FarmaCOPEia: Black Cohosh & Blood Clots

It wasn’t my intent to have posts in the FarmaCOPEia series publishing back-to-back, but in light of a recent health challenge, I decided I ought to share the information to ensure others, who may be at risk, are alerted to consider the possibility that Black Cohosh might not be a safe aspect in their organic supplement regimen.

About six weeks ago I developed a blood clot in my arm. Although a little residual discomfort and inflammation remain, but should continue to diminish over the next few months.

During my first follow-up exam, I submitted the small list of over the counter meds I take daily and as needed. The only organic med that drew attention was Black Cohosh.​

I began taking it in my late 40s when hot flashes became an ongoing nuisance. The herb is inexpensive and the dose is small--one, 40 mg tablet a day. Black Cohosh didn’t stop the hot flashes, but it did diminish their frequency and longevity. It also helped, at least a little. As for helping with other challenges, some related to menopause, and some not, I don’t know whether it helped or not. Fatigue and migraines have persisted the whole time I’ve been using it.

The nurse practitioner overseeing my care plan ran a web-search on Black Cohosh because she’d read some information previously in which it’d been linked to DVTs (deep vein thrombosis aka deep vein blood clots) in study patients.

In some studies, Black Cohosh was determined to help prevent DVTs. In other studies, it was determined to be a factor in causing them.

The herb is native to Eastern North America and has been used by the indigenous peoples for recorded centuries to largely help with a variety of women’s health challenges.

As current studies go, the information pro and con on Black Cohosh is about even and I’ve subsequently removed it from my organic medicine regimen. It took a day for the hot flashes to begin presenting more frequently but I’d rather manage them than another blood clot.

I’ve augmented my diet, yet again, to diminish my intake of green leafy vegetables. Being mostly vegan, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and spinach have been main staples in my diet for several years. Since the DVT, I’ve been replacing them with plants lacking in green, since they have a history of not playing well with people who have clotting issues. At least that’s the diet for now.

None of it's boring. I’ve even got a new favorite on my meat-replacement list. Carrot dogs! They’re seriously delicious. Really. Even carnivores love them. Check out this vid on how easy they are to make, via Ela Gale of YouTube.​

​So, there’s my heads-up on Black Cohosh and DVTs. Thought this information would be helpful for flashPress readers who follow the FarmaCOPEia series.

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ShoutOuts

☙ Mulberries-Food for Silk via WarnerWords

​☙ Hot Off The Press via marcoujor’s musings

​☙ Quinoa-Potato Pizza Crust via Cooking with Plants of YouTube

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The wrap!

If you're a regular here, you probably noticed I failed to post last week's edition. Reason for that is, I've had an increased activity schedule, but was running low on energy and couldn't keep up.

This isn't as grim as it may sound. 

There are so many good things happening and one in particular, is going to be a huge benefit to my writing schedule.

The work-time increase is coming from music students. I began with one and now I have about 10 full-time students and a few sporadic ones. This has not only been a huge blessing to my income, but also a personal blessing in that I've had to be consistently in practice and research to get me back up to speed with what I knew already, and to be learning new things fast enough to stay ahead of my students.

I had no idea I would have so much fun with them and what a personal blessing our interaction would bring. So, that accounts for several hours a month added to my schedule. 

In addition, soon, I'll be moving into new quarters of the sort of I've dreamed of and prayed for since before I left Texas. I'll be transitioning from I call the Village Mile Guest Quarters to my own tiny house (a vintage Fleetwood Prowler camper) that I'm totally in love with.

It's been kept in great condition and will be moved to my family's back garden/lawn area where my students can have plenty of room for lessons, and the little bit of tutoring I do. 

Won't have to share a bathroom. Will have my own galley. Windows in nearly every direction with beautiful views. I can sit under my awning, in a comfy chair, and have coffee with Fire grazing less than 10 yards away. 

Yup... I'm wayyyyyy excited about it!

So, thanks for listening and bearing with me while I work through this move and adjust to the schedule increase. There is another reason this is gonna be a great help with my literature, webmastering and editing schedule, but I'll wait 'til another time to share that with you and provide some pics of a walk-thru. 

Meantime, the plan is to stick with an every other Tuesday publishing schedule, for the next little while, to give me some elbow room in getting everything sorted. 

Thanks for your patience and hanging with me!

​Shalom!