No. 38

Progesterone Promoting Foods & Herbs

Low progesterone is more common than high, at least in women.  However, men, although they require much less, still need progesterone.  Hormonal balance is sensitive and essential to human health and mood. The only true way to know where your hormone levels are is to have a blood test.  Symptoms of low progesterone hormone can have many detrimental effects.  Low progesterone is generally considered a given in autoimmune diseases and all inflammatory illnesses.

The highest progesterone promoting activity can help you to raise progesterone which is too low.  A full hormonal blood test panel can determine which hormones you may have out of balance. Blood tests provide the facts you need to help match your issues with the symptoms you may be experiencing.

Illnesses or Problems Believed to be the Result of Estrogen Dominance and Progesterone Dificiency

• Fibrocystic Breast Disease
• Endometriosis
• Ovarian Cysts
• Breast Cancer
• Weight Gain Secondary to Insulin Resistance
• PMS
• Menstrual Disorders– heavy bleeding, irregularity, loss of menstrual cycle
• Uterine Disorders– lining issues, fibroid tumors
• Migraine Headache
• Gynecomastia in men

Increasing Progesterone

1. Increase foods, herbs, and spices that promote the production of progesterone—  there are not many– Yams (not sweet potatoes- usually told these are the same), Wild Yam, Chaste Tree Berry (vitex), fermented soy like miso
2. Increase your supplementation of key nutrients and foods where they naturally occur
3. Exercise regularly and eat a clean diet (junk food promotes imbalance)
4. Avoid foods, herbs, and spices which promote estrogen dominance–  With estrogen dominance, progesterone drops.  These herbs are black cohosh, lavender, dong quai, hops, blue cohosh, licorice root, motherwort, rhodiola, saw palmetto, tea tree oil (which is used externally), berry, and red clover blossoms.
5. Increase foods that are rich in zinc.  Zinc is a trace mineral which is extremely important to hormone balance in both men and women.  It is critical produce adequate levels of progesterone.  It is the mineral which causes the pituitary gland to stimulate the prostate to produce hormones, the ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone at the proper times for regular ovulation, and prompts the pituitary gland to release follicle stimulating hormones.  Food sources include;  watermelon, squash seeds, shellfish, crab, wheat germ, garbanzo beans, dark cocoa, lean red meat, liver.  Herbs & spices which have at least 5 mg per 100 gram serving include– chervil, pumpkin seed, celery seed, poppy seed, cardamom, thyme, basil, yellow mustard seed, sage, coriander, ginger root, parsley, cilantro, cumin, dill seed, anise, caraway seed
6. Increase foods rich in magnesium– magnesium is the 4th most abundant mineral in the body needed for human health;  help your body produce progesterone–  pumpkin, squash seeds, black beans, spinach, plantain, halibut, okra, whole grains, nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts in particular) good sources of magnesium such as black beans, spinach, raw plantain, halibut, whole grain cereals, pumpkin and squash seeds, okra, and nuts.  Herbs and spices in a 100 gram serving which include the highest magnesium are;

• basil, dried – 422 mg
• caraway seed – 258 mg
• celery seed – 440 mg
• cloves – 264 mg
• cilantro, dried – 694 mg
• coriander seed – 330 mg
• cumin seed – 366 mg
• curry powder 0 254 mg
• dill weed – 451 mg
• dill seed – 256 mg
• fennel seed – 385 mg
• marjoram – 346 mg
• mustard seed, yellow – 298 mg
• oregano – 270 mg
• parsley – 249 mg
• poppy seed – 331 mg
• poultry seasoning mix- 224 mg
• rosemary – 220 mg
• saffron – 264 mg
• sage – 428 mg
• savory – 377 mg
• spearmint – 602 mg
• tarragon – 347 mg
• thyme – 220 mg 

Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs that Help Your Body Produce Progesterone

• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C
• Selenium
• Magnesium
• B6
• Boron
• Sulfur
• Taurine
• Fiber
• Milk Thistle
• Black Radish
• Dandelion
• Inositol
• Lecithin
• Flax Seed Meal, Flax Seed Oil- High Lignan