6 Herbs That Calm PMS (Bloating, Tiredness & Mood Swings)

For the 75% of women experiencing some symptom of pre-menstrual syndrome and feel there is no relief in sight, here’s how the world of herbal medicine can help.

PMS can kick start symptoms that often occur for up to two weeks before the onset of your menstrual flow. These include issues like breast tenderness, bloating, fluid retention, tiredness, and headaches. Many women also complain that their hormonal fluctuations also cause emotional PMS symptoms including mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and depression.

In one study at Cornell University, brain scans of women during peak PMS time showed much greater activity in the frontal lobes—the area that controls our emotions. However, once menstruation began that high-level of activity in the frontal lobe was no longer visible. The changes that occur during PMS are a response to a complex set of reactions and chain reactions involving neurotransmitters and hormones that affect a woman’s energy, feelings, and responses to life.

Here’s roughly how your hormones should track:

1. Weeks 1—2 (after your period): In the first two weeks after you menstruate you should have higher estrogen levels. By mid-cycle, they have often increased 10-fold before falling steeply again.
2. Weeks 3—4 (after ovulation): In the second two weeks of your period, as ovulation occurs and your body releases an egg, your levels of progesterone should be higher (this prepares your uterus for possible implantation).

Unfortunately, many women have high levels of estrogen throughout their menstrual cycle and insufficient progesterone production—leading to a progesterone deficit in the second half of their menstrual cycle. A condition, called estrogen dominance (ED) is a common cause of PMS symptoms in women.

If you feel like your hormones are out of balance, you can take our quick quiz here to find out.

Also, low progesterone levels can cause endorphin levels to nose-dive. Endorphins are the chemicals associated with a “runner’s high” because they elevate mood, so lower levels can also ramp up PMS-related feelings of depression or moody blues. For information on nutrients to help boost your progesterone, take a look at my post.

How Herbs Can Help

Though lifestyle factors including exercise and yoga can help balance hormones, many women need more help from Mother Nature’s remedies, to alleviate PMS.

The right herbs and spices can address both the symptoms of PMS and estrogen dominance. Try using these potent plant allies for common PMS hormonal issues.

Anxiety and Low Mood

Lavender: German research comparing the use of lavender to sedating benzodiazepine medication for anxiety, has found it provides equal benefit, minus the side effects of the meds, which may include tiredness, trembling, dry mouth, nausea, and addiction.

Lavender can also help promote skin healing and better quality of sleep. To make fresh lavender tea, add lavender flower bulbs to a tea ball and infuse for 10 minutes or longer in hot water.

Clary Sage: This contains hormone-like substances that help to balance the production and levels of estrogen in your body. The essential oil extracted from this flowering herb is often used in aromatherapy to help calm, relax and induce a sense of wellbeing.

Research on clary sage has also shown that women who inhaled the vapors from this essential oil experienced calming effects such as a decrease in their blood pressure, confirming that the clary sage quickly prompted a relaxation response.

Cramps and Bloating

Lavender EO: This lovely, purple herb has antispasmodic effects that benefit the sensitive nerves in your digestive system. As a result, it can reduce the likelihood of nausea, cramps, ovulation pain and tummy discomfort or distension during the menstrual cycle. Research shows it only takes a 10-minute inhalation of the lavender scent to significantly help change parasympathetic nervous system activity causing women to feel calmer.

Fluid Retention

Chasteberry: This powerful little brown berry can be a woman’s best friend if she suffers PMS. Research shows that after using it for three menstrual cycles, 93% of women enjoyed a decrease in PMS symptoms, such as fluid retention and cravings. The chasteberry also helped reduce hormonal symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Take a look at my special chasteberry tea recipe here.

Traditionally this herb is used through days 14-21 of your menstrual cycle, but many people find benefits using it all month long.

Dandelion Root and Leaves: This common weed found in the yard has been found to help with fluid retention. Research shows promise using dandelion as a diuretic with increased urination. Dandelion has the added benefit of supplying the body with minerals like potassium, that are often depleted when using prescription diuretics. Dandelion root is also used traditionally to stimulate and detoxify the liver which can help promote estrogen metabolism during PMS. Be mindful that dandelion root is high in polysaccharides, so it should be avoided if you are sensitive to FODMAPs (carbohydrates that can cause digestive problems).

Concentration

Lemon Balm: Though often used as a mild sedative, calming sleep aid, and anxiety combatant, lemon balm has other hidden talents. It is also a powerful memory booster and can improve concentration. Many practitioners believe this is due in part to the actions of the rosmarinic acid in the plant, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses.

Research from the University of Northumbria has shown that lemon balm can boost cognitive performance as well as your mood—great news for women who find they suffer from brain fog or low mood due to PMS.

Helpful Resource

One of our iconic programs—Herbs for Balance—shows you how to use everyday herbs and DIY skincare recipes to restore hormonal health. It’s a self-guided, 6-week program with live online community support.

Herbs for Balance was developed to help our community bring the power of common herbs (such as dandelions, nettles, red clover) into everyday life; whether it’s your kitchen, bathroom, food, or topical applications.

What you get:

• Recipe book with 140+ hormone balancing recipes
• Hormone Balancing Foods & Herbs Wheel to use when cooking with herbs
• Highly educational and beginner-friendly video classes
• Key lectures on hormones and herbs
• In-Out Detox Guide
• Online support from our helpful and friendly community

Our Herbs for Balance program is available for just $57. Get it here.