If you suffer from premenstrual syndrome, known commonly as PMS, you are not alone. Many women experience symptoms leading up to their “time of the month,” including low energy, mood swings, anger, anxiety, cramps, bloating, breast tenderness, appetite changes, headaches, and acne flare ups.
While there are various different approaches that can be helpful for PMS, herbs can be important allies for menstruation. This tincture blend is crafted with a combination of herbs that have long been cherished for their ability to support women’s health, promote hormonal balance, and help to ease PMS symptoms.
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is rich in phytoestrogens, natural compounds found in plants that can be helpful for promoting a healthy balance of hormones. Because of this, herbalists often recommend it for conditions that may be caused by hormonal imbalance, including infertility, PMS, and menopausal symptoms.
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus), Chasteberry, is an effective hormone balancer, promoting regular menstrual cycles and boosting fertility. It helps to relieve PMS symptoms, including cramps, irritability, and breast tenderness.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a calming, adaptogenic herb that helps to boost energy and ease inflammation, anxiety, & insomnia. It is also helpful for correcting hormonal imbalances, helping to regulate the menstrual cycle.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is has a warming, toning effect on the female reproductive system. Research demonstrates that it can be helpful for easing menstrual pain.
It’s best to make the tinctures separately so that you can use them on their own or in other blends.
You may need to use these herbs for at least 3 cycles before they are fully effective.
PMS relief Tincture
Equipment
- 1 strainer
- 4 jars
- 4 bottles
- 1 dropper bottle
Materials
- red clover
- ashwagandha
- vitex
- ginger
Instructions
Herbal Tinctures
- Fill 4 jars ¾ full with each herb then pour alcohol over top of the herbs, leaving at least a ½ inch or so of head space.
- Store the jars away from direct sunlight. Let the extracts infuse for 4-6 weeks, shaking every few days or as often as you remember.
- Store the jars away from direct sunlight. Let the extracts infuse for 4-6 weeks, shaking every few days or as often as you remember.
- When the extract is finished, you can strain out the plant matter and rebottle the liquid (be sure to label the bottle!).
PMS Tincture Blend
- Use a small funnel to pour the tinctures into the dropper bottle. Cap tightly and shake well.
References
Akbaribazm, M., Goodarzi, N., & Rahimi, M. (2021). Female infertility and Herbal Medicine: An overview of the new findings. Food Science & Nutrition, 9(10), 5869–5882. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2523
de la Foret, R. (2022). Red Clover Benefits. Herbs with Rosalee. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/red-clover-benefits.html
Desmawati, D., & Sulastri, D. (2019). Phytoestrogens and their health effect. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(3), 495–499. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.086
Negi, R., Sharma, Dr. S., Gaur, Dr. R., Bahadur, A., & Jelly, P. (2021). Efficacy of ginger in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.13743
