Are you struggling with hot flushes, low mood, anxiety, and sleep issues? And have you been recommended a load of different herbs and supplements? It can feel really overwhelming with all the well-intended advice out there. Let me help you break through the overwhelm with my list of the 5 best herbs for menopause.
The herbs I am sharing help manage menopause symptoms by working with the body and your hormones, allowing you to feel like yourself again.
Make sure to keep reading (or watch the video below) to the very end as I will also share my favourite ways to take these herbs.
5 BEST HERBS FOR MENOPAUSE
1. Ashwagandha for stress resilience
Ashwagandha is my absolute favourite. It is an adaptogen herb and adaptogen herbs help to build stress resilience. In menopause, because we have lower oestrogen levels, we naturally have higher cortisol levels, cortisol being in our stress hormone. So we have to do everything that we can to reduce those stress hormones because that high level of cortisol is what underpins all of your menopause symptoms.
Ashwagandha is known to help reduce cortisol levels and from that place, we have better moods, less hot flushes, better sleep and better relationships. Additionally, ashwagandha:
- Supports the thyroid
- Helps with brain fog
- Protects the brain from oxidative stress
2. Black Cohosh for hot flushes and night sweats
Black cohosh has been used for centuries for muscular aches, pains and cramps and in menopause, it is useful for painful periods and general menopausal aches and pains.
Black cohosh is particularly beneficial for hot flushes and night sweats. It helps with temperature control and so, it reduces both the frequency and intensity of hot flushes and night sweats.
3. Lemon Balm for Calming and Soothing
When it comes to managing menopause symptoms it is all about calming the nervous system. Lemon balm is fantastic for exactly that. It is incredibly soothing and calming and it down-regulates that stress response.
It’s also fantastic for ailments from stress. So if you have high stress levels and you get headaches, cold sores, muscle tension etc as a result, think of lemon balm. Additionally, it is useful for:
- Anxiety and depression
- Sleep issues
- Brain fog
4. Agnes Castus for low progesterone
Agnes Castus, also known as vitex or chaste berry, is really useful for promoting healthy levels of progesterone. In perimenopause, progesterone is the hormone that falls first, and progesterone is our calming hormone. And so, we want to do everything we can to promote healthy progesterone levels. Low progesterone levels and an indication for Agnes Castus include:
- Anxiety, low mood, irritability
- Irregular periods, light periods, and spotting in between periods
- Hormonal headaches and migraines
- Sleep issues – particularly problems falling asleep and problems staying asleep.
5. Maca for low oestrogen
Another personal favourite is maca. it is also an adaptogen herb and helps us to adapt to stress. Maca is also a phytoestrogen that helps promote oestrogen levels and resolves issues like low mood, fatigue, hot flushes and night sweats.
Maca is actually an ancient Peruvian superfood, and at that time, it was said to give you the virality of a horse. So it is also well indicated for low libido. Personally, I found it 50-50, some women find it helpful, others not so much.
The Peruvians did however use it before going into battle to give them energy and stamina and I do find it really useful for low-energy states. Maca is also:
- Rich in nutrients
- Rich in fibre
- Great for gut health, liver support, bone health and blood sugar balancing
MY FAVOURITE MENOPAUSE SUPPLEMENTS
First and foremost, if you are on any medication, or even if you’re taking HRT, it is your responsibility to check for contraindications. And if you are ever unsure, please check with your healthcare provider.
I use these herbs in homeopathic or herbal tincture form, however, I sometimes use supplement form as well. And the supplement form is what I’m going to share with you today.
Wild Health Nutrition Botanical Menopause Complex.
It has ashwagandha in it so I really like it for more of the mental-emotional symptoms that we see in menopause.
JS Health Menopause Complex.
It has both black cohosh and Agnes Castus in it and I like this supplement in a perimenopausal state where we’ve got low progesterone and perhaps oestrogen dominance.
MPowder Meno Boost.
This has maca, lemon, balm, and ashwagandha in it, along with tons of other really supportive herbs and nutrients.
Superfoodies Organic Maca Powder
I add this product to smoothies rather than take another supplement.
BUT DON’T FORGET, supplements are exactly that. They’re a supplement to a good, healthy lifestyle and diet. You cannot out-supplement a bad diet. You cannot out-supplement poor lifestyle management. If you’re not exercising, if you are not doing stress management, if you’re not prioritizing your sleep, you cannot out-supplement that.
Focus on getting the foundations right and then look at what needs to be supplemented in.
If you need help with getting the foundations right, download my free ‘Ultimate Guide to Thriving in the Menopause’ today.
Chelsea x
P.S. Feel free to use my 15% practitioner discount code for products found through the Natural Dispensary.
Natural Dispensary: https://naturaldispensary.co.uk/
Discount code: CHELG15
🚫 If you are on medication, it is your responsibility to check for contraindications before starting a new supplement and if unsure check with your healthcare provider 🚫
