We are very proud to introduce a new line of medicinal herbal teas for women’s hormonal balance. The first two teas in this line are Hormonal Balance Blend– a general tonic for the female hormonal system, and Female Vitality Blend– formulated to promote energy, vitality, and libido. In collaboration with Arogya’s longtime mentor and master healer, Dr. Wang, Wei has created these blends using a synergy of Western and Chinese healing herbs. Let’s take a deeper look at the nature of hormone imbalance and how to address it.

It turns out, hormone imbalance is an incredibly common issue that often goes untreated or is masked by birth control and other medications. It’s almost impossible to live a modern lifestyle and not suffer from some form of unhealthy hormone levels. Signs you might be dealing with imbalanced hormones include skin problems, premature wrinkling, hair loss, weight gain, lack of energy, low libido, insomnia, hot flashes, mental fogginess, and mental health issues. Hormone imbalance can be particularly problematic for women because over time it can lead to more serious issues like difficulty conceiving, infertility, and turbulent menopause.

So what exactly are hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that allow different systems to communicate with each other properly. Hormones are part of the endocrine system (ES), which is composed of glands including the pineal gland, thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, and testes. These glands work together to regulate growth & development, reproduction, fertility & infertility, weight, regulate mood, etc. The gastrointestinal tract is also an important organ that helps regulate the ES. Men and women have the same hormones but in different ratios. Women have more estrogen and progesterone, and less testosterone.

Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal issues occur when the ratios among hormones get out of balance. In order to balance hormones naturally, we need to understand what is causing the imbalance. Sometimes this can be a hereditary issue but hormones can also be affected by aging, diet, lifestyle, harmful chemicals, metal, and stress.

For women, the most common pattern is that estrogen levels are too high, and progesterone levels are too low. Hormone imbalances can be caused and/or exacerbated by chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system. These chemicals can be found in both natural products like soy, as well as in industrial pollutants, synthetic fragrances, and so many seemingly innocent household products. Hormone-disrupting chemicals have a huge effect on our bodies because they act like hormones, which results in unnatural levels of hormones and imbalance. Even with minute exposure, synthetic and phytohormones can contribute to issues like slow metabolism and hair loss.

A Holistic Approach to Hormonal Balance

A holistic approach to hormonal wellness means paying attention to everything we put in, on, and around our bodies, managing our stress levels, and promoting our healing process with herbal medicine, acupuncture, and holistic therapies. We are lucky that mother nature has provided some incredible herbs to help keep our hormone levels in check and counteract the negative effects of imbalance. With healthy lifestyle choices and healing herbs, you can counteract the negative effects of the modern lifestyle and bring your body and mind back into a state of equilibrium.

Our new healing blends, Hormonal Balance and Female Vitality, offer daily support for balanced hormones and radiant well-being.

Hormonal Balance Blend contains a combination of nutritional adaptogens, powerful antioxidants, and healing herbs. This concoction is designed to balance and support women’s hormonal and general health and optimize one’s well-being.

Female Vitality Blend is a combination of traditional herbs designed to support the optimal functioning of the organs and endocrine system, so they can perform more efficiently. With potent aphrodisiac qualities, this blend can energize and stimulate the libido, and rejuvenate one’s sense of vitality.

As we detailed in our post about choosing a holistic mindset, health is not just the absence of disease. Health is about having a whole and balanced system, and truly thriving. It means having harmony and wellness in all aspects of your life: body, mind, spirit, habits, lifestyle, home, and family. When you are healthy, it means you are performing at your best, you are confident, you feel good, and you are mentally, physically, and spiritually aligned. This allows us to be creative in our lives and to resist any kind of illness coming our way. So when we talk about balancing our hormones, we’re also talking about bringing balance to all areas of our lives.

With a holistic approach we work from the inside out, and the outside in. In order to reduce our exposure to hormone disruptors, here is a list of what to avoid, and natural recommendations to promote balance.

Things to Avoid for Hormonal Well-being:

• STRESS – when our stress levels are high, we have high levels of cortisol in our blood, which wreaks havoc on the ES. Also, if you are under stress, your body can’t produce enough progesterone, which leads to adrenal exhaustion.
• Canned food – unless stated otherwise, cans are lined with a plastic lining that contains BPA – one of the more famous hormone disruptors.
• Canned beverages – opt for glass!
• Corn – Atrocin, a zeno-estrogen, is a chemical used in farming corn. Atrocin has been shown to make female frogs turn into male frogs.
• Soy – Unless you buy organic soy it’s almost always GMO. Soy also contains natural phytoestrogens. Fermented soy, such as tempeh and natto, are better options.
• GMOs -studies show that long-term exposure to Roundup ready crops and GMO crops sprayed with Roundup can cause hormone imbalance in men, women, and children.
• Alcohol – makes the ES function sloppily, and affects blood sugar levels, which also disrupts healthy hormone levels.
• Aspartame – found in diet soda and sugar-free foods and drinks. Linked to infertility, endocrine disruption, and birth defects.
• #7 plastic, as well as plastics with no number.
• Microwaving or storing food in conventional plastic containers. You can find wonderful glass containers, as well as BPA-free plastic ones.
• Plastic in general: including for toys and tools
• Non-Stick Cookware: including Teflon and silicone cookware. Opt for non-toxic cookware like steel and cast iron.
• Dioxin: a chemical found in herbicides that is stored in the fat of animals. Switch to vegan milk and reduce intake of meat.
• Vilate: a chemical in air fresheners and cosmetics that affects the thyroid, libido, sperm count, and more.
• PDDE (fire & flame retardant): these chemicals are commonly found in home building materials, memory foam, mattresses, carpets, curtains, etc.
• Lead: among many negative effects on the body, lead reduces sex hormones and disrupts hormone signaling pathways. Avoid imported toys and tools
• Parabens – common cosmetic preservatives. A hormone-mimicker.

Natural Solutions for Women’s Hormone Imbalance:

• Work with natural practitioners. (take saliva, urine, and/or blood tests)
• Use a good water filtration system
• Cleanse the body internally
  • tea cleanse
  • liver cleanse (estrogen is metabolized in the liver)
  • intestinal cleanse (prebiotic & probiotic)
  • regular metal cleanse
• Increase exercise (this includes weight training, and make sure to sweat!)
• Sweat even more in a sauna
• Take care of your body. See a chiropractor, massage therapist, and/or acupuncturist
• Decrease stress – meditation to decrease cortisol… (10 min twice a day)
• Get restful sleep (dark environment, no electronic devices in the bedroom)
• Take herbs and supplements to regulate hormones naturally