Cleansing and Detoxing are often thought of as “fads” and to some unnecessary because our organs are made to filter themselves all the time! But in this era we live in people are constantly taking in toxins and other nasty stuff that our bodies are not used to dealing with. The processed foods, unnatural body care products and pollution we encounter is new to us as a species.
 

Our bodies are not designed to filter these types of toxins so they accumulate- which is bad news for us and our hormones! Without being able to excrete excess hormones they build up, and that is bad news!
 

Where Do Toxins Come From?

Food + Water

Firstly, our food and water bring in many toxins. Eating foods that come in boxes, bags and cartons means they have been processed. Most all processed foods shouldn’t really be called foods at all because they contain so few real (like- from the ground) ingredients and mostly chemicals to make them taste, look, smell and feel like food. I’m looking at you- frozen meals, crackers and breakfast cereals!

To add insult to injury, our water is often contaminated with the hormones that women on hormonal birth control pee into our water systems, plus things like fluoride, pesticides and possibly heavy metals.
 

Pollution

Pollution is everywhere. From the air we breath to the sites we see to the people we spend time with. For the purposes of this article, I’m talking about air pollution. There is no limit to the number of chemicals that are pumped into our air and waterways everyday. What’s in our water eventually ends up being evaporated and rained down on us, putting it further into the air and our lives. Large cities tend to have the highest concentrations of this air pollution.
 

Personal Environment

Let’s do a quick definition here. By personal environment, I mean all of these:

• indoor air quality
• cleanliness of the indoor environment (get out your duster!)
• personal care products like deodorant, toothpaste, makeup, menstrual hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner and anything else you put on your body
• household cleaning products like laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, window washing fluid, furniture polish, and everything in between

5 Rejuvenating Herbs to Detox Your Liver and Balance Your Hormones

#1 Dandelion Root

A very popular herb for both the liver and the kidneys, dandelion is more than just a weed. The root has an affinity for the liver, whereas the leaf likes the kidneys, so for the purposes of this article, I’ll be referring mostly to dandelion root.

Some of the helpful actions of dandelion root include being a bitter tonic, an alternative, and cholagogue. All of this to mean that dandelion root helps your liver and gallbladder to function well, including producing and secreting bile as necessary, and it helps overall digestion and detoxification.

Dandelion root is useful in many symptoms of a toxic body, including:

• Acne
• PMS
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Nausea
• Estrogen Dominance (is this your Hormone Quiz result?)
• Bloating, gas or other digestive issues- especially after eating a heavy meal
• Brain fog, poor short-term memory
• Moodiness, hostility and being quick to anger
• Dandruff, itchy skin and scalp
• Constipation or diarrhea

Dandelion is often combined with other liver-loving and hormone-supporting herbs for best results, as I have done in Detox Tea.

#2 Burdock Root

Burdock, a plant very common around North America, could be hiding in your backyard or local walking trail! It’s the roots of this plant that are used, and burdock pairs especially well with dandelion, yellow dock and milk thistle to cleanse the liver and also to clear skin.

Burdock root is an alterative, diuretic and a bitter. This means that like dandelion root, burdock root helps to cleanse the blood (and clear up skin), and stimulate healthy digestion and detoxification to keep hormones and health optimal.

#3 Yellow Dock

Another root used for helping liver function and detoxification, yellow dock is often harvested from August to October.

It is also a blood-cleansing alterative, making it great for skin issues like acne. It also has the action of stimulating liver and gallbladder function, including production and release of fat-digesting bile.

#4 Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a favourite herb of mine for many health and hormonal issues, and I often recommend it to private clients and the women in my 21-Day Happy Hormones Diet program. You can read more about the menstrual-specific benefits of cinnamon here. 

Cinnamon is a fantastic anti-nauseant, antispasmodic, carminative (anti-gas), uterine anti-hemorrhagic (slows heavy flow) and warming uterine stimulant.

