Our precious planet is such an amazing living organism. She provides for us an abundance of nourishment and beauty, as well as all we need to maintain or regain physical health.
I give thanks for this as I write now regarding women’s reproductive and menstrual health, and how to maintain healthy hormones.
Has Pain become normal to Us?
Many women I meet share with me their struggles regarding menstruation and hormones. PMS that brings moodiness and depression, painful cramps, water retention, and more; as well as difficult issues such as infertility, weight gain, lack of menstruation, irregular cycles, adult acne, heavy bleeding, clotting of blood, ovarian cysts, painful breasts, and more have become far too common for far too many women. Many of these issues have become so commonplace that women across the planet have begun to accept them normal.
The truth is these symptoms and manifestations are not normal, nor are they healthy. We do not need accept them as a regular part of our lives. There are solutions and remedies to eliminate the pain and discomfort many women have grown to accept as a part of their lives.
How to regain Hormonal Health
The key is a healthy body and balanced hormones. This begins with diet. What we put inside of us creates the inner landscape for either health or disease to grow. Think of your body as a garden. You want this garden to flourish with abundantly healthy flora! You would not pour toxic waste or chemical poisons on your fruit trees or your flowers and expect them to produce healthy fruits or blossoms. Let this wisdom be the guide for how you treat your body. Feed your body the most nutrient-dense, health-filled foods. Choose fresh, organic, whole foods and adhere to a diet rich with fresh produce, green foods, whole grains, healthy fats, fiber, and naturally fermented foods. Lowering salt and sugar, avoiding refined sugars, flours, and oils; as well as eating balanced meals on a regular schedule will assist your body in operating at its prime potential. Your diet should include plenty of raw, fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, and greens so you can reap the benefits of the living nutrition and enzymes that will assist your body in gentle detoxification as well as
boosting your system with vitality. Healthy digestion is key for healthy hormone production. One of the best ways to improve or optimize your digestion is to eat plenty of lacto-fermented foods, such as raw sauerkraut, kimchee, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, kvass, and miso. These foods provide healthy bacteria for your gut, and assist your digestive process in the digestion of foods and the assimilation of vital nutrients.
Take care of your Liver
Another key for healthy digestion, as well as healthy hormones is the health of our liver. The liver is a fascinating organ, responsible for many aspects of our physical health. The liver assist in detoxification, blood production, metabolism, hormone production, processing fats, and much more. When the liver is stagnant with stuck or toxic energy, it tends to operate at a less efficient rate. I highly recommend regular liver/gallbladder flushes for optimum liver (and hormonal) health. This simple and inexpensive cleanse can be done in the comfort of your own home. Contact me for details on how to do your own liver/gallbladder flush.
The importance of healthy Fats
I mentioned that our diets should include plenty of healthy fats. I am not a supporter or proponent of a low fat or no fat diet. Our brains, tissues, nervous system, and reproductive organs depend on our consumption of abundant amounts of healthy fats, especially the omega 3 fats. If you have been suffering from any menstrual or hormonal difficulties be sure to nourish your body with plenty of healthy fats on a daily basis. The best fats for nourishing and healing your body are the fats found in ripe avocados, evening primrose oil, fish oils (such as salmon and cod liver oils), borage oil, flax, chia, walnut, coconut, and hempseed. Be sure to source the highest quality of these oils, and if they are a pressed oil or in a capsule be sure to store them in a cool, dark place to avoid rancidity.
Back to Balance with healing Plants and Herbs
Nature has also provided us with an abundance of healing plants and herbs to assist with attaining optimum menstrual and hormonal health. There are some excellent herbs that assist in balancing both the progesterone and estrogen levels in women’s bodies. Most women who have not reached the sacred menopausal phase of life tend towards progesterone deficiency or estrogen excess. Most women in menopause or after tend towards estrogen deficiency. There are always exceptions. The herbs vitex, also known as chaste berry, shatavari, suma, and evening primrose oil are all excellent for balancing both progesterone and estrogen. These herbs have been used successfully throughout the ages for treating infertility, PMS, painful menstruation, fatigue related to hormonal imbalances, and irregular cycles. For women who have lacking or scanty menstruation, as well as infertility, the herbs mugwort, dang guai or angelica root, and shatavari are all excellent remedies for boosting blood production, normalizing cycles, and increasing fertility.
