There are lots of things we do on a regular basis that can impact our endocrine system, also known as our hormones. These include eating refined sugar, being stressed, or not getting enough sleep, to name a few. There are also things we do that can put excess hormones into our bodies, which will also impact hormone balance such as drinking cow’s milk, eating products that contain soy or eating certain meats, especially red meat.
How do you know if your endocrine system is out of whack? Common symptoms of hormone imbalance include: fatigue, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, constipation, irregular periods, and hormonal acne.
There are many easy drinks for helping to balance out your hormones that I’ve written about in this blog, such as spearmint tea and lemon water, but lately I’ve been interested in herbal medicine. The idea of healing oneself with things found in nature, rather than with pharmaceutical drugs, is just really appealing to me!
If its also appealing to you, then I would recommend you read Natural Remedies for Women’s Health by Fern Green, which contains recipes for teas, smoothies, tinctures, salves, and more, all of which you can make at home with natural ingredients (many of these ingredients are obscure and not commonly known, but you can easily find them by typing them into Google or Amazon).
I’ve started making the 5-ingredient Hormone Regulation Tea recipe in this book, and I have to say, it is super easy and does not taste bad at all! I find that it relaxes my stomach at the end of the day and have noticed that my skin has been calm and not oily, which is something that I struggle with. What does this tea do exactly? Below is a description of each ingredient and the benefits it provides.
Saw Palmetto Berry Powder: As I mentioned in my post on hormone balancing supplements, saw palmetto has anti-inflammatory properties and lots of antioxidants which help calm the skin. It helps to balance women’s hormones by reducing testosterone levels. High testosterone levels lead to a variety of unwanted side effects in women such as hormonal acne, hair loss, and weight gain.
Sarsaparilla Root: Indigenous people have been using sarsaparilla root for centuries to treat a variety of ailments such as arthritis, psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. It is known as an effective blood purifier, cleansing the blood via urination and sweat. (Sarsaparilla root is what is known for giving root beer its distinct taste, although, sadly, this tea does not taste like root beer)
Dried Blue Cohosh Root: Blue cohosh root is most commonly known for its abilities to include labor, although it has a wide variety of other benefits. According to WebMD, “Blue cohosh is used for stimulating the uterus and starting labor; starting menstruation; stopping muscle spasms; as a laxative; and for treating colic, sore throat, cramps, hiccups, epilepsy, hysterics, inflammation of the uterus, infection of the female organs (pelvic inflammatory disease), over-growth of uterine tissue (endometriosis), and joint conditions.” ***Warning: Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding should consult a doctor before taking blue cohosh root.***
Dried Nettle Leaf: Nettle leaf is considered to be one of the best reproductive herbs, known for promoting follicle-stimulating hormone that helps in producing healthy eggs. It is also known for expelling toxic estrogens from the body that are caused by outside sources such as plastics and pesticides.
Vitex Berry Powder (agnus castus): Vitex berry powder, also know as agnus castus or chasteberry, comes from a sub-tropical flowering plant and is know to be a cure for skin issues and gynecological disorders such as PMS, breast pain, and infertility.
Hormone Regulation Tea Recipe
Ingredients:
-1 tbsp saw palmetto berry powder
-1 tbsp sarsaparilla root
-1 tbsp blue cohosh root
-1 tbsp dried nettle leaf
-1 tbsp vitex berry powder
Instructions: Place all ingredients in a lidded glass jar (you can multiply this recipe however many times you like depending on the size of your jar). Seal the jar and shake vigorously to combine. Add 1 tbsp to boiling water and cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink 3 times a day for 6-12 weeks.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post! I’ll be sure to post an update her once I’ve been drinking this tea for the full recommended period of time, so stay tuned!
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