All Healing Herbs

Also known as vitex; used almost exclusively for normalizing and regulating women’s hormones and cycles; normalizes estrogen-to-progesterone balance; an adaptogen possibly affecting the pituitary and hypothalamus rather than the reproductive hormones directly; used for PMS for symptoms of bloating, cramps, hormonal headaches, hormonal constipation, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, water retention, hormonal acne, breast tenderness, painful periods, lack of periods (amenorrhea), irregular periods; restores normal cycles after stopping use of oral contraceptives, promotes fertility, may help prevent miscarriage, increases breast milk after childbirth (higher doses decrease breast milk); also used for endometriosis, fibrocystic breast dis-ease, fibroid tumors, and uterine inflammation; a safe alternative to hormone replacement therapy for menopause and postmenopausal symptoms; stops irregular perimenopausal bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding, increases duration of sleep, antitumor; in men, reduces overactive libido, adult acne, benign prostate enlargement; may prevent prostate cancer; reproductive system tonic; takes two to three months for full therapeutic effects; side effects include skin rash, itching, nausea, dry mouth, headaches, increased menstrual bleeding (rare) or between-period bleeding, fast heartbeat, hair loss; use in pregnancy and breastfeeding only with expert advice; not recommended with hormone-sensitive cancers or conditions, hormone replacement therapy, or oral contraceptives; avoid with Parkinson’s dis-ease or schizophrenia.