Cinnamon adds beautiful chai-like flavour to my Detox Tea and also serves medicinal purpose. The entire purpose of the Detox Tea is to help women with Estrogen Dominance (take the Quiz to see if this is you) support their hormones and liver to metabolize and detoxify exogenous estrogens properly.

It’s antimicrobial and antiviral properties will also help get rid of pathogens (like candida and parasites) that may be living in your gut, slowing down liver function and creating hormone hell.

#5 Milk Thistle

Last but not least on this list is Milk Thistle. One of the safest liver-cleansing herbs, milk thistle has been used for thousands of years to support liver health. Milk thistle is a tonic to the liver, helping it to rebuild and regenerate this important organ.
 
It makes an important addition in my Detox Tea as it combines really well with the other herbs and provides a supportive, regenerating action that some of the other liver herbs in the Detox Tea do not.

From my very first period, I always experienced menstrual cramps. Not the barely-there, doesn’t-bother-me type, but rather the give me some Advil and let me sleep kind of cramps.

Usually it was accompanied by heavy flow, where I was changing my pad or tampon every couple of hours.

Over the years, I was able to slow my flow, but the cramps continued. As I went through nutrition school and my journey to healing my PCOS, I searched for a non-pharmaceuticul solution. Knowing that over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like Advil and Tylenol are toxic, can delay ovulation and create some serious stomach and gut issues, natural way the only way to go for me.

Heat packs alone didn’t help, and beyond this I was at a loss. Until I learned about herbal medicine. The idea of using plant-based remedies that had been effective for literally thousands of years really intrigued me, and so I went about developing a combination of medicinal herbs to help reduce menstrual cramps and pain.

Now you can get it yourself in my Cramp Tea, and you can read about each herb and why I selected it to help with your menstrual cramps below.

I simply love the act of brewing a hot cup of pain-relieving tea and curling up with a good movie or book for some “me time” during my moontime. It’s a cyclic ritual that allows me to show myself some love and rejuvenate.

6 Natural Herbs to Help Reduce Menstrual Cramps

#1 Chamomile

Chamomile is one of my favourite medicinal herbs because it’s quite safe to use (even in infants) and has a wide variety of uses. Chamomile flowers can even be grown in your home garden and make a beautiful and functional addition.

Chamomile has many actions, including being anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, mildly sedative, and carminative. What you need to know from this list is that it’s anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic actions will help to calm uterine contractions.

The mild sedative action is helpful for calming us down and allowing our nervous systems to relax as our uterus does during that time of the month.

#2 Red Raspberry Leaf

A classic female herb, this nutrient-dense leaf from the plant we get our raspberries from provides both support for our reproductive system and loads of essential vitamins and minerals that are supportive to health.

Raspberry lead is a spasmolytic herb that also helps to reduce prostaglandins, a big contributor to menstrual cramps (and menstrual diarrhea).

The antioxidants and vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and iron help support normal menstrual cycles. This is partly why raspberry leaf is known as a uterine tonic, being able to generally strengthen and tone the uterus and entire reproductive system for healthier cycles and flow.

#3 Vitex

Also known as Chaste Berry and Chastetree Berry, this is one of the most popular herbs for women’s health, and it’s one I get asked about a lot. It is mainly found in the mediterranean. It is the berries of the vitex plant that are used as medicine, and this plant is mostly used for female health issues. Vitex can be purchased as capsules, tincture and the dried herb to be used as tea.

Vitex is used for the treatment of female hormonal and fertility issues. The main way that Vitex works is by stimulating the pituitary gland in your brain to produce hormones. Specifically, it stimulates the production of more luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone. Both of these hormones spike at or around ovulation.

The way that Vitex is able to get your body to do this is by suppressing prolactin production. Prolactin is a hormone that when high enough will prevent ovulation from occurring, so reducing levels of this hormone is key to increasing LH and progesterone for successful ovulation and a strong luteal phase.

In this way, Vitex indirectly helps with menstrual cramping because it will move to balance progesterone levels, and low levels of progesterone contribute to PMS and resulting menstrual cramping, as well as breast tenderness and irregularities.

