Chances are that growing up, you had no idea you could regulate your hormones naturally.

It’s not your fault, and it was not mine when I started taking birth control at age 15 to help regulate horrible PMS symptoms. It was the only solution the doctor provided, and according to the internet, it was the most effective.

Chances are you’ve experienced PMS in one way or another, and if you haven’t then you are eternally #blessed.

The symptoms usually begin the week before our period, during the luteal phase, which is post-ovulation. We usually experience episodes of irritability, bloating, and other PMS related symptoms, but what I am here to tell you today is that there are specific herbs and natural remedies that can help ease these symptoms.

A lot of the time, the reason our symptoms are so severe is that our hormones are out of wack. For years I thought I had a form of bipolar only to find out I had a severe case of PMDD. I talked about this in my recent post: “PMS and PMDD: Similarities, Differences, and Natural Healing Methods.”

A Little Bit About Hormonal Imbalance

That said, let’s talk hormones.

Hormones are our body’s chemical messengers and they are key to keeping our body functioning properly. At a basic level, that is why our body experiences discomfort when our hormonal levels keep shifting. 

Hormonal imbalance occurs when there is an excessive amount of hormones in the bloodstream, or conversely, a low amount. They are important in regulating most of our emotional and physical reactions such as mood and stress, body temperature, and our reproductive cycles. Women are likely to experience imbalances in progesterone and estrogen levels. 

An imbalance of estrogen leads to a lot of problems from the simplest like bloating, to more complicated issues like blood sugar and fertility issues.

Progesterone, on the other hand, prepares the uterus for pregnancy. A low level of progesterone is usually indicated by headaches and irregular menstruation.

How to Know When You Have Hormonal Imbalance

There are tons of symptoms that can point towards hormonal imbalance, but here are a few listed below:

  • Irritability and Anxiety
  • Headaches
  • Infertility
  • Fatigue
  • Changes in temperature sensitivity
  • Weight gain or Loss
  • Difficulty sleeping

Keeping Your Hormones in Balance with Herbs

If you follow along with me on Instagram then you know supplementing with herbs has been a long time favorite of mine.

If you have decided to stay away from pills to regulate your hormones (go you!) and want to keep things natural, then you might want to try these herbs. Most of these supplements can be found in their original form, but you can also find them in capsule form if you don’t have the time to brew teas. I usually stick to them in capsule form. 🙂

Here Are 9 Herbs to Help Balance & Regulate Your Hormones Naturally

Cramp Bark

This herb is known to relieve pain from cramps, as the name says. Some also believe that it can help heal kidney stone diseases. It acts as a muscle relaxer which helps alleviate premenstrual pains. It can even be used to treat insomnia, cancer, and anxiety!

Cramp bark is high in antioxidants which can help reverse and prevent cellular damage in our body. Cramp bark can be taken usually as tea or liquid extracts or capsule forms.

You can take this in capsule form or you can take it in liquid form. This is the liquid form I use.

Ginger Rhizome

Ginger Rhizome is a spice with multiple health benefits and is amazing for balancing hormones since it’s an awesome inflammatory agent. Technically, it reduces common PMS symptoms like headaches and cramps by lessening the production of the prostaglandins in our body. 

The good thing is that it’s readily available, you can easily make your own cup of ginger tea at home.

I usually get this fresh at the grocery store and either juice it or make a tea with it.

Fenugreek Seed

This specific seed helps in balancing estrogen since it contains phytoestrogen. Aside from eliminating dysmenorrhea, it can also help increase low testosterone levels and improve libido.

One of the benefits of taking fenugreek is that it has inflammatory agents as well. You can use it trough powder form or seed extract.

I use this brand.

Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh is also known as black snakeroot or bugbane. It is popular for relieving pain from menopause syndromes like moodiness, hot flashes and the like. Not only that, it’s used to help induce labor in pregnant women and even PMS.

Approved in Germany as an alternative prescription to hormone therapy, it is also used widely in the US and Australia. Like many herbs, it can be taken as tea, or capsule form.

I use this brand.

Dong Quai

Dong Quai has been used for centuries to target and balance hormone imbalance and alleviate its syndromes as well as PMS. This herb is native to China, Japan, and Korea. Its roots are rich with immune-stimulating and anti-inflammatory compounds and it can help eliminate symptoms like hot flashes and menstrual cramps through balancing levels of estrogen in our body.

You can easily purchase it through supplements and tea. Since Dong Quai is so popular, there are many ways to take this including the usual tea and liquid form.

This is the brand I use.

Vitex/Chasteberry

Chasteberry supplements can help ease symptoms of PMS, acne and most importantly, it is believed to treat infertility in both men and women. According to science, it works through enhancing the function of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Others believe that it contains anti-aphrodisiac properties.

It is a slow-acting herb therefore you need about 6 months to see any improvement, but it does not have major side-effects. 

This is the brand I use.

Raspberry Leaf

The leaf of a raspberry plant can help relax blood vessels because it contains antioxidants making it useful when experiencing premenstrual syndrome.

It’s popular to use raspberry leaf tea. 

I drink this in tea form and use this co-op brand.

Dandelion

Dandelion leaf is great for menstrual bloating, breast tenderness and other difficulties associated with PMS. It works as a diuretic agent which in turn eliminates excess water in the body held during hormonal changes. On the other hand, the root works well in detoxifying the body because of the high plant estrogen it contains.

Like others, you can intake it as tea or other forms of supplements.

I drink this in tea form and use this co-op brand.

Maca Root

Lepidium meyenii or Maca root is mainly found in Peru and is known as an edible root vegetable. It can improve the hormonal process of reproductive axis and relieve symptoms of menopause.

Aside from helping you get into a good mood, maca root is believed to increase libido.

This is the brand I use.

I hope you enjoyed this article and feel a little bit more confident about working through your hormonal imbalance in a natural way. As always, thanks for reading and let me know if you have any questions or comments. I always like to mention that this is not medical advice, merely information on things that have personally helped me!

xx Linds

P.S. If you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out my post about seed cycling! This can also help balance hormones as well.