Hormones play a vital role in our bodies. They act as a “messenger” to different physiological processes and systems of our body, including our menstrual cycle. Once our body receives the “message” from the hormones, they will act accordingly.

This is why hormonal balance is important. A balanced system leads to a more balanced and optimal operation of our physiological systems – there’s no lack of signaling in one area and overriding processes in the other.

When looking at our menstrual cycle specifically, balance means that our menstruation will go smoother because our hormones work in equilibrium. On the other hand, if our hormones are imbalanced, this will lead to an irregular menstrual cycle, where we experience menstruation more pain than we should be.

The science of hormones may sound complex when we talk about things like the pituitary glands, thyroid, etc. but there are also small things we can do to improve our health. Aside from adjusting diet, nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle habits, we can add herbs into our day-to-day to support our bodies.

When getting started on your journey with herbs, herbal tea is the easiest way to get started. But first, let's chat about what causes the imbalances to begin with? And how can herbs help aid our menstrual cycle? Below we will discuss 6 herbs that can help with imbalances and why they can help.

What Are The Most Common Causes of Hormone Imbalances in Women?

Many factors can cause hormonal imbalances in women. Some of the most common factors that contribute to hormonal imbalances are stress, lack of sleep or proper rest, poor diet, lack of exercise and physical activity, imbalance or changes of the balance of your minerals and hydration, infection, and inflammation.

Poor or imbalanced gut health can also contribute to hormone imbalance since our microflora is directly correlated to the balance or imbalance of our hormones. Therefore, taking care of our gut health is very important.

Then, there are chemicals and artificial hormones that enter our body, either through consumption or by environmental factors, whether we know it or not. One of the most common causes of hormonal imbalances in this regard is birth control pills, which pump added hormones to your body. Since birth control pills pump added hormones, it makes sense to say that it will cause imbalance since it makes excess for certain hormones which it pumps in (estrogen and/or progesterone to be exact).

Here are some of the common symptoms:

• Headaches or migraines
• Acne
• Digestive problems
• Hair thinning or even hair loss
• Sleep problems
• Mood changes (irritability, sadness, anger, etc.)
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Muscle cramps
• Back pain
• Breast tenderness
• Hot flashes
• Loss of sex drive or libido

If you have to experience smoother menstruation, menstrual cycle, and optimal health in general, working on your hormones should be one of your priorities – and adding herbal tea can help you with it!

Why Is Tea Good to Support Your Menstrual Cycle?

Herbal teas can support your menstrual cycle and hormonal balance because it has antioxidant properties that can fight off inflammation which can contribute to hormonal imbalance and cause more painful menstruation.

That being said, not all teas are made equal, at least for this purpose. Some teas can better contribute to your hormonal health and menstrual cycle. Here are some of the 6 herbs which can support your hormonal health.

6 Herbs to Support Your Hormonal Health

 When it comes to choosing herbs that support hormone health, there are so many to choose from. If you know what type of imbalance you are trying to support, that can make the journey of narrowing them down easier. Whether you decide to utilize vitex, black cohosh, dong quai, dandelion root, or another herb, the good news is there are many to choose from.

1) Licorice root for hormone support

One of the main benefits of licorice root is its role in supporting healthy estrogen levels, which makes it a great tea or herb for promoting hormonal balance in your body. But aside from promoting hormonal balance in your body, licorice root is also great in curbing down your sugar cravings – which, in a way, can help for hormonal balance, too.

Poor diet is one of the main causes of hormonal imbalances, including too much sugar. Therefore, by helping you curb your sugar cravings, licorice root can help support your hormonal balance.

Licorice root also promotes liver detox, which is your body’s way to remove excess and dirty things in it – including chemicals that cause hormonal imbalance.

2) Raspberry leaf for hormone balance

In case you don’t know, a raspberry leaf tea is considered (or at least, marketed) as the “woman’s best friend”. Why? Because one of its main benefits is simply helping women to have better and smoother periods. Yay!

What makes raspberry leaf stand out is that raspberry leaf tea is not dangerous for women who are trying to be pregnant. It can even be beneficial for you!

However, this herb can cause some side effects. For a primer, this tea is an estrogen supplement – which meant hormonal imbalance! So, it is important not to consume too much tea and seek medical advice before adding it to your diet.

3) Cramp bark for hormone support

To those who don’t know it, its name may not sound appealing. But do you know that cramp bark is called just that because it helps with menstrual cramps?

So, there you have it. Cramp bark is an herb that can be very helpful in menstrual cramps. This herb is mainly used for managing and alleviating menstrual cramps that its name is associated with.

If you deal with menstrual cramps and other pain caused by PMS symptoms, you could get some relief from cramp barks’ relaxing and soothing effects.

4) Peppermint seeds for hormone balance

While peppermint is mostly known for relieving sinus problems, it can also be very helpful when it comes to menstrual cramps. This is because peppermint has antispasmodic properties, which are very helpful when relieving menstrual cramps and muscle contractions.

Aside from helping you relieve the discomfort caused by your muscle cramps, peppermint can also help you deal with stress since it can also act as a good stress reliever.

5) Chamomile for hormone support

Chamomile tea is one of the most commons teas when it comes to dealing with menstrual cramps because of its soothing effects. But what makes it stand out is that, compared to other herbal teas, is that chamomile tea is one of the safest herbs.

As a soothing tea, chamomile can be very helpful for your menstrual cramps. And as a soothing tea, chamomile tea can also improve your mood during your period.

6) Fennel seed for balancing hormones naturally

While some of the herbs mentioned above only deal with menstrual cramps and other PMS symptoms, fennel is an herb that directly deals with imbalances. Fennel tea contains phytoestrogen, which is a dietary estrogen. This can help you regulate the hormone levels, leading to improved mood and overall better experience whenever you’re on your period.

Fennel tea can also soothe our muscles, which makes it very helpful when it comes to menstrual cramps.

7) Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex) for hormone support

Chaste tree berry, an herb commonly known as vitex, may be a great solution if you experience premenstrual syndrome with your cycle. The herb helps to ease nervous system problems, which can include severe cramping as well.

8) Black Cohosh for hormone stability

Black cohosh, often compared to dong quai, is one of the more popular herbs when it comes to balancing out your hormone levels. Dating back to the European settlers and before, this herb has been used to aid infertility issues. These days it's commonly used to help with menopausal symptoms as well, like hot flashes, decreased production of progesterone, and decreased estrogen.

FAQ

What is the best herb for hormonal balance?

There is no one herb best for hormonal balance! It all comes down to what type of imbalance you are experiencing. Once you determine what you are experiencing, you can then select herbs that help with that specific hormone imbalance. Whether that is premenstrual syndrome symptoms (PMS), excess estrogen, low progesterone production, menopause, there are natural herbs that can help.

How can I balance my hormones naturally?

There are many different ways to work on your body's imbalances. The first place to start is always with determining what is going on in your body. What kind of hormone levels are off? Have you gotten testing done? Learn if you have estrogen dominance, low production of progesterone, pituitary issues, or even if you've entered menopause.

The second step is with your nutrition, try to incorporate anti-inflammatory foods, whole foods, and avoid processed foods. After you work through that category, examine lifestyle choices like stress levels, exercise, etc.

The last step is always adding supplements to your diet!

What herbal tea is good for hormonal balance?

We are obviously biased, but our Harmony Cycle blend has received rave reviews since launching in early May. We utilized many of the ingredients above to craft a blend that we trust + love.

Check out our Cycle Harmony Tea here.