Ancient humans have turned to the powers of herbs in treating a variety of ailments. This knowledge has stood the test of time and has been passed on to our current understanding of many of these plants.
Popular herbs have been shown to benefit women’s health.
Fenugreek
If you’ve never heard of this herb before, Fenugreek is quite similar to clover. It is native to southern Europe, regions within the Mediterranean, and western Asia. The seeds are commonly used for medicine, cooking, and to mask the taste of medicine. The seeds taste and smell like that of maple syrup which makes this quite popular among kids.
The herb is great for women who are breastfeeding as it promotes milk production. Many health professionals regularly recommend fenugreek as research suggests that it is a safe and natural alternative to increase milk production. It is also used to keep a healthy balance of blood sugar making it a great herb to help control diabetes.
Women wishing to shed a few pounds can also turn to fenugreek, besides those offered by greensociety.io, as it can reduce fat intake and appetite.
Maca
A popular Peruvian herb, maca is known for its libido-boosting effects. The herb has been a common vegetable crop in the Andean region. It is closely related to radish and a distinct smell akin to butterscotch. Traditionally, the herb is also used for several medicinal purposes such as increasing energy level and enhancing mental clarity for thousands of years.
Maca has been highly recommended for couples that are having a hard time conceiving, although the fertility effect has more to do with men than women. However, ladies wanting to increase their sex drive have gained a lot of benefits from taking maca. Besides that, menopausal women experience depression due to hormonal treatment have also been prescribed maca to favorable effects.
Red Clover
Belonging to the legume family, red clover is a wild plant that cattle and other animals graze on. As a medicine, red clover has been known to be used to treat conditions like cancer respiratory problems, and skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis. Many health professionals believe that the herb has the ability to purify the blood through its diuretic effect. Essentially, it rids the body of excess fluid.
As for women’s health, red clover has been shown to contain isoflavones. These are chemicals that have estrogen-like effects which makes red clover an ideal choice for women experiencing signs and symptoms of menopause. Red clover has also been theorized to protect against heart diseases by increasing HDL, or “good” cholesterol within the body.
Vitex
A healthy balance of hormones is important for anyone’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Vitex is a popular herb to address a number of health problems including:
- premenstrual syndrome
- menstrual issues
- infertility
- acne
- nursing problems
- menopause
The herb vitex has been used since the time of ancient Greece when Hippocrates started teaching about the importance of gynecological health. The plant is one of the popular plants used for medicinal purposes. It is produced by the chaste tree and is also known by its other names like monk’s pepper and chasteberry because of its usage as a means to decrease men’s libido during the Medieval period.
Many scientists believe that vitex is able to decrease the levels of the hormone prolactin in women to balance other hormones in the body like estrogen and progesterone. The herb is also popularly used to treat symptoms of PMS like depression, anxiety, and cravings.
Black Cohosh
Member of the buttercup family, the black cohosh is a perennial herb that is native to North and Eastern America. Traditionally, the plant has been used by Native Americans for centuries as a means to treat irregularities in menstruation, symptoms associated with menopause, and to help in childbirth.
Symptoms that black cohosh is believed to relieve include:
- hot flashes
- night sweats
- painful intercourse
- mood changes
- decrease sex drive
- loss of bone density
Black cohosh is most popular as an alternative medicine for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Scientists believe the herb achieves this effect by regulating the hormones of the body that goes out of sync during this stage of a woman’s life.
