Veronica Ricksen is a clinical Western herbalist and creator of Kapu, a holistic care company for women. She loves creating resources and products that connect women to nature and their bodies.

In this episode Veronica shares about her experience in finding herbal medicine and natural contraception through her own grueling decade-long experience of using a variety of hormonal contraceptives and IUDs, resulting in pelvic pain, severe acne, and more. These experiences led her to reconnecting with her menstrual cycle, both as a form of informed contraception as well as a way to inform the choices she makes in her life throughout her cycle. She shares about important herbs that women of fertile years should consider to promote their wellbeing while blending in the use of the Fertility Awareness Method in conjunction with her beautiful Menstrual Calendar Journal (co-created along with Anna Friedland ). Toward the end of our conversation, we touch on the topic of pelvic herbal steaming and when it may be a beneficial tool in a woman’s holistic health care regimen.

Veronica loves creating resources and products that connect women to nature and their bodies. Veronica lives in the Bay Area of California where she researches, creates, educates and offers herbal consultations. You can learn more about her herbal services and menstrual calendar journal at kapu.community.

Find her on instagram: @kapu.community

Resources discussed:

The Menstrual Calendar Journal Special Offer use code WOODALL for a discount
Anna Friedland Design (artist and collaborator of the Menstrual Calendar Journal)
Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health by Toni Weschler
Red Moon by Miranda Gray
The Optimized Woman: Using Your Menstrual Cycle to Achieve Success and Fulfillment
by Miranda Gray
factsaboutfertility.org
Blog post by Veronica: Pelvic Herbal Steam for Postpartum Care
Ethnobotanist research into pelvic steaming (referenced in the episode):
- Snake Gourds, Parasites and Mother Roasting
- Traditions and plant use during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum recovery by the Kry ethnic group in Lao PDR by Vichith Lamxay, Hugo J de Boer & Lars Björk
- An analysis of two indigenous reproductive health illnesses in a Nahua community in Veracruz, Mexico by Vania Smith-Oka
- Bakera, a herbal steam bath for postnatal care in Minahasa (Indonesia): Documentation of the plants used and assessment of the method
  Isabelle S. Zumsteg and Caroline S. Weckerle