Herb of the week: Carrot, Queen Anne's Lace.

A short-short profile:

Latin: Daucus carota.
Family: carrot family, Apiaceae.
Parts used: Seed, flower. Root.
Taste: Aromatic. Root sweet.
4 humors: Warm, dry. Root cool, damp.

Actions:

• contraceptive
• good for infertility
• nice digestive
• the root is very nutritive

Notes:

• Fresh carrot juice is pretty much just sugar.
• Carrots, chewed, are much more than that.
• You can go orange if you overdo the carrots. That's self-limiting though: drop the carrots and your interesting skin color will clear up.
• If you pick your own, make sure you pick carrot and not a toxic look-alike. Carrot ("Queen Anne's lace") has that purple center flower, in the middle of all that white. That's missing from the others. Carrot also smells of carrot, and is hairy all over (except for the root).

Experiences:

• Robin Rose Bennett (et al) did a bit of research on the contraceptive uses: 30 ladies took carrot seed/flower tincture as their only contraceptive. By the end of the year, 10 ladies were pregnant. Based on the input from said ladies, Robin Rose said that carrot was 95 % effective as a contraceptive (only 1/20 intercourses led to pregnancy). I sez that carrot is about 66 % effective, and give it for infertility instead.
• Carrot seed/flower tincture (or dried seed, chewed) makes the uterine lining exceedingly juicy. So fertile, in fact, that the hormones start to flow, and ladies start to think that it wouldn't be all that bad to "forget" the carrot seed just this once ... and whammy, they're preggers.
• Chew on a few seeds for various simple digestive upsets: you overate, or ate rancid fat, or feel a teensy bit green around the gills from something you ate. Any other edible carminative carrot family seed will help, too, though ... I usually keep caraway seeds around for just that purpose.

Comments on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/henriettes-herbal/herb-of-the-week-carrot/465094553501981

• None.

Comments on the herblist:

http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/herb

• From Heidi L.:
  Date: 2012 06 29 - 19:51:21 -0400

  I can say that from my experience, I would describe QAL seeds as making the uterine lining weep in excess when using to prevent implantation, and thin the fluids in when taken in small amounts, so as to increase fertility. I do not think the uterus is a mucous membrane?

• From Henriette:
  Date: 2012 07 01 - 19:07:19 +0300

  "I can say that from my experience, I would describe QAL seeds as making the uterine lining weep in excess when using to prevent implantation, and thin the fluids in when taken in small amounts, so as to increase fertility."

  Really? That's interesting ... I've thought of it more akin to the mucous membrane of the bladder repelling bacteria ... but I've probably thought wrong there.

  "I do not think the uterus is a mucous membrane?"

  No, the uterus is a muscle.
  The uterine lining (= inner coating of the uterus) is a mucous membrane, one that grows (with estrogen), gets organized (with progesterone), and gets shed (with menses) monthly, for as long as ladies menstruate.

• From Robin Rose Bennett:
  Date: 2012 07 01 - 11:53:12 -0500

  hi Henriette and all!

  I wish I had time to respond in more detail right now, but am readying for a big event and also finishing my new book!

  wanted to simply say i agree that carrot helps with both contraception AND fertility
  and I am most interested in continuing the explorations with wild carrot as it relates to:

  1. clarity of consciousness re: choosing pregnancy or contraception, ie, conscious contraception and conscious conception, I think fostering the relationship with wild carrot in this regard has the potential to be incredibly empowering to women

  2. I'm also open to finding ways to help carrot be ever more effective for natural, conscious contraception, whether by adding another herb to it, such as artemisia vulgaris, or finding a way to "deliver it" in the best way at the best time...right now I am feeling that the best method is seeds freshly ground and stirred into something fatty like almond butter... though lots of women swear by their tinctures

  I suggest that women who are using wild carrot for contraception be crystal clear in your intention and make sure your partner is too!

  am always open to hear others thoughts, research, experiences, etc...

  Green blessings,
  Robin Rose Bennett

It's in my book "Practical Herbs 2.

Please add your own experiences etc. in the comments.