Hormone balance is something I think about often as an herbalist who sees a wide range of women who menstruate or are in menopause.
The topic of hormones is very "hot" right now (as it ought to be) given for the last century they have been written off as nothing more than a problem that women experience and need to be treated for by performing a hysterectomy, hormonal creams or birth control pills.
While these methods may be right for some people, there are also less invasive options becoming more readily available as women begin to push for support from their primary care providers while education themselves about natural remedies. I always say do what is best for you, no judgment here.
Less invasive options may be herbal remedies, dietary changes, supplements and/or lifestyle changes. I am in awe of the potency and power of plants, being an herbalist, especially when surgeries can be avoided.
Hormones are incredible messengers inside the body dancing among the many webs & inner workings of our cycles: menstruation, menopause, detox, hunger, fullness, stress indicators. They send so many messages to parts of our brain and endocrine system, keeping us alive and well. It fascinates me. I am in awe of this dance. The more I learn the less I feel I know about this mysterious yet innately wise sequence inside our bodies.
To learn more about hormones, check out Aviva Romm's blog and book, Hormone Intelligence. I won't get into the nitty gritty here but Aviva explains it all in great detail for us. I appreciate her breakdown of hormones:
“Leading Ladies”- Estrogen, Progesterone, Androgens (testosterone)
“Supporting cast” - Cortisol, Thyroid hormones, Melatonin, Insulin
“Behind the Scenes” - Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Prolactin
There are many angles of balancing our hormones. This article is very introductory and I hope it gives you a baseline of where to begin if hormones are affecting the quality of your life.
I will break it down in three parts: The Great Messengers, Societal Expectations, Herbal Allies.
# 1 The Great Messengers - your body's wisdom and intelligence is beyond incredible. What if the rage and resentment you are feeling is warranted and actually not a problem? I mean, the world is kinda a mess, right? What if hormones were sending you messages about the culture we live in not being supportive to your whole body & soul? Have you asked yourself, what is my body telling me?
Another viewpoint is that as we age, I believe our souls long for meaning and purpose. Moving toward fulfillment and joy cannot continue to be ignored. Maybe our hormones are directing us to look within to make changes, or question business as usual.
Why are we here? Are we on a path that we are fulfilled by and proud of?
If you think something is really out of balance, get your hormones tested with lab work. Ask your doc to also test thyroid levels. We are fortunate to have a combination of the medical system for testing and screening, plus holistic approaches. Information is empowering!
#2 Societal Expectations - is it normal to be the same all day every day? Or are our bodies constantly changing and providing us with new information each and every moment? I believe we are in a constant cycling whether hormonally, with the moon, with the seasons, with the day. Nothing remains the same. Change is inevitable.
Being kind and compassionate toward ourselves when changes occur makes sense, right? Mood swings are not fun. Especially when they are intense and impact our relationships. Every emotion happens for a reason. Even under anger, there can be deep grief, waiting to be invited to the surface with a listening ear. Stuck emotion are stuck Qi or energy. Stuck Qi leads to disease according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Try feeling the emotions as they arise rather than suppressing them. Or if you know what part of your cycle you tend to more volatile, prepare your partner ahead of time. Schedule space for yourself to take a walk, rage in the woods, journal with a cup of tea. Getting time alone without any demands on our attention is crucial. There are apps now to track cycles which makes it easier to know when your body demands you to have less demands on yourself. (Check their privacy settings so you aren't willfully giving your data away).
If you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or another, tell someone and get support.
#3 Herbal Allies - the plants are so supportive for hormonal balance especially when taken in addition to lifestyle changes. Lowering stress & getting enough sleep are key.
Adaptogens - these herbs build a robust nervous system while buffering from stress. I like to use ashwagandha, tulsi, astragalus, reishi mushroom, licorice root. Take the for a minimum of 3-4 months for best results. Rebuilding the adrenal system takes time.
Nervines - calm and restore us so we can rest. Sleep and rest are essential for regulating hormones. Herbs I like to use for sleep are: chamomile, catnip, California poppy, skullcap, milky oats, passionflower, and valerian. St. John'swort can also be a great ally for depression and mood swings, although is has a bunch of contraindications so cross check it first.
Liver Support: the liver processes and produces hormones so when we support the liver to do its job, everyone else is in flow. We live in a world with a lot of toxins so the liver is probably doing double duty. Motherwort, dandelion root, cleavers, red root, calendula, burdock root, milk thistle are my go to for liver love.
Hormone Regulators - depending on your age and what your hormone levels are, your herbalist can formulate a blend of herbs that will either increase or decrease specific hormones. That said, the body knows how to repair if we give it the chance so getting enough sleep and lowering stress will support the adrenals and liver to regulate hormones. I really like Vitex for the second half of the cycle to regulate progesterone and I feel it helps with that mood swing around day 18-20. That's often when I personally have a shortened rope (PMS) for everyone and everything. Black cohosh, wild yam, licorice, motherwort are all useful for peri-menopause and menopause support.
A list from a talk I gave:
It's best to discuss your goals with a herbalist and create a custom blend because we are all so different and our cycles vary. If any specific herbs call to you, I'd love to hear from you!
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