Hormones play a huge role in a host of ailments that women suffer from.
Discussions over hormone issues have increasingly become more a focus over the past few years. It almost seems as though hormones didn’t even exist for decades prior! It really wasn’t until links to hormone imbalances and cancer that the populous as a whole started to take notice.
Conventional medicine began with responding by prescribing synthetic hormone replacement therapies…and that was an epic fail.
A failure that left a huge void, one perfect for the introduction of natural hormone balancing remedies…herbs, namely, in all their glory! And with it came their ability to work with the body to pinpoint the imbalance and correct it — which by the way, will be different for everyone.
Katie over at the Wellness Mama writes an excellent article, “9 Tips to Help Balance Hormones” that covers the topic beautifully. I highly encourage you to read her post!
Hormonal imbalances can often be the cause of:
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Adrenal fatigue
- Autoimmune diseases
- Weight gain [read more about all-natural weight loss here…]
- Dark skin discolorations
- Hot flashes
- Fibromyalgia
- Food cravings
- Breast Cancer
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety
- Irritability or mood swings
- Low libido
- Memory loss or lack of focus
- Depression
- Hot flashes
- Rapid heartbeat
- Headaches/Migraines
- Infertility issues
- Hair loss or thinning
- Increase in facial hair
Although this list seems lengthy, these are but a few of the symptoms that could occur as a result of hormonal imbalance in women.
Three+ years ago I was experiencing extreme fatigue, irregular cycles, hair loss, migraines, and a variety of other issues. I scheduled an appointment with my naturopath and had a full workup including hormone testing, blood count, adrenal function, and vitamin/mineral uptake.
I was fearful because just 2 years prior my mother had been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.
Everything came back beautifully and perfect.
We concluded that the stress of then full-time work, school, and rearing young children was taking its natural toll!
Nevertheless, it set me on a course for ultimate health, stress reduction, and a desire to live in peace with my body and nature…as it should be.
That was the moment herbal health stepped in like a ray of light…illuminating my path for future health.
That said…
…it may be worth having your hormone levels checked if you have even the slightest question concerning your health or display any of the more serious conditions listed above. Because when our hormones are out of balance, it places greater stress on the body systems — greatly reducing our ability to fully heal.
Women’s Vitality Tea
Years ago I developed this lovely blend of powerful botanicals — for both my mom and I. The herbs used to craft this herbal tea were chosen for their unique ability to balance progesterone and estrogen levels within the woman’s body.
From a reduction in menopausal symptoms for many of my family members and friends to a viable pregnancy for a dear friend. The blessings brought on from this tea have been just that…a blessing!
And today I’d like to share the recipe with you.
Ingredients
- 3 parts raspberry leaf
- 1 part chaste tree berries (vitex)
- 2 parts nettle leaf
- 1 part astragalus root
- 1 part oatstraw
- 1 part blessed thistle
- 2 parts peppermint
Note: Naturally the results will be different for everyone. This is by no means a cure-all. I’m just happy to share with you my experience with these plants. Please use conventional wisdom and consult with your medical professional prior to taking this or any other herbal supplement. And as we know all to well the FDA doesn’t like any type of claim…this information is purely educational in its purpose.
Not suitable for pregnant or nursing mothers.
Another Note: Unless you are allergic to oats. Gluten sensitivity will not be activated by use of oatstraw. And allow me to further clarify on the use of vitex (chaste tree berry). Historically (and this information sourced from Mountain Rose Herbs) — as in two thousand years ago, or at least since the time of the Greek physician Dioscorides, vitex was recommended and given primarily to men in battle and to monks to suppress sexual desire. Men should NOT take chaste berries in any form.
On the other hand, The German Commission E has approved the use of chaste berries to support a healthy and regular menstrual cycle. Studies have shown efficacy in reducing the unpleasant symptoms of the menstrual cycle. When combined with other herbal ingredients (such as those in this tea blend), vitex has been shown to support menopausal health.
