engorged breasts, swellings / 1994

Botanical name: 

Date: Thu, 21 Jul 1994 19:42:14 EDT
Sender: "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants discussion list <HERB.TREARN.BITNET>
From: "Robert L. Lamons" <rlamons.PEN.VA.US>
Subject: Engorged Breasts

According to my wife the best cure for milk engorged breasts is to cover them with a cabbage leaf. This can be changed when the leaf becomes limp. Do two or three leaves and the milk should dry up. Be carful not to express any milk as this will stimulate production.

Dont remember who asked but I put it out for all.


From: Petra Hinds <Petra.Hinds.ADMIN.UTAS.EDU.AU>

>sounds like nonsense to me.SS

Not necessarily so! Our local maternity hospital (The Queen Victoria) use cabbage leaves to ease painful breasts and to assist the drying up process.

My mum had mastitis (sp) and said cabbage leaves were the only thing that gave relief.

Petra


From: Christopher Hedley <christopher.GN.APC.ORG>

not so daft, cabbage leaves are brilliant for any inflammatory condition...ie. hot and painful. they reduce the inflammation very quickly, try them around sore throats and swollen inflammed joints.

if your breasts are engorged but not actually inflammed try drinking garden sage (salvia) tea, cold in large amounts. this tends to dry up your milk. sage tea is also the best treatment for painful, lumpy breasts....*but avoid it during pregnancy, except with expert advice.

happy wrapping

christopher hedley MNIMH


From: nirvana john <robbee.CRL.COM>

> What are the best varieties of cabbage to use or does it matter?

The 'garden' variety you find at the grocers.

Rob


From: "Robert L. Lamons" <rlamons.PEN.VA.US>

Austrailian doctors found that they could drain water/fluid on the knee easier without invasion with the cabbagte leaves. The lactation experts in the hospital hypothesized if it works on knee fluid it might work on breast engorgement. It has been used widely down under by Le Lache folk and naturopaths.