I'm lucky to have never had painful periods in my younger years. However, as I've gotten closer to middle-age status, my out-of-control hormones are making up for those blissful early days. My doctor suggested that I was dealing with perimenopause (essentially a pre-menopause phase) and that it was natural. Essentially I heard her saying, "Suck it up, Buttercup!" though she never actually came out with those exact words.
** Heads up! This is a long post, but if you're dealing with wonky hormones and the chaos they can cause, I hope you'll take the time to read through it. But if you want to Skip to the Recipes, I won't be offended. **
I lived with poor sleep, excruciatingly painful periods, spotting more days than not, emotions that were all over the place, high levels of anxiety and headaches for several years. Because what I was going through was normal, right? And I just needed to deal with it. However, when my blood loss became so severe that I started getting dizzy and was unable to drive, I said, "Enough is enough!" and went back to my doctor to demand a solution. Since I was always nauseous when I had taken birth control pills previously, I asked to be put on the pill that only contains synthetic progesterone (progestin), with no estrogen. Finally some relief! After a few months, my blood loss lessened and I was no longer experiencing dizzy spells, but unfortunately all the other issues lingered.
Fast forward a year, I had decided to live with the lack of sleep, period pain and spotting, but my emotions and anxiety levels were still off the charts so I finally broke down and met with a therapist. Wow! Best decision I could have made! In addition to learning how to better manage the emotions and anxiety, my therapist connected me with a naturopathic physician. After doing blood work, my doctor determined that despite taking a progesterone pill, my body was producing almost no progesterone. My estrogen and testosterone levels were low, my cortisol was all over the place, and I had adrenal insufficiency. What I was dealing with was definitely not normal, and these hormone issues were the reasons for pretty much every problem I was having!
I share my personal story for three reasons...1) If you're dealing with similar issues, please know that you are not alone. 2) Some hormonal changes are indeed normal, but there are things you can do to help yourself feel better. 3) If you are not receiving the support and expertise you need from your current physician, it's worth the effort to look for one who better meets your needs.
I've never been big on pharmaceuticals, always preferring a more natural approach when possible. I've been interested in gardening for many years and am a firm believer that what we put into our bodies affects us significantly. So I began in earnest to learn as much as I could about botanicals, specifically used in the form of infusions, or herbal teas, and how they can support a healthier body. I'm still a novice, so please take what I share as a starting point for your own research. While the botanicals I use for teas are considered safe for most people, some might be problematic for women who are pregnant or individuals with certain allergies or medical conditions. Please talk with your doctor to make sure these ingredients are safe for you.
All this to say, I have found AMAZING RELIEF from my new regimen, which includes daily teas along with a progesterone cream, evening primrose, adrenal tincture and cortisol manager. And for any naysayers about the effectiveness of herbs, it's important to note that I began feeling relief before I started taking the progesterone cream, evening primrose or adrenal tincture. So my early relief was solely due to the cortisol manager and teas, and the other supplements are working to offer long-term balance. Having blood work done by my doctor was the starting point for helping me understand my issues and how best to tackle them. While I think the tea recipes I've provided below would benefit most women, I highly recommend you see a doctor and have blood work done so you know exactly what your goals are. Take care of yourself!
I imagine I'll always be tweaking my recipes as I learn new information and try new combinations, but I'd like to share the information I've gathered thus far in hopes that you find it helpful. I'm including a number of resources below that I have found useful. One revelation that I have had is that it's important to support your body all month long, not just when you feel crummy. Herbal teas are a mild and natural, but somewhat slow form of healing. While you might find some relief after just one cup of tea, the benefits are cumulative and best results are seen over a period of time.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CYCLE
You would think that as a woman in my 40's I would understand exactly what's happening in my body throughout my cycle, but this really wasn't common knowledge for me. I admit that I didn't know anything about the various menstrual cycle phases or how our hormones ebb and flow. So if you also need a refresher on the menstrual cycle, check out this helpful information from Clue or this post by The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.