Method
- Measure the parts of each of the herbs listed and mix in a large bowl until well combined.
- Grab your tea accessories, tea infusers, and/or tea pots…and brew a cup! (Note: I get all of my loose leaf tea-making supplies online from Mountain Rose Herbs.)
- This herbal tea blend will keep stored in a cool, dark place for approximately 6 months. (Note: I like to store all of my teas in glass jars with tight-fitting lids.)
To prepare: Add 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup of hot water and steep for 3-5 minutes. You may find that it benefits from the addition of a bit of milk (your choice) and/or raw honey to smooth out the flavor.
To use: I like to take 1 cup first thing in the morning and one around noon. I recommend daily consumption. You could also use this herbal blend to make a tincture for a stronger — more convenient — medicine. Note: Please see my article “How to Make an Herbal Tincture” for more details on handcrafting tinctures at home.
Where Can I Get This Stuff?
–Mountain Rose Herbs…they have everything you’ll need for this remedy! It’s your one-stop-shop!
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Very good idea. I attended a seminar on women’s health and hormones last week and was absolutely fascinated with how much hormones play a role in our lives. The expert talked about the importance of avoiding xenoestrogens that are synthetic estrogens in our environment which trick our body into thinking we have lots of estrogen, so then our progesterone and testosterone levels go down. Our environment and the foods we eat can have a huge impact on hormonal imbalance.
I love this, Andrea. Do you have any ideas to substitute oatstraw for those who are on a gluten free diet? Blessings~Kim
Hi Kim…Unless you are allergic to oats, gluten sensitivity will not be activated by use of oatstraw.
This post came at a great time as I really need to do something more about my hormone health right now. Thank you for the recipe, I am absolutely going to give this a try for the next 6 months or so and see how I feel.
We recently visited a naturopath for issues with my five year old daughter and was told, she was already showing hormone levels are high. Is this something to use with her? Anyone have ideas or insight I dont want my baby getting an early period:(
Be aware of all the plastics and soy in her life. Plastics leach BPA, which is an endocrine disruptor each time you use them. Soy products, unless fermented are estrogenic.
Thank you!
Great suggestions. Id also add to make sure you remove any products that have pthalates and parabens, which are often found in shampoos and other beauty products.
Yes! We but our shampoo etc from Trader Joes, so hopefully we are good there. Will have to check. Thanks:)
Just because you buy them at a quality store don’t take for granted that they are quality. Read the labels!
Will do! Are those stores able to sell products with those things in?
Hi, Shannon.
Any store can sell products filled with endocrine disrupting chemicals and most do, as the cosmetics industry is largely unregulated. Besides removing plastics (note that many plastic toys and lunch boxes also contain phthalates), you should check all other products in your home that your family might apply to their skin, any scented products, cleaning products, candles and air fresheners, etc.
Here is a basic list of some Toxic Ingredients to Avoid:
• FRAGRANCE/PARFUM—hundreds of legally hidden chemicals called a “trade secret.” Phthalates (THAL ates), a known endocrine disruptor are linked with birth defects, breast cancer, infertility, liver, cancer, diabetes, obesity, autism and ADHD are hidden in this term more than 75% of the time.
• PARABENS—endocrine disruptors that mimic estrogen and are connected with breast cancer, hormone disruption, allergic reactions and skin rashes. *ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS*—are very important to avoid as the endocrine system regulates ALL biological processes including brain and nervous system development, growth/function of the reproduction system, metabolism, blood sugar levels, ovaries, testes, pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands.
• TRICLOSAN—an endocrine disruptor and active ingredient in anti-bacterial products, as well as a registered pesticide and cousin to Agent Orange.
• OXYBENZONE & OCTINOXATE – endocrine disruptors in sunscreens.
• PETROLATUM & PETROLEUM BY-PRODUCTS- endocrine disruptor and carcinogenic (cancer causing).
• PEG’s (Polyethylene glycol chemicals) — petroleum by-products which are carcinogenic and cause liver and kidney problems.
• SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) & SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES)— detergents that create suds or foam and carcinogens.
• INGREDIENTS THAT END IN –eth like ceteareth, triceteareth, etc., are carcinogenic.
• RETINYL PALMITATE— key ingredient in sunscreen that enhances skin cancer lesions by 21% when exposed to the sun.
• NANOPARTICLES—mineral sunscreens use zinc and titanium nanoparticles which cross cell barriers and drive into organs, including the brain in humans.
• ALUMINUM & METALS—are accumulative and store in your fat cells and are extremely hard to get rid of.
• DIETHANOLOMINE (DEA), COCAMIDE DEA, & LAURAMIDE DEA—react with other ingredients in products to become extremely carcinogenic. Beware of other ethanolamines like triethanolamine (TEA) and monoethamolamine (MEA).
• FORMALDEHYDE RELEASERS: DIAZOLIDINYL UREA, DMDM, HYDANTOIN, QUATERNIUM—cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, joint pains, headaches, cancer, and immune dysfunction.
• MINERAL OIL— clogs pores in skin by blocking oxygen in skin respiration.
• TALC—related to asbestos, dangerous to inhale, and linked to ovarian cancer.
• SYNTHETIC COLOR & DYES—Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5 & 6, and Red 33 come from coal tar which are highly carcinogenic.
• GLYCOL—a synthetic petrochemical mix linked to allergic reactions, cancer, developmental/reproductive issues, neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption.
Best wishes to you and your family.
Thank you! We have really tried to be all natural the last two years!,Even startes my own all natural bath and body business. Hope and pray about the three years prior!
I was wondering if once you have every mixed together could you grind everything into a powder. Then fill capsules, I am not into dring tea.
I would definitely make an effort to keep her away from all conventionally raised animal products. The hormones that are injected into these animals is then concentrated in their products and then disrupt our normal hormone balance. Only use organically raised milk, meats, cheese, eggs, etc. The other thing you can do is make sure she is getting plenty of exercise and eating a lot of cruciferous vegetables. This will help to clear out excess estrogens. Good Luck!
http://femalehormonefix.com
Thank you! We do pretty well at all of these, but will be sure to get organic meat from Trader Joes. We usually only eat meat once a week and we no longer eat dairy. Great advice and suggestions. Thank yoy.
How much is a part????
I’m going to jump in here with an answer. A part is as much as you want it to be. If you wanted to make a lot of this, you could make one part = one cup. So you’d use three cups of raspberry leaf and one cup of chaste tree berries, etc. But maybe you don’t want to come out with a lot of tea at once, so you might use a tablespoon as one part. Then you’d use three tablespoons of raspberry leaf and one tablespoon of chaste tree berries. It’s the proportions that are important.
Cindy, a part can be any measurement you use consistently through the entire recipe. If 1 part equals 1 tablespoon then it will for each ingredient. ( 3 Tbls raspberry tea leaf, 1 Tbls chaste tree berries, 2 Tbls nettle leaf…. and so on) You could also measure in ounces…again just keep it consistent for each ingredient. enjoy!
It’s your call, Cindy. A part can be 1 cup, 1 tbsp – what ever amount you want to use. If you decide to use 1 cup, then you have to have 3 cups raspberry leaf, 1 cup chaste tree berries, and so on.
I hope that helps.
Cindy, a part is up to you. If you want to make a small batch, it could be a tablespoon. If you wanted to make a big batch, a cup. It’s like saying 1 part water to 1 part sugar: just means equal portions of water and sugar.
Thank you so much 🙂
Cindy, a “part” depends on how much you want to make. For many herbs, the ratio is one teaspoon per cup of water, so in that case a teaspoon would be one part. Sometimes you need more than one part of a specific herb while all the other herbs remain one part. By using “parts” in the recipe, it shows how to scale it up or down whilst keeping the herbs in proper ratio to each other.
