Perimenopause is a season like no other—a sacred threshold between cycles, marked not only by hormonal shifts but by invitations into deeper self-knowledge.
Yet for many, it’s also a time of upheaval:
- Sleep is elusive.
- The mind races.
- The body tingles with anxiety, heat, or fatigue.
- Emotions surface with new intensity.
And the nervous system is often at the center of it all.
🌿 The Nervous System & Hormones: A Dance of Balance
Estrogen, progesterone, and even cortisol weave together to create the rhythm of your inner world. As estrogen fluctuates during perimenopause, it impacts neurotransmitters such as:
- GABA → Calm, relaxation, sleep
- Serotonin → Mood, emotional balance
- Glutamate → Memory, focus, alertness
- Dopamine → Motivation, pleasure, drive
This is why perimenopause can feel like a seesaw between:
- Rest and restlessness
- Clarity and fog
- Peace and panic
For many, it’s the nervous system—not just the hormones—crying out for support.
🌀 Why Seek Alternatives?
Many who arrive at this stage feel weary of synthetic hormones or one-size-fits-all solutions. They’re seeking sovereignty and tools that nourish both body and spirit.
Amanita is one such tool—but it’s only one thread in a vast tapestry of healing traditions worldwide.
Let’s explore that tapestry.
🌍 A Global Mosaic of Support
✨ Western Herbalism
In Western herbalism, these allies have long been used for hormone balance and nervous system support:
- Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa): Traditionally used for hormone support, though modern science debates its direct estrogenic effect. Often used for cramping and mood swings.
- Vitex (Chaste Tree): Supports progesterone balance and may help regulate cycles.
- Ashwagandha: An adaptogen known for soothing the nervous system, reducing cortisol, and helping with sleep.
- Motherwort: A herb of the heart, easing palpitations, anxiety, and hormonal swings.
- Black Cohosh: Traditionally used for hot flashes and emotional swings.
☯️ Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Traditional Chinese Medicine sees perimenopause as a shift in Yin and Yang balance.
- Yin deficiency often appears as heat, dryness, anxiety, insomnia, night sweats.
TCM might suggest:
- Dong Quai: Nourishes blood and regulates cycles.
- He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti): Known for vitality and longevity.
- Rehmannia: Supports Yin and nourishes the kidneys.
- Acupuncture: Helps balance Qi and ease symptoms.
🔮 Ayurvedic Medicine
Ayurveda calls menopause the “Second Spring.” It recognizes shifts in Doshas—especially Vata rising, leading to dryness, anxiety, and insomnia.
- Shatavari: Supports reproductive health and soothes hot flashes.
- Ashwagandha: Calms Vata, eases anxiety, and builds resilience.
- Sesame Oil Massage (Abhyanga): Grounds the nervous system and calms the mind.
🌌 Energetic & Esoteric Perspectives
Many esoteric systems see perimenopause as a spiritual initiation. It’s the time the Wise Woman, Crone, or Elder begins to awaken within.
- Qi Gong: Moves stagnant energy and soothes internal heat.
- Breathwork: Helps release trapped emotions and regulate the nervous system.
- Sound Healing: Vibrations help harmonize nervous system rhythms.
- Crystal Allies: Moonstone, Lepidolite, and Amethyst are favorites for hormonal shifts.
- Quantum Healing: Views symptoms as energetic blockages ready to transform.
💫 Modern Integrative Approaches
Even modern holistic practitioners weave together old and new wisdom:
- Functional Medicine: Looks at gut health, adrenal health, and hormone metabolism.
- Neurofeedback: Helps reset brainwave patterns linked to anxiety or insomnia.
- Mindfulness Meditation: Helps manage emotional reactivity and physical symptoms.
🍄 Amanita’s Unique Place in This Mosaic
Amanita muscaria and regalis have a special place in this conversation:
- Works on GABA pathways: Promotes calm, relaxation, and quiets a racing mind.
- Eases muscular tension: May help with the restless, wired feeling many describe.
- Supports dreamwork: Gentle doses can bring subconscious clarity during times of transition.
While not a hormone regulator in the classic sense, Amanita can be a gentle guide for those whose CNS is overstimulated and yearning for stillness.
🌱 Suggestions for Those Navigating Perimenopause
If you’re exploring alternatives, here’s a blend of approaches to consider:
- Daily Practices:
- Abhyanga (warm oil self-massage)
- Gentle breathwork
- Meditation, even five minutes a day
- Qi Gong or slow yoga
- Herbal Allies:
- Shatavari
- Ashwagandha
- Motherwort
- Dong Quai
- Rehmannia
- Energetic Tools:
- Sound baths
- Moonstone jewelry
- Journaling your dreams
- Nutritional Focus:
- Minerals like magnesium and zinc
- Adequate protein
- Blood sugar balance to support hormone swings
- Mushroom Allies:
- Consider microdosing Amanita regalis for gentle calm
- Pair with rituals to help the nervous system settle
🍄 Amanita Beyond Perimenopause
Perimenopause is just one of many hardships that can disrupt the nervous system. Chronic stress, trauma, autoimmune issues, insomnia, and long-term anxiety also affect the CNS deeply. Amanita can be a gentle ally in all of these cases, helping bring calm and reset nervous system patterns.
🌿 How to Work with Amanita During Hormone Shifts
- Start with microdosing regalis or muscaria for gentle support.
- Use Amanita on days of high tension to promote grounding.
- Pair Amanita with calming rituals like meditation, warm baths, or journaling.
- Track how you feel to discover your own rhythm and response.
- Always listen to your body’s cues for rest or slowing down.
If your still not sure how to implement Amanita read some of the other posts on our Understanding Amanita Page, to gain an understanding in the area you need clarity.
🌀 A Note from the Heart
Perimenopause isn’t an ending—it’s a rebirth. A passage into a new wisdom. The body’s messages during this time may be uncomfortable, but they’re invitations to listen, slow down, and recalibrate.
I speak from a place of experience. Navigating my own hormone shifts has been a curve ball. I’m so grateful to have shifted my diet and also added Amanita to my routine. It’s become a true ally in helping me find calm and connection in this season of change.
Amanita won’t “fix” perimenopause—but it can walk beside you, offering moments of softness, stillness, and reflection.
Your healing journey is yours to write. Whether through mushrooms, herbs, energy work, or simply deep rest—you deserve to feel held and supported.
🌀 Think Beyond.
Awakening Roots — Since 2019
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