The plants that take care of women like nobody else

Good part of the health problems experienced by women have to do with their hormonal cycles.

There is no doubt that female hormones are essential to ensure your well-being and that their physical resistance, their emotional balance and their sexual life depend to a large extent on their balance.

Both decisive hormones in female health They are estrogen and progesterone.

The estrogens They are associated with fertility, vital energy and the smoothness of the skin.

In excess they can cause nervous disorders, insomnia, fluid retention, an imbalance of blood sugar and more serious ailments such as endometriosis and the appearance of breast cysts. Instead, its default It can cause dry skin, pronounced irritability, anxiety, hot flashes and, in the long term, osteoporosis, as occurs after menopause.

The progesterone It is associated, for its part, with emotional balance and muscle tone.

The most effective plants for female ailments

Medicinal plants have been used since ancient times to alleviate or cure women’s disordersfrom those linked to menstruation (premenstrual tension, painful and irregular menstruation), pregnancy or menopause to vaginal candidiasis or osteoporosis.

They can also bring balance in problems that, without being exclusively feminine, tend to affect them more: migraines, insomnia, blood circulation problems, asthenia, anxiety, headaches, bladder infections, constipation…

Medicinal plants are presented as a Valid alternative to drugs, in most cases free of side effects. For this, it is necessary to have the expert advice of a trusted herbalist, but also with the approval of the gynecologist or family doctor.

Some are well known, such as mugwort, chamomile, sage, oats, fennel, soybeans, evening primrose or white willow, but others not so much, such as black cohosh, santolina, chasteberry, wild yam, the Galician, the shepherd’s bag or the millet of the sun.

Santolina, effective antifungal against candidiasis

Also know as artemis female(Santolina chamaecyparissus, Nyman), grows on hills, bushes, paths and coasts of the western Mediterranean. For medicinal purposes, the flower heads and tender bouquets are used.

Properties: Reduces spasms, gases and inflammation, heals and is antiseptic, digestive, diuretic, estrogenic and antifungal.When is it convenient: In case of lack of appetite and anorexia nervosa, premenstrual syndrome, amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea. In external use, for vaginal candidiasis, dermatomycosis and eye irritation.How to use: In infusion (2-3 cups daily) or in drops of essential oil (not during pregnancy); isotonized infusion (with a little salt) in eye drops, eye baths or mouthwashes; in sitz baths and irrigations (candidiasis); the oleate in scrubs.

To alleviate and improve cystitis: bearberry and buchu

The bearberry(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Spreng) forms dense thickets in montane forests and on rocky outcrops. Its leaves, rich in tannins, contain a hydroquinone, arbutin, with antimicrobial power.

Properties: It is diuretic, astringent and one of the most effective urinary antiseptics.When is it convenient: Effective to alleviate the symptoms of urinary infection, especially in an initial phase: stinging, burning and pain when urinating. It is also indicated in kidney and bladder infections.How to use: The most usual is in capsules or liquid extract, but it can also be taken in decoction. Avoid taking it for prolonged periods or during pregnancy and childhood. Urine may darken for a few days.

He buchu (Barosma betulina pillans) is a shrub up to two meters tall, very thick, with leaves that give off an intense aroma similar to mint. Originally from southern Africa, the native peoples take it as a stimulant, digestive and diuretic. The leaves are collected, very rich in essential oil.

Properties: Herbalists consider it one of the best remedies for cystitis and urinary tract infections, especially if you also drink plenty of water or fruit juices and follow a diet rich in fiber. As a powerful diuretic, it is also indicated to reduce edema and prevent fluid retention, and to lower blood pressure and excess urea and uric acid.How it is taken: In liquid extract (between 20 and 50 drops daily in three doses, dissolved in juice or water), in tincture, capsules and the dried leaves in infusion, mixed with corn silk, goldenrod and cat’s tail (Sideritis tragorigarum). Two or three cups are taken a day.Precautions: Avoid high doses and consult a doctor in case of pregnancy.

Against menstrual pain: yarrow and mugwort

The yarrow(Achillea millefolium) is a plant with leaves divided into multiple segments (hence its name) and flowers grouped in a dense inflorescence. It is very common in the cool mountain meadows of the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula. The ilorid tops are collected in full bloom.

Properties: Due to its antispasmodic effect, it is very useful to calm the pain of heavy periods. Relieves muscle spasms and cramps and lower back pain. It is also indicated to eliminate nausea and light dizziness in many pregnant women. Used internally or topically, it stimulates blood flow and is indicated as a support in the treatment of varicose veins and phlebitis.how to take: In infusion, combined with mugwort, viburnum and fennel, take two cups a day, from the nine days prior to the menstrual period. It is also found as a syrup (two or three tablespoons a day), in liquid extract, powdered plant, tincture and capsules. The infusion is applied in local baths and scrubs to treat varicose veins and hemorrhoids.Precautions: Highly loaded doses should be avoided, as they can cause vomiting, dizziness or headaches.