The painful reality of endometriosis can be healed with a healthy diet and herbs such as red raspberry leaf, gotu kola, dang guai, vitex, and turmeric. Ovarian cysts are a manifestation of too much “dampness”, “ama” or “kapha” (according to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic diagnoses). This condition can be reversed by following a diet free of wheat, rice, oats, dairy, eggs, white sugar, pork, beef, soy, alcohol, coffee, and fried foods; as well as utilizing the healing potential of herbs such as vitex, red raspberry leaf, evening primrose oil, flax oil, turmeric, and mugwort. Painful menstruation that includes cramping, headaches, body tension, and bloating can be eased through relaxing herbs such as passionflower, chamomile, and lavender. These teas are excellent for easing tension and relaxing the entire body. They can be made into a tea and enjoyed several times a day. Raw honey is a natural anti-inflammatory, as is turmeric root. Finely chopping fresh turmeric or using a powdered dry turmeric, mixed in honey is a great way to benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of these healing foods. You can make a jar full and keep in the refrigerator, then consume a teaspoon daily to reduce symptoms such as swelling, cramping, headaches, and body tension. If you suffer from estrogen excess be sure to avoid non-organic dairy, eggs, and meat, as well as soy products.
Drink water and work-out!
We must also remember to stay hydrated, especially during menstruation. Lack of proper hydration can lead to greater body tension, headaches, cramping, clotting, and other discomforts. If bloating and water retention or swelling has been an issue during your menstrual cycle, be sure to drink an abundant amount of pure water daily, as well as avoiding or dramatically decreasing your salt and sodium intake.Leading an active life that includes plenty of exercise such as walking, jogging, dancing, swimming, yoga, tai chih, and other healthy activities will also assist in balancing hormones and increasing our overall wellbeing. I must add a reminder for time in nature and sunshine, meditation, and adequate rest, and regular sleep and waking cycles is crucial for everyone, and truly does contribute to hormonal health.
Leading an active life that includes plenty of exercise such as walking, jogging, dancing, swimming, yoga, tai chih, and other healthy activities will also assist in balancing hormones and increasing our overall wellbeing. I must add a reminder for time in nature and sunshine, meditation, and adequate rest, and regular sleep and waking cycles is crucial for everyone, and truly does contribute to hormonal health.
Chemical Health Risks for your Body
Before I go, I want to touch on the dangers of chemical hormones such as birth control pills and hormone replacement programs, as well as the dangers of commercial products such as tampons and “maxi pads”. Chemical hormones are not natural, and have proven to cause many problems in women’s health, such as reproductive cancers, early onset menopause, autoimmune disorders, migraines, and more. I highly advise choosing a natural route with all aspects of health. Seek a natural wellness guide to assist you in developing a program to balance your hormones and heal your body if you are suffering with reproductive disorders or hormonal imbalances. Through diet, herbs, acupuncture, bodywork, and other natural methods you can change the state of dis-ease to thriving and vital health. Commercial tampons and pads are often made from cotton that has been sprayed with toxic pesticides, and bleached with chemical poisons. These products have been shown to increase the potential for reproductive cancers and diseases, as well as infertility, endometriosis, and more. There are wonderful natural and safe alternatives that are available. Some of these include “moon cups” or “diva cups”, re-usable menstrual pads such as “moon pads” or “glad rags”, and sea sponge natural tampons. These products are not only safer for your body, they are also more sustainable and earth-friendly. By using these products, we can honor our home planet in love, and also become healthier women, more in tune and touch with our own natural cycles.
Your Health is Sacred!
My last parting comment is that all women begin to honor their bodies and their menstrual cycles as sacred and beautiful. We are the daughters of the moon, daughters of the Earth. We carry the potential of life and creativity in our wombs – regardless if we ever bear children – we hold immense power and potential within us. We come from a culture that has programmed women to feel shame regarding menstruation, sex, and their bodies. This is a great travesty. We are divine goddesses incarnated. There is nothing shameful or ugly about our bodies or our sexuality. I pray that we all honor and love our bodies as sacred temples. By doing so we will change the vibration on Earth. This practice has the potential for the Divine Feminine to rise to Her rightful place and bring great healing, wisdom, and beauty to life on Earth. Thank you sisters, and bless you all!
About the Author
Zahrah Sita is a professional practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture, an herbalist, a health and wellness guide, an enthusiast of plant medicines and ancient indigenous wisdom. She helps lead sacred cacao ceremonies with the Mystic Heart Sacred Cacao Tribe. Zahrah is also a writer, a dancer, and a lover of all of the arts, nature, spirituality, and natural healing. Zahrah resides in Costa Rica year round.
You can contact Zahrah at [email protected]
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