SLC S22 Week 4 - Herbal Medicine for Hormonal Balance and Stress Management for Women.
I prepared an adaptogen tea that supports women hormonal balance using bitterleaf, Uziza leaves(Piper Guineense), and utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium).
- Three dried bitter leaves
- Two dried utazi leaves and
- Two dried uziza leaves.
The Uziza leaves and the utazi leaves look alike but utazi is bigger in size and harder than Uziza leaves when cutting it. I squeezed the dried leaves into a pot and added a cup of water . This is a portion for one dose and I boiled them for about ten minutes.
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And sieved out the fluid. The remedy is very bitter hence honey can be added to it to make easier to drink.
Benefits of the herbs for hormonal balance.
Bitter leaves
Bitter leaves are very beneficial for women hormonal health traditionally as it helps in the reduction of the symptoms associated with pre menstruation disorders and also helps to balance women’s menstrual cycles.
Bitter leaves are used traditionally to ease menopause associated symptoms like sweating at night or hot flashes
Bitter leaves improves the quality of the eggs in women and controls ovulation hence ameliorates fertility.
Bitter leaves may be useful in reducing cramps associated with menses as it has anti inflammatory properties.
Bitter leaves have other health benefits such as aiding our immune system leading to reduction of exposure to infections and sicknesses.
Uziza leaves(Piper Guineense)
- Uziza leaves are very beneficial in the support of women hormonal health as it’s helpful in balancing the level of estrogen in women which brings about reduction in disorders associated with esteogens for examples endometriosis or cancer of the breast .
- It also helps in ovulation regulation and makes for improved fertility in women.
- It also helpful in reducing pains caused by dysmenorrhea and its associated symptoms.
- It’s helpful in regulation of women’s menstrual cycle and helps to minimize premenstrual symptoms and reduced menopause symptoms too.
Utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium)
- Its a detoxifying agent and support liver health through removal of excessive chemicals from the body.
- It leads to decrease in inflammation on the skin caused by hormones and good for skin health.
- Helps to balance the level of estrogen in the body thereby reducing disorders related to the estrogen level.
- It’s had anti inflammatory properties hence can reduce stress due to oxidation or damage of cells and it also relieves cramps from menses.
Benefits of the remedy
The herbal remedy will help to support fertility and regulate the menstruation cycle and also reduce discomforts from cramps.
It’s rich in anti inflammatory properties of the three herbs hence would help in boosting the immune system and fighting diseases.
May also be beneficial in supporting digestive health.
Three herbs for women’s hormonal health includes; Chasteberry, Dong quai and flax seeds.
Dong quai
Dong quai has many hormonal health bettor women and they includes;
- Contains anti- inflammatory properties that helps in relieving symptoms of dysmenorrhea or menstrual pains.
- It boosts fertility in through regulation of ovulation and bolster up hormonal balance.
- It reduces chances of irregular menstrual cycles, infertility and premenstrual disorders.
- It alleviates menopause symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes.
- Dong quai possesses sedative and anxiolytic properties hence helps In anxiety and stress relieving.
Flax seeds
- Flax seeds supports the metabolism of estrogen as it contains lignin
- it helps to reduce the dominance of estrogen thereby make less severe symptoms such as breast tenderness, mood swings and even bloating.
- It contains omega-3 fatty acids which are helpful in combatting dysmenorrhea and it’s associated symptoms.
- Also reduces menopause and it’s associated symptoms such as hot flashes.
- It supports the production of progesterone and also helps to regulate the menstration cycle.
Chasteberry
Chasteberry over the year is a herb that has been used for women’s hormonal health and it has immense benefits which includes:
- It helps in alleviating symptoms associated with premenstrual syndromes, it also reducing signs of irregular menstrution and helps dealing with menstrual pains and regulates the women menstrual cycles.
- it has anti inflammatory properties hence helps to reduce cramps during periods.
- It boosts egg health thereby improved fertility in women and fights hormonal imbalances.
- symptoms of menopause such as mood swings, hot flashes etc are reduced with the intake of chasteberry.
- It helps in reduction of breast cancer risk or other problems related with breast health.
- It regulates the level of estrogen thus dealing with hormonal imbalance symptoms.
- Helps to boost our metabolism and makes for general health.
I prepared this remedy using Ginseng, aloe Vera and bitter leaves.
- Three dried bitter leaves
- Small branch of Aloe Vera
- A tea spoon of ginseng.
Procedure
Put the ginseng, aloe Vera and bitterleaf in a pot and pour in a cup of water. Cut the aloe Vera open and into pieces.
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Allow to boil for about ten minutes and then sieve. This portion is for a dosage. It’s actually also very bitter hence honey may be used to sweeten it for easier drinking.
Ginseng
- Ginseng is a great herb that is very bending controlling stress through the hormones as it reduces the level of cortisol which is a stress hormone usually released in the body by the adrenal glands.
- It makes cognitive function and improvement of the mood and reduces depression and anxiety symptoms.
- Ginseng enable for better coping with stress as it increases resilience to stress and also helps the body adapt to different levels of stress and change of environment.
- It reduces fatigue and helps to improve the energy level and general health physically.
Aloe vera
- Aloe comes in very handy in handling hormonal stress in women as it helps the function of the Adrenalin which can be worn out due to too much stress and also reduces the level of cortisol production.
- Aloe Vera helps to reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety thereby helping to alleviate general mood.
- it’s helps women to cope with stress better by increasing their resilience to stress and helps the body as alot readily to changing conditions.
- stress can compromise our immune system hence aloe Vera helps to boost the immune system to reduce compromise.
Bitter leaves
- Bitter leaves helps to improve mental clarity, attention, and also cognitive functions of the brain, producing a calming effect on the mind.
- It alleviates signs of depression or anxiety hence helps to improve the mood and calms the body.
- It’s makes for reduction in the level of cortisol and support the function of the adrenal glands.
- Makes for increased endurance and energy thereby leading improvements in general health and reduction in fatigue and calming the body.
Benefits of this remedy
- Having considered the various benefits of the different herbs, this remedy helps to ease stress in a natural way and produces a calming effect through hormonal controls.
- Energy increase is a expected through its administration and boosting of the mood hence alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms.
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