, to strengthen it and make the mind merry.. Besides, it makes women joyful mothers of children, and settles their wombs. As such, I often give Motherwort to prevent or treat post natal depression. Additionally, there is a whole range of emotions which are unique to mothers, and Motherwort shines when it comes to helping mothers regain their emotional equilibrium. In this respect I find it the herbal equivalent of the Australian Bush Flower Essence Alpine Mint Bush.

During menopause, it is really useful for treating hot flushes and night sweats. A leading Australian herbalist (male!) recommends its use for hysterical menopausal women. Whether or not menopausal women are ‘hysterical’ or simply finding their voices is debatable, however I would say that in my experience Motherwort is certainly excellent for balancing womens emotions as well as their bodies.

The Latin name for Motherwort is Leonurus cardica literally translating as lion hearted. In this respect, physically, Motherwort has historically been used to settle palpitations and tightness in the chest. Emotionally it has a strong reputation for strengthening the heartessential for the mother of the house to effectively nurture her family as well as herself.