In a nutshell, Day 1 is the first day of your period (blood flow) and approximately Day 14 is ovulation. As you can see in the chart above from the Clue website, our hormones are constantly in-flux. We want to encourage this natural hormonal cycle with the things we ingest, rather than combat it. You'll want to start tracking your cycle, if you aren't already. Most cycles last about 28 days before starting over (beginning again with Day 1 of menstruation). Side note: If you're interested in trying something other than tampons or pads during your period, check out my article from years ago Disposing of Disposables: a monthly one-two punch.
For our purposes, we'll break the cycle into four weeks with each week lasting 7 days. Not every woman follows a 28-day cycle, but using this 28-day plan will help regulate your hormones. Week 1 begins on the first day of your period. If you don't have a period or you have irregular periods, you'll still want to follow a 28-day plan with these teas in order to encourage a more normal cycle. Hopefully the notes below will help you understand why I've included various ingredients, but feel free to message me if you have any questions and I'll try to either answer or point you in the right direction.
RECIPES
For more information on the basics of making your own teas, check out my post Healing Herbal Tea Blends.
Measuring: Play around with the recipes below to see what you like, and adjust based on the desired flavor and your health needs. You'll notice that I don't list an amount of each ingredient like you see in a typical recipe. In most cases, you'll use the same amount of each ingredient, a ratio of 1:1. If you decide you want to use more of one ingredient, you certainly can. Take notes of what you like and don't like so you can find your favorite recipes. I recommend starting with just one mug to see how you like it. Use one "pinch" of each ingredient and place it in your strainer. If you like the blend and want to make a larger portion of the dried tea blend for future use, consider using one to four tablespoons of each ingredient, depending on how much you want to make and the size of your container. Place all the ingredients in a large glass jar and shake. Label your jar and store in a dark place (in a cabinet or drawer out of sunlight is fine). If I'm not doing the "pinch" technique for a single mug and am pulling from one of my pre-made tea blends, I typically use a heaping tablespoon per 16 ounce mug. Make sure you shake your jar well before each use.
Infusions: Pour your tea blend into your strainer and place it in an empty mug. Pour boiling water over it to fill the mug and let sit for about 10 minutes. You can infuse for a shorter or longer period of time, but I have found that 10 minutes is the sweet spot for me. Keep in mind, the longer you infuse, the stronger the flavor and the more robust the healing benefits. However, some botanicals begin to taste bitter if they're infused for too long. Experiment to see what you like best. I always use local, raw honey as a sweetener, and sometimes I top with coconut milk for creamy deliciousness and a bit of healthy fat.
Moderation: As with all things, it's best to use moderation with herbal infusions. While these herbs are considered safe for most, and you'd likely need to ingest a very significant amount to do any real harm, the ingredients are included in these recipes because they affect your body. Some herbs, if taken in vast quantities, might cause your stomach to feel off or give you a headache (or perhaps some other uncomfortable sensation). Dandelion root, as an example, is a diuretic, meaning that it increases urine production. This is great for cleansing the liver, but too much elimination could cause a loss of electrolytes, which could lead to a headache or upset stomach. I typically have a maximum of three cups of tea per day, and if I have more than two cups, I make sure my third is a different recipe with completely different ingredients.
Week 1 (day 1-7)
During your period, you're possibly dealing with bloating, cramping, backache, headache and a myriad of other aches. Using herbs that regulate blood flow will lessen the cramping and other body aches. These herbs can reduce the amount of blood produced, make the blood a bit thinner, and prevent clots from forming. We also
want herbs that are calming and help ease headaches and tension. Herbs that aid in digestion will help with the bloating, and we want to include herbs that help replenish the iron lost. Finally, we want a botanical that will help detoxify, cleanse and nourish the liver, which helps eliminate excess hormones. Be sure to focus on hydration during menstruation, since you're losing a lot of fluids. Ideally you'll want to avoid alcohol, coffee and other dehydrating drinks.
Vitamin C Tea +
My Vitamin C Tea recipe is great for tackling life any day of the month and is an excellent base recipe for Week 1. I make the basic Vitamin C Tea recipe in bulk and just add a pinch of the extras during Week 1 or otherwise as needed. Of course, you could make a bulk amount of the Vitamin C Tea + version to include the extras, if desired.
