– Curt G. Hamilton C.C.N., Medical Herbalist
Part 1
A Female Tonic Extraordinaire!
This product has some very fast and amazing results for hormonal imbalances. Curt does an amazing job of laying out the details.
Suggested Indication/Use: 1 tablet 3 times per day
FemCo is a fairly new formula released from MediHerb. It is designed to support health Female Cycles and offer support to women dealing with hormonal imbalances. Many women think it is normal to put up with PMS, acne, dysmenorrhea etc. during their cycling years, but this is not normal. If your hormones are balanced and the body is processing them correctly you should have either no symptoms of PMS, or very mild. Understanding the factors that can influence hormone levels in the body can help.
Your body makes estrogen for example, and after it serves its function for that day the body now looks at it as a toxin to be removed. It is metabolized through the liver and then excreted in the urine or the stool where it is harmless. If a patient has constipation the estrogen can be reabsorbed and re-enter circulation throwing your cycles into chaos! So having regular bowel movements daily will help immensely. (If you need help here contact us as soon as possible.) Improving liver function is another area that should be addressed. There is a berry called Schisandra that has been clinically reviewed and shown to improve Phase I and II Liver clearance. We will discuss this more in the sections below.
Another area many women in cycling years deal with is Cystic Acne, PCOS, Hirsutism or facial hair, etc. This can be a sign the women is either making too much testosterone or her body is converting estrogen into testosterone in high levels. Two herbs have historically been invaluable in helping to alleviate this conversion, White Peony root and Licorice root.
White Peony:
Is part of this new herbal blend and may be enough on its own to help correct this imbalance. Adding a little Licorice in severe cases may be suggested and can be a nice support for building adrenal health at the same time. Note: Licorice is contraindicated in hypertension.
Schisandra fruit:
The berry of a vine that climbs up the wall in China. They are used in Chinese Medicine for a number of ailments including Asthma, improving liver and immune function. Schisandra is considered an adaptagen. Think of an adaptagen as a natural substance from nature that increases your resistance to disease, stress, increases energy. It is also used to increase stamina and endurance. Being a berry it is a food.
One of the most profound things I have noticed over the years is its ability to sooth the mind and spirit. Many patients report that they can tell a difference in one or two doses and love this herb. This is nice, as the hormonal balancing effects may take a bit longer, yet a patient often reports they feel better quickly. Of course, we cannot make any claims about its ability to treat any disease or illness it can be a blessing to have such an herb.
Finally, remember I mentioned how important it is to improve liver function? Well, Schisandra is one of the best known to man.
Shatavari root:
An Ayurvedic herb in Indian tradition. It is a form of Asparagus. It’s used to nourish the female reproductive organs and helps build healthy blood. The name translates to “she who possesses a 100 husbands”, referring to the power to procreate attributed to this ancient herb. Think of this herb when you want vitality!
Part 2 will be posted next week…