If you want to know more about Vitex and whether it’s right for you, check this out.

#4 Cramp Bark

Native to Eastern North America, Cramp Bark (aka Viburnum opulus) is a classically used medicinal for dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramping. Cramp Bark is a uterine tonic, uterine anti-spasmodic and musculoskeletal anti-spasmodic, making it perfect for cramps.

Because of it’s affinity for reducing spasm in the uterus, it’s also been used for threatened miscarriage, UTI spams, irritable bladder, and chronic pelvic pain.

This herb can be used dried in a tea (as in Cramp Tea) or as a tincture. Typically it is recommended that this herb (along with the others on this list) be used a few days prior to the period and during the whole bleed for best results.

Do not use this herb if you have kidney problems and shouldn’t been used during pregnancy or lactation without supervision from a qualified herbal practitioner.

#5 Ginger

Ginger is widely used in cooking and is seriously delicious. It’s so versatile, and can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. It can also be used medicinally, as a tea, tincture or capsules. I use ginger quite a bit in the Tea Shop, and it plays a big role in my Cramp Tea.

Some of the many actions of ginger or Zingiber officinale include being a carminative (anti-gas), anti-nauseant, spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, and a digestive stimulant. In fact- it has many of the same properties as chamomile, as these herbs are often combine together.

Many women experience digestive upset alongside their menstrual flow and cramps, making ginger an ideal choice. In studies for it’s anti-inflammatory benefits, it has been shown just as or more effective than over-the-counter NSAIDs.

In an Iranian study on women with dysmenorrhea, after using ginger for just one menstrual cycle, the severity of their cramps went from 28% to 8% and 36% of these women were “considerably relieved” from their cramps using ginger.

#6 Parsley

An unusual choice, and most often thought of as a culinary herb, parsley has many medicinal benefits as well.

One special property of parsley is it being an emmenagogue meaning that it stimulates menstrual flow. This is perfect for women who notice brown/pinkish spotting before their red flow arrives or experience menstrual cycle irregularities.

Like raspberry leaf, parsley contains many menstrual-supportive nutrients such as calcium, magnesium (a natural muscle relaxant), B vitamins and iron.
Because it helps to cleanse the kidneys, it may help to reduce bloating and water retention contributing to menstrual symptoms like breast tenderness, bloating and that ‘full’ feeling in the uterus that often comes along with cramps.

6 Effective Medicinal Herbs to Manage Stress and Adrenal Fatigue

Nettle

Oatstraw

Chamomile

Lemon Balm

Tulsi

Rose Petals

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is thought to effect upwards of 10% of women. That’s a lot of PCOS ladies! Being one myself, I’m always on the lookout for the BEST remedies around. I also have a major passion for herbal medicine, and have seen time and time again the benefit herbs can provide for women with this condition.

Below I’m sharing what I believe are the 6 BEST medicinal herbs for PCOS. 

6 BEST Medicinal Herbs for PCOS

#1 White Peony aka Paeonia lactiflora

A very popular herb for women with PCOS, Traditional Chinese Medicine is likely the originator of using this medicinal plant. Like Vitex below, white peony has been shown to help increase low progesterone, reduce elevated androgens (like testosterone) and help regulate both estrogen and prolactin levels. 

What all of this means is that peony may be helpful in regulating menstrual cycles, as it supports healthy follicle (egg) development in the ovaries via the Aromatase enzyme. This enzyme is also helpful in regulating LH:FSH hormone ratios, which out of balance delay ovulation and can interfere with healthy fertility

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, peony is often combined with licorice for maximum benefit, and I happen to agree which is why licorice is also on this list.

#2 Dong Quai

Dong Quai is another herb used quite a lot in Traditional Chinese Medicine to promote blood flow in the pelvis, which could be helpful for stimulating irregular menstruation or helping with scanty periods. Dong Quai is also rich in iron, which is good news for your energy, especially when Aunt Flo comes to town. Dong Quai is simply a fabulous tonic for most hormonal issues, as the circulation and blood flow it provides releases stagnation in the reproductive organs.

