Supporting Hormone Balance with Essential Oils

Posted on by Suzanne Burke

Ok folks! I’ve had about a year to “play” with my doTERRA essential oils and build up my stash – and boy, what I stash I have built (just ask my husband…lol)! Over the past year, we’ve been stunned by how many things essential oils can help with and one area we’ve had great success with is supporting hormone balance.

Hormone balance is definitely a hot topic these days. Whether it be PMS, perimenopause, menopause, or whatever life stages our kids are currently in, most of us are dealing with it in one form or another and can all benefit from a little (or a lot of) help. When I talk about hormone balance, I’m not suggesting that essential oils will solve all of your hormonal issues and magically balance your hormones in just one sniff of the bottle. I’m referring to the ways in which I’ve been using essential oils to support the hormonal systems in my body and my efforts to balance them.

Essential oils are not hormones and they don’t act as hormones in the body. What they can do is provide support by alleviating many of what we’ve come to recognize as common symptoms of hormonal imbalance:

  • brain fog
  • PMS
  • fatigue
  • headaches
  • hot flashes/night sweats
  • insomnia
  • weight gain
  • skin issues

Using essential oils, combined with specific lifestyle changes (whole foods, moving your body daily, managing stress, limiting toxic exposure) will have a significant impact on how you feel. 

There are so many essential oils that can help almost anything, it can be crazy overwhelming to keep track and know what ones are best to use. Keeping in mind that everyone is different and the oils that work for me may not work the same way for you, the oils I describe below are some of my favourites and are also ones that most people have great success with for hormonal balance and support. The essential oils I’m currently loving for this purpose are:

  1. Lavender: This has been a constant favourite for me since I started using essential oils. It’s calming for the mind and body, relieving anxiety, stress and tension. I’ts been an absolute GAME CHANGER for my sleeping patterns – I sleep like a baby pretty much every night now! I use lavender topically before bed (rub on the soles of my feet) and for PMS cramping relief. I also love to diffuse it in blends with other oils anytime during the day. (FYI…when diluted appropriately, it’s a great way to help babies and kids with sleep!)
  2. Bergamot: I’ve only recently been using Bergamot on the reg and I love it! It’s known to be a calming oil and I find it to be excellent for reversing a really bad mood just by smelling the bottle. It can also reduce heart rate and blood pressure by calming the body’s stress responses. Bergamot can be used topically (on the belly or soles of the feet), but I usually put a few drops in the diffuser, either alone or mixed with a couple drops of lavender. Divine!
  3. Geranium: In all honesty, I didn’t love the smell of this one at first. Then I started using it in my PMS Relief Blend – it worked so well for me that it quickly became a favourite. Geranium is also great for emotional balance, when you have that “frazzled” feeling and I often put a few drops on my diffuser bracelet so I have its grounding scent with me all day long. 
  4. Clary Sage: I’ve been using this oil for a year and I still don’t love its scent…BUT, I keep using it because of how effective it is. Used topically, it’s amazing for quickly relieving PMS pain and relaxing smooth muscles. It can also decrease cortisol levels in the body! (Buh-bye stress!) Clary sage is in my PMS Relief Blend, but I also like to use it in the diffuser (combined with geranium, lavender and frankincense) because I find the blended scent quite soothing. It’s also touted as the best oil to combat hot flashes!
  5. Ylang Ylang: (I just love saying that one!) This oil is a great mood booster and its scent invokes feeling of relaxation and ease, helping to reduce blood pressure. Ylang ylang is also a libido booster! I often rub a drop on the back of my neck and on my wrists when I’m feeling stressed, but it’s also great to add 3 or 4 drops with some Epsom salts to a warm bath…for those days when you need a little extra support!
  6. Balance: This is one of my absolute favourite oils from doTERRA because it’s exactly how I feel when I smell it. It’s actually a favourite for everyone in our house – we love it in the diffuser in the house and in the car, too (perfect for crazy traffic days!). As the name implies, it instantly invokes feeling of balance and grounding. I use it daily, topically with a drop on the bottom of my feet every morning, in the diffuser any time of the day and I LOVE loading it up on my diffuser bracelet. 

Now that you know my favourites, I thought I’d add an extra little treat with some blends I (and several of my clients) find to be particularly helpful for hormonal support (and if DIY isn’t your thing, contact me about buying these blends ready-made!):

Cooling Body Spray (excellent for hot flash relief!)

  • 8 drops Clary Sage
  • 6 drops Geranium
  • 6 drops Peppermint
  • 1/4 C Witch hazel

Combine ingredients in a 2 oz glass spray bottle (I use this one). Shake well to combine. Spray as needed on neck, arms, legs – anywhere that needs cooling!

PMS Relief Blend

Combine oils in a 10 ml glass roller bottle (I use these) and add fractionated coconut oil to fill bottle to 2/3 full. Shake to combine. Rub all over abdomen, lower back and legs as needed for PMS relief. (I also find this a great way to relieve tension in my back and shoulders)

I truly can’t speak enough to the effectiveness we’ve found essential oils have on health and wellness. Everyone in our house continues to be amazed at how well they work for so many things, particularly my girls and I for hormonal issues. As I’ve mentioned several times in other posts, I’m on a mission to help anyone who needs it to avoid the negative symptoms associated with hormone imbalance. I love that essential oils can provide such significant relief, naturally. 

If you’d like to learn more about essential oils and how you can make them work for your family, please contact me so we can chat – I’d love to help! If you’re already a skilled essential oil user, I’d love to hear about your favourites for hormone balance…or anything else!