For women, hormonal imbalances can have a significant impact on health and quality of life. Symptoms such as delayed menstruation, mood swings, pain during menstruation, and fatigue can interfere with daily activities, especially for those who have busy and productive routines.
The causes of hormonal imbalances vary, including genetic factors, certain diseases, use of medications, fluctuations in blood sugar levels, and excessive stress. However, an unbalanced diet also plays an important role in this condition.
Therefore, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is very important to support hormonal balance. Let's look at the following article to find out what types of herbs can balance female hormones.
Read Also: Effect of Alcohol on Hormones
Sign Hormonal Imbalances to Watch Out for
Even though it seems trivial, hormonal imbalance can have a significant impact on your health. Many people do not realize that the symptoms they experience could be a signal of a hormonal disorder.
1. Experience an Irregular Menstrual Cycle
Irregular menstrual cycles can be a serious concern for women's health. Generally, the gap between menstruation ranges from 21 to 35 days. However, if you experience significant irregularities, such as a delay of several months without entering menopause, this could be an indication of a hormonal imbalance. This condition is often caused by unbalanced levels of the hormone estrogen or progesterone, either excessive or insufficient.
For women aged 40–50 years, this irregularity may be an early symptom of menopause. However, it's important to note that irregular menstrual cycles can also signal other health problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). If you experience an irregular menstrual cycle and are not pregnant, it is highly recommended to consult a doctor.
2. Sleep Disorders
When progesterone hormone levels decrease, you may have difficulty sleeping. In addition, high levels of estrogen can trigger symptoms such as hot flashes and sweating at night. This condition often disrupts your sleep, causing you to wake up in the middle of the night and make it difficult to go back to sleep.
3. Acne Doesn't Go Away
Emergence Acne before the menstrual period is actually a common thing that occurs due to hormonal fluctuations. However, if you experience chronic acne that doesn't go away, this could be a sign of a hormonal disorder.
Because, the excess of androgens, hormones found in men and women, can cause the oil glands to function excessively. In addition, it also affects the skin cells in and around the hair follicles, which can potentially clog pores and trigger acne.
4. Easily Feel Tired
Excessive fatigue is often an early indicator of hormonal imbalance. For example, high progesterone levels can cause profound drowsiness. In addition, if the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, your body's energy will also decrease. To ensure your thyroid health, it is recommended to have regular blood tests.
5. Drastic Mood Changes
Hormonal fluctuations can significantly affect your mood. The hormone estrogen, for example, plays a role in regulating several neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. This can cause you to feel happy at one time, but suddenly feel sad or angry in just a matter of hours.
6. Recurring Headaches
Headaches can be caused by various factors, one of which is hormonal imbalance. For women, unstable estrogen levels are often the main cause.
A decrease in estrogen levels, especially during menstruation, can increase the frequency of headaches. If you experience headaches regularly at the same time in your menstrual cycle, this could be a sign of a hormone problem.
5. Vaginal Dryness
A dry vaginal condition can be a sign of low levels of the hormone estrogen. This hormone functions to maintain vaginal moisture and lubrication. When estrogen levels decrease, the production of vaginal mucus and fluids also decreases, which can cause discomfort.
6. Changes in Breast Shape
Decreased estrogen levels can cause breast tissue to become less dense, while excess estrogen can cause breast tissue to tighten, even causing lumps or cysts.
If you notice any noticeable changes in your breasts, it is important to consult a doctor immediately. The hormone estrogen has an important role in women's physical characteristics, including breast enlargement.
Read Also: The Relationship Between Stress and Hormones
The Relationship Between Hormones and Health
Hormones function as "messengers" between cells, playing a crucial role in various bodily phenomena. As the foundation of the endocrine system, hormones regulate growth, reproductive processes, metabolism, temperature regulation, and mood balance. Hormonal imbalances, whether due to a lack or excess of certain hormones, can cause dangerous side effects.
Various studies show that oxidative stress, infertility, and endocrine gland disorders, such as thyroid disease, are the main factors causing hormonal imbalance. Both men and women can experience hormonal fluctuations at certain times.
In women, puberty, pregnancy and menopause are critical periods, while men also experience hormonal changes at puberty and as they age, although at a slower rate. Therefore, maintaining hormonal balance is very important to ensure overall body health is maintained.
Type Women's Hormone Balancing Herbs
Addressing female hormonal imbalances is important and one approach that can be taken is through the use of herbs. Among the three types of herbs that are known to be effective in balancing female hormones include:
1. Turmeric
Turmeric is a herbal ingredient that is often consumed for health. This is because turmeric is believed to have various benefits because it contains curcuminoids. For women, tamarind turmeric is often a mainstay drink during menstruation. The curcumin in turmeric is said to be able to relax uterine contractions which are the main factor causing pain during menstruation. Turmeric also helps reduce the production of prostaglandins or hormones that cause pain during menstruation.
In addition, turmeric can increase the body's resistance so that it can ward off viruses and bacteria from entering the body. Turmeric has many benefits for the body, including maintaining the balance of female hormones. Research shows that turmeric may play a role in regulating the menstrual cycle and reducing the often bothersome symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Read Also: Harness the Power of Essential Oils for Hormone Balance
The most convenient way to consume turmeric is to take supplements containing turmeric such as Herbana Relief Sari Turmeric. This supplement is specifically designed to meet women's nutritional needs, so it not only helps with menstrual pain, but also supports overall hormonal health.
2. Ginger
SApart from being known as a kitchen spice that is rich in taste, ginger also has extraordinary benefits in maintaining the balance of female hormones. The active compounds in ginger, such as gingerol and shogaol, not only provide anti-inflammatory effects, but also function as powerful antioxidants. By easing oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, ginger contributes to hormonal stability which is critical for women's reproductive health.
The phytoestrogens contained in ginger function as a substitute for the natural estrogen hormone, which often decreases with age or due to certain factors. The hormone estrogen plays a crucial role in the menstrual cycle and fertility, so maintaining its balance is a must.
Consuming ginger regularly can help relieve symptoms related to hormonal imbalance, such as mood swings and discomfort during menstruation.
3. Black Cumin
Black cumin or better known as black seed (N. sativa) is rich in antioxidants and thymoquinone. Several studies have proven the efficacy of black cumin against polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a disorder in women of reproductive age due to hormonal imbalance.
In addition, in animal studies, black cumin extract was found to help regulate insulin levels and the performance of various hormones such as testosterone, luteinizing (LH) hormones, and thyroid hormones. Then, black cumin extract also shows estrogenic potential, or acts similar to the hormone estrogen in the body.
To increase health benefits, black cumin can be combined with other natural ingredients, such as ginger. Ginger is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and can help maintain female hormone balance. The combination of these two ingredients can provide more holistic support for reproductive health.
Black cumin is available in pure and supplement form. If you don't want to consume it in supplement form, black cumin can be added to cooking, such as in soup or stir-fry.
To find out more about Black Cumin, see the explanation “Black Cumin - Benefits & Dosage for Health” in the following video.
Check the products Herbs to make it easier to consume the herbal plants above every day. Herbana offers a wide range of herbal products that aim to make a healthy and balanced lifestyle easier. With Herbana products, you can enjoy the health benefits of herbs without the hassle.
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