Get all the herbs listed here in my PCOS Tea! 

 Note that Vitex is not suitable for women using hormonal birth control, like the Pill. 

#3 Licorice aka Glycyrrhiza

Licorice is a fabulous medicinal herb for so many reasons. It works really well on its own, but many women with PCOS also use a medication called Spironolactone for their high-androgen symptoms (acne, hair growth), and licorice may actually boost these effects when combined with the medication. 

Licorice is also well-known for balancing blood sugar, and insulin resistance is a major part of PCOS- even lean women with PCOS often have nearly undetectably insulin resistance. 

Licorice also helps with estrogen balance in the body, which can be beneficial for regulating ovulation. Lastly licorice is anti-inflammatory, supportive to the immune system and works as an adaptogen to help with the stress response.

Note that Licorice is not suitable is you experience hypertension aka high blood pressure.

#4 Cinnamon

Cinnamon’s uses extend beyond flavoring your delicious eats. It could actually be beneficial for PCOS!

There’s two main reasons for this that have been studied and noted clinically, and I’m outlining them here. Take a look, and think about whether cinnamon might be a good option for you as part of your PCOS management lifestyle. 

Reason #1: Blood Sugar Control

As you may be aware, blood sugar and insulin control is extremely important for managing PCOS and a healthy way. Your doctor may have prescribed a drug called Metformin, which is supposed to help in this area. Of course being a holistic nutritionist, I’m all about using nature first before resorting to drugs, and cinnamon could be the answer!

Cinnamon has quite a history of regulating blood sugar response in the body. In one 2007 study of 15 women with PCOS, significant reductions in insulin resistance were seen after taking cinnamon for just 8 weeks!

Reducing insulin resistance is super helpful for regulating menstrual cycles which are often unpredictable or absent in women with PCOS. A 2014 study suggests that using cinnamon improves menstrual cyclicity. This study used 1.5g of a cinnamon supplement per day for 6 months. Finding a product and using a similar dosage to the one in the study could be a good place to start in using cinnamon for PCOS.

Reason #2: Progesterone Management

Low progesterone is most definitely not uncommon in women with PCOS, as our bodies tend to produce more estrogen, testosterone, DHEAS and cortisol instead. Progesterone gets pushed down to the end of the hormone production line, because all the base parts are used for the other hormones! Sometimes this is known as the progesterone steal, and can create a number of symptoms.

Some symptoms of progesterone deficiency include:

• long, irregular cycles
• short luteal phase (the phase right before your period comes)
• mid-cycle spotting
• menstrual cramps
• anxiety and depression
• acne 
• fatigue
• foggy thinking
• bloating
• slow metabolism

So how can cinnamon possibly help with this myriad of symptoms?

One study has outlined that cinnamon can help to increase progesterone production in our adrenal glands, while also reducing the amount of testosterone our adrenals produce- double win! This is through the action of cinnamaldehyde, a comonenet of the cassia type of cinnamon 

#5 Spearmint

Like peony, licorice and cinnamon, studies have been done to test the efficacy of spearmint for PCOS. Spearmint is shown helpful for reducing androgen hormones like testosterone after only one month of use! When androgens hormones are regulated, it becomes easier to regulate the menstrual cycle. Acne, hair loss and excess body hair growth (hirsutism) may also reduce when androgens are regulated, as the “bad” form of testosterone, DHT, is often the culprit for these issues.

Beyond androgens, the study showed that spearmint also influences ratios of LH and FSH, two pituitary hormones that regulate activity in the menstrual cycle, including follicle (egg) development and ovulation. 

Get all the herbs listed here in my PCOS Tea!

This article does not intend to treat or diagnose disease it is meant to generate awareness and promote health education and prevention. 

UPDATE FEB 25 2019: While Vitex was originally on this list and featured in my PCOS Tea formula, it has since been removed from this article and PCOS Tea for reasons stated here.