Basic Ingredients:
Calendula
Cardamom
Chamomile
Hibiscus
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lemon Peel
Lemongrass
Lemon Thyme
Lemon Verbena
Orange Peel
Raspberry Leaf
Rose Hips
Rose Petals
Add-ons: Dandelion Root, Fenugreek, Red Clover, Yarrow, Ginger
Note #1: The calendula and fenugreek help balance hormones. Dandelion root and hibiscus promote liver health. Red raspberry leaf is a rock star against menstrual cramps. Chamomile, lavender and rose petals also combat cramps, plus they are calming and provide headache relief. Yarrow is excellent at managing blood flow. Raspberry leaf and fenugreek provide iron while hibiscus helps your body absorb it. Chamomile, dandelion root, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemongrass and rose petals all aid in digestion and will help with bloating, gas, constipation and all things related. Red clover is calming and helps to balance fluid levels while flushing the system. If your period is slow to start, ginger can help initiate blood flow.
Note #2: There are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, and while all of them add health benefits and flavor, if you're limited on the number of botanicals you can grow/purchase, these are the ones I would prioritize for Week 1: Raspberry leaf, calendula, hibiscus, red clover, yarrow and either chamomile or lavender.
Note #3: The Ginger Lemon Spice recipe in Week 2 is also great for Week 1, but I'd recommend it as an optional extra mug, not as the primary tea for this week.
Note #4: Based on my current understanding, it can be difficult to extract all the goodness from botanical roots (like the dandelion root used here) using the infusion method, i.e. pouring boiling water over the ingredient and allowing it to steep as a tea. To extract all the goodies, you want to either use the decoction method (simmering on the stove in water for 15 minutes) or allow to steep in a tincture (typically alcohol or vegetable glycerin) for many months. While I might not be extracting every last morsel of health out of the dandelion root, I'd like to think that I'm still getting good benefits via the infusion method, and doing so fits into my lifestyle easily. It's imperative to create a plan that will work for you long-term. You can always make or buy a tincture of dandelion root if you'd like to ensure you're getting the most out of it.
Week 2 (day 8-14)
If you're like me, Week 2 comes with a feeling of dehydration, headache, fatigue and anxiety. We want to focus on replacing the iron lost during menses and provide calming for anxiety and general agitation. In addition to drinking lots of fluids, we want to balance fluid levels, move fluids through the lymphatic system and provide liver support.
If you're experiencing anxiety or depression at any point, it's best to reach out to your doctor and a mental health expert. As a team, the three of you can work to determine if there are physiological reasons (like wonky hormones!) for your anxiety and/or depression and come up with solutions that work for you specifically to help manage your emotions and live your best life. Everyone is different, but please know that you are not alone! I shared a bit about my mental health journey in the post The Long Goodbye if you want to have a read.
During Week 2, I like to have the Vitamin C + tea in addition to the Ginger Lemon Spice + tea and/or Autumn Tea Blend. I think the combination provides everything I need. For the Vitamin C tea, I recommend dandelion root, fenugreek and red clover for your add-ons. A simple mint tea is also perfect for Week 2 as it can help with digestion and provide headache relief. My doctor also suggests adding a pinch of pink Himalayan salt to each drink (water, juice, tea, whatever) to help with hydration. You won't be able to taste the salt.
Ginger Lemon Spice
As with all my main recipes, I make the base recipe for Ginger Lemon Spice in bulk and then add the extra ingredients that are specific for my Week 2 needs in each mug.
Base Ingredients:
Cardamom
Ginger
Lemon Balm
Lemon Verbena
Lemongrass
Notes: Ginger and cardamom are both warming, and ginger is also great for digestion, as is lemon balm, lemon verbena and lemongrass. Ginger is also known to boost and cleanse the lymphatic system. Choose raspberry leaf or nettle to help resupply your iron levels. The red clover is a must for Week 2 as it helps increase cervical mucus and decrease vaginal dryness. Ginger Lemon Spice is my favorite tea! It's especially delicious served with a dollop of coconut milk.
Autumn Tea Blend
This recipe was adapted slightly from the one found at Wicked Spatula.
Cardamom
Chicory
Cinnamon - 3 parts
Cloves - 2 parts
Ginger - 2 parts
Pink Peppercorn*
Star Anise
Note #1: Pink peppercorn is related to cashews and may cause a reaction in people with tree nut allergies.
