Hormones… the communicators of our bodies. They can either make us, or break us. Did you know that herbs can help you balance your hormones?
A small imbalance in your hormones can have a huge effect in your body. Hormones helps to control your menstrual cycle. They are chemical signals that are sent through the body and keep your cycle running smoothly. Your brain, ovaries, and uterus work together and use hormones to communicate with one another.
2 herbs you can use to balance your hormones:
Chaste Tree Berries
Chaste tree has successfully helped many women with irregular hormones and has been used for a full scope of menstrual disorders, including amenorrhea.
How does Chaste Tree Berries work?
Chaste tree acts on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. They are responsible for regulating hormones in the brain. Chaste tree helps to wake them up and encourages them to increase Luteinizing Hormone (LH) production and mildly inhibiting the release of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). This results in a shift between the oestrogen and progesterone ratio, in favour of progesterone. However, it may be used to balance hormones in both oestrogen or progesterone dominance.
Chaste tree stimulates ovulation, which in return produces progesterone. It can also be used to lengthen a short luteal phase (second half of the cycle) which may increase fertility.
These berries inhibit the pituitary gland from releasing prolactin by combining dopamine receptors, particularly when stress cause elevated prolactin. Elevated prolactin levels may cause hormone imbalances. During testing, prolactin release was significantly reduced with no side effects noted.
Don’t expect immediate results when using Chaste Tree, because it doesn’t provide the body with actual hormones. It activates the menstrual cycle glands and organs to get the body to do its job correctly. This balancing function takes time. It usually begins to take effect after three months.
Stingy Nettle
Ancient physicians used Stingy Nettle to induce or regulate menstruation and increase libido.
Its anti-androgenic features allow it to minimise high levels of androgens (testosterone) in women. High levels of testosterone in women can lead to severe hormone imbalances. Even though stingy nettle does not contain any hormones, it may help normalise or increase the sex hormones in the body by increasing Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG).
Stingy Nettle may also be used to reduce heavy periods. It is rich in iron which may assist with anemia. Additionally, it has also been found to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties.
We used Chaste Tree Berries and Stinging Nettle extracts in our Femina products.