This looks like a good blend and I’ve know people who have had good results from oat straw in particular and raspberry leaf, too, but everything in this recipe looks effective. The only ingredient I would question is the chaste berry (vitex)–it is effective but may cause a loss of sex drive (hence the name chaste berry; “chaste” means no sexual activity.) It may not cause loss of sex drive in everyone, though.
Thank you Marie, Meg and Wanda. You rock 🙂
I was wondering about the chaste berry. Thanks for clarification.
Let me further clarify on the use of vitex (chaste tree berry). Historically (and this information sourced from Mountain Rose Herbs) — as in two thousand years ago, or at least since the time of the Greek physician Dioscorides, vitex was recommended and given primarily to men in battle and to monks to suppress sexual desire. Men should NOT take chaste berries in any form.
On the other hand, The German Commission E has approved of chaste berries to support a healthy and regular menstrual cycle. Studies have shown efficacy in reducing the unpleasant symptoms of the menstrual cycle. When combined with other herbal ingredients (such as those in this tea blend), vitex has been shown to support menopausal health.
Hi! I’d like to comment on the use of chaste tree berry or vitex. It is an adaptogenic herb that is thought to work by triggering and resetting the master gland, the hypothalamus. So it’s action is not based on gender, but is based on resetting imbalances in hormones: either too high (as in reducing libido in men who are feeling too virile), or too low…which is why it’s suggested for raising libido in those who are not feeling as frisky.
There are often root causes of low libido that center around adrenal fatigue, and chronic infections that can shunt the raw materials that the body needs away from the hormones and toward the production of cortisol. (Called pregnenolone steal if you want to look that up)
This looks like a wonderfully nourishing tea blend!
Shannon, I can sympathize with you. My granddaughter (who we raised from birth) had hair growth under her arms and pubic area at five years old, breast buds at seven, and started her period at nine. How do we explain these atrocities to a baby? It’s disgusting (and should be outlawed) that meat and chicken producers are allowed to pump ANY hormones into the animals, let alone the sheer quantity that they give them. I know in my heart and gut that that is the reason for so many people having hormone imbalances, especially young girls. You have my very best wishes and prayers for a healthy daughter.
Thank you! We rarely eat meant anymore except if from Trader Joes. I have showed concerns with the breast buds she had as an infant that never went away. Dr keeps saying baby fat but naturopath has now said this. Thankfully have not noticed any hair yet.
When will you have for sale, premade??
Hi Suzanne! You can find the link to the listing on my Etsy Shop at the bottom of this post. This handcrafted (just by me) tea is for sale there! Thank you for your support 🙂
Thanks for the recipe – I will print it out and share, but for now I’m thrilled you have it ready made for me to buy on ETSY. I’ll be over to order some this weekend! Thanks, Andrea!
Thank you for this beautiful post! Im ordering just as soon as I sign off from here. Bless you for sharing and caring.
when I went to Mt Rose to order, they seem to be out of many items. 🙁 The chaste tree berries, is that the tincture or actually berries?
Check out Starwest Botanicals and Bulk Herb Store! They have it all in stock!
Would it be ok to add red clover flowers? In what proportion? I’ve heard about tue benefits of red clover, esspecially combined with raspberry and nettle.
That sounds like a LOVELY addition Heidi!
this is exactly what I need. thank you!
When measuring a “part,” should I be measuring by weight or volume? Since different herbs weigh different amounts (especially berries vs. leaves), I would think that this would make a significant difference.
You posted it just in perfect time!!!! I found out about thyroid problems after my baby was born and have to take hormons to fix the problem /wish I knew about it a little bit earlier. Will definitely get this from your store!!! Thank you for posting
http://dcinstyle.com
Should these be chopped up somehow? It seems like they should. Thank you for sharing!
This is very interesting. I’ve just been using red clover so far.
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I tend to break out when I touch nettles, do I need to be cautious about that, since it is an ingredient?
If I have had a hysterectomy therefore no longer getting a period, should I eliminate the chasteberries?
I have had breast cancer as well and can’t take any type of hormones.
Please, if you have or have ever had a problem with depression or other mood disorders, do not take vitex (chaste tree berry). It can make things so much worse. I found out the hard way! When I did more research on it, I found that it can aggrivate those problems, but it was only on a couple of the websites. Everything else didn’t have that information! Do your research very well.
Great article, especially if the reader is a female. Are there any herbal hormone teas/herb combinations for us guys in our mid 30’s ? Something that would do to alleviate the same symptoms mentioned above.
Hi I’m a BF mother so I know the peppermint is not good while doing so. Is there anything else that’s not. Thank You
You are a blessing in this world. This is a simple and possibly life altering solution.
Do you have a recipe for Men’s hormones?
Do you know if this is safe for Breastfeeding moms?
Hi Andrea,
First of all I wanted to say that you have really inspired me! I have changed all my washing and cleaning products to natural and also make my own cosmetics. Your site is great, I just hadn’t got round to commenting yet…
Now… Back to this blog post.. I would love to have a go at making this lovely sounding concoction, but I am struggling to find all the ingredients in the UK. I have only seen ready made chaste berry supplements or chaste berries in huge amounts for horses (are those any different?!).
Has anybody found all the ingredients in the UK or somewhere else where it could be delivered to the UK?
Sorry, this comment turned out a little bit longer than planned.. : )
Any help is very much appreciated!
Have a lovely day everybody – and an even better new year!
Do you have a recipe for Men’s hormones?
Maca powder balances both men and women’s hormones without hormones in the Maca root itself. Also take ginseng as well. These two together helped balance me out.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR YOUR HORMONES TO BALANCE ? I AM 60 YRS OLD, WENT THUR MENOPAUSE WITH MINOR HOT FLASHES, AND NONE AFTER I FOUND MY TRIGGERS. THANKS IN ADVANCE
So, the author never directly answered this question: is this recipe formulated by volume or by weight?
I know this is a fairly old post, but could you please tell us if this recipe is by volume or by weight?
Jennifer – I haven’t got an answer back from the author, but in other research on herbal medicines that I’ve done this week, it seems that the standard has always been to formulate by weight. Also, that’s how all the herbs are sold, by pounds and ounces. So, that’s how I’m doing mine!
should I stop my prescribed med.s before or after the tea? and what about numb feet?
Nancy,
You should never stop taking prescribed meds without consulting your GP and/or a qualified herbalist / naturopath first.
As for numb feet, I’d suggest seeing your GP or a naturopath as soon as possible.
Blessed Be 🙂
I was wondering if anybody might know if this is okay to take with minipill birth control.
Even though I am only 18, I have suffered from major hormone issues (I used to live in the states so I couldn’t do anything about it, now that I live somewhere else I can finally get some help about it)
In the meantime I’d love to know if this will in any way make my birth control not do its job
It says it helps regulate the menstrual cycle, I’d like to know if that makes my minipills not able to do their job.
Thanks to all who might be able to help out 🙂
Hi,
I am going to order some of your Tea but am wondering….
Have you looked into the link you supplied under
Hormonal imbalances can often be the cause of:
Thyroid dysfunction [read more…] <—————-
How does what his message states compare to using your tea???
Thank you for a wonderful site! I would like to know before ordering my herbs for the tea if (1) The Chaste tree berries are the whole or power? Which one should I buy? That also is for Oatsraw – whole or powder? (2) The peppermint is that peppermint leaf organic or oil? (3) Do you strain the leaves out of the tea or drink all of it? Thank you again. Susan
Since I have been in menopause for 5 years, is this tea something I should be drinking? Thank you.
I am curious how to measure more accurately, you have parts, what about transferring this into tsp?
Hi. I was wondering if you could share the dosage if I were to make this as a tincture. Thanks so much!
you can get Mountain Rose and Starwest herbs at leavesandroots.com
Can this be used if breastfeeding? My son is 8 months. And my hormones are out of control.