Prevent and alleviate
Cyclical changes in hormone balance accompany girls and women for a large part of their lives. Sometimes, though not always, they make themselves felt with more or less unpleasant complaints – whether before menstruation in the form of PMS (premenstrual syndrome), during menstruation or during menopause. Another common problem, are urinary tract infections and irritable bladder. For all these complaints, however, there are medicinal plants that can have a preventive and soothing effect.
Known medicinal plants for women’s health
Here is a summary of medicinal plants that help with discomfort during menstruation or menopause, relieve PMS, and aid in the recovery of a bladder infection.
Cimicifuga (black cohosh) can relieve menopausal symptoms as well as pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS). Read more about Cimicifuga!
Monk’s pepper (Vitex agnus-castus) helps with women’s conditions such as irregular menstruation, painful breasts, and PMS. Read more about Monk’s Pepper!
Yarrow is used for loss of appetite and cramp-like discomfort in the abdomen and female pelvis. Read more about yarrow!
Birch leaves are used for urinary tract infections and kidney gravel, the bark for skin injuries. Learn more about the effects of birch!
Nettle is used for rheumatic complaints, inflammation of the urinary tract and benign prostate enlargement. More about the nettleyou here!
Lady’s mantle helps with diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints. It is also used for women’s ailments. Read more about lady’s mantle herb!
Goose finger herb helps with mild diarrhea, menstrual pain and inflammation of the mouth and throat. Read more about goose cinquefoil!
Hauhechel has a diuretic effect and is therefore used for inflamed urinary tract and kidney gravel. Read more about the hauhechel!
The seeds of pumpkin help against irritable bladder and the discomfort of benign prostate enlargement. Read more about the medicinal plant pumpkin!
Dandelion helps with digestive problems, loss of appetite and urinary problems. Learn more about the effect of dandelion now!
Field horsetail helps with urinary tract infections, kidney gravel and edema, as well as poorly healing wounds. Read more about horsetail!
Folk medicine uses raspberry leaf tea to treat diarrhea, menstrual pain, and inflammation of the mouth and throat. Read more about raspberries!
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limitations. If your symptoms persist for a long period of time, do not get better or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Hormone balance
For about 40 years, hormones prepare the female body for a possible pregnancy every month (except during pregnancy itself). As part of the menstrual cycle, concentrations of hormones such as FSH, LH, estrogen, and progesterone in the blood regularly rise and fall.
These cyclical hormonal changes ensure the maturation of an egg in the ovary, ovulation (release of the egg into the fallopian tube), the thickening of the endometrium (as a “nest” for a possibly fertilized egg) and, if necessary, its rejection in the form of menstrual bleeding if fertilization fails to occur.
Medicinal plants for common women’s problems
Both the monthly menstrual cycle and the hormonal changes during menopause can – but do not have to – be associated with discomfort. In the context of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), some women regularly suffer from physical and psychological discomfort shortly before menstruation. For example, they may experience painful, tense breasts, water retention in the hands and feet, depressed mood and irritability.
Various medicinal plants can help against this: Birch and horsetail, for example, have a draining effect and can reduce the feeling of tension in the breasts. St. John’s wort has a mood-lifting effect, while valerian and hops can calm and balance.
Phytotherapy can also help against menstrual cramps: For example, menstrual pain can be treated with yarrow, goose cinquefoil or lady’s mantle. Monk’s pepper is recommended for irregular menstrual cycles, and shepherd’s purse can have a regulating effect if menstruation is too heavy or too long.
