life stages 133
change shape, their voices break, and they begin to grow facial hair.
Hormones drive all these changes.
Plants contain many hormones, and their use has a full, rich history.
There is still a vast amount of scientifi c research to be done on the
world’s hundreds of hormonal herbs, but it is known that the same herb
can often affect men and women in varying ways in different situations.
They mostly contain saponins, which have a steroidal effect on the body,
acting as building blocks that can be converted by the body to the exact
requirements that are needed. Sometimes these hormonal herbs increase
or decrease the output of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus, while
other times have a more broad-spectrum effect on the entire endocrine
system.
What follows is a summary of the current knowledge regarding the
three main male and female hormones, about which science is constantly
discovering more enlightening revelations.
functions of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
in the body
Estrogen
- guides the young female from fetus to babyhood to womanhood,
partially explaining why girls behave like girls (such as playing nur-
turing games) and why eventually they grow breasts and develop
higher voices and broader hips. - helps in the growth of the endometrial tissue, which forms a “nest”
for a fertilized egg. It is the fertility hormone. - helps to relax blood vessel walls and aids circulation and tone in the
genital tract. This relaxation causes cervical secretions that are inviting
to the sperm. - helps to retain bone calcium.
- needs to be balanced in order to prevent dramatic mood swings, pain-
ful cramping in menstruation, and more problems in later woman-
hood. A joyful woman has balanced estrogen. - levels increase after menstruation and ovulation, then decrease pre-
menstrually. Although this hormone is present throughout the whole
cycle, premenstrually it can surge and decrease. - produced excessively creates an imbalance in the production of a
hormone called aldosterone, which in turn disturbs water balance in
the body, resulting in swelling and tenderness of the breasts, stomach,
and ankles. Excessive estrogen will lower progesterone levels and
cause a chemical imbalance in the brain involving the hormones,
133 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition