Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), since ancient times, has plagued women with it’s a complicated mix of hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and a variety of psychosocial factors.
Without doubt, the occurrence rate of PMS has seen a dramatic increase. As women experience more environmental stressors — including genetically modified foods, synthetic hormones, pesticides, and plastics which are all now common place in our industrial food system — coupled with the stress of career, family, and home it’s no wonder our bodies scream for help.
The symptoms of PMS typically begin occurring 10-14 days prior to the onset of menses. And because there are so many different causes and things that contribute to the disruption of hormones — i.e. estrogen and progesterone — during the monthly cycle…I won’t even attempt to address all of those possibilities in this post!
Nonetheless, I will say that these hormonal imbalances are usually caused by some type of physiological disorder, diet, environmental pollutants, and/or a variety of other stressors. Please note that the treatment of specific causes for PMS symptoms is best left to your medical provider…someone who is experienced with women’s health and hormone balancing.
Home-Based, Herbal Care for PMS Symptoms
As far as I am concerned, and speaking in generalities, home-based health care surrounding PMS should primarily be focused on the treatment of the liver.
The liver? Yes you read that right 🙂
Our liver — along the the kidneys — works very hard to filter and detoxify our bodies daily; and in many cases, hormonal imbalances can be caused by dysfunction of the liver.
Let me explain…part of the liver’s job includes the breaking down of progesterone and estrogen. Subsequently, if the liver isn’t working properly, hormones aren’t being processed properly. You see how this can leave an imbalance throughout our entire system! The beautiful thing is, a healthy liver can usually normalize our hormones — not always, but usually.
Therefore, when treatment the symptoms of PMS at home our focus should be the healthy function of our liver.
And here are a few suggestions — many that I’m sure you’ve heard before but I’ll say them again — that can help to get you started:
1. Lessen your stress (’cause that’s super easy to do)
2. Exercise regularly
3. Establish good sleeping habits
4. Work toward regular bowel function
5. Eat your fruits and veggies
6. Consume grass-fed meats ONLY
7. Stay away from refined sugars
8. Decrease caffeine consumption (yes that means chocolate too)
9. Swear off foods that effect estrogen (the worse offenders: commercially raise meats and soy products).
10. Drink several cups of the following liver cleansing tea daily.
Women’s Liver Tea: For PMS Symptom Relief
Ingredients
-2 parts dandelion root
-2 parts burdock root
-1 part chaste tree (vitex) berry
-1/4 part ginger root
Method
Combine all the herbs into a brown bag or glass jar and store in a cool, dark place. Prepare the tea as a decoction (please click here to see my post containing specific instructions on creating a decoction). Use approximately 1 spoonful of the herbal blend per cup of water and simmer for 15 minutes. Drink several (3-4) cups daily. Note: This herbal blend can also be made into a tincture for ease of use. In that case you would take half a teaspoon of the tincture three times a day. Click here to learn how to make a tincture.
What tried and true remedies have you found to be effective for the treatment of PMS symptoms?
Mountain Rose Herbs and the Bulk Herb Store are my go-to online shops for all of my medicinal herb needs.
You posted this at a time when I need it the most! I never thought about my liver function during this time! I will need to get these herbs now. Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Bama!
We have a red raspberry bush out back and I dry the leaves for tea to help my PMS. I agree with the cutting out of soy products. I used to “hide” for a couple of days, encouraged by everyone I know, and now I do not even take pain relievers for cramps 🙂
Thanks for the great recipe. I’ve been ordering herbs from Mountain Rose and I have all of those:)
Dr. Schulze has a liver detox tea. I purchased his 30 day detox regimen when it was on sale last month. The liver detox is 5 days of the cleanse. Here’s the ingredients for the tea: dandelion root, burdock root, cardamon seed, ginger root, pau d’arco bark, cinnamon bark, clove bud, fennel seed, licorice root, juniper berry, black peppercorn, uva ursi leaf, horsetail herb, parsley root, orange peel. We’re going to do the full cleanse once our veggie garden starts producing.
Here’s his web address. https://www.herbdoc.com/index.php/?c=1 Lot’s of free info (books and videos) in the education tab.
Hiya!! I featured this post on my Sunday Link Love!
http://ournourishingjourney.com/2012/05/21/link-love-3/
Andrea, would you have any recommendations for herbal preventatives for ovarian cysts?
Try Sage…www.herbalwisdom.com search sage
Herbs play a significant role to maintain our health. There are a number of Herbal teas available and these may ease PMS symptoms but we should have to consult a doctor before using them as herbal treatments are not approved by world’s best health organizations like FDA. ESSIAC Herbal Tea
world’s best? that is definitely an opinion. these herbs WORK!!! I’m a female that has been menstruating for 52 years and have had 12 children. these herbs are amazing!! and are WAY better for my body than any medical cocktail the FDA approves. tried the FDA”s way as a teen and ended up with all kinds of feminine health issues. it wasn’t until I got chemical free and did it naturally that my body straightened out. been chemical free for the last 20 years without ever looking back! I say, try this out and give it a good try along with the other recommendations posted then IF it doesn’t help, look into other options.
thanks andrea.
this is very helpful.
i wondered why you didn’t add milk thistle to your tea as i would have always thought this was a key herb for the liver?
I am currently breastfeeding my 1 year old and haven’t menstruated yet and i don’t feel i have pms/pmt .
but i do have an obvious symptom of hormonal imbalances it’s coarse hair growth on my chin and some dark hairs on the sides of my face.
i am healthy fit i do all of the above i’m ideal weight 8.5 stone.iam 32 years old and have 3 children
i have no other health probs no pcos
i don’t have fertility issues i birth easily ..even at home..
i just don’t know what to do
money is tight so i can’t really afford a herbalist to address the hormonal issue or laser treatment to treat the symptom
i pluck the hairs but then they in grow and the area develops pimples.sory it all sounds a bit ugly..
but i would love a solution or even something to lessen the hair growth .
do you have any ideas on herbs to help overtime to balance my hormones or books i’m fairly knowledgeable on herbs we self diagnose all the time..so an advanced book would be no problem for me to read..i treat the areas affected with organic ACVinegar and french green clay i also take both internally.
so if there was any help you cold offer i would love to here it maybe a start would be for me to take that liver tea
also have you heard of the herb Shatavari i wonder would this help me.also mexican wild yam i wonder would that help
i’m looking forward to hearing from you
thank you
nora
Hi,I am not a herbalist but, have you tried ground flaxseed or sage. They are both good for female hormones.
Thank for your herbal recipes, I am planning to buy the herbs needed for this tea and the one for weight loss. I have used some herbs like fennel seeds, sage,and fenugreek and I have seen good things from them. Now herbal medicine is my first choice of treatment and your site is very helpful.