herbs for cervix

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Cervix

General characteristics

The cervix is the neck or narrowed channel at the bottom of the womb, opening into the vagina.

The cervix holds the uterus in position within the pelvic cavity by attachment with ligaments to the pelvic bones. It allows blood to exit the uterus during menstruation, lets sperm enter the uterus during/after sex, acts as a barrier to the outside world during pregnancy and softens and expands to allow babies to exit the uterus during childbirth.

It is mainly composed of connective tissue with a small layer of smooth muscle but the consistency and composition of the cervix changes and adapts in response to hormonal changes. It has secretory glands which are also heavily influenced by hormonal signals. Under oestrogen dominance (during ovulation) the secretions are increased, become more fluid like and stretchy and more receptive to sperm cells. Progesterone dominance renders the secretion much thicker and more hostile to sperm cells.

These cervical secretions also act as a barrier that protects the uterus from any unwelcome bacteria that may enter through the vagina.

Diet and lifestyle

A healthy diet can influence and increase the health of the cervix especially foods rich in vitamins C, E, folic acid and the other B vitamins such as dark green leaves, carrots and yellow/orange fruit and veg, whole grains, sprouted seeds and grains and cooked tomatoes. Eat them raw as often as possible in salad or juice form.

Wheatgrass juice is very beneficial to the health of the cervix and health generally. Have a very small 'shot' glass every other day if your cervix is unhealthy in any way.

Avoid sugary foods and refined carbohydrates as these can alter the environment of the vagina and lead to thrush and other infections.

Eat natural unsweetened yoghurt regularly to help maintain a healthy vaginal bacterial population.

Use fresh ginger in your foods or add to herbal teas.

Useful herbs

Use 20 drops of wild indigo tincture in water 3 times daily for cervical ulceration.

For abnormal pap smears and cervical cancer these herbs can be used as pessaries. Yellow dock, goldenseal, thuja, red clover, herb robert and marigold. To make pessaries use equal amount (25g) of all the herbs except for 5g of golden seal and 10g of thuja. Grind the herbal mix into a powder using a coffee grinder or similar. Melt some cocoa butter in a pan and add the herbal powders and mix thoroughly. When the mix is cooled and solid take small amounts of the mix and shape into pessary shapes. Wrap them individually in cling film and store in the fridge. Insert a pessary at night and wear a pad to catch the herbs as they melt. Use for 5 nights then have 2 nights rest. Do not use during menstruation or Pregnancy.

For cervical erosion drink equal parts of chamomile and pau d'arco tea, 3 cups daily. You can also soak a tampon in the tea for 20 minutes to which some slippery elm powder or pure aloe vera gel has been added and insert in the vagina. Insert a fresh one every few hours.

The immune balancing and stimulating herbs like echinacea, astragulus, pau d'arco, neem leaf, mullein leaf, cleavers, siberian ginseng and barberry can be used to help the body recover from cervical and vaginal infections and problems including abnormal smear results. Use equal amounts of the tinctures and take a teaspoon 3 times daily for around 2 months.

Slippery elm tea, when used as a douche or wash, can ease the pain and start the healing process in cervical erosion.

Natural healing

Use only organic, unbleached cotton tampons and sanitary pads. Bleached sanitary products are processed with an organo-chloride which has very unpleasant effects on anything living.

Avoid chemical and highly perfumed vaginal deodorants and washes as these upset the acid-alkaline balance and bacterial populations of the vagina.

Remember that hormonal contraceptive pills, implants etc are forcing the body's hormonal system to act in an unnatural way. Have a serious think about less harmful solutions if your cervix starts to display signs of dis-ease.

Take a good quality folic acid supplement.

Acidohphillus and probiotics can help keep bacterial populations in good balance in the intestines and vagina and act as part of the immune response.