Note: #2: All these ingredients are warming, perfect for fall and winter. Chicory supports the liver, which processes excess hormones. Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pink peppercorn and star anise all aid digestion. Cloves and cinnamon also provide pain relief, just what you need to combat a pesky headache. Delicious served with a dollop of coconut milk.
Week 3 (day 15-21)
Just before ovulation, your estrogen levels peak and then drop rapidly while your progesterone levels begin to slowly rise and then plateau around day 21. During Week 3, I try to ride this hormone shift, and resulting fatigue and headache, while also boosting my progesterone levels. As always, we want to continue supporting the liver since it excretes excess hormones.
Some women have issues with blood sugar levels dropping during Week 3 and 4. To help combat this, be sure to eat every few hours. From what I've read, you can also try adding dandelion root, yellow dock root, licorice root,
tulsi (holy basil) or cordyceps sinensis (fungus) into your diet to help balance blood sugar, but I don't have a lot of experience with these yet. Tulsi leaves are the easiest to incorporate into an infusion. The dandelion, yellow dock and licorice roots are best as decoctions. The fungus typically comes in powder form and can be made into a broth or added to the top of other ingredients in your tea strainer (adding to the top helps prevent the strainer from getting clogged by the powder). Let me know if you find these helpful. I'll be giving them a try soon and will report back on my findings.
Anti-Inflammatory Tea +
I originally created this recipe to combat inflammation in the body, but it has ingredients that work really well for Week 3, and it's delicious!
Base Ingredients:
Calendula
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Cloves
Ginger
Orange Peel
Rosemary
Star Anise
Add-ons: Burdock Root, Red Clover, Sage
Notes: Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, rosemary and star anise are all considered warming herbs, which stimulate circulation, and can in turn encourage progesterone production. Calendula and sage help balance hormones. Orange peel provides Vitamin C, which can help progesterone production. Burdock root cleanses the liver and blood, and it helps remove excess hormones. Burdock root, ginger, cinnamon and clove are all good for digestion, and clover, rosemary and ginger are also great for battling a headache. This recipe is great served with a dollop of coconut milk.
Headache Tea +
For a different flavor profile for Week 3, and especially if you're dealing with a headache, this tea is a great option.
Base Ingredients:
Chamomile
Clove
Ginger
Lavender
Lemon Thyme
Mint
Oregano
Willow Bark*
Add-ons: Burdock Root, Red Clover, Sage
Note #1: Do not include the willow bark if you're allergic/sensitive to aspirin.
Note #2: All these base ingredients are great for easing headaches. Clove and ginger are warming. Lemon thyme, lavender and chamomile are calming and can help with insomnia. Chamomile, clover, ginger, mint, lemon thyme, burdock root and oregano all aid digestion. Sage helps balance hormones, burdock root supports and liver, and red clover encourages healthy mucus production.
Note #3: Add more chamomile and lavender if you want a stronger floral flavor; more clove and ginger for a spicier, warming option; and more mint for a stronger mint flavor.
Week 4 (day 22-28)
During Week 4 we'll begin preparing for menstruation. Starting now will help lessen those PMS symptoms as well as period pain. In particular, we're looking to encourage healthy blood flow, balance hormones, aid digestion and support the liver and lymphatic system.
Floral & Citrus Tea
Base Ingredients:
Calendula
Chamomile
Ginger
Hibiscus
Lemon Verbena
Orange Peel
Rose Hips
Add-ons: Burdock Root, Fenugreek, Lady's Mantle, Red Clover, Raspberry Leaf, Yarrow
Notes: Calendula, lady's mantle and fenugreek all help balance hormones. Burdock root and hibiscus support the liver, while calendula and red clover support the lymphatic system. Raspberry leaf, fenugreek and hibiscus help your body supply and absorb iron, which you'll need with the upcoming blood loss. Additionally, lady's mantle, ginger and yarrow help manage blood flow. Chamomile and lemon verbena are calming. Rose hips and orange peel contain Vitamin C, which helps your body produce progesterone. Ginger, burdock root and chamomile all help with digestion.
