Hormonal changes, whether it be during puberty or much later in life, may oftentimes feel like aliens taking over the body, mood, energy levels, and overall sense of wellbeing. My sister, Jen has been managing hormonal fluctuations brought about by uterine fibroids or Myoma for almost a decade now. She describes her experience as an emotional rollercoaster. “It’s like having PMS, but on steroids. The most challenging days happen days before my period when I get debilitating migraines and body aches. This is usually accompanied by anxiety and depression. On these days, I feel like a ticking time bomb.”
Although 80% of women are faced with some form of hormonal imbalance, women like my sister often feel unsupported in their wellness journeys. The tools available–information, tips, and remedies–are typically limited to painkillers, paracetamols, invasive surgical procedures, and hormone replacement therapies. Since learning about her condition, Jen has had to go on a solitary, deep dive into proper nutrition, movement and mindfulness practices that help ease the chaos within. “I’ve had to figure out which foods, exercises, meditation, and routines work best for me at any given phase in my cycle,” she says.
Safe spaces where enlightening conversations on women’s health issues like PMS, PCOS, perimenopause, menopause are honored and held are just as scarce. Granted, the past three to five years have seen some promising improvements where awareness is concerned. But outside of wellness retreats, social media, and female-focused circles, support for those navigating hormonal imbalances and fluctuations in the real, tangible world leaves much to be desired. In the US, as it is with the rest of the world, there are no specific laws that help build a more empathic and nurturing work space for those who are managing hormonal imbalances. “I was lucky to have a boss who, like me, was living with uterine fibroids or Myoma. She was more compassionate and understanding of my situation especially on weeks when I was feeling really off,” Jen remembers. “In a corporate set up mostly likely run by male executives, I would have been dismissed as being too dramatic or lacking in focus.”
This is not to say that those with hormonal imbalances or undergoing fluctuations are not capable of succeeding as high functioning individuals. Natural remedies that enhance self care routines aid in soothing the senses as we work through the changes in our bodies.
The Way Apothecary: Aromatherapy Blends That Support Perimenopause And Menopause
The Way Apothecary Founder, Françoise Decatrel, harnesses her expertise in aromatherapy and herbalism to create hormone balancing self-care products using essential oils. Her brand, a sanctuary for women navigating perimenopause and menopause, was born out of her very own experience with hormonal changes. She recalls, “About six years ago, I was in my early 40s, life was good. I had nothing to be upset about, yet I was curled up in a ball crying on the shower floor… It hit me that my path to menopause had begun… I began to experience disrupted sleep and more frequent mood swings and anxiety. I felt as if my youth and beauty were slipping away, and felt as if my life was falling apart.”
Françoise began to explore aromatherapy, herbalism, meditation, and Reiki. “I discovered the undeniable connection between intentional relaxation and an easier menopausal path.” Through The Way Apothecary and its hero products, she shares her wisdom and philosophy. She states, “We honor the profound transition of perimenopause and menopause–not as a problem to be fixed, but as a natural shift that invites deeper self-connection.”
The Way offers three types of Women’s Circle Balancing Body Oils, each one uniquely formulated to suit various phases of one’s journey towards menopause. Françoise writes: “Our Women’s Circle formulas use a holistic model to assist your body in finding its hormonal balance. Many of our menopausal symptoms are caused by dramatic hormonal fluctuations. This is temporary as our bodies are trying to figure out a new rhythm. By balancing with the Women’s Circle Oils, your symptoms should be reduced over time. These formulas also work to ease stress and anxiety, nurturing your body and mind.”
I’ve been using Women’s Circle I for almost a year now. It has been my go-to, feel-better body oil when dealing with PMS, stress, and anxiety. Formulated using clary sage, geranium, vitex, bergamot, Australian sandalwood, Copaiba Balsam and Grapefruit, this oil blend balances, invigorates, and soothes the senses. Françoise explains that it is ideal for women who are at the early stages of perimenopause. It also is a comforting addition to any body care routine a week before and during one’s period.
The Way has also recently launched the Women’s Circle Balancing Body Wash, which I’ve been using in tandem with the Balancing Body Oil. This fragrant, gentle cleanser is made using essential oils that support hormonal balance through the pituitary glands. A blend of calendula, sea buckthorn oil, petitgrain, roman chamomile, vitex, angelica root, bergamot, clary sage, and geranium lends countless benefits that ring in a sense of overall well being.
Françoise relates: “This skin-loving natural wash uses gentle plant-based ingredients that will not disrupt the skin’s delicate moisture barrier. I began working on this formula for myself a couple of years ago, when I was in the thick of perimenopause and suddenly had rashes all over my back and itchy skin that was driving me insane at night. Since this is a rinse-off product, you may wonder how it affects hormonal balance. Through our olfactory system (sense of smell), these essential oils have a balancing effect on the pituitary gland, the ‘master gland’ of the endocrine system.”
MyOva Herbal Teas For Better Digestion And Menstrual Cycle Support
Teas have been known as soothing and comforting beverages. The act of preparing and slowly sipping on a cup also lends a sense of ritual to our everyday lives. I first found out about MyOva through its selection of loose leaf teas, each one blended to support hormone health. The brand, founded by Leila Martyn, was initially developed as a platform for PCOS-related issues.
Leila’s work with MyOva was shaped by her experience with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the difficulties she faced with conceiving. She shares; “I started researching recurrent miscarriage, especially in relation to PCOS. Knowing that PCOS caused low egg quality, I was determined to find a solution. Finally, I came across a natural food supplement called myo-inositol.” Through MyOva, Leila has helped countless women thrive despite their hormone health condition. The recent expansion into herbal teas widens support for women’s health concerns beyond PCOS. “We aim to cater to a wider audience and contribute to the overall wellness journey of women everywhere,” Leila says.
The Menstrual Cycle Support Tea promotes hormonal balance, eases menstrual cramps, and aids with managing sugar cravings. It is blended with rosemary leaf, Ceylon cinnamon bark, lemon balm, rose centifolia petals, and vitamin B6. It has been a soothing bedside drink to have days before your period, when mood and energy are less than ideal. I also love cozying up to a cup when my body is feeling sore or tender from PMS.
Hormonal changes or fluctuations typically cause unexplained fatigue, bloating and weight gain. MyOva’s Digestive Support Tea is a vegan, caffeine-free brew that helps minimize menstrual-related bloating. It also supports gastrointestinal and digestive health through its blend of natural herbs that include: cardamom pod, fennel fruit, marshmallow, ginger root, leon balm lear, Gentilia root, chamomile flowers and vitamin B6.
“When you have to live with hormonal imbalance, you do whatever it takes to make the symptoms a little bit more bearable,” says my sister, Jen. “It can be Hormone Replacement Therapy or surgery. For others, self-care and nutrition.” It’s the little things we do each day—eating healthier, making time for movement and meditation, and carving out moments of calm–that can gradually make all the difference between hormonal chaos and finding a state of flow through shifts our bodies undergo as women. As these changes unfold, I’m bravely embracing The Way’s philosophy: to approach hormonal shifts with wisdom, ease and empowerment.