If you suffer from symptoms like fatigue, skin problems, weight gain, intermittent weight gain, trouble sleeping (or always sleeping), PMS, endometriosis, infertility, or PCOS, you may have a hormonal problem.

Hormones act as the body’s chemical messengers that affect various processes such as metabolism, sexual function, reproduction, and mood. Endocrine glands make hormones – these glands include the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas. The hormone is also produced in the ovaries in women and testes in men.

Thankfully, you can balance and heal hormones with a few select herbs and a few lifestyle changes. Getting enough sleep, including a good quality probiotic in your diet, including caffeine, and consuming healthy fats like hemp seeds, coconut, and avocado, are all essential to help balance hormones naturally.

5 Herbs to Heal Hormones Naturally

Ashwagandha

This adaptogenic herb helps reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which disrupts normal endocrine function and promotes premature aging. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to help resolve adrenal- and thyroid-hormone imbalances.

Maca root

Maca, a native of Peru, has powerful hormone-boosting benefits. It is often taken to improve libido, energy levels, fertility, and mood. It is rich in vitamins like B1 and B12 and contains minerals like calcium and phosphorous. It also contains essential fatty acids. All of these nutrients are combined to be used by the endocrine system, providing the body with special hormone-balancing effects.

Rhodiola Rosea

This powerful adaptogenic remedy is a great adrenal tonic for anyone experiencing hormonal imbalances or changes in menopause. It also helps control excess levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, which, if unbalanced, can lead to a compromised immune system and weight gain.

Chasteberry

This berry comes from the chaste tree, a tree native to Central Asia and the Mediterranean region. This berry has been used by women for thousands of years to relieve menstrual problems and stimulate the production of breast milk. Vitex, which is an extract of chasteberry, is also believed to stimulate the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and inhibit the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), giving the progesterone effect. This leads to an increase in progesterone production, thereby helping to regulate the menstrual cycle.

Black Cohosh

The indigenous cultures of the Americas have used black cohosh for more than 200 years. It is a known supplement for the treatment of menopausal and premenstrual symptoms. It also helps reduce inflammation in cases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and neuralgia. Some scientific studies have also found that black cohosh acts like estrogen in body parts like the brain and vagina. Due to these estrogenic properties, it is believed that it helps in the regulation of hormones.