Calming Tea
For a slightly different flavor profile for Week 4, try Calming Tea. For a stronger mint profile, increase the amount of mint used. For a spicier flavor, increase the ginger, cardamom and sage.
Base Ingredients:
Calendula
Chamomile
Cardamom
Ginger
Lemon Balm
Lemon Verbena
Mint
Sage
Add-ons: Burdock Root, Fenugreek, Lady's Mantle, Red Clover, Raspberry Leaf, Yarrow
Notes: Calendula, lady's mantle, sage and fenugreek all help balance hormones. Burdock root supports the liver, while calendula and red clover support the lymphatic system. Raspberry leaf and fenugreek contain iron, which you'll need with the upcoming blood loss. Additionally, lady's mantle, ginger and yarrow help manage blood flow. Chamomile, lemon balm, mint and lemon verbena are calming. Ginger, burdock root and chamomile all help with digestion. Cardamom and ginger are considered warming herbs, which stimulate circulation, and can in turn encourage progesterone production. Tulsi (holy basil) and passionflower would also likely be very good ingredients for this calming tea recipe, though I haven't tried them yet.
Adaptogens
In layman's terms, adaptogens are botanicals, and sometimes fungi, that help your body manage daily physiological and mental stress. I'm still learning about them and don't yet feel capable of writing about them in-depth. However, I do believe that incorporating adaptogens into your life on a daily basis can be extremely beneficial. Because of my adrenal insufficiency, I've been taking a tincture (Adrenal Tonic by Wise Woman Herbals) that contains several adaptogens, including eleuthero root, gotu kola, licorice root and ginkgo leaf. Because of this, I have not worked to incorporate adaptogens into my teas. In fact, the nutrients from roots and bark are best extracted with alcohol or vegetable glycerin (tincture method) or simmering in water for 15 minutes (decoction method), so they aren't the best candidates for infusions. If you'd like to incorporate adaptogens into teas, rather than in a decoction or tincture, consider using adaptogens that are in non-root form, such as tulsi (holy basil), goji berries or schisandra berries. Additionally, maca root is easy to find in powder form and can be used in smoothies, on top of cereal, etc. Based on what I've read, if you'd like to incorporate adaptogens, I would recommend: Week 1 - tulsi. Week 2 - goji and schisandra berries. Week 3 - schisandra berries and maca. Week 4 - maca.
Seed Cycling
Though not tea related, I thought it was worth mentioning about seed cycling. Without going into great detail, studies suggest that certain seeds help manage the balance of our natural hormonal cycle. If you'd like to give this a try, incorporate pumpkin and flax seeds into your diet during Weeks 1 and 2. During Weeks 3 and 4, eat sesame and sunflower seeds. Don't eat your Week 1 and 2 seeds during Weeks 3 and 4, and vice versa. I find it easy to incorporate the seeds if I bake them into my homemade granola recipe, which I eat daily. Just make sure you incorporate the appropriate seeds into the recipe.
Holistic Self-Care
As you probably realize, what you put into your body is only one part of the healthy equation. It is imperative that we prioritize our health - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Practice self-care every day. Surround yourself with people who support a healthy "you." Show yourself compassion and kindness. Give yourself permission to take the time you need in order to be healthy. This article written by Andria Corso really hit home with me, and I hope you'll take the time to read it: Give Yourself Permission. Incorporate movement into every day. Don't fall into the trap of believing you need to perform at a certain physical level or meet a certain goal on the scale. Instead, embrace being healthy and fit, even if it doesn't look like your ideal body. It's okay to establish realistic goals for yourself, but please love yourself enough to accept where you are right now.
RESOURCES
The Women's Wellness Collective offers an excellent explanation of how to support your body throughout your cycle.
Gaia Herbs provides helpful information on how your hormones change throughout your cycle as well as recommendations for herbal remedies.
To learn more about adaptogens, check out these articles by Hub Culture and Healthline.
Books: Healing Herbal Teas by Sarah Farr, Growing Your Own Tea Garden by Jodi Helmer, The Herb Book by John Lust, Homegrown Tea by Cassie Liversidge, Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide by Rosemary Gladstar.
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