The Earth is perpetually offering herself to us as medicine; herbs are a prime example of how nature heals, and also how it elicits our gratitude, awe, and respect. The herbalists who came before discovered and crafted remedies to address just about every imbalance you can think of, including those that arise when we fall out of sync with our internal rhythms.
Our bodies are wise and wondrous vessels programmed for wellbeing. Bodies possess an innate propensity to reclaim homeostasis; we just have to remove the obstacles and cultivate a restorative environment. Most of the elements we need are already within, or growing all around us.
The call of our bodies will naturally vary as we flow from phase to phase of our monthly cycle. Herbal formulas and supplementation for each Phase will depend on the unique presentation of your cycle. The formulas in this article are general recommendations, but you should always consult with a licensed herbalist to make sure you are taking the appropriate formulas for your condition.
Herbal Remedies and Therapeutic Intentions for Every Phase
Blood Phase
Herbal formula:
- The key principle is to get the blood flowing and ameliorate painful symptoms (unless bleeding is excessive, in which case we need to balance with herbs that restrain bleeding), so we might use a formula such as Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
Intention:
- Invigorate Blood. If bleeding is heavy, invigorate Blood and stop bleeding; regulate Qi and Blood
Yin Phase
Herbal formula:
- Women’s Formula to restore energy after your cycle has ended and create a pathway to a more harmonious cycle in the month ahead
Intention:
- nourish Blood, tonify the Kidneys
Yang Phase
Herbal formula:
- If you are trying to conceive, now would be the time to nourish more than move in order to support implantation with a formula like Bu Shen Gu Chong Wan (aka Tonify the Kidneys and Consolidate the Penetrating Vessel Pill).
Intention:
- tonify the Kidneys, strengthen the Spleen, resolve Dampness
Qi Phase
Herbal formula:
- Emotional Balance to keep the Liver Qi flowing
Intention:
- move Qi, stimulate free flow of Liver-Qi, invigorate Blood, warm the Uterus
You can access a plethora of cycle stabilizing educational resources (such as phase-specific nutrition, acupressure points, herbal supplements, and mind-body exercises) in our online course! Can’t wait to see you there!
Hannah Fries is a California-based licensed acupuncturist and herbalist (L.Ac.), writer, and Integrative Body Psychotherapy allied professional. She seeks to discover & alchemize the psycho-emotional and spiritual roots of disharmony in the physical body to help her clients transform the obstacles that interfere with their innate healing capacity. Find out more about Hannah and her work on her website at https://www.friespirit.com or on Instagram @friespirit.
