Herbal help for symptoms of premenstrual tension

We might have grown up from our teenage years being told that dealing with these issues is just part of what it means to be a woman, or that having PMT symptoms is not a valid reason to stay home from school or work. We learn to stay silent and normalise our experience and might then be surprised that our erratic cycles are nowhere near the 28-day ‘norm’. While these symptoms are very common, they’re also often misunderstood.

Do you feel that your menstrual cycle may benefit from some healthy balance and support? The good news is that some herbal medicines have traditionally been used to provide relief and support, to manage pain and discomfort and for menstrual cycle balance.

Fusion Women's Balance brings together a collection of Chinese medicines and Ayurvedic herbs, including dong quai and cyperus, which are traditionally used to balance a healthy menstrual cycle in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Here’s an overview of some of the key herbs in Women's Balance:

• Dong quai is traditionally used in TCM to nourish the blood, regulate a healthy menstrual cycle and relieve menstrual pain
• Cyperus has its roots in both traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. In Ayurvedic medicine, it’s traditionally taken to relieve menstrual cramps, as well as the irritability that’s often associated with PMT. Meanwhile in TCM, cyperus is traditionally taken to relieve menstrual pain and regulate a healthy menstrual cycle
• Bupleurum helps relieve symptoms of PMT and irregular periods, based on its traditional use in TCM
• The traditional use of white peony for relieving period pain can be traced back more than 1200 years in TCM,¹ where’s it’s also traditionally taken to relieve irregularity of the menstrual cycle
• In TCM, Chinese licorice is traditionally taken to relieve spasms and pain

You might also like to consider Fusion Vitex, which contains a herb called vitex, used traditionally in Western herbal medicine to relieve PMT symptoms including breast tenderness and relieve painful or irregular periods.

To try these herbs, ask for Fusion Women's Balance or Fusion Vitex at your health food store (find your nearest stockist here) or order online.

Reference

1. 1. He D-Y, et al. Front Pharmacol 2011;2:10.

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, worsen or change unexpectedly, talk to your healthcare professional.