Natural health heroes for women

Supporting women’s wellness at every stage of life

From menstruation and pregnancy to perimenopause and beyond, women experience a wide range of physical and hormonal changes throughout life. While these times of change can bring challenges, there are a wide range of natural remedies, foods and supplements that may help. Here, we look at the key stages in a woman’s life, and get some expert tips on the most effective natural solutions to help women feel their best at any age.

Teen years to early twenties
“Your period is more than a monthly event – it’s a direct line to your hormonal health,” says Michelle Walsh, a menstrual cycle nutritionist and women’s hormone coach based at Horans Health Store in Manor West, Tralee, Co Kerry. “Imagine being stuck on a desert island with no internet all month ... except for one week, the week of your period, when the signal kicks in and your body sends a clear message: SOS from your hormones. For teens and those in their early twenties, this stage is full of hormonal shifts. It can take until your early twenties for your cycles to fully stabilise.

The top three challenges I see in my women’s health clinic are irregular periods, hormonal acne and intense PMS. Why does this happen? Exam and life stress, poor sleep, processed foods and skipping meals all affect the brain–ovary connection and your cycle.

Supportive solutions:

Supplement support: zinc, magnesium, B complex vitamins, and omega-3 support mood, skin and hormone balance.
Nervous system-friendly herbal teas: lemon balm, chamomile and passionflower help with stress.
Nutrient power to support skin and hormones: oats, flaxseed, berries, avocado, dark leafy greens, salmon, nut butter, dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds.

Twenties and early thirties
“For women in their 20s and early 30s, magnesium is a key nutrient for supporting overall health,” says Meg Esser, a nutritionist, magnesium expert, and co-owner of ITL Health. “This mineral plays a vital role in hormone regulation, stress management, and sleep quality – essential factors for maintaining wellness during these years. Magnesium is especially beneficial for PMS. It helps to reduce inflammation, regulate blood sugar, and calm the nervous system, easing common PMS symptoms. It also acts as a natural muscle relaxant, offering relief during menstruation and helping manage stress by balancing cortisol levels.

Magnesium also supports long-term health, promoting hormonal balance and helping maintain strong bones, prepping your body for the years ahead. Plus, it encourages better sleep by relaxing the muscles and calming the nervous system. While magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds are great, it can be tough to get enough through diet alone. A supplement like ionic magnesium citrate is highly absorbable and effective for ensuring you meet your needs.

Supportive solutions:

Magnesium isn’t the only player in your health game. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, are essential for reducing inflammation and supporting your mental health.
B vitamins, particularly B12 and folate, help maintain energy levels, improve mood, and support healthy skin.
Regular exercise, hydration, and stress management practices like yoga or meditation will also support your overall wellbeing.”

Thirties and early forties
“Your thirties and early forties can feel like a wild hormonal dance,” says Michelle Walsh. “Balancing career goals, family plans, and self-care all compete for your attention. But with the right support, this season of your life can be your most powerful yet. These are the top three challenges I see in my women’s health clinic. Fertility challenges: hormones like progesterone and ovarian reserve markers can start to dip earlier than expected. Sneaky perimenopause signs: anxiety, irregular cycles and 3am wake-ups sneaking in. Sleep struggles: juggling jobs, caretaking, and life often leaves us running on an empty tank.

Supportive solutions:

Nervous system TLC: Daily breathwork, nature walks, or just a guilt-free “pause” helps regulate cortisol and support fertility.
Supplement support: Rhodiola for stress, Vitex for cycle harmony, and magnesium glycinate for deep sleep.
Nutrient power: Think eggs, wild salmon, leafy greens, lentils, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate for hormone-loving B6, omega-3s, and iron.
Fertility boosters: CoQ10 and NAC are my favourite nutrients for mitochondrial health and egg quality when on a fertility journey.

Forties and fifties
“Many women experience physical and mental changes in their forties and fifties in the transitional stage leading into menopause and the end of the menstrual cycle,” says Lara Jonasdottir, a medical herbalist with Dr Clare’s Clinic and Apothecary in Galway. “These years are known as the perimenopause and can be exhilarating for some and challenging for others. Changes experienced to different degrees by different women include altered menstrual cycle patterns, changes in flow, hot flashes and/or sweats, joint aches, brain fog, sleep disturbance, dryness (including vaginal), fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood fluctuations.

For those with life-impacting symptoms, natural health care can be a good place to start when seeking assistance. I see it firsthand time and time again in my practice how beneficial herbal medicine can be, and many women have been able to avoid synthetic hormonal treatment as a result.

Supportive solutions:

A standard approach is to combine the use of herbs with nutritional and lifestyle adjustments. The latter includes a suitable exercise or leisure regime and creating opportunities for optimum social engagement and being able to pursue creative interests.
There are many herbs that can potentially help during this shift, with two better-known examples being Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa). Others include Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), Vervain (Verbena officinalis), Californian Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), and Shatavari (Asparagus racemosa).
As a general rule, an individualised approach is most appropriate as the nature of the shifts experienced and related symptoms can vary greatly from person to person.”

Fifties and beyond
“In Systematic Kinesiology, the heart is part of the fire element, a yin organ linked to joy, vitality and zest for life,” explains Siobhan Guthrie, principal of KinesiologyZone. “We feel our deepest emotions in the heart. For women over 50, nurturing this ‘fire’ becomes crucial. Many believe heart disease is a man’s issue, but after 50, nearly half of all women’s deaths are from cardiovascular disease. The heart, like all muscles, needs care.

Midlife brings challenges that are multifaceted. Mentally, our life’s purpose may change – whether that’s caring for ageing parents, financial concerns, or considering retirement plans. Chemically, hormonal shifts and new health challenges emerge. Physically, we might not think about our muscles until we have to get down on the floor and realise we need help to get up! And energetically, joy and resilience may feel distant and depression a sign of imbalance.

The good news? We’re not powerless. We need to have a heart-to-heart talk with ourselves. This is the decade to take our strength seriously, for long-term mobility now. The fire’s helper is the pericardium meridian (also called the heart protector), and in SK is linked to the gluteus maximus – so squats could be a simple exercise to incorporate into your day.

Supportive solutions:

Mental: Focus on meaningful connections with friends and what you want out of life.
Chemical: Omega-3 supports heart health, while vitamin D supports muscle function and reduces inflammation.
Physical: Move. Lift. Squat.
Energetic: Acupoint H7 – the wood point on the heart meridian – as this helps to raise the heart energy. Wood is the fuel of fire.

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