The sagebrush (Artemisia vulgaris L..) flowers in summer in grasslands, ravines, roadsides and riverbanks and is easy to confuse with other species. The flowering tops are used, which contain essential oil, phytosterols, flavonoids and coumarins.

Properties: It is antispasmodic, estrogenic, anti-inflammatory, aperitif and tonic.When is it convenient: Helps reduce menstrual pain and regulate menstrual flow. It is indicated in case of amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea to relieve symptoms such as lower back pain, nausea, colic, fatigue or headache.How to use: Infused, usually with other herbs, as a syrup (about 30 drops a day), liquid extract, and tincture.

Valerian relaxing against insomnia

The valerian (Valerian officinalis) offers an excellent alternative to the drugs used against insomniawhich affects more than 20% of the Spanish population, and especially middle-aged and elderly women.

Very calming, it relaxes the muscles and facilitates a prolonged and restful sleep. It is also indicated in irritability, anxiety, headache, palpitations, hypertension, indigestion and other disorders of nervous origin associated with the rule and menopause.

Properties: sedative, muscle relaxant, antispasmodic and hypotensive.How it is taken: as an infusion, with plants such as licorice that improve its flavor (2-3 glasses a day, the last half hour before going to bed); powder, tincture (1-3 ml, mid-afternoon and one hour before bedtime) and capsules (3 a day, morning and evening).Precautions: May interact with hypnotics, sedatives, and antihistamines. Do not take the essential oil orally.

sage for fatigue

A common symptom in menopause, and that can worsen in old age, is the feeling of listlessness and fatigue. Especially disabling is fibromyalgia, which also occurs in young women.

The sage (sage officinalis) exerts a clear tonic and anti-asthenic effect that can help reduce exhaustion. In menopause it fights menstrual disorders and night sweats. Externally, it is used in dystrophy of the vulvar or vaginal mucosa, which affects women of all ages and causes itching and discomfort.

Properties: tonic, energetic, anti-inflammatory, estrogenic, antiperspirant, antiseptic and healing.How it is taken: in simple or mixed infusion (three cups a day), tincture (40 drops daily in three doses) and liquid extract; the infusion for sitz baths or vaginal irrigations; and the essential oil, diluted in massage oil or in drops for an invigorating bath.Precautions: It should be avoided in treatments with estrogens and in pregnancy and lactation. The essential oil is preferable not to ingest it; in high doses it is convulsive and neurotoxic.

Fennel as a regulator

The fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is mainly used to stimulate gastric motility and prevent gas and bloating. Together with other laxative plants, it is excellent against constipation.

On the other hand, he is a great ally of the young woman because helps regulate menstrual flow and relieves muscle spasms. In menopause it can improve fluid retention, gas, hot flashes and night sweats. With other diuretic and antibacterial plants, it is indicated in urinary infections.

Properties: estrogenic, galactogenic, carminative, digestive, antispasmodic, antiseptic and emmenagogue.How it is taken: in simple or mixed infusion (two cups a day), in liquid or hydroglycolic extract (30 drops in three daily doses), in tincture, powder, capsules and essential oil.Precautions: should be avoided in estrogen treatments. It should not be taken orally during pregnancy or lactation, nor should it be administered to children under 12 years of age.

Plants for menopause: millet of the sun and black cohosh

He sun millet(Lithospermum officinale), related to borage, is intended above all to increase diuresis and to prevent and eliminate kidney stones. It’s great for relieving bladder inflammation. In addition, it can stimulate the production of the luteinizing hormone LH and has been indicated for promote female fertility.

But It is considered especially useful in disorders of the menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, lower back pain and headaches. Due to its antithyroid effect at the pituitary level, it is also used as a support against hyperthyroidism.

Properties: diuretic, antilithiasic, anti-inflammatory, antithyroid and antiperspirant.How it is taken: in simple or mixed infusion, up to two glasses a day, in tincture (from 50 to 80 drops a day, with water or juice), in liquid extract and in capsules for menopausal disorders.Precautions: Due to its pyrrolizidine alkaloids, it is prohibited in pregnancy, lactation and in liver problems and hypothyroidism. May interact with diuretic, anticoagulant and liver drugs. Its use should be discontinuous, never prolonged.

Another fundamental plant in this period is the black cohosh(Cimicifuga racemosa Nutt), a slender plant with trifoliate leaves and small cream-colored flowers, gathered in inflorescences. It grows in forest margins and hedgerows, and is native to North America. The rhizome and root are collected in autumn.

Properties: Black cohosh preparations are a natural alternative to estrogen treatments for women of…